Sean Bower

Centre Manager

Sean is focused on providing facilities and services in support of all students undertaking higher education in the Mount Isa community. He values student aspiration and success, community relationships and collaboration in rural, remote and regional development context. Sean has a diverse skills base and extensive experience in the delivery of agreed outcomes with over 30 years experience in Change Management, Project Management, Service Management, Training and User Adoption across multiple industries and in the private and public sectors.

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Marissa Camenzuli

Student Services Coordinator

Marissa has 23 years of experience in education. She is passionate about encouraging and supporting students to achieve their educational goals and success in all aspects of their life with compassion, respect and patience. Marissa is looking forward to providing a comprehensive range of support services for registered students including orientation, administrative support and hosting community events to bring everyone together.

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Ana Kuleshova

Learning Skills Advisor

Ana is Learning Skills Advisor at CUC Mount Isa and is available to discuss your learning requirements and provide any general support organising yourself to study or technical support including but not limited to academic writing, research or referencing. Ana has completed Bachelor of Business (Public Relations) through QUT in 2017 and is currently studying Diploma of Youth Work online. She has 8 years of experience supporting higher education students and is a big believer in ensuring equitable access to shaping your future through education and entrepreneurship.

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Peta MacRae

Chair

Peta’s Mount Isa story began in 1997 when she arrived in her fourth year of teaching. She fell in love with Mount Isa and her husband Mal, and she is now very much a local. Their two children were educated in Mount Isa and Peta is now a local business owner.

She has worked in many positions within Education Queensland and considers the highlight of her career to be helping teachers, principals, and schools prepare for the transition from preschool to prep in Queensland State Schools.

Beyond her work in education, Peta has been involved in many community groups such as the Quamby Rodeo committee, Zonta, and Commerce North West.

In 2024, after serving as a Councillor for eight years and occupying the portfolios of sport and recreation, tourism and events, youth, community engagement, the pool, and the library, Peta was elected Mayor of Mount Isa.

Peta’s priorities for the local area are strengthening the economy through encouraging diversity of business, growing our own through educational opportunities and professional development, and creating an appealing and livable city to attract residents and visitors alike.

As an expert in education, Peta is excited by the opportunity CUC Mount Isa offers local students and has been a driving force in its creation.

Chris Pockock

Deputy Chair

Chris arrived in Mount Isa as a beginning teacher in 1997. Since then, he has fallen in love with Mount Isa and the Outback and has been very proud to call Mount Isa his home.

Chris is a proud and passionate advocate for state school education, and as a teacher and school principal he has a passion for giving the students of Mount Isa access to the same opportunities as students in bigger centres. He believes that education gives people the opportunity to live a life of choice, not a life of chance.

He is the father of two boys and loves camping, fishing, and travelling in Australia.

Peter Tuppurainen

Treasurer

Pete has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New England and is a Chartered Accountant. He has over 20 years of experience in public practice, specifically in Business Services; Virtual CFO, Advisory for SME’s, Audit, Business Valuations, Strategic Planning, IT Focused Solutions and Taxation.

Outside of work, Pete is the founder and treasurer of the Mount Isa Music Festival, the entertainment coordinator of the Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo, and a resident bass player in a local band “Bull Dust”.

Having two daughters who completed schooling in Mount Isa before attending university, as he did, Pete is excited by the opportunity CUC Mount Isa presents for locals and proud to be on board.

Chad King

Director

Nick Donker

Director

Nick arrived in Mount Isa in 2014 and has proudly raised his two children in the community. He has 14 years of experience in the mining and mineral processing industry and is currently the Surface Engineering Manager at Mount Isa Mines.

He holds a Bachelor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Queensland and a Post Graduate Diploma in Extractive Metallurgy. He is passionate about developing people, particularly graduates and early-career professionals.

Nick is proud to support CUC Mount Isa and the opportunity it provides for local students. He sees the Centre as a key part of continuing Mount Isa’s long-standing tradition of innovation and industry leadership.

Outside of work, Nick enjoys spending time with his kids, as well as cricket, hockey, and Lego.

Erin Miskelly

Director

Erin commenced at the CUC in early 2023 after working more than 16 years within the higher education sector across three Australian Universities in various roles within Admissions, Enrolment, Compliance and Policy. She is passionate about ensuring quality education is accessible to all students, especially in rural, regional, and remote Australian communities and growing the skillsets of these communities.