Board

Asia Peace and Education Foundation

Karl Dorning has had a long affiliation with Burma. He is currently the Country Representative for the Burnet Institute Myanmar Program. Being on the Board of APEF means Karl can assist in APEF work in Myanmar. Burnet Institute also works with Phaung Daw Oo and other Monastic Schools in the development of health and HIV programs (http://www.burnet.edu.au/home/cih/programs/myanmar) in the provision Previously he worked for eight years in Burma with World Vision Myanmar. During this time he was responsible for the oversight and management of a broad range of programs including HIV/AIDS, Children in Difficult Circumstances and Child rights, trafficking and community development programs more broadly. Karl has also coordinated two multi-country studies into child abuse and neglect for World Vision International and was a senior child rights advocate for some years representing World Vision at international forums such as the UN Special Session on Children in May 2002. Prior to World Vision Myanmar, Karl worked with World Vision Australia as the manager for programs in the SE Asia Region. He has also worked in the field of education as an adviser in teaching English to speakers of other languages with the Catholic Education Office and has coordinated English Language Education programs for Adult Migrant Education Services in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne. In his early days, Karl was very much involved with youth and community work in the inner suburbs of Melbourne. He has recently completed a doctoral thesis looking at the participation of children in international development.

Jane Perry has over twenty-five years experience as a teacher trainer, education practitioner and researcher conducting education and development projects. Until recently she trained primary, secondary and adult teachers and vocational trainers and coordinated international projects in the education faculty at RMIT University. She is now an education and development consultant conducting projects both in Australia and abroad for organisations including Save the Children, AusAID, Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and the Salvation Army. She has worked in sixteen countries and has a long standing commitment to provision of education for all children regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion or social standing. Jane has travelled extensively in Burma and surrounding regions and is committed to the enhancement of childen’s life chances through provision of education.

Sue Dorning is an experienced social worker and teacher. Sue is currently living and working in Burma as an education advisor to a program funded by the British and Australian Governments. She is also helping to develop APEF's project management capacity. She has lived and worked in Burma for nine years. Other jobs she has done in Burma include establishing a small community development consultancy organanisation with a group of Burmese and International women. She also worked for a number of international humanitarian organisations, including UNICEF and World Vision and coordinated a scholarship program for young Burmese public health professionals to enable them to seek further education opportunities in overseas universities. Just before her return to Burma in February 2009 Sue coordinated a community centre in StKilda, an inner suburb of Melbourne and worked as an examiner for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). She has taught extensively in adult education in Australia and overseas, particularly in China.

Max Hopkins spent nine years in the Royal Australian Navy and visited Burma for the first time in 1965 whilst on a goodwill tour of Asia. He subsequently left the Navy and joined QANTAS where he continues to be employed in the area of Load Control. For a number of years in the 1970’s Max was vice-president of an organisation which raised funds for a school for the disabled in Melbourne, Australia. He re-visited Burma just over ten years ago to visit friends and has made three subsequent visits, travelling extensively throughout the country and visiting many places from major cities to remote villages. Max visited monastic schools in both Yangon and Mandalay and as a result developed a connection with their people that he is keen to continue by his association with the APEF.

Wendy Hopkins has been involved in the field of education for 21 years. She completed both a Diploma of Education and a Graduate Diploma in TESOL. Her particular area of interest and expertise is in teaching children for whom English is a second language. Wendy currently works as the Literacy co-ordinator for grades Prep through to grade four in a Catholic primary school in the Western suburbs of Melbourne. The school is a microcosm of different cultures with the majority of families originating from Southeast Asia, with over 90% of those students having a first language other than English. Her connection to Burma began with a holiday to visit friends in 1993. She immediately developed an interest in the country, and on two subsequent visits saw first hand the wonderful work being done at the Phaung Daw Oo Monastic School. Extensive travelling around Burma contributed to a genuine love for the country and a continuing interest in its people’s welfare.