Personal Profiles
Kathleen CroneGeneral Manager, Business Development Manager, Senior Editor
Kathleen is an experienced educator with a strong interest in the building and construction industry. She has developed Broadcast Builder to help builders balance the demands of their daily work with the need to keep up to date.
Growing up in a family of builders, she has respect for the profession and an understanding of the challenges of running a successful building business and keeping up to date with trends, codes and regulations, products and systems. With over 10 years experience in secondary education and vocational education and training (VET), she is well placed to develop continuing professional development (CPD) activities for the residential building industry.
Kathleen has also completed Certificate IV Workplace Assessment and Training and a Diploma of Education which included units of study in Qualitative Research Methods, Quantitative Research Methods and training in writing media releases, conducting and participating in interviews and analysing the value of learning activities and media campaigns. These qualifications ensure that she is able to facilitate high quality, relevant and accessible learning activities.
Kathleen also has experience facilitating learning activities related to occupational health and safety legislation and regulations, developing strategies for keeping up to date with industry knowledge and designing innovative and equitable education opportunities. She is currently studying for a Certificate IV in Occupational Health and Safety. This will help her to develop resources to help builders implement safe work practices.
She has extensive experience developing and implementing teaching and learning programs and she has developed strong partnerships between industry and schools. Kathleen has also organised and managed workplacements for students.
Kathleen is a member of the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC), the Sutherland BEC, Warringah Chamber of Commerce, Inspiring Women and the North Sydney Chamber of Commerce.
Dr Michael JohnstonBusiness/Education Consultant, Editor and Moderator for Audio Interviews
Michael is an experienced educator, editor and moderator of audio interviews. He brings a wealth of experience to our team.
In addition to his work with Broadcast Builder, Michael is a practising General Practitioner (doctor) with a special interest in men's health and preventing work related illness and injury. He is also employed as the Medical Editor and Moderator for Audio Interviews at Broadcast GP and Broadcast Pharmacy, a position that he has held since 2004.
He has implemented programs for WorkCover NSW and been employed by WorkCover as a Senior Medical Educator for the guidelines for their Management of Acute and Subacute/Chronic Low Back Pain Programs from 2002 to 2006. Michael also co-wrote the WorkCover Guidelines for the Management of Sub-acute and Chronic Low Back Pain.
Michael has significant experience in the development and implementation of a wide variety of professional development activities, conducting interviews, moderating professional development discussions, facilitating learning and designing and developing learning materials for adults.
He was a founding director of GenesisEd, a provider of professional development for General Practitioners and the Pharmaceutical industry, where he developed online learning modules, written training and development modules and participated in face-to- face seminars and peer-to-peer teaching.
He has worked collaboratively and as a consultant with Modus, a Sydney based company that produces multimedia and web based education tools for a variety of industries. Projects include the development of “live e-chats” and GPTV for doctor's.
Michael is also an Endorsed Provider of CPD Education for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and he has been a practising GP since 1986. He has extensive media experience and completed an owner builder course through the Timber Development Association in 1994.
Brian CroneSenior Building and Content Advisor
A master builder, Brian specialises in the construction of architecturally designed dwellings and quality renovations. He has been a licensed builder in NSW since 1976 and he was licensed in Victoria from 1976 until he moved in 1998.
Brian completed his Approved Apprenticeship in the Craft of Joinery with the National Joint Council for the Building Industry and an Advanced Craft Certificate in Carpentry and Joinery with the City and Guild of London Institute in 1970. He has worked in Britain, New Zealand, South Africa, the Northern Territory, Victoria and New South Wales.
During his 43 years of building experience, Brian has participated in a wide variety of building projects including, but not limited to, government housing projects, residential units, architecturally designed dwellings, self-designed dwellings and commercial, large-scale building ventures. He has employed numerous tradespeople and supervised numerous apprentices. Brian enjoys learning and he always strives to keep up to date with industry trends and regulations. He prides himself in developing solutions for common building dilemmas and developing quality relationships with his clients.
Brian has operated a building inspection service in the Port Stephens area and he also holds an RTA Blue Card. He is also a member of the HIA.
Deborah SingermanExpert Industry Writer and Managing Editor
Deborah Singerman is an accomplished freelance writer, editor and managing editor of Australian and international print and online media. including, magazines, books, newsletters and websites. She has particular expertise and interest in the areas of design, building, construction, sustainability, infrastructure and the built environment.
Deborah regularly contributes to well-respected industry, research, corporate, professional and mainstream publications. These include Indesign, DQ, BPN (Building Products News), Award magazine, Construction Contractor, Futurarc and the OHS section of the CCH website.
In her role as editor of leading business-to-business building products magazine BPN Deborah produced its first eco-guide on sustainable building products and materials. She went on to become publications manager and chief editor of technical guides, specification booklets and quarterly journal SPECnews at NATSPEC – the national building specification system.
In recent years, she has been consulting and managing editor for several expert and sponsored books on infrastructure, planning, architecture, urban design, corporate social responsibility and creative cities including Rebuilding the Nation – Australia on the Move (2009) from Faircount Media Group’s government publications section; and ETN Communications’ To Build a Nation (2007); Sustainable Nation (2008) and Melbourne: Global Smart City (2009).
Deborah is a member of the National Association of Women in Construction, Institute of Professional Editors and Asialink. She has a BSc Economics (Sociology) from the London School of Economics and a Master of Arts (Australian Studies) from the University of New South Wales. Deborah has previously worked in London, Hong Kong and South-East Asia. She is now based in Sydney. Contact dsingcbeat@ozemail.com.au
David CroneBuilding Content Provider and Advisor
David is a qualified Carpenter and Joiner. He trained at the Hunter Institute of Technology and has 12 years experience in both domestic and commercial construction. Further to fulfilling NSW WorkCover requirements for construction work, David is an experienced Skid Steer Loader Operator. He also holds an Explosive Power Tool Operators Licence and an RTA Blue Card which enables him to conduct road and traffic control in the construction industry.
David has also worked for Brian Crone conducting building inspections and at Bunnings Hardware. At Bunnings he supervised the timber yard and the trade desk and worked in all areas of the store. He actively participated in learning and development activities including, but not limited to, participation in the Orica Training Academy along with training opportunities for new products and developments. During his time at Bunnings David was the recipient of many customer service awards and he was actively involved in community service activities.
Further to David’s experience and qualifications in the building and construction industry, he has completed a Dump Truck Course, partially completed Certificate II in Metalliferous Mining (Open Cut) and worked on farms driving heavy farm equipment and operated grain elevators and other fixed plant equipment.
Peer Review Panel
Experts organised by sponsors and Broadcast Builder to regularly review our product to assist us to continually improve the service that we provide to residential builders.
Acknowledgements
Broadcast Builder acknowledges and thanks Pivotal Directors, Helen and Michael Whelan, for their most generous support and assistance in the development of Broadcast Builder, a program based on their successful business, Broadcast Health. Your advice and support have been invaluable.
- McCrocodile Audio for Peter and Cathy's expert sound recording .
- Webqem and KND for website development and hosting
- FATS Digital where Robert Angell and his team organise the production and packaging of the CDs
- Broadcast GP for enabling us to utilise some of their resources and for supporting the development of our business
- We Print It for graphic design and printing
- Neubreed for graphic design