Executive Team (continued) Group Manager Public Works George Dedes Qualifications / Adv Dip. Project Management., Dip. Management, B.A., Dip. Ed., Grad. Cert. Workplace Relations Appointed / 2013 George has spent over 26 years delivering and maintaining public works assets and services for local and state government. He manages a portfolio including the delivery and maintenance of infrastructure assets, project delivery, and traffic and business infrastructure management, which includes waste, plant and fleet, properties, and construction materials recycling. Current initiatives include the development of a 10-year asset management plan, a geospatial program integration management system (GPIMS), new land-based property systems and increasing opportunities for income generation and improved business planning.
Acting Group Manager Community Life Baharak Sahebekhtiari Qualifications / B.Ec. Soc. Sci. Appointed / 2013 With 19 years’ experience in the notfor-profit and local government sectors, Baharak’s specialist skills and proven track record in community sector engagement equip her to deliver quality social and wellbeing outcomes for the community. She came to the City of Ryde in 2008 as Manager Community and Culture and was appointed Acting Group Manager Community Life in June 2013. Her portfolio spans the management of libraries; parks and bushland; the Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre, sporting fields and playgrounds; events, culture, youth and community capacity building, sector development and engagement; family, aged and disability services, and Council community and recreational buildings.
The breadth of experience George brings to the role is allowing the development of key systems while strengthening the commercial and customer focus across the Public Works Group. In 2013/14 George’s team was the National and NSW winner for Project Management of Yamble Reserve’s All Abilities Playground. They also completed over 90 percent of planned capital projects allocated to Public Works, implemented a commercially managed property investment portfolio, and developed and implemented a new geospatial asset program integration management system for Council works.
52 / City of Ryde Annual Report 2013/14 Civic Leadership
In 2013/14 she focused on maximising the value of the City of Ryde’s assets; developing and managing a $3.6 million Parks and Open Space capital works plan, finalising the Community Buildings Licensing Policy and Council Community Hubs model, which saw the opening of the Our Space youth hub. Baharak and her team were also responsible for negotiating and finalising the Ryde Hunters Hill Joint Library agreement and adopting and publishing the Libraries for Ryde ten-year strategic plan.