Staff
Richard Potok | Project Director
Richard is Director of the Aurora Project and is currently a Visiting Fellow at UNSW Law School and an Honorary Research Fellow at Monash University Law Faculty.
During 2004, together with the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, Richard undertook research into the challenges facing lawyers working at NTRBs. This led to a series of recommendations relating to the recruitment, retention and professional development needs of NTRB lawyers outlined in an April 2005 Report. The Aurora Project was established to implement, among other things, a number of programs which follow on from the recommendations in the Report.
Prior to his involvement in native title, Richard was based in London with Potok & Co. As part of his law reform work, he made presentations in 35 countries to governments, financial market participants and students on the need for legal reform in relation to indirectly held securities. He was Legal Advisor to the Hague Conference on Private International Law for the Hague Securities Convention that was finalised in December 2002. He has published in the area of conflict of laws, including as editor of a book comparing the law in 25 jurisdictions.
Richard has commerce and law degrees from UNSW and a BCL from Oxford University.
Phone: (02) 9385 9044
Click here to email Richard Potok
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Melissa Castan | Associate Project Director – Native Title
Melissa Castan, a Senior Lecturer and Associate Director of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at the Law Faculty, Monash University, has been teaching, researching and writing in Constitutional Law, Human Rights, and Indigenous legal issues for over 13 years.
She worked for the plaintiffs in the Mabo case during the period 1989-1992 and has continued working on native title issues, teaching native title law to tertiary students for 10 years. Melissa has co-authored two books, Federal Constitutional Law: A contemporary view (LBC) and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Cases Materials and Commentary (OUP). Both are now in their second editions.
Phone: (03) 9905 5303
Click here to email Melissa Castan
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Linda Cassidy | Deputy Director
Linda recently joined the Aurora Project as Deputy Director after many years working for a large not-for-profit members association, the Securities Institute, which later became known as Finsia and more recently Kaplan, a US-based education provider and publishing company.
During her time at these organisations she was responsible for initiating, developing and delivering a wide range of professional development programs including multi media and online programs, short course training, executive development, forums and seminars for 17000 members and others working in financial services. She also worked closely with corporate clients and the public sector in the development and delivery of learning and development programs for their employees, including work undertaken in financial literacy.
She has a Bachelor of Social Sciences from Curtin University, WA (majoring in anthropology and history) and a Graduate Certificate in Marketing from UTS, Sydney. In addition she has undertaken a number training needs analysis, project management and executive development programs.
Phone: (02) 9385 9056
Click here to email Linda Cassidy
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Carmen Watts | Operations Manager
Carmen has been with the team since July 2006 and provides day-to-day project management and coordination of the project’s administrative functions. She oversees all editing and production of project publications, including an editing role on the Handbook for Interns.She manages the production of the Learning & Development promotional and staff development materials as well as the Internships materials, website design and website content management.
She has a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from UWA and a strong background in a variety of sectors and roles, including academia, journalism, media, public relations and University-based project work in both WA and NSW.
Phone: (02) 9385 9051
Click here to email Carmen Watts
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Kim Barlin | Student Placements and Scholarships Manager
Kim is the Aurora Project's Student Placements and Scholarship Manager, which benefist from her strong organisational skills and ability to coordinate the various components of the Program.
Kim’s experience as a senior administrator and project manager has seen her successfully undertake roles in a range of organisations in both New York and Sydney, as well as establish and operate her own educational business.
Phone: (02) 9385 9052 or (02) 9385 9049
Click here to email Kim Barlin or the Placements Team
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Helena Leslie | Learning and Development Project Officer
Helena joined the Aurora team in October 2007 and brings with her administrative skills gained in a range of roles in the not-for-profit sector in Australia. Helena contributes administrative and research support to the Aurora Learning & Development team.
Helena has worked as an executive assistant and administration and membership officer for the National Association for the Visual Arts. As part of this role she administered NAVA’s Inquiry into the Indigenous Visual Arts and Craft Sector 2006 amongst other projects. Helena has also worked as the director of Firstdraft Gallery, a not for profit art space for emerging and mid-career artists based in Surry Hills.
She is a practicing artist, and has been the recipient of Federal and State funding through the Australia Council for the Arts and Arts New South Wales. She has a Bachelor of Art Theory and a Masters in Art Administration at the College of Fine Arts (CoFA), University of New South Wales (UNSW) and is currently studying a Masters of Fine Arts at CoFA, UNSW.
Phone: (02) 9385 9050
Click here to email Helena Leslie
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Carly Wilkins | Placements and Scholarships Project Officer
Carly joined the team in March 2008 in a full time capacity and contributes administrative support and general assistance in the day-to-day running of the Aurora Project Student Internship and Scholarship Programs.
Prior to joining the Aurora Project, Carly was studying full time for her Bachelor of Arts majoring in Communications and Cultural Studies at the University of Queensland. She worked as a course co-ordinator and administrator after gaining experience in customer/public relations in London. Carly is currently completing her degree at the University of Sydney.
Phone: (02) 9385 9049
Click here to email Carly Wilkins
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David Yarrow | Legal Training Specialist
David is the team’s native title expert. David contributes valuable legal knowledge, skills and experience to the team’s learning and development work which includes developing resources for NTRB staff.
David is a Lecturer in Law at Monash University where he teaches property law, equity and trusts. Prior to joining the university, David was a doctoral student at Toronto’s Osgoode Hall Law School working with Professor Kent McNeil (and his studies there are continuing). He has 12 years experience working in native title and has worked as a lawyer with numerous NTRBs across Australia.
Click here to email David Yarrow
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