Graeme Baker, EMA Melbourne — Product Engineer

I serve as a trustee of a charitable fund that supports hospitals, universities, scholarships, and arts organisations across Victoria. I have been involved in this work for more than three decades. When I first stepped into trusteeship, I had little familiarity with the language or culture of philanthropy. Even now, the word “philanthropist” feels larger than I am comfortable with. What has remained constant is the importance of relationship. For me, giving is about long-term relationships with institutions and the people who lead them. I focus on the level of giving that sits between annual donations and major gifts, typically in the $5,000 to $50,000 range. It is a band many long-term supporters operate within, yet it is rarely discussed directly. My writing reflects on how donors in this space initiate conversations, structure commitments, and sustain institutional relationships over time. Alongside my trustee work, I have taught academic research and writing at Swinburne Online for more than 12 years. My teaching centres on clarity and standards, and on helping students understand how institutions evaluate work. Working within formal frameworks of judgement and accountability has shaped how I think about stewardship, responsibility, and trust. I am also the author of Be Study Ready, an independent writing and study-orientation project for adult and returning learners. Across both teaching and trusteeship, my focus is consistent: clarity, relationship, and long-term institutional trust.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a seasoned professional in Education and Philanthropy with a focus on academic support and charitable governance.

Location: Torquay, Victoria, Australia

Experience: 25 yrs 3 mos

Skills

Academic Writing
Learning Design

Career Highlights

Over three decades of philanthropic experience.
Expert in academic writing and communication for adult learners.
Trustee managing significant charitable fund allocations.

Work Experience

Be Study Ready - Academic Preparation

Educator — Be Study Ready (1 yr 3 mos)

Swinburne Online

Online Learning Advisor (11 yrs 6 mos)

Themed Entertainment Association

Management Internship (6 mos)

Swinburne University of Technology

Executive Assistant to the Director, Research Higher Degrees (4 yrs 7 mos)

Eric Ormond Baker Charitable Fund

Trustee (25 yrs 3 mos)

Education

Executive Master of Arts (EMA) at University of Melbourne

Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PDArts) at University of Melbourne

Bachelor of Arts (BA) at University of Melbourne

Graeme Baker, EMA Melbourne

Product Engineer

Torquay, Victoria, Australia25 yrs 3 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

Over three decades of philanthropic experience.
Expert in academic writing and communication for adult learners.
Trustee managing significant charitable fund allocations.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a seasoned professional in Education and Philanthropy with a focus on academic support and charitable governance.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Academic WritingLearning Design

Other Skills

Higher Education TeachingStudy Skills DevelopmentDigital PublishingGenerative WritingEthical AI LiteracyDigital StorytellingCommunity EngagementCreative Project ManagementTransmedia StorytellingPartnership-buildingResearchHigher EducationLeadershipProject PlanningSocial Media

About

Experience

Be study ready - academic preparation

Educator — Be Study Ready

Jan 2025 – Present · 1 yr 3 mos · Surf Coast, VIC · Hybrid

Be Study Ready is an independent writing and study-orientation project developed through long-term engagement with higher education teaching, assessment, and authorship practices.
The work focuses on how writing is produced, evaluated, and recognised within university contexts, particularly where expectations around voice, legitimacy, and responsibility remain implicit. It addresses academic writing, communication, study readiness, and ethical approaches to learning, including responsible engagement with generative AI, across Australian, UK, and US higher education systems.
My work on the project includes:
▪️ developing lesson structures that make implicit evaluative expectations around writing explicit
▪️ teaching paragraph and essay construction as practices of selection, positioning, and restraint
▪️ working with writers to navigate tone, register, and institutional judgement
▪️ embedding clear boundaries around authorship, disclosure, and ethical AI use
▪️ designing writing-focused content for time-poor, adult and returning learners
The project functions as a public-facing site of practice where questions of authorship, integrity, and legitimacy are negotiated through writing itself rather than treated as compliance problems. It draws on sustained experience in online education and higher education administration, and is intended as a serious orientation to university writing cultures rather than a substitute for formal teaching.

Academic WritingLearning Design

Swinburne online

Online Learning Advisor

Oct 2014 – Present · 11 yrs 6 mos · Online (Based in Melbourne)

For more than a decade, I have worked in online higher education supporting students to meet academic expectations in real, assessed university units.
As an eLearning Advisor at Swinburne Online, my work sits at the intersection of teaching and facilitation. I support students to develop academic writing, communication, and study practices, while helping them interpret assessment criteria, feedback, and institutional expectations.
My teaching focuses particularly on students transitioning into university study, including adult learners, returning students, and those navigating academic systems for the first time. This work involves close engagement with learning materials, assessment frameworks, and university policy.
▪️ supporting students to interpret and respond to assessment criteria and feedback
▪️ developing academic writing, communication, and study practices
▪️ working with adult, returning, and first-time university learners
▪️ helping students approach academic work with confidence and integrity
This role has given me sustained, frontline insight into how students experience online learning, where they struggle, and what kinds of scaffolding genuinely help them succeed.

Themed entertainment association

Management Internship

Oct 2013 – Apr 2014 · 6 mos · Burbank, California, United States

The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) is the international non-profit association representing the world’s leading creators, designers, and producers of themed environments and immersive experiences.
As part of the Executive Master of Arts program at the University of Melbourne, I undertook a six-month international internship with TEA in Los Angeles, based at its headquarters in Burbank, California.
My role began as a Member Services Intern and was later extended into a temporary Executive Assistant position supporting the incoming Chief Executive Officer. In this role, I worked closely with senior leadership and international committee members on organisational and strategic matters.
▪️ providing high-level administrative and organisational support to the CEO
▪️ supporting the TEA International Committee and executive operations
▪️ assisting with strategic planning and organisational processes
▪️ contributing to the coordination and delivery of major international industry events, including the TEA Annual Summit, Thea Awards, and SATE Education Conference
This experience provided early, practical exposure to international professional environments, executive operations, and cross-cultural collaboration within a global creative and educational network.

Swinburne university of technology

Executive Assistant to the Director, Research Higher Degrees

May 2007 – Dec 2011 · 4 yrs 7 mos · Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia

In this role, I supported the academic and administrative operations of Research Higher Degree (RHD) programs at Swinburne University of Technology, working closely with the Director of Graduate Studies and central research units.
My responsibilities included coordinating RHD training programs, seminars, and research conferences, as well as providing executive support and advice across student progression, policy implementation, and quality assurance processes.
Key areas of responsibility included:
▪️ coordinating RHD training programs, seminars, and research conferences
▪️providing executive support and advice to the Director of Graduate Studies
▪️supporting student progression, candidature milestones, and casework
▪️assisting with policy implementation and quality assurance processes
▪️supporting both domestic and international research students navigating institutional requirements
Through this work, I developed a strong understanding of how institutional structures, communication practices, and academic expectations shape the experiences of higher degree researchers, particularly for international students adjusting to Australian university contexts.

Eric ormond baker charitable fund

Trustee

Jan 2001 – Present · 25 yrs 3 mos · Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Serving as co-trustee of a long-standing charitable fund distributing approximately $100,000 annually to hospitals, universities, scholarships, and arts organisations across Victoria.
Responsibilities include governance oversight, allocation decisions, multi-year funding commitments, and maintaining long-term institutional relationships. The fund supports medical research and equipment, regional initiatives, public education, and cultural organisations.
The role centres on responsible stewardship, clarity in funding conversations, and sustained partnership rather than one-off disbursement.