Australian Capital Territory Branch

Sandra Darley

ACEL ACT Branch President

Sandra Darley is Principal of St Francis Xavier College. She was previously Head of Campus and acted as Principal at both St Mary MacKillop College, and St Clare’s College, Canberra. In 2016, Sandra was seconded to Catholic Education in the role of Senior Officer Secondary Curriculum and Pedagogy where she led the design and implementation of Curriculum and Pedagogy strategy for secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn. In 2023,Sandra was made a Fellow of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL). Sandra brings to ACEL strategic leadership experience at a system level and in schools. Sandra holds a Bachelor of Education and a Masters in Educational Leadership , and at the invitation of the Australian Catholic University co taught in the online Masters of Education programme in 2017/18. She is deeply committed to teacher professional learning and preservice teacher education and in conjunction with ACU co designed and has facilitated the delivery of a school based Masters in Teaching programme.

Sandra is committed to securing the delivery of excellence in educational outcomes for all students to enrich the College she leads as a Professional Learning community for students, staff and families and the wider community it serves. Her membership of ACEL has enriched the research and evidence based practice and entrepreneurial approaches which inform her leadership. She views membership of the Executive Branch of ACEL as an opportunity to engage in and promote cross sectoral collaboration with other leaders and the research, work and profile of ACEL locally and nationally.

Tony Bracken

Branch Executive Member

Dr Tony Bracken (FACEL) NSW is the Deputy Director, Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn, with prior senior system level experience in school performance and improvement in Broken Bay and Parramatta Diocese. With an interest in improvement science, and how schools “learn to improve”. Tony joined Canberra Goulburn in 2021 as the system commenced the system teaching and learning strategy known as Catalyst- following extensive research- that is grounded in the science of learning and the science of reading. This has afforded Tony the privileged opportunity to be a key supporter of this major strategic direction, and part of a system wide strategy across 56 schools, spanning two jurisdictions (ACT, NSW) where all schools are aligned to a common vision and an evidence-based strategy. Tony has contributed over the last six years to the ACEL NSW Executive in the Professional Learning working group, and since 2021 has also been a member of the ACEL ACT Executive. Tony looks forward to continuing to contribute to the new ACEL ACT Executive in 2024.

James Goodlet

Branch Executive Member

After being a member of ACEL for some years and benefitting from other leaders’ insights, I feel that I am at a stage where I can contribute by joining the ACEL ACT as a branch executive member. I have been a teacher and leader in government and non-government schools for thirty-five years. Although I have spent the last eighteen years of my career exclusively in Steiner schools, I have a diverse, cross-sectoral background and an approach which I believe aligns well with ACEL’s vision. I believe it is important to support the development of educational leaders with integrity and passion who provide good quality, holistic education to all students regardless of the education sector in which they find themselves.

Having spent the first decade of my career as a primary teacher and secondary environmental science and outdoor education teacher, I then moved into leadership roles. I have worked as a school head for over ten years. I started in my current role as Principal at Orana Steiner School in January 2024 and before that I served as a Head of School at Shearwater Mullumbimby Steiner School and Head of School at Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School.

I look forward to working with the ACEL ACT branch executive members.

Maria O'Donnell

Branch Executive Member

Maria O’Donnell is an experienced educator and school leader with expertise in curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation across schools in the ACT and NSW. She has a passion for the developing teacher capabilities and leadership from early career mentoring through to executive leadership, together with interest in data informed school improvement and the development of educational leaders at all levels. Maria has held a range of leadership positions in curriculum and pastoral care, including as Coordinator, Assistant Principal and Head of Campus.

As a Certification Assessor, Maria works to encourage colleagues to achieve recognition for their highly accomplished or lead teaching practice. As a member of the TQI Board she has been able to bring her expertise as a teacher and school leader to contribute to the development of the teaching profession.

A committed educator, Maria believes that a good education allows the individual to create their own pathways for successful accomplishment, and in doing so build the capacity of all Australians in achieving an equitable and prosperous country.

Melissa Planten

Branch Executive Member

Melissa Planten is currently Principal of UC Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra in the Australian Capital Territory. Melissa has a breadth of national and ACT system experience – including as leader in three ACT senior secondary colleges and in the ACT Education Directorate as Manager Learning and Teaching.

Melissa has held a number of leadership and management roles including Deputy Executive Director, Australian Curriculum Studies Association (ACSA), the ACT Public Colleges Professional Learning committee, the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (ACTBSSS) Curriculum Advisory Committee and is on education advisory committees for the Museum of Australian Democracy (MOAD) and the National Library of Australia (NLA). Melissa has also worked on Territory and Commonwealth initiatives including the school/university partnership model with the University of Canberra, Civics and Citizenship Education and co-written the ACT BSSS Global Studies course. Melissa’s focus is in leading improvement, innovation and change with a key interest in curriculum design. 

Kirrally Talbot

Branch Executive Member

Kirrally Talbot is an experienced school leader, who is currently Principal of Lyneham Primary School for the ACT Education Directorate. She has been a leader of learning for 26 years, in ACT and NSW schools. Kirrally demonstrates a passion towards the growth and development of teachers.

Kirrally has made a significant contribution to the professional learning of others. She has been instrumental in designing and delivering quality professional learning with teachers from across systems and sectors. Working with TQI she has promoted teacher certification in the ACT, providing mentoring support to colleagues, new school leader assessors and teacher applicants, promoting certification as a key strategy in developing expert teaching teams for school improvement in ACT schools. Kirrally has played a pivotal role within the Australian Literacy Educators Association working as an active member of ALEA to coordinate quality local and national literacy professional development for teachers over the years. Through her elected role on ACT and interstate panels for the national accreditation of Initial Teacher Education programs she assesses the quality of pre-service teacher programs against the national Program Standards and the Graduate Teacher Standards, contributing to measures to bring about program improvement nationally.

As a member of the ACT TQI’s Board Standards and Professional Practice Committee, she provides insights from a school leader perspective on national and jurisdictional initiatives. Her strong external relationships with teacher registration bodies has been instrumental in raising the status of teaching at a national level.

Tracey Taylor

Branch Executive Member

Tracey Taylor (BA, Dip Ed Prim, MedLead) has over 25 years experience in education, commencing as primary teacher and moving into school leadership. She was CEO of Steiner Education Australia representing members at state, territory, national and international levels. Tracey was Principal of Michael Park School in Auckland, taught at the International School of Florence in Italy, then returned to Australia as Principal at Samford Valley Steiner School, Brisbane. Tracey has been a Board Director for AISNSW, Board Director of two independent schools and is passionate about excellence in governance, educational leadership and schools working in holistic ways to support student wellbeing and learning outcomes. Tracey is currently Director, Education Policy with national peak body, Independent Schools Australia representing the sector on a range of policy issues affecting schooling.