Leading Teams Australia
Garie Dooley - Chief Executive Officer
Garie started his working life as a School Teacher then continued to have a varied business career that has included Senior Management roles with Port Adelaide Football Club, Optus, Kelly Services (a global recruitment company) and VIP Homes Services.
Garie has also had a senior soccer career that has spanned 15 years in Adelaide and he has been part of the local sports media. He has a passion for organisational development and supporting organisations with their efforts to maximise the potential of their people.
Garie has a Bachelor of Education, Graduate Diploma of Teaching and a Graduate Diploma in Business.
Outside of work Garie volunteers with the Julian Burton Burns Trust, a not-for-profit organization, to help raise awareness, education and funds to support people with burns.
Garie lives in Adelaide and has two children, Alexander and Sophie.
Ray McLean - Director
Ray McLean is a founding Director and principal trainer of Leading Teams Australia. Ray began his working life as a teacher, working for 10 years in schools in regional Victoria, and holds a Bachelor of Education. From 1989 to 1994 Ray joined the RAAF as a training and leadership officer and was responsible for the design and delivery of leadership and team training for the Airmen Aircrew Training Unit.
In his position at Leading Teams Ray conducts team performance and leadership programs for a number of AFL, NRL and NBL Clubs. He also works with a wide range of corporate, educational and community organisations.
Ray wrote a book called "Any Given Team" which provides an insight into Leading Teams unique philosophy on leadership and teamwork. The book can be obtained by sending an email to Leading Teams (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Kraig Grime - Director of Programs
Kraig Grime is a Director of Leading Teams Australia. Kraig began his working life with the Navy but transferred to the Air Force and completed 20 years service, his career culminated in him accepting a Commission and leading a team of Management Systems Analysts responsible for providing Organisational Development advice to Regional Commanders.
Kraig facilitates our Performance Improvement Program for a number of Corporate and Elite Sports teams. In addition to his responsibilities with Leading Teams, Kraig is also a Director of Highland Personnel, a not for profit organization that specializing in training and employment for people with disabilities and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Kraig is married to Leonie, they have three adult children and live in Ballarat, Victoria.
Craig Biddiscombe - National Programs Manager
Craig has been a facilitator with Leading Teams since its inception and has delivered leadership and team alignment programs that have improved the performance of numerous elite sport and corporate teams and organisations since the conclusion of an AFL career with Geelong and Richmond.
Craig is passionate about assisting leaders within teams and small to medium organisations to create strong engagement, commitment, and accountability to improve results and productivity. He has had extensive consulting experience, focused mainly in the corporate and private sector, but has also worked within local government, education and elite sport. Some of his current clients include Coliban Water, City of Casey, North Central CMA, Macquarie Bank, Gordon Institute of Tafe, Triple M & B105 in Brisbane, Shell Geelong Refinery, and the Western Bulldogs (AFL).
Craig is married to Tash, a physiotherapist and partner in a health studio on the waterfront in Geelong, where they both reside with son Liam. He is currently in the 3rd and final year of a Masters of Business Management Practice that specialises in Organisation Development and Change Management.
Jim Plunkett - Programs Manager
As a Programs Manager (6 years) Jim presents a wide and varied range of leadership and team alignment programs to elite sport, corporate, school and community organisations’ throughout Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.
Jim has a background in elite sports, playing Australian Rules Football with Western Bulldogs (1997) and Carlton (2001 - 2003) at the highest level. Whilst Jim played AFL he completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Teaching at the Australian Catholic University and he is currently completing his Masters of Management at Monash University.
Jim and wife, Bianca love to spend their time enjoying the company of their family and friends.
Justin Peckett - Programs Manager
Justin retired from AFL Football in October 2006 after 252 games with the St Kilda Football Club (1989 - 2006).
Throughout his playing career Justin has gained extensive facilitating experience delivering various life skills and leadership programs within Schools, Indigenous Communities, Juvenile & Adult Prison Systems, Elite Sport and the corporate environment.
Corporate clients have included; RMIT University, City of Casey, Nike, Quiksilver, NSW Police, BMW Group Aust., Costa Logistics, and Pacific Network Global Logistics
Justin is currently in his final year of studying a Masters of Business Management Practice – Specialising in Organisational Change and Development at Victoria University, Melbourne.
Outside of work, Justin is in his 3rd year as playing coach of the Karingal Football Club in the Peninsula Division of the MPNFL.
Justin’s other passions are his wife Teresa and their six children (soon to be seven), surfing and music.
Martine Harkin - Community Programs Manager
Martine joined Leading Teams in January 2008 as the Community Programs Manager and will be managing and delivering Community Leadership Programs in schools and communities throughout Australia.
Previously, she was in the education system for 9 years and held the Sport Coordinator role for the last 3 years. Martine completed her Bachelor of Applied Science (Phys Ed) at RMIT.
Outside of work, she is an experienced Netball coach, having coached State League Championship grade and the State U15 team, and was also an Assistant Coach with the State U19 team.
Tim Hanrahan
Tim Hanrahan joined Leading Team in November 2008 after serving with the RAAF for twenty years. He commenced his service in the RAAF maintaining Jet Fighters, Helicopters and Transport Aircraft and in the latter part of his career became involved in training. Tim worked in Aviation Medicine training and then spent several years in Leadership training for individuals and teams. He has lived in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia and is now based in South East Queensland. Tim has a Diploma of Training and Assessment Systems, Aviation Safety and Survival Equipment, holds a Certificate IV in Business and has completed a Neuro-Linguistic Practitioner course.
Tim is married to Kellie and has three children Liam, Sophie and Olivia. He enjoys weekends away camping with the family and friends, plays touch football and is a Certified Referee.
Bryan McCormick - Corporate Facilitator
Bryan is a corporate facilitator with Leading Teams delivering leadership and team alignment programs to corporate Australia.
Bryan was a lawyer for 20 years before joining Leading Teams. His experience included a senior position with a national law firm, running his own practice, partnership in a major regional firm and University Lecturer. Bryan is particularly proud that in his employment law work he received regular referrals from both unions and employer groups.
Bryan has been a director and honorary legal counsel for Finding Futures since 1998. Finding Futures is a not for profit Job Network agency with specialist skills in placing people with disabilities into work.
Married to Gaenor they have four school aged children. Their three girls are all keen soccer players which inspired Bryan to found the Total Girl Soccer Tournament in 2005. The tournament has grown from humble beginnings to become the biggest girls’ soccer tournament in the southern hemisphere with over 5,000 attendees.
When not working or enjoying time with his family, Bryan can be found pursuing his passion exploring Australia’s best golf courses.
John Fitzgerald - Sporting and Corporate Team Facilitator
John joined Leading Teams in January 2009 after 14 years with St Joseph’s College Geelong as the Development Manger.
A Commerce graduate, John started the College’s Development Office from scratch in 1994 and developed highly successful fundraising, alumni, and marketing programs. He also headed up a number of special fundraising projects for sporting clubs and schools and still retains strong links with a number of community organisations.
In his role as a sporting and corporate team facilitator John has developed a passion for achieving positive outcomes for the executive and staff teams he works with.
John played senior AFL football with Geelong and has built a successful senior coaching career over the past 10 years in the Geelong Football League.
Married to Jane since 1984, they have a daughter and son both completing university courses.
Malcolm Dolman
Malcolm Dolman comes to Leading Teams with an impressive academic background in Education, Business and Communication, and a successful background in elite sport and working within the not-for-profit and education sectors.
Malcolm has a Master of Arts having majored in Communication, a Bachelor of Education (Physical Education) and a Graduate Certificate in Business – all from the University of South Australia.
Malcolm’s professional background includes consulting to a number of senior schools in South Australia on developing service and leadership cultures, working with some key not-for-profit organisations in South Australia developing sponsorship and fund raising programs and co-coordinating a number of high profile community programs.
From a sporting perspective Malcolm has experienced considerable success in the elite cricket environment, having represented Australia at youth team level for 3 years, including tours to England and Sri Lanka, playing in a winning Sheffield Shield team with South Australia and coaching Adelaide University to an A grade district premiership.
Simon Fletcher - AFLPA Apprenticeship Programs
Simon joined Leading Teams in January 2008 in a full time capacity and has been managing the AFLPA Apprenticeship Programs throughout Australia.
In this role Simon coordinates the clubs and presenters while presenting a number of sessions himself.
Simon has also done extensive work in corporate, education and sporting programs.
Simon brings to the team a considerable amount of experience in the AFL football arena. From 1996 – 1997 Simon played with Geelong Football Club, he then transferred to Carlton Football Club in 1998 through to 2003, where he was awarded Best First Year Player in 1999, then moving to joined Richmond Football Club in 2004. Simon played 90 AFL games.
In 2005 Simon took time out to enjoy travelling abroad returning in 2007 to establish his career in Elite Sport.
Simon holds a Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment.
Vivienne Hopkins – Office Manager
Vivienne joined Leading Teams in January 2008. Previously Vivienne worked within the surveying profession assisting Graduate Surveyors to become registered licensed surveyors within Victoria.
Vivienne has completed a Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment and Training and in her spare time is a Volunteer Guide at the Werribee Zoo.
Belinda Capuana - Finance Manager
Belinda commenced working with Leading Teams Australia in late February 2006.
Prior to her position at Leading Teams, Belinda was employed by a Top 100 Chartered Accounting Firm for six years, after completing a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) at Victoria University.
Leading Teams New Zealand
We align teams by creating shared vision and behaviours that empower all members of the team to engage in open dialogue.
We develop leaders who model and defend the behaviours that the team identifies as non-negotiable. With origins in Australian airforce and elite sports, Leading Teams’ experience in aligning teams and developing leaders has transferred just as successfully to teams in corporate, education and government organisations around the world.
Patrick Steinfort - Managing Director
As a former professional AFL footballer, and now CEO of Leading Teams New Zealand, Paddy Steinfort has more than 10 years experience working in and for elite teams. He currently conducts leadership and teamwork training for our elite sports clients based in Auckland – Auckland Blues (Super 14s), NZ Warriors (NRL) and NZ Breakers (NBL) – as well as corporate and government programs across NZ.
With extensive facilitation experience beginning in school and government programs, and now including elite sporting and corporate teams, he is committed to the simple goal of delivering programs that enhance teams’ performance and improve the leadership abilities of all involved.
Paddy initially became involved with Leading Teams as an Athlete Facilitator of our schools programs in Victoria during his football career. He has since worked in South Australia as the State Business Development Manager, and at the end of 2007 relocated to New Zealand to set up our international office in Auckland. Prior to his full time position at Leading Teams, Paddy also worked part time as a physiotherapist.
In his role as CEO, Paddy is also responsible for liaising with government, non-profit and corporate organisations in order to develop and customise programs which suit their unique needs.
Leading Teams Europe
Gerard Murphy is a founding director of Leading Teams Australia and recently made the decision to move to the UK to further progress the European arm of Leading Teams.
Gerard has facilitated programs that have improved the performance of a number of elite sport teams recently, including the Geelong Football Club (AFL) Wellington Hurricanes (Super 14), the Australian Rowing Team, and the New Zealand Breakers (NBL). Gerard’s passion for educational leadership has seen him work with a number of the Educational regional offices and over 80 schools (secondary, primary & special) around Victoria. Gerard’s corporate clients include Rip Curl, Quiksilver, Alcoa, Shell Refinery, and Leadership Wimmera.
Prior to Leading Teams, Gerard was the Communication and Public Relations Manager at the Melbourne Football Club, where he worked for five years. Gerard has a Bachelor of Education with eight years teaching experience, a Graduate Diploma in Sport Management, a Graduate Diploma in Professional Communication and is currently completing a Master of Education (Leadership and Administration).
Gerard and Elizabeth with their children Alex and Rueben are currently enjoying the winter in England.
Trent Hotton - Managing Director
Trent has moved in a new direction within Leading Teams taking on the new CEO role of Europe based out of the United Kingdom. Trent background is in elite sport, having played a total of 78 AFL games (17 at Collingwood from 1994-1996 and 61 at Carlton from 2000-2002). During his football career Trent combined football and study to complete a Bachelor of Applied Science and Physical Education degree at RMIT. Using his experiences gained throughout his teaching degree and invaluable knowledge from elite sport, he has worked with elite sporting teams facilitating leadership sessions at various NRL and AFL clubs, corporate organisations and school groups.
