Dr Mary Oski

B Ed, Grad Dips, MEd, EdD,

Dr Mary Oski is currently the Director of Learning & Regional Services at Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools. In this role she is responsible for Learning & Teaching, Student Wellbeing, Learning Diversity, School Improvement , Learning Technologies and the four Regional Offices within the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Prior to this role she was the Executive Director of Curriculum at the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) with responsibility for the Victorian Curriculum, VCE, VCAL and VET studies in addition to VCE Examinations.

Before her appointment to VCAA Mary held senior leadership roles within Catholic education leading the implementation of key initiatives in Catholic schools across Victoria. Her key policy responsibilities included learning and teaching, school improvement, review practices and processes, principal appointments and leadership initiatives as well as a period of time as Manager of Catholic schools in the Eastern Region. Mary commenced her education career as a teacher in a variety of secondary schools and held senior leadership roles in curriculum and student wellbeing.

In 2019 Mary was awarded the Australian Council of Educational Leaders (ACEL) Hedley Beare Educator of the Year Award for her outstanding contribution to the study and practice of educational leadership in Victoria. Mary has held a number of state representative positions for Victorian education as well as national representation for the Catholic sector, a reflection of her professional pedigree and commitment to the education sector.

Murat Dizdar PSM

Murat Dizdar PSM is the Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, which delivers quality education and training services for the people of New South Wales. This includes the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector, government and non-government schools, and the Vocational Education and Training sector.

Australian Capital Territory

Sandra Darley

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.

New South Wales

Paul Kidson

Dr Paul Kidson is Senior Lecturer in Educational Leadership at the Australian Catholic University. His diverse educational career includes teaching English and Drama both in low socio-economic multicultural schools in Sydney’s western suburbs and socio-educationally advantaged inner metropolitan schools, curriculum leadership in regional NSW and Victorian schools, 11 years’ as a school principal, and as an Educational Leadership academic since 2017. His teaching and research adopts a holistic and interdisciplinary approach, drawing on a range of academic disciplines and insights. Through this, he explores how school leaders work within, and critically transform, their complex professional lives. This encompasses broader systems and policies that govern their work and school communities, as well as how they develop and sustain their personal leadership story. He is deeply committed to developing emerging and aspiring leaders, and to date, six of his former staff have been appointed to school principalship, and a further nine of deputy principalship or head of campus leadership roles.  He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Institute for Managers and Leaders.

Northern Territory

Ranae Graham

Ranae Graham is a teacher, leader and Acting Assistant Director for the Department of Education, Northern Territory, with 20 years’ experience helping educators to build capacity. Specialising in instructional leadership, Ranae uses that experience to strengthen instruction and improve student outcomes.

By focusing on school and system improvement, Ranae has been able to put her lived experience, professional learning, and involvement in national associations to good use. Over the years, her strengths in educational leadership have garnered recognition for lift in student achievement, school improvement and strategic responses to system priorities. Ranae’s instructional practice was certified as Highly Accomplished Teacher, and she contributes to school reform initiatives such as an Initial Teacher Education panelist. She supports educators to access professional learning opportunities through volunteer work, actively contributing to the Australian Literacy Education Association (ALEA) 2022 National conference.

When they’re not at schools, Ranae enjoys trying new challenges, including sky diving, climbing the Sydney Harbour bridge or quiet time in the beautiful landscapes of the Northern Territory.

Queensland

Elizabeth Foster

BEd, FACEL

Liz is an established leader in education and is currently the Executive Principal of Wavell State High School in Brisbane. Over the past 15 years she has served in leadership positions at Ferny Grove State High School, Stretton State College, Kelvin Grove State College and MacGregor State High School.  Liz has served as Chair of the Advisory Board for the Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology and is a member of the Principals Advisory Committee for the Department of Education and Executive Member of the Independent Public Schools Alliance. Liz is a member of the Queensland Executive for the Australian Council for Educational Leaders. She continues to advocate for the opportunities and importance of professional organisations. Liz is a facilitator in the Metropolitan Aspiring Leaders Program together with mentoring both cross-sector school and tertiary leaders.  She actively engages with the corporate sector, regularly presenting at seminars and conferences.

In understanding that it is the capability of people as the greatest lever for improved student outcomes, she promotes investment in professional learning for all. She values the importance of being open to learning, leveraging research to inform practice and challenging conventions that stretch possibility in asking the question, ‘How might we prompt people to think beyond the normalised paradigms of teaching and leadership?'

South Australia

Martyn Anderson

Martyn is currently in the Director of Teaching and Learning at Immanuel College. He has held a variety of leadership positions at the College including Faculty leadership and the Senior Years Learning Leader. In 2020, he was named the national winner of the ACEL Keith Tronc Award for “Outstanding Teacher Leadership” as well as the ACEL (SA) Pip Field “Emerging Leader of the Year”. In 2022, he was named the ACEL (SA) Teacher of the Year. He has presented locally and nationally at conferences on utilising technology, cultures of thinking and engaging with data to improve student outcomes. He has a particular interest in the work that has emerged out of Harvard Project Zero and aims to develop cultures for both staff and students where thinking and innovation are valued and actively promoted. Martyn is excited about the prospect of becoming the President of the ACEL SA branch.

Tasmania

Jacqui Lawless

BEd, BSpecial Ed, MEd

Jacqui is a principal working in Catholic Education in Tasmania. She has had a range of leadership opportunities across Tasmania and within a range of age groups. Jacqui has been an activator of school improvement and led significant educational change. She has worked extensively in the area of student support and special education and she is passionate about the access and quality of education for all students.

Victoria

Annette Rome

Annette was previously on the senior executive of Lauriston, Wesley, MLC and Korowa and is passionate about the teaching profession. Though trained as neurophysiologist, her interests includes the education of young people to operate globally, ethically and knowledgeably. Her PhD on International Mindedness led to a ‘Certificate of Global Responsibility’ and opportunities to contribute to the work of the OECD in global competencies. This work was nominated for an Educator Innovation in Curriculum Award (2020). She is an IB Jeff Thompson Award winner for research on changing understandings of Indigenous ways of knowing.

She was member/coordinator of the CSE International Education Action Group and CSE Indigenous Education Focus Group and an adjunct lecturer at MGSE (University of Melbourne). She has written a significant number of science and education texts, articles and resources and has presented at over 30 national and international conferences. She was named on The Educator’s Hot List in Australia (2018) and in 2019 was in the Knowledge Review Top 10 Influential Educators in Australia. In her time at SMBG, the school has been shortlisted for The Educator Best Strategic Plan and named an Educator Australian Employer of Choice (2021, 2022). Annette was nominated for Principal of the Year (2023 - non-Government). Annette is an active member of ACEL and ACE and is honoured to be a National Fellow of both for over 10 years. She was also involved in the Practising Principals Certification (ACER). She has served on the national boards of ACE and The Songroom. She is a founding member of the JMB Foundation for young people with acquired brain injuries and was an active campaigner for the NDIS (2015). In 2022 she was appointed an Ambassador for Epilepsy Australia. Her passion in education is for the development of young people and educators so that they may become the best they can be for all humanity and the planet.

Western Australia

Mathilda Joubert

MSc., BMus, MBA,  PhD Candidate

Mathilda Joubert is Director of Excellence and Innovation at Sheridan College and Lecturer in Leading School Improvement. Prior to this role she worked for seven years as a system leader leading school improvement at Swan Christian Education Association. Her varied background includes working as Innovation Consultant to companies like Coco-Cola, Unilever and Phillips, researcher to Sir Ken Robinson, creative learning consultant, policy advisor, primary and secondary school teacher and academic. Mathilda is a true cross-disciplinarian and an advocate of lifelong learning with two bachelors and three masters degrees (in music, languages, education, cognitive neuropsychology and business) and currently completing her PhD at UWA, studying the measurement of student creative thinking skills.

She has worked directly with more than 500 schools on a range of successful school improvement initiatives and has advised national governments (e.g. Australia, Lithuania and the UK) on curriculum and assessment policy development, including acting as expert advisor for ACARA on Creative and Critical Thinking Skills. She continues to advise schools on the teaching and assessment of creativity and is currently evaluating the FORM Creative Schools program for the WA Department of Education.