Staff

Dr Don Perlgut – Chief Executive Officer

As the CEO of Community Colleges Australia (CCA), Dr Don Perlgut has worked to strengthen CCA’s research, communications and advocacy activities. Prior to his commencement as CCA CEO in 2015, he worked as the CEO of three other organisations, including the Rural Health Education Foundation and the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC). Don has also worked as Deputy Leader of ASIC’s Community Outreach Program; Executive Officer of The Bright Alliance, UNSW Faculty of Medicine; and a business development manager for both the Australian Institute of Management (NSW/ACT) and a start-up IT company.

As ABC TV Project Manager, Open Learning and Adult Education, Don had responsibility for the ABC’s partnership with Open Learning Australia (now Open Universities Australia) and 15 Australian universities undertaking distance learning. He also supervised the development two ABC TV adult literacy series with NSW TAFE, and received a Commonwealth Literacy Medal for his work during International Literacy Year 1990. Don also developed an AusAID-funded English language teaching series broadcast both in Asia and Australia.

Don has committed much of his professional career to advancing social and economic justice through adult, community and post-secondary education. He was nominated three years in a row – 2019, 2020 and 2021 – for the Pro Bono Australia “Impact 25” social sector awards. He holds a PhD in media/communications from Macquarie University and a Master of City Planning (MCP) from the University of California, Berkeley; and is a former professional film critic.

Evelyn Goodwin – Manager, VET Policy and Projects

Evelyn Goodwin joined CCA in May 2015 as Manager, VET Policy & Projects, responsible for professional development activities and policy development. She has extensive experience in Australian vocational education and training, across a broad range of industry sectors and client groups, in both strategic policy and VET capability areas. She has conducted research, managed professional development initiatives, liaised with industry and provided policy advice at Industry Skill Council, state government and RTO levels.

Most recently Evelyn managed sustainability and RTO Quality Assurance projects at Sydney Institute of TAFE. She has also coordinated professional development activities for RTOs in the Skills Development section of the NSW Department of Education and Training, and worked for the Manufacturing, Engineering & Related Services Industry Training Advisory Body.

Evelyn holds a Masters in Technology and Social Change (Wollongong), a Bachelor of Science (Macquarie), a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability for VET (Swinburne), a TAE (Cert IV in Assessment & Workplace Training) and a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Planning.

Clare Harris – Office Manager

As Office Manager with CCA, Clare Harris has responsibility for office administration, finance, event planning and other operational matters. Prior to joining CCA in November 2019, she worked in key operational roles within a range of small to medium-size enterprises in Sydney.

Clare has a genuine passion for learning and personal development. She holds a Cert IV Bookkeeping and a BA from Western Sydney University, and most recently completed a Diploma in Life Coaching. Clare brings with her experience and skills in administration, marketing, graphic design, social media and business development.