ACEL New Voice Scholarships

New Voice Scholarships recognise forward thinking, contextually relevant and responsive educational leaders whose work has had an impact above and beyond their immediate context.

The 'New Voice' in School Leadership

This scholarship recognises an impressive 'new voice' in educational leadership. Recipients are aspiring educational leaders with recognised teaching qualifications, currently employed within an educational institution in the state or territory, who have demonstrated excellence in their current educational role and shown capacity as forward-thinking, relevant and responsive educators.

2026
Sidsel Farrimond ACT
Dr Jodi Gordon SA
Dr Lucas Johnson VIC
Anja Reust QLD
Rowan Richardson TAS
Sandie Simons ACT
Holly Wedd NSW
2025
Emma Clemens NSW
Siobhan Jones VIC
Obayda Kannouj VIC
Suren Mendis ACT
Andrew Pennay QLD
Matt Pitman VIC
Nadia Walker NSW
2024
Braydon Giles QLD
Anam Javed VIC
Melissa Kennedy NSW
Steven Trotter VIC
2023
Tom Cain VIC
Conor Fennell NT
Ian Finn NSW
Nina Jones NT
Dr Luke Mandouit VIC
Oliver Oeij WA
Dr Jennifer Sze VIC
2022
Maxine Galante ACT
Michael Murphy SA
Jessica Chesterfield QLD
Cathryn Stephens VIC
Dr Matthew Hill NSW
2020
Adam Inder WA
Alex Wharton NSW
Amy Byrnes QLD
Brooke Sweeney NT
Elspeth Stephenson TAS
Meredith O'Connor QLD
Nancy Bonfiglio-Pavisich WA
Ray Swann VIC
2019
Lisa Campbell WA
Murray Cronin VIC
John O'Sullivan Williams QLD
Scott Dirix SA
Lauren Cook VIC
Paul Staniscia VIC
Ranae Graham NT
2018
Alice Dunlop SA
Bek Duyckers WA
Cameron Paterson NSW
Chris Bradbury NSW
Christopher Rayner TAS
Louise Corrigan NT
Michelle Guerrero ACT
Natalie Oddy WA
Rebecca Wells VIC
Ruth Smith QLD
2017
Simon Angus TAS
Andrew Cornwall NSW
Rachael Lehr WA
Anthony Speranza VIC
Tamara Sullivan QLD
Tabatha Kellett ACT
Holly Telford NT
2016
Cath Apanah TAS
Brendan Colville NT
Jacques Du Toit QLD
Hayley Dureau VIC
Katrina Harte NSW
Mark Kong
Alexander Mason QLD
Laura Searle SA
Paula Taylor ACT
Aaron Mackinnon VIC
2015
Merryn O'Dea ACT
Zeina Chalich NSW
Pablo Felipe Espinoza Alliende NT
Samantha Donovan QLD
Oliver Harms SA
Adam James TAS
Shungo Sawaki VIC
Felicity Lampard WA

The 'New Voice' in Educational Leadership Research

This scholarship recognises an impressive 'new voice' in educational leadership research. Recipients are aspiring educational leaders with recognised teaching qualifications, currently employed within an educational institution in the state or territory, who are currently completing or have recently completed (within the past five years) a Master of Education or Doctorate in Education, and have demonstrated excellence in educational leadership research and capacity as forward-thinking, relevant and responsive educators.

2026
Dr Michael Graham NSW
Carolyn Wade QLD
2025
Dr Tom Porta SA
2024
Dr Shyam Barr ACT
Dr Andrea Stringer NSW
2023
Dr Hugh Gundlach VIC
Christopher Hudson VIC
Dr Tania Leach QLD
Dr Judi Newman QLD
2022
Tanya Appleby QLD
2020
Amanda Madden WA
Louise Wilkinson QLD
Meghan Stacey NSW
Pauline Thompson VIC
2019
Bernadette Mary Mercieca VIC
Amy Graham NT
Selena Fisk QLD
Fiona Longmuir VIC
David Cole NSW
2018
Belinda Holmes QLD
Caitlin Munday NSW
Christine Haynes SA
Katrina MacDonald VIC
2017
Julie Arnold QLD
Christine Grice NSW
Drew Mayhills WA
Sophie Murphy VIC
Alison Venter TAS
Marcela Huerta Villalobos VIC
Julia Walsh NT
2016
Geoffrey Gates NSW
Emma Goodall SA
Alexandre Guedes VIC
Amanda Heffernan QLD
Deborah Netolicky WA
Catherine Scott-Jones NT
Kirk Zwangobani ACT
2015
Lisa Dempsey ACT
Sean Kearney NSW
Karen Trimmer QLD
Rebecca Vivian SA
Jeff Thomas TAS
Venesser Fernandes NT
Mark Fielding WA

The 'New Indigenous Voice' in Educational Leadership

This scholarship recognises impressive new Indigenous voices in educational leadership. Recipients are aspiring Indigenous educational leaders with recognised teaching qualifications, currently employed within an educational institution in Australia, who have demonstrated excellence in their current educational role and capacity as forward-thinking, relevant and responsive educators.

2025
Mikayla King WA
2024
Thomas Cazaly VIC
Lynette George VIC
2023
Shanice Enoch QLD
2022
Jasmine Miller
2020
Elinor Archer ACT
Tammy Baart QLD
2019
Kathryn Leo NT
Karis Hill-Milnes QLD
2018
Alison Wunungmurra NT
Devlyn Coleman WA
Madeleine Pugin QLD
Mark Heiss NSW
2017
Theresa Ardler NSW
Debra Kiley VIC
2016
Kate Axten NT
Haydon Staines NT
2015
Jaimi-Lee Armstrong TAS
Jeanette McMahon VIC
Trish Noy QLD

The 'New Voice' in Early Childhood Education Leadership

This scholarship recognises an impressive 'new voice' in early education leadership. Recipients are aspiring educational leaders with recognised teaching qualifications, currently employed within an educational institution in the state or territory, who have demonstrated excellence in their current educational role and shown capacity as forward-thinking, relevant and responsive educators.

2026
Sandra Olarte VIC
2025
Michelle Heath
2024
Emma Cross WA
Dr Amelia Ruscoe WA
2023
Amie Fabry WA
2022
Teagan Robertson NSW
Jade Leak VIC
2020
Sarah Louise Gandolfo
2019
Alexandra Harper NSW
Bonnie Te Ara Henare NSW
2018
Jacqui Cannon WA
Karthika Viknarasah NSW