SCD Office: Who's Who

Dr Diane Speed MA (Hons) MTh (Hons) (Sydney) PhD (London) was appointed as Interim Dean from 1 January 2008, following the retirement of Professor Ray Nobbs. She has since been appointed as permanent Dean of the Sydney College of Divinity from 1 July 2008. She is also Honorary Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Sydney, has research interests in medieval religious and romance texts and their Christian contexts, and has published extensively in these fields.

Dr Les Gainer BSc PhD joined the SCD office in September 2005, having worked for some time as the Registrar of one of the SCD member institutions: the Australian College of Ministries. He has taken on the role of the SCD database manager and is primarily concerned with all matters to do with SCD student administration. He is married to Jenni and has three beautiful daughters.

Mr David Cheetham BA (Hons), CPA is an accountant by profession, having achieved CPA status over 30 years ago. He was educated at Fort Street Boys’ High School and later at Sydney University. He has had a varied career which has included: basic accounting training whilst with the Australian Taxation Office, Management Consulting assignment with the Commonwealth Public Service Board, Responsibility for all Recruitment and Training for the Commonwealth Public Service Board in NSW, Operating his own function centre and catering company, Directing Professional Development for CPA Australia in NSW, Managing a Legal Firm, Financial controllership for a number of companies, and providing independent financial and accounting advice. David specializes in all facets of small business management. He has been a member of the Council of Trinity Grammar School for over 27 years and takes a special interest in the corporate planning of that institution. Whilst with the Commonwealth Public Service Board, David developed a special interest in Educational Policy and at various stages of his career has been involved in the training and development of adults and professionals. He is married to Christine and has three grown children, all rugged individualists. His interests include all forms of the arts, theology, politics, philosophy, and humour. He reads widely and tries to read the winner of the Booker prize each year. He enjoys good food and wine and should take far more exercise than he does.

Associate Professor Gerard Moore BA BTh STL STD holds a doctorate in theology from the Catholic University of America, Washington DC, and is the author of Vatican II and the Collects for Ordinary Time: A Study in the Roman Missal (1975) (Bethesida: International Scholars Press, 1998), Why the Mass Matters (Strathfield: St Pauls, 2004), and editor of A Hunger for Reconciliation: in society and the church (Strathfield: St Pauls, 2004). He has authored booklets on spirituality, liturgy and justice for the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council. Along with chapters in various books he has published articles in the Australasian Catholic Record, Compass, Pastoral Liturgy, Australian Journal of Liturgy, The Summit, Colloquium, and National Outlook. He has been a consultant to the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), and presently contributes to a number of various national liturgical bodies, both ecumenical and within the Roman Catholic tradition.

A new permanent staff member will be joining our team shortly. The position is currently held by Associate Professor Gerard Moore.

Mrs Chris Cheetham joined the SCD team early in 2005 having come from running her own wine business and having spent many years working for Qantas. She is responsible for the day-to-day management of the SCD office and is the first port of call for any general enquiries. She is married to David and together they enjoy nothing more than a night out at a good concert.