Children's Services Staff

Mr Brian Newman

Manager Children's Services, NZFKU Dip, Grad Dip Ed.
T: +61 3 8344 0960
E: b.newman@unimelb.edu.au

Brian is responsible for the overall management and operation of the University's Children's Services. He works with the Centre Directors and the Administration Coordinators on staffing, budget and programs, and liaises with many areas of the University, as well as servicing the Child Care Management Advisory Committee and the Child Care Advisory Committee.

Trained as a Kindergarten Teacher in New Zealand, Brian has many years experience in the early childhood field, including working in services and child care advocacy organizations in London. More recently he worked for many years teaching child studies in TAFE. He has presented conference papers and workshops on a variety of issues around equity and social justice in early childhood, and has also contributed chapters to several early childhood texts on gender and sexuality issues, and innovative early childhood programs.

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Ms Amy Poynter

Administrative Coordinator, Children's Services
T: +61 3 8344 9621
F: +61 3 8344 9471
E: apoynter@unimelb.edu.au

Amy is the Administrative Coordinator for both the Children's Centres, and is able to provide answers to queries about childcare, waiting lists, student rebate and enrolments. Current users can contact Amy if they have a query about their booking or accounts.

Amy has previous experience in education as a teacher and in Executive Education at the Melbourne Business School.

Ms Anthi Stamatakos

Administrative Coordinator, Children's Services
T: +61 3 8344 9621
F: +61 3 8344 9471
E: anthis@unimelb.edu.au

Anthi is the Administrative Officer for both of the centres, a role which she shares with Amy Poynter on a Part time basis.  Anthi is able to answer any queries about childcare, waiting lists, enrolments and student rebate.  Anthi can also assist current users with any queries they have relating to their booking or accounts. 

Anthi has come from a Marketing background working in Business Development for the Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau. 

• Queensberry Children's Centre
• Swanston Street Children's Centre

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Queensberry Children's Centre

Ms Cathy Simpson

Director, Qualified Early Childhood Educator
T: +61 3 8344 9470
F: +61 3 8344 9471
E: csimpson@unimelb.edu.au

Cathy leads the team of Early Childhood Professionals and is responsible for the staffing of the centre and the educational program that is offered to the children.

Cathy has worked for the University's Children's Services for many years, and has also worked in child care settings overseas. Within Children's Services she has gained a wide experience by working in different roles and settings with small and large teams.

Ms Liz O'Brien

Assistant Director, Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: eobrien@unimelb.edu.au

Liz has a Diploma in Children’s Services.  She has been working at the University of Melbourne Children’s Services for ten years.  During this time she has worked with all age groups gaining a wide range of experience.  Her current role involves three days working in the rooms with the children and two days in the office for administration and coordination support.

Ms Amber Dwyer

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: dwyera@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Anna Yeoh

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: yyy@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Bronwen Jefferson

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: bjeff@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Yung-Ching Hung

Trained Early Childhood Educator
E: hungc@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Damyanthi Ethakada

Trained Early Childhood Educator
E: ethakada@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Diana Maselli

Trained Early Childhood Educator
E: ethakada@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Dianna Pell

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: dpell@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Effie Saganas

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: esaganas@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Eve Caruana

Early Childhood Educator
E: evas@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Georgina Colella

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: gmit@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Georgina Coy

Early Childhood Educator
E: gbcoy@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Gracie Vincitorio

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: graciev@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Heidi Artmann

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: heidima@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Jodie Hood

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: jahood@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Lindy Alwis

Early Childhood Educator
E: lalwis@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Maria Arvanitidis

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: marv@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Maryanne Simaris

Trained Early Childhood Educator
E: maryanne@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Melinda Clancy

Kindergarten Teacher (Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies)
E: mclancy@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Mitra Behboody

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: mitra@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Nancy Thewma

Early Childhood Educator
E: net@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Rachelle Burke

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
 E: rbur@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Salma Mohamed

Trained Early Childhood Educator
E: smohamed@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Sue Devincentis

Early Childhood Educator
E: smagnew@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Tash Soumalias

Trained Early Childhood Educator
E: astam@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Tina Choi

Trained Early Childhood Educator
E:ccting@unimelb.edu.au

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Swanston Street Children's Centre

Ms Sharon Saitta (Wednesday to Friday) & Dr Kylie Smith (Monday & Tuesday)

Co-directors, Swanston Street Children's Centre
T: +61 3 9347 9197
F: +61 3 9347 2338
E: ssaitta@unimelb.edu.au and kylieas@unimelb.edu.au

Sharon and Kylie work with the team of Early Childhood Professionals, children and families at the Swanston Street Centre to develop a community that promotes a democratic and rights based approach to curriculum and learning. Kylie and Sharon are responsible for the staffing of the centre and the educational program that is offered to the children.

Sharon has worked in the early childhood field for over twenty years. She completed her Bachelor of Early Childhood in Teaching in 2007 with honours and was awarded the Deans Award for excellences in her graduating year. Sharon has been actively involved in research with the Graduate School of Education at the Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood (CEIEC) particularly in the areas of equity and science education. Sharon has presented at early childhood conferences and published her work in early childhood journals and books.

Kylie obtained her PhD in 2003 and continues to be actively involved in research and challenging the current theories and practises in Early Childhood. She is also a Research Fellow in the Graduate School of Education at the Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood (CEIEC) on Wednesday to Friday. In her work with the CEIEC, Kylie has been actively involved in leading consultations with young children in curriculum and policy making in the early years. She has presented papers from that work to international early childhood conferences and has co-authored articles about the work that have appeared in peer-reviewed early childhood education journals.

Ms Anindita Das

E: das@unimelb.edu.au

Donna Taranto

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: dstat@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Greta Swan

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: geswan@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Indra Karunatilake

Ms Jane Christie

E: jchr@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Joceline Tan

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: tanjp@unimelb.edu.au 

Ms Lime Effendy

Trained Early Childhood Educator
E: leffendy@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Maria Hannah

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: mhannah@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Maureen Robinson

Early Childhood Educator
E: mr1@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Michiko Mitsuhashi

E: mim@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Chutatip (Noot) Hadkham

Trained Early Childhood Educator
E: chadkham@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Rexine Ormsby

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: rormsby@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Sam Parsons

Qualified Early Childhood Educator
E: sparsons@unimelb.edu.au

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