About

Services

HR Hub

Case Studies

Events

Talk to an expert

About Us

Services

HR Hub

Case Studies

Events

Talk to an expert

Home

Blog

Meet the Team: Dave Griffiths-Brown

Jan 10, 2024


  • 2min

Meet the Team: Dave Griffiths-Brown

Meet the Team
Total HRM team in August 2023. From L-R Amelie, Dave, Alison, Felicity, Kim, Linda, Rebecca, Sarah, Ashly and Caitlin.
In our workplace, there’s Dave, a versatile team member in Business Services with a rather unique journey. Originally an electrician from Western Australia, Dave moved to North East Victoria with Linda, and they bought Total HRM. His role evolved from a small business contributor to handling various tasks as the business grew, including payroll, invoicing, maintenance, IT support, building supervisor and gardening.

Growing up, Dave wanted to be a geologist, but now he finds joy in simple things like tending to his raspberries and taking care of chickens and enjoying a gin.

Dave has been in the region for about nine or ten years and has a strong connection to the community. He loves the mountains and feels a bit out of place without them. He used to live near the coast, but now he appreciates beach holidays.

David Griffiths-Brown
Having once had a dream of being a geologist, Dave now finds in life’s simple pleasures, like gardening and roasting his own coffee.
Dave enjoys reading, especially Jack Reacher books and sci-fi by authors like Peter F Hamilton and Andy Weir. He’s not great at golf, but he enjoys playing every chance he gets. Dave and Ash usually try and organise their work days in Mt Beaty to allow for a quick evening round of golf..

According to Dave, the best coffee is the one he roasts at home using a makeshift setup. He has been doing it for years and doesn’t see himself stopping anytime soon. He also thinks the best food in the region is at his house; Linda is an amazing cook, and Dave is a willing taste tester.

One of Dave’s memorable experiences was a U2 concert in Stuttgart in 1993. He and Linda were in Italy and saw someone wearing a U2 concert t-shirt with the tour dates on the back. They saw there was an upcoming concert in Stuttgart and decided then and there that they would go. They managed to get there and find some last-minute tickets and saw an incredible show. After the concert, they camped under an overhang at a caravan park due to a lack of a tent and the pouring rain. All in all, they called it a success.

Outside of work, Dave has various hobbies, including golfing and fishing. His reluctant answer to his go-to karaoke anthem is “Bow River” by Cold Chisel.

Dave’s travel plans include Japan next year, and he dreams of seeing the Earth from space. If he could instantly become an expert in something, he’d choose to be an astronaut. He’d like to be able to know that the flat earthers are wrong, for his own peace of mind.

If Dave had to spend a day in someone else’s shoes, it would be his wife’s, just to see what she deals with daily and understand her perspective better. His philosophy in life is straightforward: “I’m along for the ride.”

In our team, his unique background and perspective contribute to our collective success, making him an integral part of our professional family. We also enjoy all the fruits of Dave and Linda’s garden – and he makes a good gin too!

Get more out of Total HRM

Guides to help you uncover human resource insights, and make the right changes to improve team delight.

Home

Blog

Meet the Team: Rebecca O’Connell

Aug 22, 2023


  • 2min

Meet the Team: Rebecca O’Connell

Meet the Team
Total HRM team in August 2023. From L-R Amelie, Dave, Alison, Felicity, Kim, Linda, Rebecca, Sarah, Ashly and Caitlin.
We would like to introduce you to Rebecca O’Connell – our competitive and fun Operations Manager. Beck joined the team recently and has taken on various responsibilities, wearing many hats and getting straight down to business.

Beck’s HR journey started in a bit of a different way – as many of our careers tend to do. She worked as a People & Culture leader, managing people and making sure things ran smoothly, and as time went on, she found herself gravitating towards HR tasks more and more. She became an HR Business Partner at Albury City Council and was involved in the nitty-gritty of how HR works. She’s done everything from hiring the right people to keeping everything moving.

Rebecca O'Connell standing in front of the green trees outside Total HRM offices. Wearing a white coat and navy scarf.
Rebecca (Beck) O’Connell outside the Total HRM office.
Beck is now part of the Total HRM team bringing her A-grade game to the operations side. That means she’s juggling a lot of stuff, from managing schedules and setting up interviews, creating proposals, and hosting breakfasts to ensuring everything runs like clockwork. And she’s doing it all with a big smile and a can-do attitude.

Beyond the office, Beck’s passion for sports is hard to miss. You’ll find her on the netball court every weekend and watching more sports afterwards. Beck loves staying active and competitive – part of what makes her tick. Growing up, she would’ve loved to have played netball for Australia, but she is happy playing in Yackandandah.


Beck has been in the Albury/Wodonga region since she was a kid, with a short stint moving away to the city before returning in 2008. Beck loves everything about our region, especially as she raises her family here. Her favourite thing to do on the weekend is watching her kids play sports. She reasons that now that they’re older, watching and seeing them improve is what she loves. They’re not just a swarm of bees chasing a ball anymore!
You can usually find Beck around the weir with her family, at the local sports grounds, or at the pub watching the afternoon games with everyone. Did we mention she likes sport? Beck would love to get to Canada and explore the mountain regions, especially in the spring when you can hike and see the amazing views. She will also catch a couple of NBA and NHL games while she’s there.


Her willingness to tackle challenges head-on and make difficult decisions aligns with her philosophy of doing what’s right, not just what’s easy. It’s a philosophy that guides her, whether making tough decisions or facing hurdles head-on – which seamlessly fits in with our Total HRM approach.
Beck is a real asset to the team. Her diverse background, operational skills, and dedication to growth make her a standout in HR. We love having Beck’s energy in the office and her ability to keep us in line and move forward with a big smile.

You will see Beck around the office and at our events, so please introduce yourself if you bump into her. Beck is likely to be one of your first points of contact with Total HRM, so there’s no doubt all of you will speak to her soon!

Get more out of Total HRM

Guides to help you uncover human resource insights, and make the right changes to improve team delight.

Home

Blog

Meet the Team: Sarah Sharwood!

Jul 26, 2023


  • 2min

Meet the Team: Sarah Sharwood!

Meet the Team
Welcome to another edition of Meet the Team where we highlight our incredible individuals that make Total HRM a vibrant and dynamic workplace. Today, we are pleased to introduce you to the bubbly Sarah Sharwood, our newest HR Coordinator!

Sarah grew up on a property outside of Yackandandah and moved to Melbourne in 2016 to pursue her career in flying. Sarah’s journey to becoming a key player in our team began as a flight attendant in Melbourne, delivering exceptional customer service with a smile. Sarah was fascinated with leader crew development and her desire to work with people was ignited.

Sarah Sharwood outside the Total HRM office.
She moved back to the region and started as an EA in a real estate company. Her interest in HR had her taking on recruitment, inductions, and payroll responsibilities. Sarah’s interest in HR has led her to join us at Total HRM.

Sarah is already working in the recruitment space and is eager to learn more about our approach to HR and hopes to dive into Training & Facilitation in the future. With her positive outlook and can do attitude, she’s a natural fit for working with others on their professional journeys.

If it weren’t for the constant early mornings, Sarah would’ve loved to have become a famous swimmer and win a few gold medals at the Commonwealth Games. She still loves swimming but at a more reasonable hour of the day. Sarah loves taking her border collie Toby out and about the weir. She also enjoys spending time in our nearby towns of Bright and Harrietville, especially if she has her bike.

When Sarah is out walking or travelling the Hume, she enjoys listening to The Imperfects, The Fitness & Lifestyle Podcast with Danny Kennedy, and occasionally The KIC Pod (Keep It Cleaner).

Sarah Sharwood is a bundle of energy and passion, driving positive change within Total HRM and making every day brighter for her colleagues and clients. Sarah is always happy to help out and take on new challenges, and if she’s a bit hesitant, you can always bribe her with a Caramello Koala!

We’re excited for you all to meet Sarah and work with her, she is a joy to be around. If you see Sarah at any of our events or around town, please say hi and introduce yourself!

Get more out of Total HRM

Guides to help you uncover human resource insights, and make the right changes to improve team delight.

Your cart

  • Your cart is empty!