ACEL NSW Branch Awards History

ACEL NSW honours those educational leaders who in the view of their peers have made a significant contribution to the understanding and practice of educational leadership.

ACEL NSW Mary Armstrong Awards for Early Career Educational Leadership

These awards are given each year to educators in the first five years of their professional career who have demonstrated excellent educational leadership and commitment linked to one or more initiatives within and/or beyond their organisation, consequently making a significant difference to child or student learning, teacher professional practice or organisational effectiveness.

2025
Alannah Kohnertz
Lauren Dahl
Joshua Barden
Amelia Lombardo
Taylah Hanavan
2024
Caitlin O'Hehir
Georgina Turner
Helena Walker
2023
Lauren Cullen
2022
Nicholas Kovacs
2021
Haneul Lee
Olivia Phillips
2020
Lucy Birts
Olivia Havelka
Glen Lawless
Jaylee Love
2019
Dominic Benedet
Stephanie Church
Nellie Harb
Samuel Korsch
Katherine Molloy
Kathleen Quinn
2018
Ben Gerard
Brianna Wilson
Tara Georgiadis
Ellie Moroney
2017
Rebecca Hooper
Kyle Little
Lachlan McLean
Clare Melville
Rebecca Thomson
2016
Amanda Mansour
Tim Stuckey
Stephanie Vrandich
2015
Stefanie Lia
2014
Yasodai Selvakumaran
2013
Karla Olmos
2012
Alice Leung
2011
Nicole Hunt

ACEL NSW Patrick Duignan Award for Leadership

This award is given to an outstanding ACEL member who is a NSW or National Fellow of ACEL, actively promotes and contributes to ACEL initiatives and activities at local, state and/or national level and has made a significant, sustained contribution as an exceptional educational leader across one or more areas or organisations.

2024 Kylie Lipscombe
2020 Vicki Treble
2019 Dr Norman McCulla
2018 Brian Ralph
2017 Christine Cawsey
2016 Chris Bonnor
2015 Liliana Mularczyk
2014 Michael Bezzina
2013 Ann McIntyre
2012 Paul Brock
2011 Chris Presland

ACEL NSW Dr Paul Brock Memorial Medal

This medal is awarded annually to a prominent educational leader who has significantly impacted educational direction and achievement. The recipient will also have demonstrated the values of social justice in making a substantial contribution to evidence informed policy, practice and research. The NSW ACEL Dr Paul Brock Memorial Medal has been established in honour of the extraordinary educational leadership of Paul as a much loved, highly respected and passionate fellow of ACEL NSW.

2025
Distinguished Professor Emeritus Viviane Robinson
2024
Joanne Jarvis
2023
Professor Br David Hall
Murat Dizdar
2022
Dr Nicole Mockler
2021
Professor Pasi Sahlberg
Professor Emeritus Patrick Duignan
2020
Professor Deb Hayes
2019
Ann McIntyre
2018
Jenny Gore
2017
Bernie Shepherd
2016
Ken Boston

ACEL NSW Fellowship Awards

ACEL NSW Fellowships are awarded to members of ACEL who have demonstrated outstanding educational leadership and made a significant impact and contribution over an extended period of time to educational leadership and educational outcomes within their workplace and beyond, e.g. at a local, regional, system, state and/or national level.
* Also holds a National Fellowship

2025
Karen Maraga
Rose-Marie van Raad
2024
Carolyn Blanden
2022
Dr Simon Crook
Dr Andrew Fraser
Iris Nastasi
Andrea Stringer
2020
Kate English
Michael Krawec
Dean White
2019
Jenny Allen
Murat Dizdar
Kylie Lipscombe
Brenda Quayle
Briony Scott
2018
Tony Bracken
Belinda Wall
2017
Vicki Treble*
2016
Ruythe Dufty
Anne-Marie Furney
Greg Prior
Brad Russell*
Margaret Varady
2015
Joanne Jarvis*
Norman McCulla*
Norma Petrocco
2014
Cameron Paterson
2013
Brian Powyer
2012
Kathryn Brennan*
Scott Eacott
Dianne Hennessy
Jake Madden
2011
Ted Noon
2010
Judy-Ann Abdini
Chris Bonnor*
Rose-Marie Hoekstra
Beverley Johnson
Barry Pecar
Paul Thornton
Jim White
2009
Ted Boyce
Gail Dyer
Russell Hawkins
Philip Lambert
Gillian Shadwick
2008
Greg Dickinson
Westley Field
Liliana Mularczyk*
Peter Pickett
Brian Ralph*
Gordon Stanley
Noel West
2007
Graeham Kennedy
Pamela Matter
James McAlpine
Alan Rice
Judyth Sachs
2006
Helen Cannon
Christine Cawsey*
Kate Clancy
Paul McCann
Ann McIntyre*
Chris Presland*
Michael Windred*
2005
Sue Gazis
David Gee
David Horne
Wendy Wearne
2004
Michael Bezzina
John McMillan
Brendan Nolan
Tony Vinson
2003
Neil Adamson
Tom Croker
Darelle Duncan
Kay Harman
Laurie Murphy
Christine Richmond
2002
Chris Brooker
David Cullen
Deirdre Duncan
Rodney Gerber
Timothy Hawkes*
Michael Hogan
Terri-anna Kamasz
Dan Riley
2001
Anne Benjamin*
Ann Campbell
Robert Chandler*
Wayne Chandler
Kennece Coombe
Peter Ireland
Robert Lewis
Glyn Leyshon
Carole McDiarmid
Robyn McKerihan
Ray Mead
Naish Storman
2000
David Hammer
Howard Leader
Will Mead
Kristine Needham
John Noble
John Retallick*
Sam Squires
Grahame Wagener
Sandra Watson
1998
Paul Brown
David Gammage
Warren Grimshaw
Ron Ikin*
Sam Weller
1997
Dorothy Hoddinott
Steve Lyons
Jeanne Raper
George Windsor
Susanne Yates
1996
Warren Brown*
Bob Connors
Janelle Eldridge*
Kath Mavromatis
Adele Mazoudier
Edwina McDougall
David Muscio
1994
Ann Clark
Linda Lee
Jennifer Lewis*
Jennifer Sinclair
1993
Terry Chapman
Louise Clayton-Jones*
Joe McNamara
Reg Pollock*
1992
Robin Amm*
Neil Johnson
Robyn Magennis-Rowe
Bruce Robinson
1991
Michael Hough
John Schiller*
1990
Alan Briggs
Tony d’Arbon
Neville Fathers
Kay Gordon
Tony Tenney
1989
Mary Armstrong
Ray Cleary
Fenton Sharpe
1988
Mel Bergin
Jan Biber
Robyn Gregory
Neil Hunt
Barry Jenkins
Warren Marks*
John Peace
Robert Winder
Ian Vacchini
1987
Johanna Conway
Tom Grunsell
Tom Halliburton
Ian Paterson
1986
Doug Swan

ACEL ACT Growing in Leadership Award

This award provides teachers who are in the early stages of their career, generally in their first five years, with recognition for their excellent contribution to education in ACT.

2024
Kaitlyn Delaney
Oscar Jolly
2023
Erin White
Sophie Krieger
2022
Chris Cutting
2020
Stacey Griffiths
Sophie Peacock
2019
Phyllis Lynch
Sarah Muller
Alice Ziolo
2018
Lucy Cronan
2017
Fiona Hickey
Karyn Nimac
Emma Ramke
Rebecca Ridd
2016
Meghan Adamson
Margaret Wigley

ACEL NSW Honorary Fellowships

Honorary Fellowships are awarded to non-members of ACEL who are widely acknowledged as highly esteemed leaders who have made a significant impact and contribution over an extended period of time to educational leadership and/or educational outcomes at a state, national or international level.

2017 Adrian Piccoli
2015 Elizabeth Ann Macgregor
2013 Sylvia Corish*
2012 Jane Donovan
2011 Randall Albury
2010 Ric Stevens

ACEL NSW Leadership Awards

ACEL NSW Leadership Awards are given each year to individual educators or teams of educators who have demonstrated excellent performance in leading an educational organisation or initiative which has accomplished significant growth in outcomes for children, students and/or teachers, or major cultural change within that organisation or the profession at large.

2025
Andrea van den Bol
Alex Dewar
Danielle Lloyd
Joanne Gardiner
Sana Zreika
Alexander Moussawer
Elizabeth Purvis
Manisha Gazula
Jennifer Jackson
Auburn Girls High School - STEM team (Dr Lisa Wallis, Paul Baxter, Jamie Wan)
Catholic Education Diocese of Bathurst Secondary Literacy Coaches (Kristi Ryan, Garrett Townsend, Keith Hill, Carolyn Wait, Kathryn Keefe, John Nugent, Melodie Coleman, Alison Griffiths, Melissa Devine)
James Meehan High School Curious Collaborative Community (CCC) (Nikolina Radmanovic, Dennis Nguyen, Queenie Ng, Michael Sharp, Tara Reynolds, Savita Ram, Gadijah Matthews, Leesa Rogers)
Rosebank College CAPA Team (Amanda Hill, Daniela Gamma, Tara Nandi, Karen Henry, Alex Packard, Simone Small, Sally Donnelly, Rosalyn Hopkins, Steve Comninos, Madeleina Hanrahan-Tan)
UNSW - Housing Affordability and the Teacher Shortage (HATS) team (Professor Scott Eacott, Dr Catherine Gilbert, Dr Katrina MacDonald, Professor Chris Pettit, Professor Hoon Han)
2024
Bianca Howarth
Ingrid Harrington
Tiffany Crittle
Sharee Hughes
Justin Matthews
Tom Moth
Carley Bugeja
Lisa Stipanovic
Tracy Anderson
Hugh Chilton
Jonathon Mascorella
Huw Blood
Jackie Camilleri
James Meehan High School - Senior Executive Leadership Team (Vasiti Ratusau, Tim Bordado, Nazeel Khan, Praveen Krishna, Margaret Downey)
Wenona School - Making and Shaping Meaning Through Writing Project Team (Natasha Isbel, Carlie Plummer, Trish Davis, Amy Webb)
Catholic Education Diocese of Bathurst - Wellbeing & Diverse Learning Team (Diana Scullard, Vicki Hagney, Tracey Gunning, Kylee Harding, Blair Windsor, Megan Yeo, Darlene Murdoch, Leanne Bovington)
Rosebank College - Diverse Learning Faculty (Jacquelene Mastroianni, Dominic Wan, Georgina Christaki, Teresa Camporeale, Imanta Harris, Mary Khoury, Cheryl McArthur, Michele Studd)
UNE - Commencing Student Success Project (CSSP) Team (Ingrid Harrington, Robert Whannell, Catherine Volpe Johnston, Kristy O'Neill, Rachael Adlington, Stephen Grono, Tim Bartlett-Taylor)
2023
Anna Dickinson
Michael Egan
Denise Lofts
Michele McDonald
Dale Palmer
Robyn Pemberton
Stuart Ryan
Nicholas Saunders
Wenona School History Department (Sarah-Jayne Dooner, Piera Goh, Paul Hollis, Nick Kovacs, Domonique Mileto, Jayden Pizzingrilli, Rebekah Poole, Sarah Zinkin)
The Catholic Education Diocese of Bathurst Learning Hub (Caitlin Fahey, Kate Harris, Jan Mendham, Rose-Marie van Raad, Kristi Ryan, Ann Walton)
2022
Amanda Conray and Chris Lukins
Lyn Davis
Donna Heemi
Denise Lombardo
Jioji Ravulo
Ann Walton
Project Zero Australia
St Luke’s Catholic College Coaching Team
Self Select team at Liverpool Girls High School
2021
Leadership Team - Yates Avenue Public School (Jacinta Richards, Shani Gale, Stacey Talbot, Elizabeth Salvagio, Sarah Leivesley, David MacSporran)
Jacki Staudinger
Bradley Swibel
Philip Pratt
Sue McIntyre
Terry Martin
NSW Department of Education - School Leadership Institute
The Jarara Indigenous Education Unit – Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta (Julie Waddell, Joshua Sly, Ted Langford)
Prue Horan
2020
Ian Bowsher
Canley Heights Public School Curiosity & Powerful Learning Team
Damien Carlton
Larissa Maraga
Lucy McLure
Melinda Mestre
St Agnes Catholic High School Year 7 Literacy Team
John Ralph
Tania Riley
Amy Sackville
Susan Tickle
Jake Tonkin
2019
Albury North Public School
Craig Brown
Laura Chrupalo
Entrepreneurial Learning Team - Rooty Hill High School
Jenny Kemp
Leadership Team - Bathurst Public School
Tina Lee
Dr Alexandra Mandel
Tracey Miller
Cassy Norris
Dr Paul Owens
Megan Parsons
Darryl Ward
Kim Whitehead
Anne Webb
2018
Catherine Anderson
Sylvana Beslic
Tosca Galluzzo
Cindy Gardiner
Constance Mattimore
John Meng
Iris Nastasi
Julie Organ
Rebekah Poole
Diana Repole
John Riordan
Stephen Smith
Unity Taylor-Hill
Buninyong Public School Teaching Team
Loyola Senior High School Literacy Team
NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group
Rooty Hill High School Wellbeing Team
2017
Susan Bottomley
Jacinta Bown
Lisa Edwards
Catherine Larkman
Donna Loughran
Jackie Saisithidej
Robyn Scott
Jennifer Scuglia
Belinda Wall
Campbelltown Performing Arts High School Executive Team
Rooty Hill High School Professional Practice Mentor Team
2016
Tony Bracken
Margaret Charlton
Amy Cotton
Kirstine Gonano
Judith Smith
Louisa Wellings
Turramurra North Public School Leadership Team
2015
Kim Chapman
Melissa Carson
Matthew Esterman
Kathy Freeman
Maree Gentili
Brian Hickey
Phil Hogg
Andrew Rankin
Graeme Ross
Marion Shields
Sally Smithard
Adam Taylor
Stacey Quince
Dean White
Social Ventures Australia Powerhouse Schools
2014
Helen Elliott
Margaret Heslin
John Kyle-Robinson
Stefanie Lia
Karen Maraga
Mario Radisic
Blue Mountains Ukulele Group
Rooty Hill High School Reading Program
2013
John Charles
Ruythe Dufty
Janet Freeman
Teena Haslehurst
Catherine Joynes
Kylie Landrigan
Peter Langfield
Alice Leung
Dubravka Vukic-Presland
Michelle Rushton
Noelene Veness
Patricia Williams
2012
Jennifer Dane
Belinda Giudice
Suzanne Lazenby
Warren Marks
Amika Prasad
St Clair High School Student Commission Team
St John Bosco Primary School PALM Team
2011
Sybil Dickens
Jan van Doorn
Mary L’Estrange
Merv McCormack
Christine McRae
John Meng
Andrew Newman
Kerrie Poole
Bernie Roebuck
Sally Smithard
2010
Maree Herret
Tracy Herron

ACEL NSW Award for Educational Research

This award is given to educational researchers who have displayed excellent academic achievement in their studies or produced excellent research leading to significant improvement in child or student outcomes, teacher professional practice or organisational effectiveness.

2024
Tony Loughland
2022
Marc de Rosnay
Dr Jane Herbert
Associate Professor Steven Howard
Associate Professor Rachel Jones
Dr Bridget Kelly
Lisa Kervin
Associate Professor Jessica Mantei
Associate Professor Cathrine Neilsen-Hewetts
Tony Okely
Karel Strooband
Ellie Taylor
2021
Associate Professor Rachel Wilson
Associate Professor Scott Eacott
2017
Ann McIntyre
2016
Frank Malloy

ACEL NSW Traditional and Social Media Award

This award is given to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to raising the level of public awareness and the quality of debate on significant local, state and/or national education issues.

2024 Eddie Woo
2023 Jenna Price
2022 Mathew Green
2021 Cameron Malcher
2019 Dr Stan Grant
2015 Justine Ferrari
2014 Jane Caro
2013 Maralyn Parker
2012 Anna Patty