Over the years Monica's work and life adventures have culminated into a 'kit bag' of experience, knowledge and expertise that she brings into her practice as a consultant.  Traversing the various organisations and businesses she has gained insight into the full range of how people plan, manage, relate, communicate and deliver.

Originally from a country town where she developed an early understanding of the nature and mechanisms of community, Monica tried her hand at a variety of jobs before going to university and shaping her fascination into a career.

Monica entered study as a mature-age student and decided to study for a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in recreation, which enabled her to focus on communities, how they work and what brings them together.

After graduating Monica was appointed the first women's adviser to the Department of Recreation and Sport in South Australia. The groundbreaking role placed her at the forefront of efforts to encourage women to become more involved in sport, with Monica setting up a small grants scheme and convening the first ever women's recreation and sports conference. Findings from the conference became the platform for future government policy, and led to the formation of an advisory group and a register of high profile sportswomen prepared to visit schools and encourage young people to follow in their footsteps.

Monica chose a completely different field for her next challenge – working with the Child and Adolescent Mental Heath Service in South Australia at a time when the organisation was tasked with moving psychiatric services out of institutions and into the community.

She spent some time helping to establish Child Protection Services and design the parameters and policies to operate it, before going on to set up the Health and Social Welfare Council at Woodville. The latter role involved working closely with the community, health organizations and government agencies to tackle significant social welfare issues across the north-western suburbs of Adelaide.

In a complete change of scene, the next phase in Monica's life took her to Hong Kong, where she managed the adult education and recreation program for 5000 people in a detention centre for Vietnamese asylum seekers. Her time at the detention centre inspired a Masters of Public Health thesis, focussing on the experiences of young women asylum seekers that entered into arranged marriages for the purpose of gaining residency. The findings of the study highlighted the importance of having adequate government policy in place to ensure women's safety.  She also started working with renowned English singer and songwriter Frankie Armstrong, assisting her to deliver voice workshops and training for choirs, students and theatre companies in Australia, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.

Monica returned to Australia in the mid 1990s, initially working with the NSW Council of Social Services developing training opportunities for the long-term unemployed people where she met third generation unemployed youths.  The experience gave her fresh insights into the importance of strategic planning, and linking training and education with pathways to employment. In 1996 Monica established her own consultancy business, based in Sydney. Early clients included Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Lady Gowrie Children's Services and Transfield Construction.

Monica returned to Adelaide in 2000, where she has built a thriving consultancy, harnessing her skills in consultation, organizational development, planning and facilitation for a broad range of government, community and commercial organisations, both in Australia and overseas. 

Qualifications
Master of Public Health, University of Adelaide, visiting scholar at Hong Kong University
Bachelor of Arts, Recreation, University of South Australia
LEADR Mediation Certificate

Professional Associations
Australian Facilitators Network
International Association of Facilitators
WorldBank Institute, Leadership Development Roundtable Member

Board Positions
ACCESS Arts (NSW peak body for arts and people with disability) – 1998 to 2000

Adelaide Central Community Health Services (regional health service for western and central suburbs) – ministerial appointee, 2002 to 2005

Dental Board of South Australia (regularity body overseeing professional conduct for dental professionals) – ministerial appointee as community representative, 2007-2009.