RAAF Veteran, Communications Information System Specialist
Founder GraphitEdge, Technology Developer.

I am a Front of the Front End Developer, Mentor and teacher who is an accomplished veteran of the Royal Australian Air Force and the web. I have been involved in technology and Web Development for over 30 years and cares deeply about sharing my experience through mentoring and teaching.
I joined the RAAF in June 1984, qualifying in early 1985 as a Communications Operator. My first unit was in Sydney where I met and married my Husband. I also had our first child there and returned to work when he was 3 months old.
I had my second child in the service as well. Being both a member of the Defence as well as a mum was tough at times, and although I would not change anything of my 16 years it was challenging at times.
I sustained an injury in 1998 and of my own volition discharged in 2000.
I am passionate about web standards, accessibility and semantic HTML which I have promoted in my position at Codemaster Institute as Curriculum Specialist and through my freelance work. As the Chairperson of the Australian Web Awards for many years, my goal was to spread the word of web standards, accessibility and good practices in designing and developing the web.
I was heavily involved in developing and growing the Perth Tech community in it's early days through Port80 as well as the Australian Web Industry Association and has stayed connected as it has grown and developed being a member of several meet-up groups including Fenders as well as Ex-Service Organisations like the RSL and WRAAF Association.
I am passionate about service members having a better transition than my own in 2000, which was not the best and on par with anyone who left the services then. Whilst I have maintained this website and other Ex-Service websites as one means of doing this, I joined Karyn as her first staff member in Oct 2021 to help Veterans find meaningful employment and a good transition after serving our country.