We are committed to providing our students with experienced industry professionals.

• School of Dance 
• School of Drama
• School of Music
• School of Theology
• School of Counselling
• School of Education
• School of Graphic Design
• Senior Staff
• Faculty

School of Dance 

Sandra Lauffenburger

BEd, MSc, AA, MCA, DipPsych DTAA (prof), ANZAP (prof.), AASP(assoc), ISMETA (reg), APMA (prac)
Lecturer in Movement Interpretation, Developmental Issues, Dance Therapy

Sandra is highly qualified as a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist, Registered Movement Therapist, Sr. Certified Pilates Method Practitioner and Examiner, and Certified Laban Movement Analyst. She maintains a clinical practice in Movement Therapy and Movement Psychotherapy in Canberra, working with a spectrum of issues from chronic pain through to personality disorders. She has over twenty-five years of studying and exploring the body and movement as well as clinical training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, inform her work. She is an invited presenter in Laban Movement Analysis around Australia and Canada. Before moving to Canberra in 1992, Sandra spent time studying and teaching movement at the C. G. Jung Institute of Psychoanalysis and Creative Arts in Houston, Texas. Sandra also has 23 years experience with the Pilates Method and Movement Therapy. Sandra is a Founding Councillor of the Australian Pilates Method Association and co-authored the curriculum used at UTS for training Pilates Method instructors. She currently trains Pilates-based Rehabilitation Practitioners, using somatic and movement methods.

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School of Drama 

Mariette Rups-Donnelly

Mariette has worked for most of the major theatre companies in Australia including STC, Playbox and WATC. She has appeared in many plays and musicals including the first Australian production of "Evita". TV credits include "Young Doctors", "Prisoner", "The Sullivans", "A Country Practice", "Home and Away", and "All Saints". Mariette has taught Acting, Singing, Voice and Movement for NIDA, UWS Nepean, WAAPA, The Actors Centre, and ATYP as well as Wesley Institute.

Fiona Gentle Snow

Fiona trained in physical theatre in the USA, and for the last for ten years has worked as a performer and puppeteer in theatre, film and television. Her TV credits include "Babe - Pig in the City", "Farscape", "Sesame Street/Muppets" and a TV pilot for "The Umbilical Brothers". She has also written, produced and directed for children’s theatre. Fiona teaches Physical Theatre and Movement studies for Steiner schools and Wesley Institute.

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School of Music 

Dr Heva Chan

Head of the School of Music
CertEEIII, CertMusGraph, DipElectMus, DipMus(Hons), DipComp, ATCL, LTCLTeach, LTCLPerf, MFAMusicology, MAComp, PhD
Composer, Performer, Musicologist, Music Educator

Heva Chan was born in Hong Kong and had her first performance on piano at the age of four. She lived in Vienna, and was awarded Austrian citizenship for her success in her field of music. During her studies, Heva had the chance to travel to 33 countries for research and was awarded numerous scholarships and prizes. For the distinguished talent in her field, she was also awarded the permanent residency from the Australian government. Her music has been performed in numerous concerts, international seminars, symposiums, conferences and music festivals in Asia, Europe, America, Canada and Australia. Her passion is to share Christ’s love, her musical knowledge and experience with others.

Art Phillips

MMus
Award-winning Composer, Performer, Musical Director
Coordinator, Music and Media Strand, Master of Music

Art Phillips, two-time EMMY Award winner for “Outstanding Music Direction & Composition in a Drama Series” for a US television drama, wrote the score for “Pirate Islands: The Lost Treasure of Fiji” which recently aired on NETWORK TEN and is currently airing on the Disney Channel.
Art Phillips has been working in film and television for over 30 years.  Since 2001 he has been the President of The Australian Guild of Screen Composers, and was the Vice-President of the organization from 1992-2000.  Art has written numerous subjects and delivered lectures in screen music composition, orchestration and conducting for Griffith University, Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music, The Australian Institute of Music and The Queensland Conservatorium of Music.
Art Phillips coordinates the Music and Media strand of the Wesley Institute Master of Music.  Students are privileged to work with Art in his Balmain studios.  For further information on our Master of Music program please contact the institute.

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School of Theology

Dr James Harrison

Head of Theology
BA, DipEd, MA, PhD

Jim Harrison teaches in Biblical Studies in the area of New Testament. He has been published in several international journals and in the highly regarded New Documents Illustrating Early Christianity (1998, 2002). His first book, Paul’s Language of Grace in its Graeco-Roman Context, was published in 2003. His research interest is in the social distinctiveness of the early Christians and how the gospel was understood in its first-century context. He pastors and preaches regularly and presents papers at conferences across Australia and overseas.

Rev Dr Kye Won Lee

Head of Korean Theology
BTh, MDiv, ThM, PhD

Dr Lee is the founding Director of the Korean Theological Program at Wesley Institute. A respected theologian, he is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships. His research areas of interests are union with Christ, Christology, migration theology, contemporary theology, and integrative theology. Dr Lee is the author of Living in Union with Christ: The Practical Theology of Thomas F. Torrance, published in 2003. He has also published a number of articles and is a minister of Wesley Mission.

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School of Counselling

Dr Graham Barker

Dean of Students and Head of Counselling
BA, STC, MA, MA(Hons), PsyD, MAPA, MAPS

Graham is a graduate of the George Fox Graduate School of Psychology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Moody Bible Institute, and Sydney Teachers College. He completed his clinical internship and residency at the Minirth-Meier Clinic in Dallas, Texas, and runs a busy clinical practice in Sydney. Graham has been Head of Counselling since 1991 and the Dean of Students since 1996. He is an ordained Baptist Minister and has spent many years working in Australia and overseas with Youth For Christ ministries.

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School of Education

Pam Harvey

Head of Education
BSc(Hons), CertEd, MEd, AMACEA, PhD Candidate

Pam Harvey has worked in the Christian school sector for over twenty years. She was the Director of Education for Christian Community Schools Limited until 1997, when she became the Director of Studies for the Institute of Christian Tertiary Education (Southland College). In 2003, she joined Wesley Institute to coordinate the development of our Graduate Diploma of Education course. She is currently a PhD candidate, researching the motivations of teachers in Christian schools to engage in postgraduate study.

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School of Graphic Design

Trevor Hotten

Head of Graphic Design
DipDesign, MADesign

Trevor has over ten years’ experience as a designer, including three years as the director of his own company. He taught graphic design for over eight years at leading design colleges before joining Wesley Institute in June 2002. Trevor is also an award-winning artist who exhibits his work in Sydney, and has recently been invited to run an evening Sketch Club for advanced artists for the NSW Royal Art Society.

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Senior Staff

Dr David H. Johnston

Principal
BA, MMus, TC, DipViolin, DipConduct, DipChamMus (Aspen), DipChamMus (Mozarteum), DHum (Hon)

David is the founding principal of Wesley Institute. His areas of expertise are Education, Music Performance and Liturgical Studies and his research interest is contemporary Christian music. David has performed extensively as a concert violinist in Europe and the USA. He has taught music for over 40 years, is a Conductor/Clinician of orchestras and choirs, and has served as the music director for the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem for over 18 years.

Hilda Caine JP

Academic Dean
DipMin, MEdAdmin, BTh, MEd Candidate

Hilda Caine works with the academic faculties to maintain high standards in the development, delivery and assessment of the Institute’s courses, and to document the courses for review by internal and external authorities. Hilda also oversees the Institute Library and the Registrar’s Department.

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Faculty

Wesley Institute faculty includes many recognised industry professionals and respected scholars. This small representative sample of profiles illustrates the breadth of experience in the teaching areas.

Dr Keith Suter is a world authority on global change and a regular commentator on radio and television programs. He lectures at a number of universities and is in demand as a keynote speaker at Australian and international conferences and seminars. He holds a number of prestigious positions, including Executive Director, National Goals and Directions, for the UCA.

Rev The Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes, OAM, is superintendent of Wesley Mission and a member of State Parliament. Dr Moyes is invited regularly to speak all over the world and has worked in television and radio for many years. He was the founder of Wesley Film Productions and Turn Around Australia.

Rev Grenville Kent lectures in both Theology and Creative Ministry courses. He is a minister and university chaplain as well as a short film maker. His religious film, ‘The Cross’, was screened at the St Kilda International Film Festival in 2000.

Dr Cliff Powell is a clinical psychologist, lecturer and author of several books, including Unloading the Overload, which he co-authored with Dr Graham Barker. Cliff is kept busy in clinical practice, specialising in marital therapy. Together with his wife Marion, he also leads marriage enrichment seminars, and provides advocacy to refugees in detention.

Khim Stone holds a Master’s degree in Interactive Multimedia and has more than 14 years’ experience in corporate communications design. Her work has also been honoured in the 2001 and 2002 Australian Direct Marketing Awards.

Trumpeter Ralph Pyl was a member of the Channel Nine Midday Show Band until 1998. He has also appeared on over 50 albums for vocalists and various bands, and numerous Australian and international film soundtracks, TV commercials and theatre productions.

Patrick Harding-Irmer was a member of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre between 1973 and 1990. Now back in Sydney, he performs with various companies and is constantly in demand as lecturer and choreographer.

Terrie-Ann Bolger performed with Expressions Dance Company, The Queensland Ballet and The Australian Dance Theatre before moving to the UK. There she joined the Rambert Dance Company as Company Animateur. Since returning to Australia, Terrie-Ann has taught Company classes for the Sydney Dance Company, Bangarra Dance Company and Opera Australia.

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