Emeritus Professor Greg Whateley

Independent Member and Chair, Board of Directors

Greg completed a Diploma of Teaching (with majors in Music and Psychology), a Bachelor of Education (Curriculum Design and Development), a Bachelor of Music Education (with a music education focus), a Graduate Diploma in Educational Administration (with a focus on Organisational Behaviour), a Master of Education (Assessment and Evaluation) and a Doctorate in Virtual Pedagogy. Throughout his teaching career, he has maintained a keen interest in how and why people learn.

Greg began his teaching career (1974 – 1988) in the area of music and arts education at both primary and secondary levels. He has taught at every level of formal education (K – PhD) and has either, taught and/or researched, in four states and five countries.

He commenced his work in the tertiary sector at the University of Tasmania in Hobart (1989-90) as a Lecturer in Music Education. He moved to Griffith University on the Gold Coast (1991-1999) as a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Music Education. He served as Head of School – Arts and during that time managed the Film and Television Music post-graduate awards at the University and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music where he also served as Deputy Dean (External Relations). He became Associate Professor and Director of the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music (2000-2003) where he co-founded (with Professor Ian Bofinger) Australia’s first ‘Virtual Conservatorium’. He also held the position of Head of School – Arts and Manager, Business Initiatives in the Faculty of Education and Creative Arts.

He took the position of General Manager and Professorial Head of School at the Australian Institute of Music (2004 – mid-2005). He also held the position of Senior Visiting Fellow at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales (2006 – 2008) and Director of Education and Quality at the National Centre for Language Training (an International Centre of Excellence at the University of New South Wales) from mid-2005 to end 2008. Greg held the position of Senior Visiting Fellow at Wesley Institute (2005- 2011) where he managed the Master of Music program (Arts Management strand).

In 2008 Greg was appointed Principal of the Australian International Conservatorium of Music. He was also Professorial Chair of Arts Management at the Sydney Opera House in association with the Australian Institute of Music. In 2011, Greg accepted the post of Deputy Dean at UWS College, University of Western Sydney and later became the Dean of the College (Western Sydney University). For seven+ years Greg was the Chair of the Academic Board at the Australian Institute of Music (AIM). Greg joined GCA in April 2016 as Executive Dean.

Currently, Greg is Deputy Vice-Chancellor, UBSS and Chief Executive Officer, GCA. He serves on several Boards within the Sector and is a Fellow at a number of organisations.

Professor Ian Bofinger

Independent Member and Chair, Academic Board

Professor Ian Bofinger has had a diverse career in music, combining his background in performance (violoncello solo, chamber music and orchestral), management and blended learning education design.

Ian commenced his professional career as a Lecturer in ‘Cello at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music (Griffith University) in 1998, whilst working with the Queensland Symphony and Queensland Philharmonic Orchestras.
In 1991, Ian moved to the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music where he ultimately became Deputy Director (2002-2005) and foundation ‘cellist of the Lyrebird Trio. During this time he completed his Doctoral Studies where he co-founded Australia’s first ‘Virtual Conservatorium’.

In 2005, Ian relocated to Sydney to take up the position of Deputy Dean and Head, Academic Studies and Information Services at the Australian Institute of Music (AIM). The original requirements of this position at AIM were to update three of the weakest and maligned areas at the Institute – Academic Studies, Information Technology and the Library.

The opportunity to step outside of the music discipline came in early 2009 when Ian became Manager, TEL (Technology Enhanced Learning) at the University of Western Sydney College.

Later in 2009, Ian returned to the Australian Institute of Music to take up the position of Executive Dean. In these past 6 years, Ian was instrumental in the growth and development of AIM to become the largest music school in the southern hemisphere. In his time, AIM has more than tripled its size, income and student numbers as well as opening a second major campus of AIM in the CBD of Melbourne at the beginning of 2014.

Prof Bofinger comes to the Australian Academy of Music and Performing Arts with a renewed focus for AMPA to become one of Australia’s premier boutique Arts Academies, where the emphasis is on the personal attention of the individual student rather than the profit margin of the company and where AMPA and the students share in their transformation to become Australia’s next generation of Music and Performing Arts professionals.

Sumit Khanal

Executive Director and Shareholders' Representative

Sumit began his career in the Australian education sector in 2008. With over 17 years of professional experience, he has continually demonstrated his commitment to excellence and success in various leadership roles. He is a strategic and visionary leader renowned for his commitment to innovation, regulatory excellence, and educational quality.

Sumit holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Kathmandu University and a Master of Commerce (Professional Accounting) from the University of Ballarat.

Sumit has held senior leadership roles across ELICOS, Vocational, and Higher Education institutions, within the private and public sectors, including ECA Group and TAFE NSW. At ECA group, he led their VET division and Professional Year Program (PYP) division while liaising with different stakeholders and regulators such as the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), ACS – The Professional Association for Australia’s ICT sector and Skilled Migration Internship Program: Accounting and exceeding their rigorous requirements.

His leadership has consistently delivered measurable growth, successful HEP, RTO and CRICOS registrations, and the implementation of quality assurance systems that earned low-risk audit ratings.

As the Co-Founder and CEO of Kingsford Academy Australia (RTO 45882) in 2022, Sumit led the institution from inception to a thriving education provider with over 600 international students across three campuses. He secured approvals in record time and developed strategic partnerships with several industry organisations, particularly in the Hospitality and Healthcare sectors. His approach integrates rigorous compliance, stakeholder collaboration, and business development strategy.

His leadership philosophy is deeply rooted in innovation, continuous improvement, and the seamless integration of vocational and higher education pathways. He is highly skilled in policy development, quality management, and governance, with a proven track record of fostering collaborative environments that enable institutions to exceed educational standards.

His career reflects a steadfast commitment to driving sustainable growth, enhancing institutional capability, and empowering students to achieve long-term success in an evolving global education landscape.