OUR PEOPLE
Management Team
BETTINA PIDCOCK
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Bettina is an accomplished executive with a 30-year career spanning retail and wholesale banking, wealth management (including superannuation, investment, financial advice and private banking), life and general insurance. She has held positions at leading Australian Financial Institutions in marketing, communications, product management, corporate affairs and customer experience.
Bettina is a Committee Member of the Tattersall’s Club (and was the first female to hold this position), was the Chairman of the QBE Foundation and a member of the NSW Regional Council of FINSIA from 2014-2020. She holds a BSc (major in Chemistry) from the University of Sydney, an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management, a Business Management Qualification in Sustainability from the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership, is a Senior Fellow of FINSIA and a Graduate Member of the AICD.
PATRICK BRENNAN
Artistic Director, Conductor (CCPWE & School Bands)
Patrick Brennan attained his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and as a professional bassoonist performed with Australia’s leading orchestras for 15 years before pursuing a career as a conductor.
He participated in the Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program whilst directing several school and community bands and symphonic wind ensembles. In 2020 Patrick won a coveted position in the Australian Conducting Academy, working with the Tasmania Symphony Orchestra.
Patrick has created and developed several cornerstone organisations including the Northern Sydney Schools Wind Orchestra, Central Coast Opera, Regional Youth Orchestra NSW and the NSSWE program that now offers weekly professional development for tertiary music students, focusing on best practice in pedagogy and conducting.
As a music educator Patrick has worked within the Department of Education Arts Unit, in government and non-government schools as well as in tertiary institutions, including the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music.
He was also appointed as the NSW representative of the Bassoon syllabus for the AMEB.
As a member of the Curriculum Development Committee for the ANSWRC Patrick is currently developing a state-wide curriculum for music students across regional NSW.
As Artistic Director of the Central Coast Conservatorium, Patrick musically directs the major premier music ensembles on the NSW Central Coast.
ROD BOWMAN
Financial Controller
Rod Bowman joined the Conservatorium with extensive expertise in financial and commercial management. Her was previously a Partner at CFO On Call and Commercial Manager at Serco Sodexo Defence Services.
Rod holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Newcastle and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Newcastle Graduate School of Business.
