
Martin Mercer
Martin is the CEO and Managing Director of Scentia, guiding the growth of AIM, AIM Business School and the Australasian College of Health and Wellness, and the Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership. He is passionate about helping people and organisations unlock their potential through education.
With more than 25 years of leadership experience across major Australian companies, Martin has led businesses through growth and transformation in sectors ranging from the Internet to digital services. He brings a strong commitment to innovation, people development and building lasting impact through learning.

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Warren Creighton
With almost 20 years spent mastering the art of financial leadership in the education sector, Warren knows how to turn complexity into clarity—and numbers into strategy. As CFO of Scentia, he’s not just keeping the books balanced; he’s helping shape the future of the business.
Warren works closely with the board, the executive team, and private equity partners to drive growth, manage risk, and unlock value. His experience at PwC and Study Group gives him a rare blend of commercial acumen and deep sector insight that keeps Scentia ahead of the curve.

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Dr Christine Brickenstein
Dr. Christine Brickenstein brings 15+ years of leadership in Australian higher education to her role as Chief Education Officer at Scentia.
With a PhD in Law and deep expertise in regulatory compliance, she oversees Scentia’s education portfolio, including AIM Business School and Australasian College for Health and Wellbeing (ACHW).
Dr. Brickenstein's career spans senior roles at top institutions like the University of Sydney, where she led curriculum and policy initiatives. Christine’s legal and academic expertise ensures strong governance, accreditation success, and strategic program delivery.

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Steven Smith
With over 30 years of international executive experience and a robust background in subscription-based product management, customer experience, and enterprise-wide digital transformation, Steve Smith integrates technical proficiency with strategic foresight to deliver innovative learning and business solutions.
Steve's ability to align technological advancement with evolving customer expectations has consistently driven engagement, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth across diverse sectors.

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Trenton Barnier
Trenton is a proven communications professional with expertise in marketing strategy, data analysis, and team leadership.
Since joining Scentia in 2018, he’s expanded his skills in stakeholder engagement, customer experience, and sales support, evolving into a well-rounded executive.
Holding a Master of Marketing, Trenton leads Scentia’s Marketing function with warmth and encouragement, fostering collaboration and growth. His passion for professional development drives team success and supports Scentia’s broader strategic goals.

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Shelley Tate
Shelley is a seasoned executive with deep expertise in human resources, leadership development, and organisational culture. Her global career spans multiple sectors and industries, bringing a strategic, people-first approach to building inclusive, high-performing teams.
Shelley holds a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA. She is an Australian Institute of Company Directors graduate, a certified member of the Australian Human Resources Institute and a certified coach through the Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership. Shelley is passionate about empowering individuals and organisations to thrive through thoughtful leadership, continuous learning, kindness and connection.

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Jessica Houston
As Chief Education Officer, Future Skills, Jess Houston is a dynamic education leader with a deep commitment to shaping transformative learning experiences across AIM’s Future Skills portfolio.
Jess leads the strategic direction and implementation of a forward-thinking student journey which is engaging, relevant, and designed for real-world success.
With over 15 years of experience in senior finance and operations roles across private education, manufacturing, and financial services, Jess brings a unique blend of strategic insight and operational excellence to her work.
Jess is also an Associate Member of the Future Skills Organization.

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Sam Turley
Sam Turley brings over 15 years sales and sales leadership experience spanning the technology, professional services, international development and the creative arts sectors.
As leader of AIM, AIM Business School, and ACHW sales and progression teams, Sam is passionate about the impact that training, development, and academic study can have on individuals and the organisations they serve.
Sam’s cross-sector expertise and people-focused approach enable her to drive meaningful engagement, support learner success, and contribute to Scentia’s broader strategic goals.

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Gabrielle Schroder
Gabrielle Schroder is a highly experienced managing director, advisor and board member, with a deep commitment to enabling leadership and growth in people and organisations. As Executive Director, she leads IECL – the Institute that coaches individuals and organisations to unlock greater potential and performance.
Gabrielle joined IECL in 2019 after 10 years with Australian Institute of Company Directors, most recently as Head of the AICD’s Board Advisory Practice.
Gabrielle is a Fellow and graduate of AICD, an IECL Level 2 Certified Coach, and holds an MBA from Macquarie University.

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Aliki Voukelatos
Aliki Voukelatos brings over a decade of experience in regulatory compliance across Higher and Vocational Education sectors, both domestically and internationally. She specialises in designing and implementing robust risk management and quality assurance frameworks aligned with TEQSA and ASQA standards.
Her work at Scentia supports strong governance and drives high-quality outcomes across the organisation, ensuring compliance and continuous improvement in educational delivery and institutional performance.

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Martin Mercer, Chief Executive Officer
For the decade up to 2020, Martin was the CEO and MD of two high-growth businesses. More recently, he was the CEO of a start-up disrupting the legal practice management industry. He has successfully led a disruptive challenger brand during its scale-up phase, an incumbent internet services business through a turnaround and ultimate transformation into a leading digital services business, and a start-up taking an innovative SaaS platform to market.
In addition to a dozen years of CEO experience, Martin has enjoyed senior leadership roles in functional areas including sales, marketing, product management, channel management, business development, and strategy and planning. This experience was acquired in both B2B and B2C contexts.
Martin is responsible for the performance of Scentia and its operating businesses.

Warren Creighton, Chief Financial Officer
Warren Creighton has spent over 13 years in senior roles in finance in the private education sector. He oversees all financial matters, including compliance with corporate and accounting standards and TEQSA standards. He oversees development of budgets for Scentia and its entities, including ACHW.

Dr Christine Brickenstein, Executive Director
Dr Christine Brickenstein brings extensive expertise in higher education leadership to her role as Executive Director of ACHW. With a PhD in Law from Macquarie University and more than a decade of experience managing higher education programs, she provides strategic direction and academic oversight to the college. Her background includes managing clinical education at the University of Sydney's medical program, giving her valuable insights into both healthcare education and academic program management. This diverse background in law, education, and healthcare informs her approach to leading ACHW's academic community.

Janene Barrett - Director of Education
Janene Barrett has spent the last 23 years in teaching and academic/operational leadership roles across the Higher Education and VET sectors. She manages all aspects of education operations of ACHW as a Higher Education provider, including teaching and learning practices, customer experience, new course development, and course improvements. Janene is a key member of education governing bodies, including the academic board, teaching and learning committee, and course advisory/review committee.

Steven Smith - Chief Product and Technology Officer
Steve Smith has over 20 years of experience in product management and marketing roles, the last 3+ in the private education sector. He is responsible for providing strategic direction of the course portfolio and student experience at ACHW and oversees the implementation of these strategies.

Trenton Barnier, Chief Marketing Officer
Trenton Barnier has a master’s degree in marketing and 10 years of experience working in marketing, including experiential, B2C, B2B, analysis, and advisory. He leads the marketing function of Scentia and its entities, including ACHW.