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Skye Byrnes

My career in plumbing started when I was sitting in year 11 and realised I did not want to sit behind a desk for the rest of my life, I wanted to be working in an active environment, working with my hands. Once I had made my decision, I began gaining work experience in a…

Isabella Martin

All throughout high school I felt pressured to go to university. It was very much drilled into my head that you didn’t succeed unless going to university straight after school. And so, I did! Having no real idea what I wanted to do, I knew I was passionate about criminology, so I decided to get…

Joanna Cassidy

When I finished school, I thought university was the only pathway to success. I completed two university degrees and spent years working in government compliance before realising I wanted a career where I could build something tangible every day. Starting a bricklaying apprenticeship as an adult completely changed my life. Today I’m one of Australia’s…

Helen Thompson

I’m a proud Djukun woman from the West Kimberley who has lived on Yamatji Country in the Mid West for the past 58 years. My work in education has taken me across a range of primary and secondary schools, where I have been privileged to support students, families, staff, and communities. I am deeply committed…

Craig Doyle

I have worked both within Australia and internationally in a variety of roles, including as a Literature Coordinator, Head of Year, Head of English Department and currently as the Head of Academic Tracking & Pathways at St Hilda’s in Western Australia. I spent 8 tears teaching abroad in Singapore, London and the United Arab Emirates,…

Karen Carr

My educational and professional journey has been built on a strong foundation of learning, adaptability, and a passion for supporting students. I hold a Diploma of Business, which has provided me with the skills to excel in a range of administrative and organisational roles within education. Over the past 16 years, I have worked across…

Karen Wallace

After leaving school, I pursued two passions: Accounting and Teaching. I began my career in Accounting through a traineeship while completing a Bachelor of Commerce, gaining over 20 years of experience across Chartered, Not-for-Profit, and Commercial sectors. Following a career break, I embraced a new direction after receiving a scholarship to study Mathematics Teaching at…

Catherine Taylor

I am a dedicated and compassionate education and youth support professional with extensive experience in student mentoring, case management, career pathway planning, and learning support. In my current role as a Link and Launch Coordinator with the Department of Education, I support young people to successfully transition from school into further study, training, or employment.…

Amber Heaney

Teaching was a career I came to later in life, after spending many years working across retail, banking and customer service. I commenced university at 35 and became an English teacher, where I developed a passion for supporting young people to grow in confidence and discover their potential. In 2025, I transitioned into Career Practice…

Katie Fairbanks

With over 20 years’ experience in the education sector, I began my career as a Physical Education teacher before moving into Senior Schooling and career development. Throughout my career, I have enjoyed helping students discover and achieve their desired pathways during and beyond school. As both an educator and business owner, I have always seen…

Elizabeth Stewart

My teaching journey began as a secondary science teacher, driven by a passion for making science engaging, relevant and accessible for all students. Alongside classroom teaching, I took on the roles of STEAM Coordinator and Science Outreach Coordinator at Beenleigh State High School, where I developed innovative, curriculum-aligned programs, built partnerships with universities and research…

Nicholas Jack

I have been working in education for over 30 years as a high school teacher, teaching in classrooms across Australia and the UK. Throughout my career, I have taught across multiple faculties, including Creative Arts and STEM, which has given me a broad perspective on student learning and development. Over the past five years, I…

Jane Smith

After coming to senior school teaching later on in my working life, I found myself in a series of roles in the education space outside of the traditional classroom. These roles were supporting disengaged young people back to learning, training and employment and they have now evolved into my current role as a VET Coordinator.…

Rebecca Isakson

Before discovering my passion for education, I built a successful career in business, leading finance, operations and strategic improvement across multiple industries. That experience shaped my strengths in systems thinking, data analysis and organisational leadership, which I brought with me when transitioning into teaching 7 years ago. After completing a Master of Learning and Teaching…

Peta-Anne McNaught

With more than ten years of experience in this regional leadership role, Peta-Anne has led and supported a broad range of collaborative projects and strategic partnerships that create meaningful opportunities for students, staff, schools, and local communities. She is passionate about bringing people together to build strong networks that enhance educational outcomes and strengthen community…

Allan Hamdan

My journey into education began unexpectedly when a desire to travel led me to accept a teaching position in South Korea. What started as an overseas adventure quickly became a rewarding career, inspiring me to complete a Master of Education (Education Technology), which combined my creative arts and digital media background and ultimately led me…

Belinda Yaqub

I grew up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and didn’t have any special talents – just a strong interest in maths and science, and a preference for learning by doing. I also knew I wanted a career that got me outside. At different points in my life I wanted to be a vet, physicist,…

Samantha Kerr

I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I finished high school, but I enjoyed maths and science and wanted a career that made a difference. A family friend studying engineering, along with encouragement from teachers and parents, led me to choose electrical engineering—despite not fully understanding what engineers did day to day. I…

Kerralie Nardelli

In high school, I wanted to be a journalist. I left after Year 10 and went to secretarial school instead. At 16, I started working as a Records Officer for Dept Transport. I fell pregnant and was let go, so I moved on to admin jobs in law offices until my son was born. To…

Carley So

I studied chemical engineering in uni because I enjoyed math and chemistry in high school, even though I wasn’t completely sure what career it would lead to. I knew an engineering degree would open doors and give me options. In my third year, I started exploring what those options could look like through internships. I…