Kevin Ekendahl stands at the forefront of tertiary education and compliance, bringing over a decade of specialised experience in audit and educational quality assurance. As the CEO of Audit Express, Kevin has been instrumental in pioneering advancements in audit methodologies and practices within the vocational and higher education sector. His extensive background encompasses a broad spectrum of expertise, from leading intricate compliance audits to advising on regulatory frameworks and standards. Kevin’s deep-seated knowledge and forward-thinking leadership have not only steered Audit Express to industry prominence but also made significant contributions to shaping the landscape of vocational education and training. His commitment to excellence in education is matched by his passion for sharing knowledge, making him a sought-after speaker, consultant, and authority on tertiary education compliance and quality assurance. With Kevin’s guidance, RTOs across the nation have navigated the complexities of regulatory compliance, transforming challenges into benchmarks of educational distinction. 

Matthew has a wealth of experience working in a range of roles across the Vocational Education and Training Sector, having worked as a former policy advisor to the Victorian Minister of Skills & Training and also as the National GM of Quality & Compliance for a large RTO, and as an RTO manager prior to establishing Audit Express. Matthew has experience applying for and managing various state & federal funding contracts. Matthew is passionate about improving the overall quality of education.

Passionate about Education Technology and Learning. Ramon has an innovative disposition and thrives on delivering results. Able to look at complexity and provide simple solutions. Within over eighteen years of experience in the education sector in a variety of roles and settings, he has proven experience working with strategic partners and delivering shared outcomes.

Sharon has worked in teaching and leadership positions in the training and education sector for over 30 years. Sharon has managed internal and external audits for several large RTOs inclusive of re-registrations for all three sectors: Higher Education, VET and Senior Secondary. As well as being experienced in the relevant standards and regulatory requirements for these three sectors, she is also experienced in the CRICOS / ESOS standards. Sharon has also developed and implemented academic quality assurance and governance frameworks in two major RTOs. She is passionate about the quality of the student experience and how rigorous academic governance and quality assurance frameworks can contribute to the quality of the student experience.

Rio has held various positions in both domestic and CRICOS RTOs, including overseeing their academic and compliance departments. Rio has participated in and led numerous ASQA audits, including initial RTO and CRICOS registration and compliance monitoring.

Rio also has experience managing government funding contracts across NSW, QLD, and ACT, and has led audit with Smart and Skilled and DESBT.

Aimee has more than a decade of experience as an auditor in quality and compliance, managing contractors and technical staff including training and development, recruitment and evaluation,
and leading multi-disciplinary teams to achieve compliance to ISO 9001, company procedures, and regulatory and statutory regulations. Aimee is an experienced professional and has worked in a variety of roles including Project Management, Resource Management, Quality Management, and HSE Management. Aimee has extensive exposure to various sectors including; Defence, IT, Telecommunications, Utilities, and Retail.

Alexander has a strong affinity for commerce and economics, studying economics in high school and university prior. Currently, he is pursuing design at RMIT University. Alexander is an eager young professional seeking to expand his knowledge and skills.

Courtney holds a Bachelor of Business (Digital Communications) from Deakin University and brings a diverse background in marketing, office administration, and customer service. With strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset, Courtney thrives in dynamic environments where attention to detail and teamwork are essential. She is a key member of the Quality and Audit team, contributing to the delivery of high‑quality outcomes for clients. Courtney’s ability to balance technical precision with a people‑focused approach makes her a trusted colleague and an asset to the organisation. She is committed to supporting both operational excellence and positive client experiences, while leveraging her expertise in digital communications to enhance engagement and efficiency across projects.

Bernie has recently retired from Deakin University, which he joined in 1992 as a public health academic.
He was the Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) for the Faculty of Health from 2008 to 2016, where he was responsible for leading curriculum and academic development and review in the faculty at both strategic and operational levels. He had a particular focus on building teaching and learning leadership capacity at school, faculty and university levels and creating a culture that values and rewards high-quality teaching and effective learning and assessment. He built a strong base of the scholarship of teaching and learning through support for staff to use their teaching innovations as the basis for publications. He was a member Academic Board for a number of years and had extensive involvement in university policy review and development, and academic governance and standards.
From July 2016, he was Deakin’s first Dean of Students where he had responsibility to ensure a clear and accessible point of contact for all Deakin students on any matter relating to the overall student experience. His portfolio incorporated the Student Complaints Office, the Student Appeals Office and the Student Conduct Office. He was actively involved in a broad range of student advocacy work, including student mental and physical wellbeing and respectful relationships.
He is now an Emeritus Professor at Deakin in the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and higher education consultant with Audit Express.

Malcolm was formerly the Deputy Dean at Deakin University in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment. In these roles he led the Faculty in developing teaching and learning outcomes for students and staff and enhancing the curriculum. Key projects have been Chair of the University Teaching and Learning Committee, Change Manager and Chair of the Implementation Team for the University Learning Management System, and project lead for the Faculty course enhancement process. In 2010 Malcolm was awarded an Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT) national citation for his leadership of teaching and learning.
Malcolm’s interest in authentic learning has been realised through the development of a number of initiatives around Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and membership of two OLT projects on WIL Leadership. Malcolm’s teaching interests focus on Computer Interface Design and Human-Computer Interaction however he is a skilled software developer working mainly on web systems. He is also skilled in professional development of staff teams, curriculum design and the development information support systems.

Helen is a values-led executive in vocational education with more than 25 years’ experience shaping industry-driven skills and workforce development across Australia. She brings a strong blend of strategic insight, policy fluency and hands-on leadership, supported by a deep commitment to learner outcomes and community impact. Known for her collaborative style and ability to get things done, Helen has led significant organisational TTO change, championed digital transformation in teaching and learning, and built high-performing teams that deliver results. She is widely recognised as a trusted communicator, pragmatic problem-solver, and influential advocate for quality, relevance, and innovation in VET.

Margie Fixter is a strategic leader in VET with a deep sense of purpose, clarity of vision, professional authority, and authentic style, characterised by a career spanning 25 years across three jurisdictions. She is an expert in vocational education, with the ability to strategise and implement innovations in curriculum development, teaching, and learning. Margie is also highly skilled in academic quality, governance, and assurance, with a strong reputation as a seasoned, collaborative, and communicative influencer. Her expertise extends across the tertiary sector, with a specialist understanding of quality and compliance.

Luke is a dynamic and results-oriented IT and cybersecurity professional. Skilled in relationship building, strategic planning, and risk management, Luke brings extensive expertise in developing and managing information security strategies, ensuring regulatory compliance, and strengthening cyber risk programs to safeguard critical business operations and information assets. Known for exceptional leadership and the ability to build trust with diverse stakeholders, Luke consistently delivers high-impact results in strategic execution, and technical delivery. With a proven track record of achieving outstanding outcomes, Luke is equipped with strong analytical, problemsolving, and organisational skills that support high-performance standards. Committed to enhancing business profitability through innovative security and IT strategies, project management, and professional cybersecurity services, Luke is a forwardthinking technology leader dedicated to continuous improvement and driving organisations towards their strategic goals.

Tony is a highly competent and experienced business leader and executive with expertise in digital risk management. This includes information security, privacy and AI risk strategy development, implementation, and risk management. Tony demonstrates effectiveness and leadership in managing and providing guidance to clients in relation to cybersecurity, privacy and AI technology and standards as well as bringing value to organisations through alignment of risk and business strategies. Equipped with communication, presentation and writing skills utilised to convey advice and direction to senior leadership and boards for decision making.

Dr. Chau Ly Thi Minh is a senior lecturer at the International School of Business (ISB) at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH). She previously led the Department of Quality Assurance and Curriculum Development.
She specialises in management education, education management, organisational change, and human resource management (HRM). She is also an expert in evaluation, qualitative research, and organisational behavior, which she teaches and researches at UEH.
Dr. Chau holds two bachelor’s degrees: one in English from the University of Education and another in Foreign Trade Management from UEH. She earned her MBA from the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand in 1999 and her Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from the University of Western Sydney in 2013.
She is a peer reviewer for the Journal of Asian Business and Economic Studies and Studies in Higher Education. She has played key roles in major research projects, including:

• Serving as the lead researcher and academic secretary for a state-level project on policies to promote international education in Vietnam (2017-2020).
• Acting as the key project coordinator for ComO QM (Quality Management for Complex Organisations), a collaboration between four universities: JGU Mainz, UEH, Potsdam University (Germany), and Can Tho University (2014-2018).

Dr. Chau has also worked as a senior consultant on major projects, including:

• Leading the development and implementation of an internal quality assurance system at Tay Bac University in Son La, a remote mountainous area in northwest Vietnam (December 2019 – August 2020).
• Contributing to the ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance Program accreditation at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF) in northern Vietnam. This was part of a project to improve university quality in Vietnam’s northern mountainous regions, funded by the Australian government.

Kei holds a Bachelor of English Language Teacher Education from Saigon University. She used to be a teacher and academic executive. She has dedicated her career to fostering a love for learning and academic excellence. She is passionate about leveraging her experience to contribute to innovative educational initiatives and support learner success.

Annie is a graphic designer with a background in Information Technology. With over nine years of experience, Annie specialises in creating digital and print designs for marketing and event projects across industries such as IT, finance, banking, and education. Annie’s approach combines technical expertise with creative problem-solving to craft visually impactful and effective solutions.

Dung is a results-driven Full-Stack Developer with a strong focus on frontend development. Highly skilled in designing and building responsive, dynamic web applications using modern technologies such as React, Vue.js, PHP, and Node.js. Dung brings a keen eye for intuitive user interfaces and a deep understanding of user experience principles to deliver seamless and engaging digital solutions. Dung is passionate about writing clean, maintainable code and implementing best practices in both frontend and backend development. Comfortable working with cloud platforms (such as AWS, Azure, or Firebase) and integrating with various content management systems (CMS) including WordPress and headless CMS solutions.