Our staff

Helen Fletcher
Dean, Flinders Housing.

What is your role? It is my role to manage the residential student programmes, administration, finances and facilities of Uni Hall and the DJ Village and oversee the Service to International Student programme.Role

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? I like the relative autonomy of my job, the freedom to create new programmes, to work as part of a fantastic team, to dream about future possibilities for Flinders Housing. I also love the student contact and watching young residents arrive and grow into valuable leaders within our own communities knowing that they will continue to lead and make significant changes in the larger global community beyond Flinders University.

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? I have read 1 - 2 books per week for the last 30 years of my life. How does one select a favourite when there are over 2,000 to choose from? My musical tastes range from classical to the 1970's and films include "Les Enfants du Paradis" (1945), "The Sea Within" (2005) and Indiana Jones. What does this tell us about me? That I like the contemporary, that I am fascinated by the way it is informed by the past. That I am an escapist?

What do you most like to do in your spare time? I like to read - avidly. I enjoy alternative cinema, taking my dog Emma to the beach and dining with friends and family. I also enjoy the work I do with a fundraising charity and I love to travel, explore and challenge myself.

What is your role? It is an administrative and pastoral care role with residents on campus.

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? I enjoy the level of autonomy in my current position and the contact with interesting people from all over the world.

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? Although I like fiction I really adore non-fiction on topics from religion through linguistics and into politics.

What do you most like to do in your spare time? Go to the beach - with a beach shelter, a chair and a good book.

What is your role? It is my role to provide an outstanding collegiate and academic environment for residents of University Hall.  I supervise the Residential Tutor and House Committee teams, provide pastoral and academic assistance to residents, oversee Hall programmes and in general make sure Uni Hall remains a great place to live. 

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? Striving to make Flinders Housing a great place to live, work and learn.

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? The space odyssey by Arthur C Clark. The vision for humanity in this series is an inspiration and also that I like science fiction.

What do you most like to do in your spare time? Cycling

Melissa Suckley
Personal Assistant to the Dean

What is your role? I assist the Dean with administration matters, secretarial assistance and events management. I provide support and assistance to the Associate Deans and their respective residential staff teams, as well as to the House Committee. I am also an Equal Opportunity Contact Officer, providing referral information and support to university staff and students in regard to EO matters. 

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? That every day is different - I can't predict the variety of things that I will work on from month to month, it's hectic but it keeps me interested!

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare" and I have no idea what this says about me!!!

What do you most like to do in your spare time? I love movies, listening to music, reading, eating in good restaurants, spending time with friends and family, during extended spare time I love to travel... sleeping is good too!  I'm also studying Italian so am hitting the books a lot in my spare time, but I wouldn't say it's something I most like to do!!

What is your role? I'm involved in the management of the Contract, Policy and Admissions process for all Flinders Housing residences. I also have responsibility for the Housing Office, all university run off-campus student housing and play a coordinating role with the AD Village and AD Hall and their respective residential staff teams.

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? I enjoy the dynamic environment, our colourful residents and my colleagues, some of whom are the nicest, most capable people I know.

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? I suppose I have eclectic tastes in most things. Music is something I particularly enjoy and my tastes run the full spectrum from the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra at the Town Hall on Tuesday night to the Foo Fighters at the Ent Cent on Wednesday. Having said that Dixie-Land Jazz can bite me, I loathe it!

What do you most like to do in your spare time? Play my guitar very loud, which is a problem for everyone else because I'm not very good. I love the beach, champagne, smoked salmon and Springtime so weekends in November are something I look forward to all year.

What is your role? I'm responsible for financial, IT, telephone and all general business related matters.

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? Working in an environment directly with students from diverse backgrounds and the daily challenge of unpredictability as a result.

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? I enjoy reading fantasy and science fiction novels and enjoy 1960's, 70's and 80's music. I guess I am a little conservative but have a fertile open mind.

What do you most like to do in your spare time? Spend time with my family and take an interest in most sports in administrative and spectator roles.

Bettina Downing
Office Manager - Flinders Housing

What is your role? I supervise the Flinders Housing Reception area including organising office procedures and supervising staff within that area. I also look after all catering and conference activities for Flinders Housing and provide other office and administrative support to the Business Manager, the Residences Manager and the Associate Deans. 

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing?  Great team to work with, both staff and residents; fabulous community atmosphere!

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you?  Favourite Song, "Better the Devil you know", Favourite Movie, "The Notebook"- This tells you that I love Ms Kylie Minogue and according to my mother, I do not live in reality.

What do you most like to do in your spare time?  Dance, Watch the footy, Play with my dog.

Katrina Persico
Residential Services Officer

What is your role? Life is always fun and exciting working in the Flinders Housing Office. Students pop in continuously throughout each day and I am here to assist with room allocations, checking-in and out, account payments, general enquiries and day-to day administration of Flinders Housing. I am also involved with the application process for prospective Flinders Housing students and this keeps me very busy before the start of each semester. 

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing?  Friendly, smiling faces, great working environment.

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? Sex and the City

What do you most like to do in your spare time? Travelling, Shopping, Art, Fishing

Pete O'Neill
Maintenance Operations Supervisor

What is your role? Looking after all essential and mechanical services supplied to student housing.

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? Working with a team of dedicated staff and the interaction with students .

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? Blues Brothers. Tells nothing of me, but I enjoy their style, wish I could be so cool and relaxed and I just enjoy the music.

What do you most like to do in your spare time? Now it's driving along in my four wheel drive, on the longest beach, finding the best fishing spot ever.

What is your role? Includes myself as a hands on chef when required, administration duties, ordering, stocktaking, accounting, payroll, menu planning and upholding food safety requirements. Our team caters for 240 residents and numerous University functions.

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? Previously I was catering for teenagers in boarding, now I am catering for adults which gives me more scope for being creative with menus. The functions give me opportunities to be even more creative with menus. I also enjoy being included as part of the university housing community. I also enjoy working with the great team we have in the kitchen.

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? I enjoy reading newspaper daily and enjoy doing the crosswords and also enjoy watching food shows especially Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay.

What do you most like to do in your spare time? I enjoy dining out with my partner Karen, going to the markets, watching sport (especially the crows). I like to play golf when I get a chance. I also enjoy watching Foxtel especially the food channel.

What is your role? I clean the Hall common areas and carry out thorough cleaning programmes at the end of each year.

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? Meeting new people.

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? Country music - I guess I am a country bumpkin.

What do you most like to do in your spare time? Going to our farm, watching DVDs.

Chris Wilson
Housekeeping

What is your role? I clean the Hall common areas and carry out thorough cleaning programmes at the end of each year.

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? Students

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? I'm very eclectic and like a bit of everything! 

What do you most like to do in your spare time? Ten pin bowling

Irka Cunningham
Housekeeping

What is your role? I clean the Hall common areas and carry out thorough cleaning programmes at the end of each year.

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? The friendly environment and meeting students from around the globe

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? The thorn birds: a religious love story, Almanac of the Uncanny: unexplained phenomena in the world, Unchained Melody by the righteous brothers

What do you most like to do in your spare time? Socializing, Scary movie nights, Markets/Garage sales

Patricia Quilliam
Housekeeping

What is your role? I clean the Village common areas and carry out thorough cleaning programmes at the end of each year.

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? Flinders Housing is a very friendly and cooperative environment for both staff and students and we meet people from all over the world.

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you?  My favourite book is Lord of the Rings and my favourite band is Bon Jovi, and I do not know what this says about me except I can lose myself in fantasy.

What do you most like to do in your spare time?  My spare time is kept busy with gardening and reading.

Sherril McLaughlin
Housekeeping

What is your role? I clean the Hall common areas and carry out thorough cleaning programmes at the end of each year. 

What do you like best about working for Flinders Housing? Interaction with other staff and students

What is your favourite book, movie or piece of music and what does this tell us about you? The movie Gladiator - because I like hunky men in short skirts and a good story line 

What do you most like to do in your spare time? Craft - knitting, cross stitch