Andrew Thompson began his career at Inala Special School in 1991 as a Manual Arts teacher, following service with the Royal Australian Air Force and completion of his university studies. After 16 years in the classroom, he transitioned into school leadership, serving as Acting Deputy Principal at Pine Rivers Special School before securing a permanent Deputy Principal position at Ipswich Special School. He was appointed Principal of Ipswich West Special School in 2011 and later became Principal of Redlands Special School in 2015.

Steve Roberts has worked in a range of different educational settings in both Queensland and the United Kingdom. Steve has worked in leadership roles in Queensland Special Schools since 2011, working as a Head of Curriculum and Deputy Principal, before being appointed Principal of Kuraby Special School in 2019. In 2022 Steve was appointed Principal of Logan City Special School. Logan City Special School is one of Queensland’s largest Special Schools, with over 430 students enrolled across two campuses.

Steve has been a management committee member of QASEL since 2020 and was elected Vice President in 2025. He is committed to building the capability and confidence of staff working in all educational settings to support students with complex needs.

Kim Kelly has worked for more than 40 years in special education in Queensland. Her career includes 24 years as Head of Special Education Services, leading Early Childhood Development Programs and primary school communities to deliver highquality, inclusive education. Deputy Principal roles in special schools led to her principalship at Gympie Special School in 2017. In 2020, she became the foundation Principal of Lee Street State Special School, a purposebuilt secondary special school colocated with Caboolture State High School.

Kim’s recent leadership experience includes working as a statewide Principal – School Reviews, where she contributed to system-level improvement across Queensland. She now provides strategic leadership and guidance in the establishment and development of new special schools across the state, most of which are colocated with primary or secondary schools. Her work focuses on supporting Principals to plan for and deliver high-quality education in colocated settings, strengthening inclusive practices and ensuring students with disability experience meaningful belonging and engagement.

Hayley Stevenson is the Assistant Director-General, Student Support in the Queensland Department of Education. Hayley holds a Bachelor of Behavioural Science and an Executive Master in Public Administration.

Hayley leads the Queensland state school system policy areas of Disability, Student Protection, Engagement, Behaviour, Wellbeing and Youth Justice.

Hayley has worked in the Queensland Department of Education for the past 24 years and is committed to ensuring schools receive the support they need so that all students, regardless of their background, postcode or circumstances, can fully engage with high quality education and go on to lead successful and fulfilling lives.

Shontel (she/her) is a passionate educator with over 18 years of education experience, specialising in inclusive practices and school-wide improvement. In addition to Teaching qualifications Shontel holds a Graduate Certificate in Mental Health and a Diploma in Leadership and Management. She is deeply committed to preventative approaches helping schools implement practices that remove barriers to enhance access to learning and improve student outcomes.

With a strong foundation in Specialist Education, Shontel has worked as an external School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) Coach, partnering with schools to embed sustainable, evidence-based practices that foster positive learning environments.

Currently serving as the Regional Coordinator of the Inclusion Outreach Coaching team, Shontel provides strategic coaching support to more than 20 Inclusion Outreach Coaches across the region.

Shontel brings a wealth of practical insight, systems thinking, and a collaborative spirit to empower educators and leaders to create inclusive, predictable and thriving school cultures.

Shontel (she/her) is a passionate educator with over 18 years of education experience, specialising in inclusive practices and school-wide improvement. In addition to Teaching qualifications Shontel holds a Graduate Certificate in Mental Health and a Diploma in Leadership and Management. She is deeply committed to preventative approaches helping schools implement practices that remove barriers to enhance access to learning and improve student outcomes.

With a strong foundation in Specialist Education, Shontel has worked as an external School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) Coach, partnering with schools to embed sustainable, evidence-based practices that foster positive learning environments.

Currently serving as the Regional Coordinator of the Inclusion Outreach Coaching team, Shontel provides strategic coaching support to more than 20 Inclusion Outreach Coaches across the region.

Shontel brings a wealth of practical insight, systems thinking, and a collaborative spirit to empower educators and leaders to create inclusive, predictable and thriving school cultures.

Lyss Grace (she/her) is a Program Advisor in the Inclusive Education Division at the Victorian Department of Education, where she supports the implementation and evaluation of the Inclusion Outreach Coaching Initiative. She works closely with regional teams and school leaders to improve access, participation, and outcomes for all students through strategic data collection, analysis and reporting that informs decision-making.

Lyss holds a Graduate Certificate in Education and brings a strong foundation in youth engagement through her experience at the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria, where she championed student voice and inclusive practice. Within the Department, she has contributed to cross-team collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and system-level improvement work focused on equity.

Passionate about creating environments where every student feels valued, safe and supported, Lyss combines practical insight with a collaborative, strengths-based approach to empower schools to build on their inclusive practices.

Claire has over 25 years of inclusive education experience, working as a teacher, school leader and education consultant in Western Australia, Victoria, and the UK. Her diverse teaching background spans Catholic, independent, government schools, and universities. She has taught in mainstream and alternative schooling settings, building educator capability and establishing evidence-informed inclusive processes and practices. Her work extends beyond schools, including a special provisions assessor role, and research and advisory positions.

She has contributed to national projects on the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD), supporting the development of professional learning materials and digital resources for Australian schools that are housed on the NCCD portal. As a learning consultant for Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, she coached learning diversity teams and school leaders on the effective implementation of the NCCD.

In 2023, Claire completed a PhD at Monash University which examined the role teachers play in making best use of teacher assistants. She continues to facilitate workshops and review school support structures, and is an Associate Director at Deloitte Access Economics, engaging in inclusive education projects with a large team of economists, policy experts, teachers, and health professionals. Much of this work centres on reviewing and evaluating system-level initiatives designed to improve outcomes for diverse learners.

Stuart Kitto is the project lead for a South Australian government pilot working with a network of 50 Schools to explore issues around effective TA practice. After a decade as a school principal, he has spent the last 6 years working to bridge inclusion theory and practice for the education department, and is passionate about helping schools find ways for every person to belong. In addition to qualifications in educational research and educational leadership and management, he recently received confirmation of his autistic identity. This was a surprise to no-one but him.

Ella McConnell is the Director of Inclusion and Wellbeing at John Paul College, leading a multidisciplinary team dedicated to creating an inclusive, supportive and thriving learning environment. Her team includes Learning Diversity teachers, Learning Support Officers, an Engagement Teacher, Counsellors, Wellbeing Assistants, a Cultural Liaison, the Gifted and Talented Coordinator and administrative support. Together, they work in partnership with students, families and staff to provide targeted, relational and holistic support that upholds each learner’s dignity and potential.

Ella brings more than 20 years of experience as a secondary teacher, educational leader and consultant across a range of settings, sectors and industries. She has specialised in inclusion, diversity, wellbeing and safeguarding, with a particular focus on designing equitable learning environments and driving the systemic change needed to strengthen student engagement and success.

Ella’s leadership is underpinned by extensive professional study. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Organisational Leadership, as well as a Professional Certificate in Leadership Coaching and credentials from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Ella is guided by the belief that every student is capable of excellence. Her commitment is to foster learning environments that affirm identity, nurture wellbeing and unlock potential. She is passionate about building collaborative cultures where diversity is celebrated and every learner - and every member of her team - feels seen, supported and empowered to thrive.

Kathleen is the Principal of Woodridge State High School in Logan City, leading within one of Queensland’s most diverse and rapidly growing school communities. She brings extensive experience in leading inclusive education, school improvement, and capability building, shaped by years of leading complex change in highneeds contexts.

Kathleen has led a significant schoolwide transformation from a heavily segregated model to a genuinely inclusive one, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to learn alongside their ageappropriate peers in heterogeneous classes. This shift has strengthened belonging and engagement, lifted expectations and student outcomes, and created a positive and inclusive teaching and learning environment where all members of the school community, feel confident, resilient and supported to thrive and excel.

Her leadership is characterised by clarity, strategic alignment, and a deep commitment to ensuring that systems, curriculum, and wellbeing structures work for every learner. She is known for translating complex policy into accessible, humancentred practice for staff and families, and for building the collective efficacy required to sustain meaningful change.

Kathleen is a strong advocate for procedural fairness, culturally responsive practice, and community partnership. Her leadership adds to the growing body of practice guiding schools to design inclusive environments that honour diversity, strengthen relationships, and create meaningful pathways for all young people.

Megan is  a leader of innovation and change in effective inclusion practices within our schools. Her professional positionality has developed from working across differing schooling contexts throughout rural and remote Queensland. She has a strong sense of social justice that translates to a leader who holds high expectations, leads from the front, and ensures accountability.

Currently, as a Deputy Principal at Woodridge State High School, Megan is leading the school’s junior secondary sector in promoting a culture of learning through strong school-community partnerships. Much of this work is reliant on her comprehensive knowledge and deep understanding of implementing inclusive pedagogical approaches. Megan’s evidence-informed leadership is grounded in strength-based approaches to establishing a culture of learning that promotes belonging, empathy, and mutual respect.

Kylie is a school leader dedicated to cultivating inclusive, highperforming learning communities where every student and staff member can thrive. Guided by her Leadership Credo of Growth, Accountability, Connected and Valued, and anchored in her unwavering belief in the potential of all students, Kylie leads with clarity, empathy and a strong moral purpose.

Her leadership focuses on building strong, collaborative teams, developing teacher capability and embedding a cohesive MultiTiered System of Support (MTSS) to remove barriers to learning and ensure equitable access to highquality education. Kylie is committed to growing instructional leaders and designing accessible, empowering environments where every learner—and every educator—is supported, challenged and valued.

Deanne Stephanos is the Project Lead for the Autism Inclusion Teacher initiative: a state government initiative which supports over 440 primary schools in South Australia.

She brings extensive experience across public and private education settings in both South Australia and Victora, including over ten years in inclusive education advice and coaching.

Deanne combines deep knowledge of the South Australian education system with strong leadership experience, enabling her to support whole-site approaches to inclusive practice.

Kate Mudge is an Occupational Therapist with experience across government, private, and notforprofit sectors in a range of clinical and leadership roles. Since 2013, she has contributed to occupational therapy education and workforce development as a casual educator at the University of South Australia.

Since 2023, Kate has worked as the Occupational Therapist within the Autism Inclusion Teacher Initiative in the South Australian Department for Education, supporting inclusive practice across more than 440 primary schools in the state.

Professor Linda Graham is Director of The QUT Centre for Inclusive Education at Queensland University of Technology. She leads several externally funded research projects and has published more than 100 books, chapters, and journal articles, including the best-selling Inclusive Education for the 21st Century, affectionately known in schools as “The Pink Book”. Over the last decade, Linda has led a major program of research aimed at improving student experiences and outcomes by increasing the accessibility of assessment and pedagogy. This work is now detailed in a new book, Accessible Assessment and Pedagogies: Improving student outcomes through inclusive practice. Linda is now leading an even larger project with the aim of supporting schools to implement accessible assessment and pedagogies, at scale.

Dr Haley Tancredi is the Centre for Inclusive Education Inclusion and Exclusion Program co-Leader and Senior Lecturer in QUT's School of Education. Her work is transdisciplinary, drawing on her professional experiences as an educational speech pathologist with over 20 years of experience. Her most recent research focuses on supporting teachers to create accessible pedagogical environments and investigating the subsequent impacts on student classroom experiences and cognitive engagement. Haley has also led research focused on student consultation with a focus on students with language, literacy, and learning difficulties.

Suzanne is a Professor in the Centre for Inclusive Education, QUT Australia. She has 30 years of experience working in universities including teaching, research, international development, and various leadership roles. Suzanne’s areas of expertise are in inclusive education, ethical/transformative leadership for inclusive schools, disability and teacher preparation for inclusive schools. She has engaged in research with industry collaboration to inform policy and practice in Australian and international education contexts.

With her research colleagues, she has received over 5 million dollars in research funding. She has published over 100 journal publications, books, book chapters and research reports. She was the Program Director of the School Years Program for The Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC) (2013-2022). http://www.autismcrc.com.au/.

Sam is a Director in Deloitte Access Economics’ education practice and leads their work in inclusive education. He is a national expert in inclusive education policy and has advised on system design and strategy across the schooling, early childhood and tertiary education sectors.

He specialises in supporting governments to set goals to progressively realise inclusive education and develop structures to achieve them. Sam’s work has led to improvements in system design, service delivery and financing at the federal level and across all states and territories in Australia.

Sam has been connected to the Inclusion and Disability Conference since 2022 and is delighted to continue to be a key speaker. This year, he will draw on his experience evaluating system-wide inclusion reforms. His session will outline how system architecture, capability development and monitoring structures can be designed to support meaningful and sustained progress towards key inclusion goals.

Dr Liz Irwin is a highly regarded instructional leadership expert working at the intersection of leadership, whole-school improvement and high-impact teaching and learning. With experience across the United States and Australia, she partners with principals and system leaders to translate strategic vision into measurable improvements in teaching quality and student achievement.

An EMCC Global Individual Coach/Mentor and EIA-certified coach, Liz is recognised for strengthening leaders’ capability to lead and coach instruction with precision. She sharpens leadership focus on curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, ensuring improvement agendas are anchored in classroom practice, evidence and feedback. Her work builds high-performing, instructionally focused teams and embeds collective teacher efficacy as a driver of sustained impact.

Liz specialises in co-designing rigorous, equitable improvement frameworks that align leadership, professional learning and data-informed decision-making. She challenges deficit thinking, raises expectations and supports leaders to cultivate inclusive cultures where accountability and professional trust coexist. Her extensive experience in designing impactful professional learning ensures shifts in practice are both strategic and sustainable.

For leaders determined to move beyond initiative overload toward coherent, evidence-informed improvement, Dr Liz Irwin brings clarity, courage and deep, practical instructional expertise.

Clint Ridgway is the Principal of Berri Regional Secondary College in South Australia’s Riverland. His leadership focuses on creating the culture and environment where every learner can succeed. Grounded in the vision of Success for All, Clint works to build a culture of high expectations, belonging and inclusion, ensuring consistent teaching practices and conditions for learning that enable both students and staff to thrive.

Josh Vater is the Sports and HPE Coordinator at Berri Regional Secondary College, with a strong focus on student engagement, participation and wellbeing. He has led the development of the Inclusion House Cup, a student-led initiative that promotes belonging, connection and agency through inclusive sport and activity. Josh is passionate about creating opportunities for all students to be involved, lead and experience success.

Hannah Lindner is a senior leader at Berri Regional Secondary College, leading curriculum and literacy across the school. With over 16 years of teaching experience, ranging from Stage 2 Literary Studies to Year 7 English and HASS, she brings deep expertise in curriculum design and classroom practice. Hannah supports staff to embed inclusive, high-quality teaching that builds student capability and ensures all learners can access and succeed in rigorous learning.

Dr Haley Tancredi is the Centre for Inclusive Education Inclusion and Exclusion Program co-Leader and Senior Lecturer in QUT's School of Education. Her work is transdisciplinary, drawing on her professional experiences as an educational speech pathologist with over 20 years of experience. Her most recent research focuses on supporting teachers to create accessible pedagogical environments and investigating the subsequent impacts on student classroom experiences and cognitive engagement. Haley has also led research focused on student consultation with a focus on students with language, literacy, and learning difficulties.

Dr Matt Capp (EdD) is the Director of CAPITALISE Education and a globally recognised leader in inclusive learning design, with deep expertise in Universal Design for Learning. With more than 25 years of experience across primary, secondary, and tertiary education, he has supported students with disability and diverse learning needs throughout his career. As an autistic man who also lives with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a hearing impairment, he draws on both his professional knowledge and lived experience to champion personalised learning for learners of all ages. He is part of a blended multicultural family and is the author of Inclusive Learning Design in Australian Schools: The CAPITALISE Education Model.

Charlotte is a dually registered Primary/Secondary Teacher and Certified Practising Speech Pathologist with experience working in government, independent and special schools (Foundation to Year 12) in Australia and the UK. She has a particular interest in vocabulary development, language and literacy skills, Developmental Language Disorder, the learning sciences, curriculum design and design thinking. She enjoys sketchnoting, tinkering with tech and helping students find their voice.

Charlotte is currently the Director of Research and Design at Camberwell Girls Grammar School, and Professor of Practice, Education and Impact in the School of Education at La Trobe University. She teaches within the university’s highly regarded SOLAR Lab. Charlotte is a Global Ambassador for Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder, co-coordinator of the Melbourne and Beyond Gifted Network and a learning designer for The DLD Project.

Kim Nuske is passionate about inclusive education; she has ten+ years teaching experience, and during that time has taught a range of year groups, and held various leadership roles, including Head of Inclusion in a P-12 school.

Kim completed a master's degree with a specialisation in Special Education after recognising that her Bachelor of Education degree did not equip her with enough tools to teach the full bell curve of students in her classes.

Kim joined the team at Australian Teacher Aide at the beginning of 2024 and is passionate about empowering educators, both teacher aides and teachers, to feel confident in being inclusive educators. Kim was a key contributor to the development and launch of the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS), and she has created many supporting resources since, including the ATAPS Facilitator Training to help school leaders implement the standards framework into their school’s performance and professional growth framework.

Teresa Maiolo is the Director of the Centre of Deaf Education at Avenues College in Adelaide. She co-developed MorThemes, a morphology-based literacy program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, and works with schools to support its implementation. Teresa is also President of the Australian Association of Teachers of the Deaf (SA), where she supports professional learning and collaboration across the sector.

Meg Phiddian is a speech pathologist working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in Centres of Deaf Education. She co-developed MorThemes, a morphology-based literacy program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, and supports schools to align practice with the Science of Reading.