The AEA Board
Kate Montgomery, Chair
Kate Montgomery has had over 15 years’ experience in managing business operations, and has brought her expertise to her role as a small business coach, mentor and trainer. During this time, Kate has supported, mentored, and coached thousands of entrepreneurs across the Cairns region. Kate is passionate about helping aspiring business owners gain the skills they need, and find like-minded people who can help each other along their journeys.
Talitha Devadass, Deputy Chair
Talitha ‘Taz’ Devadass lives and breathes futures. Her work has seen her mentor more than 800 people over the past 4 years to support them finding potential pathways for empowered futures. She believes in community development through the sharing of ideas, transfer of skills and relationship-driven collaboration. At her core, Taz is an ideas queen; she dreams audacious dreams because she always believes that there is more for people. Business success aside, Taz’s most talked about achievement is that she owns more than 350 boardgames and has been interviewed twice on national radio about her collection.
Courtney Tune, Treasurer
Courtney is pretty much a legend in the Entrepreneurial space – serial entrepreneur and just all around nice guy…no seriously…
Having completed a few fancy business degrees, Courtney’s real education in business started when he kicked off his own small business – a restaurant, bar and live music venue in the picturesque coastal village of Sawtell, NSW. During this time he experienced first-hand the challenges that small businesses face but also the great opportunity that business presents in sharing a passion, and the independence of becoming your own boss. Over the past 10 years Courtney has himself been responsible for a number of Small Business start-ups, at the same time providing freelance support to others involved in the adventure that is small business. Prior to going into business Courtney spent over 10 years working in Business and Economic Development with local government delivering a number of small business programs – this included providing support to local businesses in navigating the government approval process.
Em Freeman, Secretary
Em loves impact. She has a background as a commercial specialist, providing high-level procurement strategy advice during her time at the Department of Defence. This role also saw her travelling (nationally and internationally) to deliver bespoke training courses, resulting in over 1200 commercial and project management professionals trained in contracting methodology. Her determination and facilitation skill in delivering these programs saw her recognised as a Leader of the Future at the International Association for Contract and Commercial Management’s 2019 Australasia Conference.
Em’s strategic experience makes her your girl when it comes to implementation; she has the ability to comprehensively plan for successful outcomes, spot problems and logic flaws during concept ideation, and then report on these outcomes. Plus, she loves talking all things contracts!
Despite this, Em is still most proud of being named Deloraine Drama Festival’s Most Promising Actor 2008!
Liz Haselgrove, Board Member
Liz has been studying Business since she was 16 and is now a well-known advisor in Perth, specialising in website building and marketing. She is the founder and Chair of the Perth Business Association. Originally from the UK, she had two beautiful children’s shops in SW London before moving over to Perth in 2014. Since then, she has helped thousands of small businesses to start and grow, with a focus on websites, marketing and social media strategy.
Outside of work, Liz is usually found at the beach with her two dogs, Finn and Janey, who also come into the BOSS Centre in central Perth.
Wendy Perry, Board Member
Wendy Perry is the Managing Director of Workforce BluePrint, Switch Start Scale and Facilitator for Sea to Valley Startups. An author, entrepreneur & educator, explorer & innovator, mentor & speaker on Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Workforce Planning & Development, Vocational Education & Training (VET) & TVET, International Capability & Capacity Development. Mentoring & facilitation are strengths with Wendy working alongside entrepreneurs, founders, individuals, organisations, startups, scaleups, students & unicorn companies. Business interests & partnerships also include Australia Bhutan Ventures, Blue Poppy Ventures, Big Kids Adventures, Bootstrap to Boom & Sea to Valley Startups.