The GSE Experience

This Rotary year, District 9790 is looking forward to its Exchange programme with Districts 6000 which serves Iowa, USA.

Some information about Rotarian Glenys Hall (Team Leader), Rotarian Juineta Kirby (Reserve Team Leader), and Team Members Matthew Pitzen, Kerrie Lane, Marcus Walta and Cindy Uren together with their photographs are shown below.

This is an exciting and vocationally and culturally rewarding programme, and District Governor David Cooke wishes all participants every success with the Exchange.

Glenys Hall (Team Leader)

I have been a member of Rotary for 12 years in Wagga Wagga and currently the Rotary Club of Albury North. At various times I have been secretary, treasurer and international director.

I have been married to Winston for 41 years and have two children (Penny and Nigel) and four grandchildren (Claire 14, Toby 12, Elisabeth 4 and Hamish 1).

Win and I run a 1300 acres farming property where we raise fat lambs and vealers and plant 400 acres of crop (canola, wheat and triticale). This farm is 40 kms northwest of the rural city of Albury where we live.

Before retiring I worked for the New South Wales Department of Education as a primary teacher and principal. My professional interests included training and development of staff and working with children with disabilities and Aboriginal education.

I am involved with a crisis telephone counselling service and belong to the local branch of the Embroiderers Guild of Victoria. As well I enjoy travelling, knitting and reading.

Kerrie Lante

I joined the Discipline of Disability Studies at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) as a full time academic staff member after working in various other roles within the Schools of Medical Sciences and Health Sciences at RMIT University. I'm a graduate of the Discipline (completed in 1998) and completed a PhD in 2007 that focused on the development of a proxy response instrument that can measure physical activity behaviours of adults with an intellectual disability.

I have a large volume of research experience having worked on various disability-related research projects conducted by RMIT University and the Department of Human Services.

My teaching credentials are also extensive with lecturing, co-ordinating and supervision experience in disability-related courses at RMIT University.

I also have practical experience working with people with disabilities having done a 13 year stint with the Yooralla Society of Victoria.

Matthew Pitzen

My name is Matthew Pitzen and I live in Holbrook, in the state of New South Wales. I am sponsored by the Rotary Club of Holbrook. Holbrook is a small rural community with a population of 1300 people, located on the main highway between Sydney and Melbourne. We are famous for having a full size submarine in the main street, even though we are 400 km from the sea.

I work as a Stock and Station Agent for our family business which sees me spending the majority of my time in cattle and sheep marketing and sales. I also spend some time in Real Estate and rural merchandise sales.
My wife Margot and I have been married for five years and have three beautiful children, Anna (4), Molly (2) and Jack (1). Margot operates a fitness and personal training business in town that she started from scratch 18 months ago. We live on a small farm about 5kms from town.

I am on the committee of the Holbrook and District Race Club and also a volunteer with the Holbrook Rural Fire Brigade. I enjoy spending my weekends with Margot and the kids on our farm and also camping, bike riding and following the mighty Geelong Cats in the Australian Football League.

I have worked and travelled over a lot of Australia and am really looking forward to travelling overseas and spending time in Iowa and observe how things are done differently in the States.

Cindy Uren

I am Cindy Uren, and live in Moonee Ponds which is approximately seven kilometres north west of the CBD and is where I have lived all my life. My local area is surrounded by great parks, and is also home to the Flemington racecourse that is famous for the "Race that Stops the Nation" (The Melbourne Cup).

My family is like the "Brady Bunch" - mum, dad, step mother, brother, two step-sisters and a step-brother not to mention a sister-in-law and two nieces living in Queensland and a niece here in Melbourne. Christmas and birthday gatherings are quite noisy and fun!

I am currently working as the Personal Assistant to the National Supply Chain Manager at Bunnings. My focus for the vocational exchange will be on how to achieve and maintain a sustainable supply chain and to assist in ensuring Bunnings reaches its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2015.

Away from work I like to go to the gym and participate in group motivational exercise classes as well as enjoying boxing and personal training. I enjoy attending concerts (most recent being Pink) and I enjoy kicking back at the movies too.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Rotary Club of Strathmore for their sponsorship and ongoing support of me for the 2010 GSE trip to Iowa. I am honoured to be part of the GSE team and look forward to sharing my experiences with the Club on my return.

Marcus Walta

My name is Marcus Walta and I am sponsored by the Rotary Club of Euroa, Victoria, which is the town in which I grew up. I am 31 years old and currently work for Coles supermarkets as the Red Meat National Replenishment Manager.

I completed degrees in Science (Chemistry) and Public Policy and Management at the University of Melbourne before starting work with Mars Confectionery as a Product Technologist developing chocolate bars, which culminated in the launch of Pods in 2004. During my time at Mars I completed a Masters of Business Administration and subsequently gained a position with a food company in England called Uniq Food as a procurement manager of poultry and meat products for use in sandwiches and ready meals. I have also spent time working in the banking and packaging industries in procurement for a short period of time.

In my spare time I enjoy playing golf, lacrosse, water polo and spending time on my family farm in Euroa. I am also keen on horse racing and enjoy the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne. Other hobbies include camping, fishing, four wheel driving and traveling.