Meet our staff

Dr Christopher Vas

Academic Director

Dr Christopher Vas joins Murdoch University’s School of Management and Governance from the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University (ANU). As Program Director at the HC Coombs Policy Forum – a joint think tank between the Australian Government and the ANU – he directed the Productivity and Competitiveness and Policy Futures Policy Research Programs. 

In addition to serving with various Departments in the Australian Government for many years, he was also Engagement Director for Executive Education at the globally renowned Indian School of Business (ISB). Through the course of his professional experiences, he has designed and delivered leadership, strategy and management programs for public and private sector clients including Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Areva Energy, Maersk Ltd (Denmark), Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, Coca Cola, Vodafone and many others. 

Dr Vas was co-chair of the Trans-Pacific dialogue ‘Creating a Productive Future: Social and Economic Challenges, Policy and Governance’ jointly hosted by the Crawford School of Public Policy (ANU) and Harvard Kennedy School (Harvard University). He’s also the co-author of ‘Tackling Challenges of Productive Growth in Resource Dependent Countries: The Experience of Ghana and Indonesia’ and ‘Demystifying Productivity for Better-Informed Policy’. 

Dr Vas’ expertise lies in innovation and productivity policy, human capital development and public management issues. He holds a Doctorate in Public Policy from the ANU, having studied the role of university-based think tanks, and a Master of Business Administration. He has held visiting positions at Stanford University, Harvard University and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Karen Thompson

Manager - Open Programs

Karen works closely with the Program Manager and Operations Manager to ensure the successful delivery of the Open Programs, Workshops and Events at the Murdoch Executive Education Centre.

Karen loves meeting people and helping them shape their lives, careers and organisations. Previously WA State Manager of Aquent, the global marketing recruitment company, her diverse career also includes roles in media, property development, FMCG and engineering.

Karen holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing Management) from Murdoch University, is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute and a Certified Practising Marketer. In recent years she has been on advisory boards and committees for Curtin University and ECU. Karen regularly presents to organisations, industry associations and student groups on a variety of topics including career planning, social media, personal branding and relationship management.

Dr Michael Connor

Program Manager

As Program Manager, Michael is integral to the design and quality management of the programs and services that Murdoch Executive Education Centre offers.

Before joining Murdoch, Michael has spent eight years in Singapore where he was Assistant Professor in the division of Strategy, Management and Organization at Nanyang Business School (NBS). In addition to teaching and research, he was active in consulting and executive coaching in a variety of industries and firms across the Asia-Pacific region. As Communications Director for NBS's Office for Executive Education, he developed a comprehensive understanding of executive and professional development.

Before going to Singapore, Michael held positions as a lecturer at the University of Melbourne (where he earned his PhD), and at Deakin and Murdoch Universities. His background also includes roles as a professional editor, Communications Manager and Consultant, and Client Manager.

Kathy Ings

Operations & Business Coordinator

Kathy’s role is to manage the operations of all Murdoch Executive Education Centre’s administrative functions. This includes office and financial management as well as logistics for Open Enrolment and Customised training and development programs.

Kathy brings to the Centre a wealth of experience, having worked for more than ten years in local government as a Community Development Officer and Coordinator of a busy community centre. Her skills in managing people and processes contribute to the professional delivery of Murdoch Executive Education Centre’s programs to clients and to the smooth running of the Centre.

Shené O’Connor

Program Coordinator