Quality Teaching

We are committed to providing our students with experienced industry professionals.

• School of Dance
• School of Drama
• School of Music
• School of Theology
• School of Counselling
• School of Education
• School of Graphic Design
• Senior Staff
• Faculty

School of Dance

Adele Hyland

Fellow and Examiner, Choreographer, Adjudicator, Dance Educator
Adele has had an extensive and varied career in Dance, having performed, adjudicated and choreographed to international acclaim. As a performer, she has represented Australia in 3 World Championships and is one of only two Australian dancers to have won National Titles in 4 styles of dance. She choreographed for Strictly Ballroom, multiple television shows, commercials and television shows, including ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘Strictly Dancing’. Adele was also awarded the United States Heritage Award for International Services to Dance in 2001 for the coordination and choreography of the Sydney 2000 Olympics Closing Ceremony.
Meanwhile, she has maintained a private Dance studio over a period of 35 years, whilst also teaching from Primary to Tertiary levels within the NSW Education system. Currently, Adele is the President of the International Dance Organisation (Australia) and a director of the Australian National Dance Association. She has taught and enjoyed many styles of Dance, with a particular passion for the Latin American style. She has had a great deal of success as a teacher and mentor to both aspiring and international prize winning Dancers and is grateful for the opportunity to pursue high standards in holistic Dance practice at Wesley Institute.

Dance Faculty Page

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School of Drama

Dr Herman Pretorius

Herman came to Australia in 2001, taking up the position of CEO and Artistic Director of The Street Theatre, a professional theatre in Canberra. He joined the Wesley Institute in Sydney in May 2006 as Head of Drama.
Herman was Head of the Department of Drama at the University of Stellenbosch, a major training centre in South Africa, for 16 years. He teaches both the theoretical and practical areas of Drama and Theatre. His experience includes professional acting for TV, radio, film and stage, directing, theatre management and dramaturgy. He has directed professional theatre productions in South Africa, Namibia, New Zealand and Australia, including dramas, cabaret and devised shows. Recently he has directed a marionette show for film.
In South Africa he specialised in political protest theatre, creating an indigenous form of cabaret in collaboration with writers, songwriters and musicians.

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School of Music

Dr Heva Chan

Heva Chan was born in Hong Kong and had her first performance on piano at the age of four. She lived in Vienna, and was awarded Austrian citizenship for her success in her field of music. During her studies, Heva had the chance to travel to 33 countries for research and was awarded numerous scholarships and prizes. For the distinguished talent in her field, she was also awarded the permanent residency from the Australian government. Her music has been performed in numerous concerts, international seminars, symposiums, conferences and music festivals in Asia, Europe, America, Canada and Australia. Her passion is to share Christ’s love, her musical knowledge and experience with others.

Music Faculty Page

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School of Theology

Dr James Harrison

Jim Harrison has been Head of Theology since 2002, having joined Wesley Institute in 1998. He lectures in Biblical Studies (New Testament) and Greek. His PhD was carried out under the supervision of Professor Edwin Judge and Dr Chris Forbes of Macquarie University’s Ancient History Department, and was awarded in 1997. His book 'Paul’s Language of Grace in Its Graeco-Roman Context' was the 2005 Winner of the Biblical Archaeology Society Publication Award for Best Book Relating to the New Testament. His latest book, Paul and the Imperial Authorities at Thessalonica and Rome, will be published by Mohr Siebeck in 2008. He has been widely published in international journals and has contributed to many books including Stanley Porter’s Pauline Studies series Vols 3/4/5 (Brill, 2006, 2007, 2008).
Jim speaks regularly at Australian and international conferences on the New Testament. Over the years he has attended several Anglican and Presbyterian churches with his wife Elisabeth.

Rev Dr Kye Won Lee

Dr Lee is the founding Director of the Korean Theological Program at Wesley Institute. A respected theologian, he is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships. His research areas of interests are union with Christ, Christology, migration theology, contemporary theology, and integrative theology. Dr Lee is the author of Living in Union with Christ: The Practical Theology of Thomas F. Torrance, published in 2003. He has also published a number of articles and is a minister of Wesley Mission.

Theology Faculty Page

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School of Counselling

Dr Graham Barker

Graham is a graduate of the George Fox Graduate School of Psychology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Moody Bible Institute, and Sydney Teachers College. He completed his clinical internship and residency at the Minirth-Meier Clinic in Dallas, Texas, and runs a busy clinical practice in Sydney. Graham has been Head of Counselling since 1991 and the Dean of Students since 1996. He is an ordained Baptist Minister and has spent many years working in Australia and overseas with Youth For Christ ministries.

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School of Education

Julie Mathews

Julie Mathews has worked in the Christian school sector for over twenty years. Immediately before coming to Wesley Institute she was Deputy Principal of Covenant Christian School, Belrose. In 2008, she joined Wesley Institute as Director of Teaching & Learning for the Graduate Diploma of Education course. Since July 2009 Julie has been the Head of Education. She is currently an EdD candidate, researching the partnerships between universities and schools concerning professional experience for DipEd and Master of Teaching students.

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School of Graphic Design

Michelle Klomp 

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Senior Staff

Hilda Caine JP

Hilda Caine works with the academic faculties to maintain high standards in the development, delivery and assessment of the Institute’s courses, and to document the courses for review by internal and external authorities. Hilda also oversees the Institute Library and the Registrar’s Department.

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Faculty

Wesley Institute faculty includes many recognised industry professionals and respected scholars. This small representative sample of profiles illustrates the breadth of experience in the teaching areas.

Dr Keith Suter is a world authority on global change and a regular commentator on radio and television programs. He lectures at a number of universities and is in demand as a keynote speaker at Australian and international conferences and seminars. He holds a number of prestigious positions, including Executive Director, National Goals and Directions, for the UCA.

Dr Rev Grenville Kent lectures in both Theology and Creative Ministry courses. He is a minister and university chaplain as well as a short film maker. His religious film, ‘The Cross’, was screened at the St Kilda International Film Festival in 2000.

Dr Cliff Powell is a clinical psychologist, lecturer and author of several books, including Unloading the Overload, which he co-authored with Dr Graham Barker. Cliff is kept busy in clinical practice, specialising in marital therapy. Together with his wife Marion, he also leads marriage enrichment seminars, and provides advocacy to refugees in detention.

Khim Stone holds a Master’s degree in Interactive Multimedia and has more than 14 years’ experience in corporate communications design. Her work has also been honoured in the 2001 and 2002 Australian Direct Marketing Awards.

Trumpeter Ralph Pyl was a member of the Channel Nine Midday Show Band until 1998. He has also appeared on over 50 albums for vocalists and various bands, and numerous Australian and international film soundtracks, TV commercials and theatre productions.

Patrick Harding-Irmer was a member of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre between 1973 and 1990. Now back in Sydney, he performs with various companies and is constantly in demand as lecturer and choreographer.

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