Meet our Government Investigations trainers
Paddy Higgins
Following his 22-year career with the Queensland Police Service, Paddy Higgins has worked for various government departments including the Department of Transport, the Department of Communities, and the Department of Justice and Attorney-General. Paddy has had extensive experience as a trainer in adult learning environments and is a seasoned investigator, manager and facilitator.
Tricia Velthuizen
Tricia Velthuizen co-founded Churchill with her husband (Randall Smith) in 2006, and took up the reigns as CEO in 2016. Tricia, a former Crown Prosecutor with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Queensland, has over ten years of experience in the legal profession, so is intimately familiar with how investigations are scrutinised in courtroom settings. Tricia was awarded a Churchill Fellowship by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust in 2002, and has recently been honoured with the AchieveForum Australian HR Champion (CEO) of the Year Award.
Randall Smith
Randall Smith is the Director of Churchill Education, and a former Senior Detective with the Queensland Police Service. Randall spent 16 years in criminal investigations and was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2001 to undertake a study of police investigations of clandestine drug laboratories. Randall’s ingrained investigative mindset and strategic approach to all operations have garnered him a reputation as a authority in both the business and vocational education sectors, and a highly knowledgeable but approachable trainer, communicator, mentor and manager.
Tony Parsons
Tony Parsons is a highly experienced detective and undercover investigation specialist who has been responsible for the investigation, arrest and prosecution of drug traffickers in some of Australia’s most high-profile international investigations. He has attended advanced national and international drug investigation courses, and his diligence, commitment, excellence and bravery have been recognised through multiple citations and awards. Tony is a flexible and adaptive leader who is adept at communicating his comprehensive investigations insights.
