Portfolio - Testimonials

Lucy Elliot, Academic Partner Director, Federation University Online:

Communication: Ness is a strong communicator who is approachable and able to present exceptionally well to all stakeholders. In the last 12 months I've seen the positive impact she has made on the FOL partnership building trust with the APLs and the PALs, as well as with SMEs/Academics. Her communication about requirements to SMEs is clear and collegial. This has been displayed at the bi-yearly JOCs and presentations to senior staff throughout the year.
Ability to handle challenging situations and/or provide support/solutions: Ness has been able to be flexible when needed, patient and solutions-focused when dealing with unit development setbacks. She is adaptable and future focused looking at what is achievable.
Stakeholder management: With all the ups and downs of working with academics who have competing demands Ness has maintained professionalism and importantly calm. I've seen her work with APLs and ADLs to help achieve outcomes for units. The work she led with Mark on the roll out of the Oral assessments was fantastic and has paved the way for a clear process for students, OLAs and LDs.
General leadership: Ness has made a strong and positive impression due to her calm leadership. This is felt by me, my APLs, PALs and the LD team in Melbourne and Cape Town. I've been mentoring Jessica Cobrink and it's clear that Ness has been a really positive influence on her development. Likewise, I've seen firsthand how supportive Ness is with the 'Odyssean' Gi, giving her confidence and allowing her to share her strengths.

Bianca Woger, Academic Program Lead (Food and Nutrition), Federation University Online:

I love working with you as our lead LD. Your consistent availability to troubleshoot issues and provide prompt assistance is invaluable to our team. Your positive attitude and genuine care for the outcomes of the course and the food and nutrition portfolio are evident in your work. I also admire how you handle challenging situations with calmness and kindness, even under stressful deadlines. Your ability to work well with others, regardless of the circumstances, greatly contributes to our team's success. As for areas of improvement, perhaps you could consider sharing more of your strategies for managing all of your to-do tasks so well, and keeping so on top of everything - I know I could benefit from this!

Thank you for your hard work and dedication this past year. I look forward to continuing our collaboration!

Soumya Bhaskara, Academic Program Lead (Nursing), Federation University Online:

Vanessa is an exceptionally organised, knowledgeable and passionate LD. She leads the team with confidence, professionalism, and a collaborative approach that makes even complex projects feel seamless. Her dedication to improving the quality and effectiveness of our FOL units is evident in every interaction and discussion, as she is constantly exploring innovative ways to strengthen online learning, engagement, and student success.

Vanessa is highly responsive, proactive, and solutions-focused, ensuring that tasks are completed efficiently while maintaining a supportive and positive working environment. She approaches every challenge with enthusiasm and a genuine desire to achieve the best possible outcomes for both students and staff. Her kindness, patience, and willingness to support colleagues make her a trusted and valued member of the team.

Working with Vanessa is always a pleasure. Her expertise, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to excellence have a significant positive impact on both the team and the student experience, and she consistently inspires those around her to strive for continuous improvement.

Roxy Kuhne, Learning Designer, OES:

You are a positive, solutions-focused leader who has an exceptional ability to communicate difficult or potentially challenging messages in a way that is both clear and constructive. Your communication style is thoughtful, supportive, and effective and I have learned so much from observing how you approach conversations and leadership situations.

You have been incredibly supportive throughout my transition from Auckland Online to Fed. From the outset, you made me feel welcome, encouraged, and valued. I particularly value how proactive you have been in supporting my growth and development, whether through setting up mentoring opportunities with Rich, buddying me with Flick, or connecting me with Kirsty to help develop my ideas around bot creation.

One of the things I value most about your leadership style is the balance you strike between being involved and available while also giving people the autonomy and trust to do their best work. You create an environment where creativity is encouraged and I have always felt supported in exploring new ideas, such as the Spark/case study bot.

I have also been impressed by the way you navigate challenging situations. When managing team dynamics and stakeholder relationships, you consistently demonstrate diplomacy, professionalism and good judgement. A great example was the EDBED1011 build, where there was ongoing uncertainty and a lack of clarity from the SME. You handled the situation with grace while also protecting the team's capacity and ensuring expectations remained realistic.

I admire how open you are to feedback and continuous improvement. Small changes, such as adapting the daily updates into the Reader's Digest format, show your willingness to listen to the team and make practical changes that improve the way we work. I have also appreciated the trust and flexibility you have shown in supporting different working styles.

Thank you for being such a supportive, thoughtful, and reliable leader. Your positivity is infectious, and I really look forward to continuing to learn from and work with you!

Noel Makoni, Learning Designer, OES:

Ness leads with a strong balance of empathy and clarity. She is approachable and supportive, yet firm when the situation calls for it. She provides active guidance when things are complex or unclear, and helps the team work towards practical, constructive solutions. She also encourages the team to take ownership, lead initiatives and grow in confidence.

Ness's leadership style feels genuinely non-hierarchical, which creates space for people to contribute openly and work through challenges honestly. She is an effective bridge between our academic and delivery stakeholders and the wider LD team, as well as other OES departments we collaborate with, such as DLS, helping to manage expectations, resolve tensions, and keep the work moving forward. Overall, Ness brings calm, fairness and good energy to the team. Her leadership has had a positive impact on both the quality of the work and the way the team works together.

Jessica Combrink, Learning Designer, OES:

Since joining the Federation team as a Lead, Vanessa has greatly improved our workflow experience by listening to our pain points and suggestions, and actively working towards streamlined and clearly communicated build processes. The transition from discovery to building became smoother with her detailed notes and follow-ups with the academic team.

On the individual side, I felt supported and heard, no matter what the issue was and felt confident in bringing up any professional and personal blockers/concerns. Vanessa fosters a warm and supportive team, and made sure we could feel free to bring our individual strengths and quirks. I appreciated her support when I was going through a challenging time. She has been instrumental in making sure I have a work-life balance, and encouraging me to delegate tasks, and lean on the team more often.

In terms of stakeholder management, Vanessa champions clear outlines and expectations for all our builds, and steps in timeously when we face challenges with the academic team. We've faced many builds that stretched the team, but Vanessa effortlessly bridged our gaps and provided clear guidance on how we could navigate these. If we are not confident communicating our needs with the academics, she is always willing to communicate for us.

Overall, it has been a privilege to have Vanessa as our Lead, and our success as a team stems from her leadership and approach to running our development periods.