Staff of ACS Distance Education

John L. Mason Dip.Hort.Sc., Sup'n Cert., FIOH, FPLA, MAIH, MACHPER, MASA
Mr Mason has had over 45 years experience in the fields of Horticulture, Recreation, Education and Journalism. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner. He has held positions ranging from Director of Parks and Recreation (City of Essendon) to magazine editor.

John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over forty books and of over two thousand magazine articles. Even today, John continues to write books for various publishers including Simon and Shuster, and Landlinks Press (CSIRO Publishing). In recent years he has had books published on Herbs, Vegetables, Commercial Hydroponics, Cutting Propagation and Sustainable Agriculture.  John writes regularly for a number of publications, has also been a writer/editor for several magazines including "Home Grown"; and frequent guest on gardening radio both inside and outside of Australia. 

 Peta Jinnath Abdul  B.Sc., Grad.Dip.Ed., M.Creative Writing

Peta is a writer with interests in education, science education, and literary theory. She's worked as a writer, editor and teacher, and is currently pursuing her research interests, while working as a writer, tutor and academic officer at ACS.

Marie Beermann  B.Sc. Hort., M.Sc. Hort., Cert. III Ldscp., Dipl. Management, PDC

Marie has studies and worked in both Australia and Germany. With around 10 years of experience in horticulture, she has contributed to many books and articles on a wide range of horticultural subjects, and over the years advised hundreds of people toward a better future in horticulture.

Dr Kerry Claydon  BA-BSc (Psychology, Computer Science, Aquaculture), BSc (Hons Microbiology), PhD (Microbiology), Diploma in Brewing Science

Kerry has over 20 years’ experience in various fields of education and writing, across areas of biology, farming, microbiology and research including agricultural microbiology, and brewing microbiology.  Kerry has been the Director of several health programs within Australian and Asia and is a passionate teacher and tutor.

Rosemary Davies Dip Hort Sc.

Originally from Melbourne, Rosemary trained in Horticultural Applied Science at Burnley, a campus of Melbourne University. Initially she worked with Agriculture Victoria as an extension officer, taught horticulture students, worked on radio with ABC radio (clocking up over 24 years as a presenter of garden talkback programs, initially the only woman presenter on gardening in Victoria) and she simultaneously developed a career as a writer. She then studied Education and Training, teaching TAFE apprentices and developing curriculum for TAFE, before taking up an offer as a full time columnist with the Herald and Weekly Times and its magazine department after a number of years as columnist with the Age. She has worked for a number of companies in writing and publications, PR community education and management and has led several tours to Europe. In 1999 Rosemary was BPW Bendigo Business Woman of the Year and is one of the founders and the Patron, of the Friends of the Bendigo Botanic gardens.

Megan Cox  B.Sc., M.Sc.

 Megan has completed a Bachelor of Science (Environmental Conservation) with Honours from Writtle University College, as well as a Master of Science Degree in Countryside Management from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Her experience includes working as a Botanist, Ecologist, Head Gardener, Market Gardener and a Farming and Conservation Officer.
She has worked in various roles in Horticulture, Agriculture and Ecology since 2005. Megan has worked for the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Centre for Environment and Rural Affairs among other organisations in the UK, as well as in Australia and Cambodia.

Adriana has over 25 years of experience in horticulture and organic growing, business, project management and writing. She has worked extensively in the nursery and garden design industry, as a TAFE teacher and in community education. She also operated a display herb garden at her home for students interested in herb identification and propagation. She also worked as a project manager for Community Jobs Programs - developing public parks and gardens. Adriana has written regularly for a range of publications (including Australia's national Grass Roots Magazine) since the early 1980's. She continues to be actively involved in writing, gardening and organic growing - in addition to her work for ACS as tutor, course counsellor and course writer.

Tracey Jones - Academic Officer & Tutor (U.K.)
B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), DipSW (social work), PGCE (Education), PGD (Learning Disability Studies). Tracey has around 15 years experience within the psychology and social work field, particularly working with people with learning disabilities. She is also qualified as a teacher and now teaches psychology and social work related subjects.
She is a book reviewer for the British Journal of Social Work. Tracey has also written a text book on Psychology and has had several short stories published.

Jade Pollock B.Sc.Biol, Dip.Professional Education, Cert Food Hygiene

Former Business Coordinator, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Secondary School teacher (Biology); Administrator (Recruitment), Senior Supervisor (Youth Welfare).

Yvonne Sharpe
RHS Cert.Hort, Dip.Hort, M.Hort, Cert.Ed., Dip.Mgt.
Over 30 years of experience in horticulture, education and management, Yvonne has travelled widely within and beyond Europe, and has worked in many areas of horticulture from garden centres to horticultural therapy. She has served on industry committees and been actively involved with amateur garden clubs for decades.    

Mitchell Skiller. Assoc. Dip. In Horticulture (Gatton), Cert IV in Training and Assessment.  

Mitchell has had over 25 year’s experience in the Horticultural Industry.  He has held positions  as a supervising horticulturist, landscaper, consultant, and a business owner growing cut flowers, specialising in Tropicals.

Parita Shah  M.Sc Horticulture, B.Sc Horticulture, Cert in Greenhouse Management

Parita has a Masters Degree in Horticulture specializing in Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic crops and Organic farming. She has worked as a freelance consultant, and in an Avocado nursery in NSW as grafting and preparing avocado clones.

Timothy Walker  B.A.(Botany),  RHS.M. Hort., Post.Grad.Dip.Ed.

Botanist, Horticulturist and Gardener. Author and lecturer at Somerville College, Oxford. After training at a number of gardens  including Windsor Great Park, and the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew commenced work at Oxford Botanic Gardens in 1986. Appointed as Horti Praefectus (ie. superintendent/director) there in 1988, and held that position till 2014. Under Timothy's watch the garden won four gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show; and created 67 acres of MG5 wild flower meadow at the Harcourt Arboretum; a UK threatened habitat. Timothy remains an active practical gardener as well as a highly respected international academic in the fields of horticulture and plant botany.

OFFICE STAFF