Meet The ERA Team

Dr. Melissa Arkinstall is the leader of our team that delivers specialised services in education and sports science. Melissa completed her Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement) at RMIT University in Melbourne and has a PhD, specialising in Exercise Physiology.

Melissa’s research has been presented nationally and internationally with numerous papers published in international journals of high regard. Melissa is a key author of the VCE PE text book published by Macmillan Education Australia and is a regular presenter at the state ACHPER conference for teachers. Her expertise includes areas such as applied sports physiology, sports testing, and endurance training. Melissa is a member of the Advisory Board for La Trobe University’s Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Research Focus Area.

Megan joined the ERA team in March 2020. With a background in customer service, office administration, event coordination and bookkeeping, Megan is a great fit for our Finance Officer/Office Manager role, which requires a process-driven and highly organised individual.

Megan enjoys the variety this role offers, the progressive nature of the company, and providing top-notch support to both the ERA team and its clients.

In her spare time Megan loves catching up with family and friends, going for a walk or to the movies, and has recently completed a Cert. IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping to further her knowledge.

Adrienne is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist who joined the ERA team in 2016. Adrienne completed her Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement) at RMIT University and then went on to complete her Masters of Clinical Exercise Physiology at Deakin University.

As an Exercise Physiologist, Adrienne has had experience working in private practice, GP clinics, aged care, community settings and sporting clubs. Adrienne was able to utilise her experience across these various settings to play a major role in the development of the ERA Exercise and Rehabilitation Clinic - a community based clinic providing exercise and rehabilitation to a wide range of clientele. Adrienne has a passion for education and enjoys working closely with students in the ERA Clinic where she can share her knowledge and assist the skill development of future Allied Health Assistants.

During her spare time, Adrienne enjoys staying active by going to the gym, swimming, bike riding or hiking.

Adam joined the ERA team as VET Operations Manager in July 2021. An Exercise and Sports Science graduate and qualified teacher, Adam has nearly twenty years’ experience in educational delivery and leadership.

Adam has worked across a range of vocational training settings, most recently as the Operations Manager for a large RTO delivering Sport and Business qualifications in Victoria. Originally from the UK, Adam is passionate about the importance of applied and immersive education, where the connection between training and industry produces strong outcomes for learners.

During his spare time, Adam is a keen trainer and sports fanatic, who loves to spend time with his young family and explore different parts of his adopted country.

George is an RTO Quality Consultant who has been involved with ERA since February 2020.

He has been working in the education and training industry since 2012, serving job roles that mainly involved administrative, data management and compliance responsibilities. His experience includes working across different training providers, both for-profit and non-for-profit, with various student cohorts and training funding schemes. An expert in regulatory and funding compliance, he is currently working as a full-time Quality Consultant for RTO Logic, one of the leading RTO consulting firms in Victoria.

In his spare time, he will be either watching movies or jogging in the park. He is also a dedicated fan of NBA!

Johanna is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist with a breadth of experience working with clients of all ages and chronic conditions. Johanna completed her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology at Murdoch University in 2014 and went on to specialise in the conservative management of scoliosis.

With strong industry experience and a keen passion to share her clinical knowledge, Johanna completed a Cert IV in Training and Assessment which allows her to educate and support in the area of allied health. 

During her spare time, Johanna enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring the bustling pockets of Melbourne.

Bronwen has 10 years of experience as a senior Allied Health Assistant across several inner-city hospitals in Melbourne. Her wealth of clinical expertise spans general medicine, cardiology, intensive care, and rehabilitation wards, in addition to providing home visits to the community.

Bronwen is passionate about teaching and learning, having coordinated and supervised Allied Health Assistant students whilst on clinical placement.

This passion led to Bronwen studying for a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment to help better prepare students for their placements and future work as Allied Health Assistants.

Originally from the UK, Bronwen enjoys watching soccer and cricket and getting out for a family hike, bike ride or run.

Christina has completed a Bachelor of Exercise Science at La Trobe University and Cert IV in Allied Health Assistance. 
 
Within Christina's varied experience as an Allied Health Assistant, student supervision is of particular interest to her, which was the catalyst for her pursuing a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
 
During her spare time, Christina enjoys staying active at the gym and researching her next travel destination!

Hemant has over 10 years of experience as a student recruitment manager in the Australian vocational and higher education fields. 

Hemant's experience working with students of all backgrounds and his passion for guiding them towards the best study options for achieving their career goals equips him with a uniquely valuable disposition for the student community. 

In addition to also being a certified personal trainer, Hemant enjoys spending time with his family, working out at the gym or relaxing with a good book. 

Grace is a former graduate of Deakin University where she completed a Bachelor of Health Science majoring in Nutrition and Exercise Science. She joined the ERA team at the beginning of 2018 after completing her Industry Internship with us, gaining a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance.

Grace is involved in many aspects of the students learning experiences and assists students in obtaining the most from their time with us at ERA. Having been a student at ERA, this holds Grace in great stead to be the student ‘go-to’ person!

Grace has a great passion for the fitness industry and many sports including AFL and netball, but also enjoys getting away for a weekend of camping and hiking.

Grace is looking forward to working alongside and supporting the students as they complete their course in Allied Health Assistance.

Sarah is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist who began at ERA mid 2018. Sarah completed her Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science followed by her Masters of Clinical Exercise Physiology at Deakin University.

Sarah's clinical experience included a focus on musculoskeletal injuries, cardiovascular diseases, mental health, persistent pain and metabolic diseases. Sarah is passionate about helping people experience the benefits of exercise, so they can achieve their goals and improve the quality of their life.

In her spare time, Sarah keeps active herself through a variety of different sports and exercise as she loves the challenge of learning new skills. Sarah loves to share knowledge, and is excited to share her clinical experience with our students!

Ben spent most of his earlier years studying away in NSW. He has been in the fitness industry, working as a personal trainer, whilst completing an Exercise Science Degree at University of Wollongong, followed by a Master of Physiotherapy at Sydney University.

Now, Ben has established himself as a Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, working 5 years in private practice, specialising in sport and spinal conditions. Ben is a large advocate in exercise rehabilitation, and enjoys using an active approach, in conjunction with hands on manual therapy, to treat a wide range of conditions. Ben now brings his knowledge and experience over to teach at ERA.

When not working at ERA or in the clinic, you’ll find him in the gym, playing basketball or catching up on the NBA.

Daniel first began his journey with ERA in 2011 as a student enrolled in the certificate III and IV in fitness qualification. Following this Daniel went on the complete his Bachelor of Physiotherapy (honours) at Monash University and more recently, a Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education from Australian Catholic University. Since graduating from Monash, Daniel has worked predominantly in private practice and sporting environments.

To date, Daniel has had the opportunity to be involved with various elite athletes and teams including being a physiotherapist at the Commonwealth Games, working within the Women’s AFL at their draft academy, as well as various informal roles at national and international martial arts events where he also competed as an athlete- most notably the IBJJF world championships.

Since returning to ERA in 2019 Daniel has been involved with both delivering and assisting with content development as a an Educator in the Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance.

Outside of work you can usually find Daniel exploring the Mornington Peninsula with his dogs Atlas and Nova, tending to his garden or playing guitar.

Nick joined ERA with a Bachelor of Exercise and Health Science which he completed at Australian Catholic University, as well as a Masters of Secondary Teaching, specialising in Physical Education and Health at Monash University.

Nick is a 'jack of all trades' with regard to his role within ERA's day-to-day life, he looks after the delivery of both ERA's High Performance and School services. He has experience in lab and field-based physiological testing to improve sporting performance, along with exercise program development and prescription. Nick is also a valued member of ERA's VET team delivering our sport science masterclasses along with being an assessor.

Nick has a passion for education, believing that critical thinking and an holistic approach to learning and assessment are the fundamentals of developing competent health professionals.

Nick is a fanatical Collingwood supporter, gym user, cook and has a budding love of gardening.

James has completed his Masters of Clinical Exercise Physiology at Deakin University and Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Sciences at RMIT, he joined the ERA team in 2020 as a clinician and student supervisor. While completing his Masters he attended ERA to complete the AHA certification of his own volition to attain skillset across multiple population groups to further his professional development and discover his passion.

As an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, he has experience working within the pathological fields of metabolic, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal with a fascination in the neurological and paediatric fields.

He also enjoys Resistance Training and has a newly developed passion for educating in the field of physiology.

Ben has completed a Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science majoring in Exercise Physiology and his Master of Applied Sports Science, both at Deakin University. During his undergraduate degree, Ben completed the ERA Student Internship program.

Ben has vast experience coaching a number of sports, most notably cross country running and middle-distance events in athletics. He has worked closely with athletes ranging from a secondary school level to National level. 

Recently, Ben has also worked with Tennis Australia during the Summer months as a Performance Analyst.

In his spare time, Ben loves to run and play tennis. He is also a passionate Richmond supporter.

Originally from England, James studied at York St. John University where he completed a BA in Film & Television Production. In 2013, James made the journey to Australia where he began working as a freelance content creator, providing photography & videography services a range of independent clientele. In 2019, James began working for a global PR & marketing agency as a producer, creating large scale content pieces for campaigns with big brands such as Telstra, Officeworks, Facebook Marketing Partners and ALDI.

James came on board with ERA in September 2020, as our Digital Content & Social Media Coordinator. His passion, work ethic and attention for detail made James a great fit for the ERA team.

When you can't find James deep in the world of digital and socials, you'll often see him exploring the great outdoors, hiking in the hills, cycling along the coast and vacating with a cheeky vino (or two!).

Ashlee joined the ERA team in August 2021 with a background in both education and travel industries.  Originally from country Victoria, she has worked in the UK and throughout Australia.

With a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Education from Monash University, she has a broad skill set and a passion for helping students reach their goals, and is a great fit for the role of Student Program Advisor.

When not working at ERA, you'll find her cooking, spending time outdoors with friends, or catching live theatre and music performances.

Adam has been involved with ERA since 2019 as an Allied Health Educator and in course development.

His qualifications include a Bachelor of Exercise Science, a Master of Physiotherapy, and he is currently completing a further Master qualification in Clinical Epidemiology. After beginning in private physiotherapy practice, he now works in acute inpatient orthopaedics, seeing a wide variety of post-surgical patients.

Since 2017 he has been active in teaching into Allied Health programs, and enjoys developing student proficiency in a clinical setting.

When not working, he is busy completing his Masters, beyond which he hopes to carry out work into injury epidemiology.

Simone has been with the ERA team since March 2020, coming on board as our dedicated Marketing Officer.

While completing a Bachelor of Applied Business in Marketing degree, Simone worked as an Educator and Program Coordinator in the schools sector, before moving into a position with a global education technology and learning company.
Simone's experience, passion and drive for Marketing made her a perfect addition to the ERA family.

In her spare time, Simone enjoys catching up with friends and family, keeping active, and exploring the state road-trip style.

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Cal is an Exercise and Sports Science graduate and is currently undertaking a Master’s degree in Sports Analytics and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

Cal is a highly talented data analyst who brings systems thinking and a results-oriented approach to navigating complex business challenges.

With a background as an elite junior swimmer, Cal brings a high-performance approach to his professional endeavours, continually striving for optimum business productivity.

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Thomas completed the Cert IV in Allied Health Assistance with ERA in 2020 while completing his Bachelor of Sports and Exercise Science at La Trobe University.  
 
Thomas’ experience in personal training, programming and delivery of S&C programs, alongside supporting ERA’s High-Performance Program with Racing Victoria has given Thomas a broad experience base rounding out his recent movement into student placement administration.

In his spare time, Thomas likes to stay fit and can often be found in the gym or out for a run.