ACEL VIC Branch Awards History

ACEL VIC 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 VIC Hedley Beare Educator of the Year Award

This award acknowledges the exceptional legacy made by Professor Hedley Beare to Australian and International education. Hedley was an inspirational and pragmatic leader who had experience of educational leadership at every level. His many achievements include creating the Northern Territory and ACT Schools’ Authorities, a Harkness Fellow, a Doctor of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, President of the International Congress for School Effectiveness (ICSEI), National Patron of ACEL, recipient of the ACEL Gold Medal (1991) and William Walker Memorial Orator (1998).

The ACEL VIC Hedley Beare Educator of the Year Award is presented to an outstanding ACEL member who is a ‘true educator’, upholds and contributes to the aims and objectives of ACEL, promotes ACEL activities and excels as a leader within an educational setting.

2025 Richard Owens
2024 Melitta Hogarth
2023 Carolee Pratt
2022 Tracey Ezard
2021 Professor Sandra Milligan
2020 Chris Wardlaw
2019 Dr Mary Oski
2018 Pitsa Binnion
2017 Professor Karen Starr
2016 Dr Jim Watterston
2015 Professor Field Rickards
2014 Lawrie Drysdale
2013 Rodney Knight
2012 Dr David Gurr
2011 Debbie Sukarna
2010 Heather Schnagl
2009 Simon Gipson
2008 Glenn Proctor
2007 Katherine Hudson
2006 Tony O’Byrne
2005 Cynthia Merrill
2004 Brian Caldwell
2003 Bella Irlicht
2001 Elida Brereton
2000 Norman and Barbara Fary
1999 Stephen Newton
1998 William Rogers
1997 Maxwell Harris
1996 Di Fleming
1995 Michael Norman

ACEL VIC Media Award

This award is presented to a journalist from the print, radio, online or television media 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.

2025 Adriano Di Prato
Phil Cummins
2024 Dean Ashenden
2023 Oliver Lovell
2022 Adam Voigt
2021 Adam Carey
2020 Virginia Trioli
2019 Dr Tanya Vaughan
2018 Annabel Astbury
2016 The Conversation
2014 Benjamin Preiss
2013 Elaine and David Brownlow
2012 Deborah Cohen
2011 Samantha Hastie & George McEnroe
2008 Bridie Smith
2007 Farrah Tomazin
2006 Caroline Milburn
2005 Sue Goss
2004 Roslyn Guy
2003 Steve Holden
2001 Shaun Carney
1999 Janet McCalman
1998 John Faine
1997 The Sunday Age Team
1996 Terry Laidler
1995 Christopher Richards
1994 Ranald McDonald

ACEL VIC Brian Caldwell Research Award

This award acknowledges and pays tribute to the scholarship and work of ACEL Victoria Patron Professor Brian Caldwell (FACE, FACEA). Brian is an outstanding and influential scholar whose work has played an influential role in reshaping thinking, policy and practice about educational leadership nationally and internationally. The recipient of this award is presented to an ACEL member and teacher, principal or academic who has made an important and distinctive research contribution to educational leadership, policy and/or practice in Victorian education.

2025 Glenn Savage
2024 Zane Diamond
2023 Jane Wilkinson
2022 Dr Sophie Specjal
2021 Associate Professor Mark Rickinson
2020 Dr Amanda Heffernan
2019 Professor Jill Blackmore
2018 Professor Janet Clinton
2017 Associate Professor Philip Riley

ACEL VIC Debbie Locco Leadership Award

This award acknowledges and perpetuates the memory of the life and work of Debbie Locco FACEL (Vic). Debbie was an inspirational and influential educator who played a pivotal leadership role in empowering and shaping future leaders. The recipient of this award is an ACEL member who has demonstrated Debbie’s passion, energy and commitment, to inspire current and future leaders and members of the profession, to engender the best possible educational outcomes for children and young people.

2025 Pip Cleaves
2024 Rhonda Holt
2023 Deborah Harman
2022 Karen Money
2021 Kristen Douglas

ACEL VIC President’s Award

The Presidential Citation is an occasional award given by the President to recognise outstanding service to Australian education. It is presented to someone who has made an outstanding contribution in furthering the vision, mission, and objectives of ACEL.

2025 Fazal Rizvi
2024 Aunty Katrina Amon
2023 Murrundindi
2022 Simon Kent
2021 Roger Holdsworth
2019 Melbourne Graduate School of Education (MGSE)
2017 Andrew Ius
2016 Denis Masseni

ACEL VIC Fellowship Awards

ACEL presents Fellowships to those who have made outstanding educational leadership contributions to ACEL and/or whose work has influenced educational practice at a state and/or national level.

*Denotes National Fellowship

2025
Colin Dobson
Steve Cook
Aisha Kristiansen
Ellen Heyting
Donnie Adams
Bernadette Donnelly
Kerry Elliott
2024
Roger Page OAM
Elisabeth Lenders OAM
James Merlino
John Quay
Michelle Dennis
2023
Sue Buckley
Adrian Camm
Esme Capp
Melissa Etherton
Chris Munro
Anna Negro
Ross Phillips
Anthony Raitman
Paul Staniscia
Loretta Wholley
2022
Nathan Chisholm
Dr Phil Cummins
Stephen Gniel
Adam Heath
Ben Johnstone-McCloud
Dr Fiona Longmuir
Beverley May
Dr Toni Meath
Luci Quinn
John Visentin
2021
Hilary Bland
Leah Eekelschot
Nicola Forrest
Gail Hardman
Wayne Haworth
Susan Just
Jill Lange-Mohr OAM
Warren McLeod
Daniel Pinchas
Paul Sedunary
2020
Sara Broster
Sherril Duffy
Dr Rita Ellul
Joseph Favrin
Dr Peter Goss
Sue Harrap
Gerard Houlihan
Dr William Francis Keane
Christopher Reed
Patricia Sweeney
Lauren Sayer
2019
Lisa Black
Tim Dorning
Linden Hearn
Dr Michelle Kearney
Tony Larkin
Debbie Locco
Mark McGinnity
Karen Money
Gaynor Robson-Garth
Chris Telford
Vivienne Tellefson
2018
Matthew Maruff
Peter Moore
Denis Masseni
Gail Major
Frank Catalano
Sue Bell
Peter Corkill
James Alexiades
Josie Crisara
Helen Drennen
Debbie Dunwoody
Jane Wilkinson
2017
Dr Therese Keane
Dr David Zyngier
Vic Zbar
Liana Cartledge
Kay McCullough
Catherine Misson
Paul Runting
Leanne Kirkland
Michael Horsley
John Christie
Tom Daly
Vernon Hilditch
Margaret Hird
2016
Suzanne Armstrong
Neil Barker
Karen Bennetts
Michael Box
Sally Broadley
Niranjan Casinader
Sandra Diafas
Kim Dray*
Tracey Ezard
Kim Forward
Helene Hiotis
Roy Kelley
Peter Leuenberger
Bernard Neal
Andrew Ough
Judith Potter
Jeremy Stowe-Lindner
2015
Anne Babich
Audrey Brown
Lynn Davie
Clare Entwisle
Chris Hayes
Jill Healey
Darryn Kruse
James Laussen
Lorraine Ling
John Mills
Fran Reddan
Mark Reeves
Mark Torriero
2014
Christine Ash
Pitsa Binnion
Sholto Bowen
Peter Casey
Bill Eckersley
Jan Gregory
Paul Hicks
Helen Hughes
Deborah Lehner
Ross H Millikan
John Mooney
Julie Ryan
2013
Jeremy Beard*
Kerry Bolger*
Tony Bryant*
Anne Feehan
Leanne Di Stefano
Simon Le Plastrier
2012
Andrew Boyd
Chris Daicos
Grace Garreffa
Kate Mitchell
Cathy Pianta
2011
Suzy Chandler
Peter Cole
Don Collins
Judy Crowe
Maxwell Cuddon
Bronwyn Harcourt*
Judy Petch
Annette Rome*
Bert Van Halen
2010
Dr Michelle Anderson*
Patricia Cowling*
Susan Howard
John O’Meara
Julie Podbury
Dr Anne Tonkin*
Dr Barbara Watterston*
Vic Zbar
2009
Bruce Armstrong*
Dr Marcia Behrenbruch
Prof. Patrick Griffin*
Brian Hanley
Meg Hansen
Aine Maher
Jan McClure OAM
2008
Lesley Bell
Dr. Rod Fawns
Vicki Forbes*
Prof. Richard James
Maria Kirkwood*
Coralee Pratt*
Graham Spence
Peter Torey
Viv White
2007
Brian Collins
David Cummins
Michelle Green*
Margaret McKenna*
Marlene Monahan
Mark Robertson
Tony O'Meara
John Van Groningen
Katherine Hudson
2006
Gillian Collins
Dr Hilton Rubin
Gabrielle Leigh*
Patricia Taylor
Neville Lyngcoln
Drew Hopkins
Dr Wendy Cahill*
Dianne Peck
Tony O’Byrne*
2005
Dr Norma Ashton-Smith*
Rafaela Galati-Brown
Mary Fitz-Gerald
Dr Heather Schnagl*
Dr Andrew Bunting
Dr Jeff Walkley*
2004
David Beckett
Geoffrey Ryan*
Pauline Zappulla*
Paul D’Astoli
Frances Luke
Helen Goode*
2003
Br John McMahon
Debra Punton*
Jan Lake
Dr. Kathy Lacey*
Andrew Ius
John Fleming
Michael Phillips
2001
Allan White
Rosa Storelli*
Dr Roger Hayward*
Alan Hutchison*
Noelene Horton
Des Morvell
Nick Thornton
2000
Jan Shrimpton
Sylvia Walton*
Dr Tony Townsend
Alan Taylor
Amanda Sinclair
David Waugh
1999
Susan Martin
Sr Therese Power
Laele Pepper
Susan Pascoe
Michael Norman*
Robert Rutter
1998
Donald Laird
Anthony Mackay*
Arthur Loughridge
David Loader
Gabriele Lakomski
Graham Marshall
1997
Patricia Fitzgerald*
Andrew Hamilton
Peter Gronn*
Dr David Gurr*
Lorraine Francis
Rosalie Jones
1996
Dr Richard Cotter*
Dr Lawrie Drysdale*
Joan Dalton
Peter Crawley
Michael Cox*
Dr Barbara Fary
1995
Brian Allen
Sandra Barmby
Keith Andrews
Michael Avery
Roma Burgess
John Bainbridge

ACEL Fellowships (Honorary)

An ACEL Fellowship (Honorary) may be conferred on persons who are not ACEL members, but who are acknowledged as outstanding leaders in the practice and/or theory of educational leadership. The criteria are similar to an ACEL Fellowship with the nominee being expected to have made a significant contribution to the improvement of student and organisational outcomes.

2016 The Asia Education Foundation
2015 Sophia Arkoudis
2014 Stephanie Alexander

ACEA/ACEL Victoria Branch Presidents 1996 – Present

2023–Present
Annette Rome
2017–2023
Coralee Pratt
2010–2017
Jeremy Beard
2009
Simon McGlade
2008
Anne Tonkin
2007–2008
Peter Torey
2005–2006
Mark Robertson
2003–2004
Norma Ashton-Smith
2002
Peter Hauser
2000–2001
Allan Hutchinson
1996–1999
Cynthia Merrill