meet the team
Evelyn Moolenburgh
Managing Director
Evelyn thrives on shared experiences. From walking her dog to kayaking with friends or hiking the Camino track with strangers, Evelyn’s adventurous spirit is always looking for opportunities to connect with others. Her futuristic approach to learning saw Evelyn undertaking the ultimate adventure of founding Learning Ventures in 2011.
Evelyn continues to scale new peaks by challenging conventional thinking in the Learning & Development industry by solving real problems for real people, with real, implementable solutions.
Elisa Phillips-Turner
Senior Consultant
Elisa enjoys bringing people together to share ideas and insights. She believes that anyone can learn new behaviours and develop new habits with some understanding and focused practise.
In her spare time, Elisa can be found in the kitchen whipping up something delicious, otherwise she’s at the beach with a good book or podcast. She loves learning, and has spent the past few years juggling her work alongside completing a Masters of Organisational Psychology.
James McLeod
Senior Consultant
James is passionate about food and learning. He believes that both should be simple, uncomplicated, and accessible for all to experience. James utilises a unique knowledgebase of leadership development, culture change, strategic marketing and customer engagement skills to deliver tangible solutions to clients. He feels that understanding, improving oneself, and accomplishing goals are the intrinsically positive forces that build high performing leaders.
Samim Loftus
Consultant
Through his work as a safari guide in East Africa, Samim developed the habit of noticing small signs that would lead to great discoveries. This habit continues to fuel his love for guiding change and learning. With a background in neuroscience, management and learning design, Samim is happiest when collaborating with organisations to establish learning experiences that will help existing and emerging leaders to thrive and succeed.
Karen Belista
Project Manager
Having joined the dynamic Learning Ventures team in 2023, Karen brings her adventurous spirit and a hunger for new challenges. Her diverse experience across various industries has equipped her with skills to deliver quality, creativity, and exceptional care and support. Karen enjoys collaborating closely with colleagues and clients, ensuring the delivery of outstanding and impactful learning experiences. Her passion for travel and learning continuously drives her to explore new places and cultures, seeking inspiration and knowledge to enhance her professional contributions.
Debbie Moore
Principal Associate
A pop music afficianado, Debbie has an eclectic taste in popular music, loving anything from chart topping hits to country music ballads and she always knows the latest trends. Debbie can be found at the gigs and concerts, of all her favourite artists.
Debbie brings this same energy and passion to her facilitation, creating bright and bubbly learning environments, where people are not afraid to get down and boogie! Leadership Development Consultant Sydney.
David Heap
Principal Associate
David loves the sand, sea and surf and excels at using his organisational psychology skills to assist executives across the tumultuous and unexpected waters of leadership. From grommets to long-boarders, David adapts his approach to the needs of his coachees, making sure he keeps his clients riding the crest of the wave and delivering them safely to shore. Leadership Development Consultant Sydney.
Fritz Pondantes
Marketing Associate
With Fritz’s curiosity and driven outlook, she is always challenging herself to learn a new skill or taking on risks. She’ll either be immersed in one of her 400+ books from her impressive collection, traveling to new and old places or going to thrift stores and thrift-flipping clothes, a sewing skill she acquired during the pandemic.
Fritz has been in the virtual assistant industry for almost 6 years and is highly skilled in social media management. She has a knack for creativity and a passion for strategy. Fritz is always enthusiastic when it comes to honing her abilities. Progression personally and professionally excites her.