Our Team

Navtej Bal, Chief Executive Officer

Navtej Bal is the CEO and Managing Director of Ironwood Institute. He is dynamic and focused individual who believes in” Impossible is nothing”. Apart from his post graduation from RMIT University, Melbourne and eight years of extensive experience in management of international colleges, Navtej brings on board his personal success story as an international student who arrived in Australia 13 years ago.

Navtej believes in seizing opportunities from the challenges and embrace positivity and innovation.

He is passionate about helping student to become employment ready in a rapidly changing world and students look upon him to be great guide, helpful and trustworthy through all times of their study journey with Ironwood.

Camilo Esparza, Director of Academics and Head of Agribusiness
Camilo holds a Master of Global Food and Agricultural Business from the University of Adelaide, and a Bachelor of Animal Husbandry from the National University of Colombia (South America) where he is originally from. Camilo has participated in research across 6 countries in the Pacific and in Indonesia, focusing in livelihood benefits of smallholder farmers. Some of his areas of expertise include understanding market and consumer drivers and implementing value chain analysis across industry sectors. His new role as a trainer at Ironwood will allow him to prepare students for a fast growing agribusiness sector. Camilo aims to deliver high quality training in a dynamic way, bringing key elements from innovation and systems theory.

Dr Kavitha, Head of Horticulture
Dr Kavitha is an expert in working with breeding plants for salinity tolerances. She has over 10 years of experience in teaching students in both in India and Australia. At Ironwood Dr Kavitha managers all the horticulture programs ensuring students receive a high level of academic focus and practical experience.

Vi Pham, Head of English
Vi is a qualified teacher who has been teaching for 6 years to a range of learners from pre-school to high school students. She is also a language teacher and has worked with the English program for adult migrants. Vi has a passion for working with a culturally diverse environment and helping others improve their language skills and work to integrate into Australian society. As a second generation Australian Vi has a strong understanding of English both as a native speaker and a member of an English as a second language family.

Peter de Haan, Head of Management
Peter has extensive experience in management and defence industry, with over 10 years’ experience in the education sector.   He has strengths in project and knowledge management and entrepreneurship.  Peter has the ability to give practical skills to our students in preparing them for real life workplaces.

Victoria Pearce, Head of Marketing
Victoria can answer the various questions asked by students and agents about what courses Ironwood offers, which one may meet your needs and how you can become a student with the College. After more than a decade of working in the international education sector she has a good knowledge of the various needs of students, their families, student visas and admission level required. Victoria is also the first port of call for agents, looking after marketing material, training and compliance needs of agents.

Naomi Low, Head of Student Administration and Quality
Naomi has extensive, experience in management, with over 10 years’ experience in the international education sector. With strengths in people, communication and team management she has the ability to give support to our students in their education journey. Naomi ensures that the College meets all government requirements and managers the provision of quality education services.

Mark Cody, International Collaborations & Partnerships

Mark has had a diverse career in Australia, Asia and Europe, working in all levels of Australian government, in a number of industry bodies and in his own businesses. Mark was instrumental in the establishment of the National VET system and has a keen understanding of the needs of key industry sectors in Australia. Currently he is the Executive Director of the Primary Industries Skills Council where he works tirelessly to improve skill outcomes for Australia and is passionate about developing a new global workforce.

In addition to this experience Mark has been involved in a large range of international consultancy and support roles in education, industrial relations and agribusiness across Asia. At Ironwood, Mark supports the Management team to create and build our international network.

Dr Manpreet Gill, International Scholarship Advisor
Dr. Manpreet Gill is working as an International Collaborations & Partnerships Advisor to develop and execute transnational collaborations and partnerships with likeminded educational institutions including schools, colleges and Universities. Manpreet Gill has been awarded doctorate degree (PH.D) in Arts & Culture Faculty and accredited equivalent to PH.D in Australia. He has more than 25 year’s practical professional experience in the field of media management in the film and television industry including position of Ex HOD of Department of Journalism & Film Production, Lovely Professional University, India. Dr Gill’s primary focus has been transforming education into profession and capacity to undertake challenge to provide transparent consultancy.

Jennifer McCartney, Diploma of Leadership and Management Educator
Jennifer comes to us with qualifications and extensive industry and training experience in management, business, counselling, and community services. Jennifer owns and runs a counselling business, and she has managed an RTO, a home for abused children, a child care centre, and a small primary school. She has also been a business consultant and trained students in business, management, leadership, counselling, community services, aged care, disability and mental health. Jennifer has also worked as a counsellor for agencies in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and South Australia, and she is a qualified and experienced primary school teacher.

Soon Teik Oon, Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management Educator
Soon Teik has 17 years of education/training experiences in institutions in Australia, Malaysia and China including the University of Nottingham, the University of Adelaide and Kaplan Business School. His experiences include working with both public and international universities in China, lecturing and developing course structure and syllabus for their International Business course module. Apart from teaching, he was involved in coordinating work, formulating lesson plans and methods of delivery to non-English speaking students, providing students with academic advice and support to prepare them for their continuing studies and cultural change in Australia.

In addition to that, Soon has over 15 years’ experience in the corporate sector. He has held position such as Principal Consultant, engaging in international consulting and development in the Asian region, particularly Australia, China, Indonesia and Malaysia. His work includes working in high level cross cultural understanding of small/medium sized businesses. SoonTeik was also Branch Manager with a Fortune 500 company, before venturing into consultancy.

Ann-Marie Gil, Social Media Marketing Educator
Ann-Marie is an expert in social media marketing with over 11 years of experience ranging from strategic business planning to digital marketing facilitation in the retail environment. She believes in active learning with a hands on approach to practical solution having taught a range of subjects from short courses through to Diplomas.

Valeria Medeiros
Valeria joins the Ironwood team to support our South American students and agents. Originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil, she can converse in both Spanish and Portuguese. She has been living in Australia for the last 8 years including Sydney, Melbourne and most recently Brisbane. Valeria is the first point of contact for our South American students for any assistance they may need.

Yulia Puspita
Yulia is the first point of contact for our students. She looks after the everyday support requirements of Ironwood’s students from Letters of Offers and Confirmation of Enrolments through to student payments and identifications cards. Yulia has a thorough understanding of the requirements of international students and can ensure that the best information is provided to our students.