Board of Directors
Rev Rex Rigby
Director /Chairman
Rev Rex Rigby has served as National Superintendent of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia since January 2012, becoming the first Indigenous Australian to lead a denomination. He has served 14 years over all, as District Superintendent for the North Queensland and South Queensland Districts. At the 2015 South Pacific Regional Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, Rex took on the position of President SPRC.
Rex grew up on the Southside of Brisbane QLD and met and married his wife Lien while attending Joyful News Mission in Fortitude Valley. They have two adult children.
Studying at Kingsley College in Melbourne he gained his Bachelor of Ministry and is currently undertaking doctoral studies through Tabour Sth Australia.
Rex’s family come from out west and are part of the Bigambul People.
Rex has a passion for social justice and to see vulnerable people empowered with opportunity, dignity and hope.
Dr Mike Woodrow (BVSc Hons)
Director/Secretary
With over 30 years’ experience as a veterinary surgeon, Dr Mike has worked in almost every aspect of animal health. Beginning in large and small animal private practice, Dr Mike has worked in Australia, UK and America and moved between research, technical and teaching roles in the CSIRO, University of Qld, and commercial and business development roles with national and international companies. He currently serves as GM in his own online pet supplies business.
He and his wife live in Brisbane Australia and have an interesting family of five children, three dogs, two cats and three hens.
Rev Dallas Thomas
Director/Public Officer
As General Manager for Vonex Telecom, Dallas Thomas has worked in the telephone business for 20 years as well as serving as the National Director of Wesleyan World Missions since January 1997. With his experience in business as well as overseas mission, Dallas has a heart for vulnerable people in need and a passion for building sustainable systems to meet those needs.
Married to Ruth with three grown sons, three daughter-in-laws and four grandchildren, Dallas loves to spend time with family, travel and drink chai latte’s.
Mrs Annette Dobson
Director
Annette Dobson is currently the National Director of Women's Ministries in the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia. She has a passion for social justice and introducing people to Jesus and this reflects in her role as her focus is on encouraging, training and resourcing women in these areas. Annette views all of life as ministry but more specifically she has participated in leadership in her local church family for as long as she can remember.
Annette is a pharmacist, mum to three teenagers and married to Peter. In her spare time (what's that?), Annette loves to quilt.
Prof Bridget Aitchison
Director
Professor Bridget Aitchison is currently the Campus Dean for the Aquinas (Ballarat) Campus of Australian Catholic University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from UNSW, a Masters of Practical Theology from Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University and a Doctor of Creative Arts from the University of Wollongong on Transformational Drama: Theatre for Community and Social Change which fused theatre, education and psychology to address youth suicide prevention. Prof Aitchison has published in the fields of theatre studies, teacher education and theology.
Previous to ACU, Prof Aitchison was Vice Chancellor for Asia-Pacific at Indiana Wesleyan University after serving three years as Vice President and Dean for the College of Adult and Professional Studies at IWU. Prior to that, Prof Aitchison worked in the faith-based Non-University Higher Education Provider sector in Sydney as Principal of Southland College, Academic Dean of Morling College and Chair of the Faculty of Drama at Wesley Institute.
Bridget is a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia and has served on a number of Boards of Directors for not-for-profit organisations over the years.
Bridget has two grown daughters, one son-in-law, two miniature dachshunds and a grand-dog. She is an active scuba diver and kayaker and enjoys crocheting and quilting in her spare time.