SCD Office: Who's Who

Prof 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, with effect 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.

Please contact The Dean: Prof Diane Speed MA(Hons) MTh(Hons) PhD

Director: Coursework

Dr Neil Holm DipTeach BA(Hons) PhD MACE came to the SCD in late 2008 from a career teaching in one-teacher and Aboriginal schools in NSW and the NT, developing the Aboriginal Teacher Education Centre (the forerunner of Batchelor Institute for Indigenous Tertiary Education in the NT), being Director of International House (a cosmopolitan residential college within The University of Queensland) and working as Administrator of St John’s Anglican Church (an inner-city church working in partnership with marginalised people in the Kings Cross/Darlinghurst area of Sydney). He subsequently became Dean and Senior Lecturer in Education Studies and Christian Formation, Macquarie Christian Studies Institute.