Tom Bennett was a teacher in the East End of London for thirteen years. In 2009 he was made a Teacher Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University. From 2008-2016 he wrote a weekly column for the TES and TES online, and is the author of five books on teacher-training, behaviour management and educational research, including the bestselling Running the Room- a teacher’s guide to behaviour management. In 2015 he was long-listed for the GEMS Global Teacher Prize, and in that year was named as one of the Huffington Post’s ‘Top Ten Global Educational Bloggers’

In 2013 he founded researchED, a grass-roots, teacher-led project that aims to make teachers research-literate and pseudo-science proof. Since then it has grown into an international community spanning six continents, annually holding events in thirteen countries. Tom is the editor of researchED magazine, available world-wide, and the editor of the acclaimed ‘researchED Guide To…’ series of books.

In 2015 he was appointed as School Behaviour Advisor to the DfE by the secretary of state for education. In March 2017, Tom wrote Creating a Culture, an independent review of behaviour in leadership of UK schools. In 2017 he chaired the Mental Health in Schools panel for the DfE. He currently leads the DfE’s Behaviour Hubs project, a £10 million program designed to reboot behaviour skills in disadvantaged schools throughout the UK.

He coaches teachers and schools around the world in all aspects of behaviour management and research integration, and regularly appears in national and international press and media.

In 2022 he was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in recognition of his work in education, particularly improving behaviour and advancing the use of evidence in teaching.

Dr Erin Leif is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Education, at Monash University. Erin is passionate about using behaviour science to help all kids thrive. Erin’s current research focuses on ways to help parents, teachers, and behaviour support practitioners use positive, preventative, evidence-based practices when supporting children with diverse learning needs in home, school, and community settings. Her research interests include positive behaviour support, multi-tiered systems of support, trauma-informed behaviour support, and universal design for learning. She is particularly interested in how behaviour support practices can be adapted for use in different settings with diverse learners to ensure they are culturally responsive and contextually relevant. 

Dr Russ Fox is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. He is a trained primary school teacher with experience teaching and working in mainstream schools. Russ has worked extensively in alternative education settings, specifically supporting students of all ages exhibiting behaviours of concern and at risk of school disengagement. In addition, Russ has provided in-school instructional coaching on behaviour supports across Victorian Department of Education schools, and Positive Behavioural Interventions and Supports (PBIS) implementation coaching for school leaders. He is passionate about using behaviour science to support systems and teacher practice change that makes the greatest difference for all students. His research is focussed on exploring the implementation of evidence-based practices.

Cate Whiting is an experienced school leader and has been a Principal and Deputy Principal in a diverse range of primary schools.  She is drawing on this experience to lead AERO’s Engaged Classrooms Through Effective Classroom Management project which is developing resources for teachers and  school leaders to create safe and supportive learning environments by effectively managing classrooms.

Cate has led whole school improvement, including in the areas of student engagement and pro-social behaviour, curriculum implementation, pedagogical practices, literacy instruction, multi-tiered systems of support, and parent engagement.  She is passionate about providing an outstanding education for all
students and supporting teachers and school leaders to practically apply evidence-based practices in schools.

Tim joined the Y WA as CEO in 2021, with over 20 years experience leading change in education systems and the philanthropic sector. His background has seen him leading work for Catholic Education WA and the Minderoo Foundation, working on projects in areas of leadership, student engagement, well-being and innovation in the fields of education, and employment. 

More recently Tim was Education Lead for Knowledge Society, where he co-developed a strategy of professional learning to enhance the capacity of school leaders and teachers to improve student achievement. Prior to this, Dr Tim McDonald was CEO of Generation One, an organisation founded by the Minderoo Foundation to end Indigenous disparity within one generation. The culmination of his experiences supporting young people aligns him perfectly with the values of the Y. Tim believes that empowering and inspiring young people is what’s at the heart of thriving communities where all people flourish.

Dr Greg Elliott is an educator, researcher and former school principal who has led the Wellbeing Directorate for Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese since its creation in 2021.  He is responsible for the systems and people who support the wellbeing of 44,000 students and 4500 staff. By developing the frameworks for student and staff wellbeing, he is leading the important work of making sure students, teachers and other staff can be their best selves at school. 

As an academic Greg’s specialisation is in teacher psychology. He also has extensive experience in girls’ education, theology and religious education, complex wellbeing and behaviour challenges, coaching and strategic leadership. His work is guided by his belief that all people have strengths and deserve the opportunity to flourish.

Dani began teaching at Brigidine College in 2009 and during this time, has held a variety of roles including Cultural Coordinator, House Pastoral Leader and now the Dean of Student Formation.

Having completed a Degree in Music and Teaching from QUT, and then a Masters in Educational Leadership (Pastoral care) from ACU in 2014, Dani has embraced the opportunity to work in an area in which she loves – to share my love of Music, Religion and Humanities with our students, while supporting their wellbeing and developmental growth.

As someone who is extremely passionate about girls’ education and helping young people to dream big, set goals, develop a sense of agency and stretch beyond their comfort zone to determine their own future, working at Brigidine College, Dani relishes the opportunity to play a part in the development of young people daily.

Her commitment and passion as an educator and leader will always be to the students, the teaching profession, professional development, and constant reflection and development of new and innovative 21st Century evidence-based practice.

Alana Koch is the C-12 Head of Wellbeing at St Luke’s Grammar School, Dee Why responsible for strategy for student wellbeing. She has worked outside education in both small and large business, and as such, brings a diverse range of experiences to driving organisational change. 

Alana teaches Commerce and Economics and therefore is a passionate advocate that wellbeing can extend beyond PDHPE lessons. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (UNSW), Dip Tax (USyd) Dip Ed (Wesley) and Masters of Educational Leadership (UNSW). 

On the weekend, Alana can be found driving her three sons to sporting commitments and enjoying a pilates reformer class.

Noel Dixon is currently in his 4th year as Principal Granville Boys High School, where he has spent most of his teaching career, although previously working as a music teacher at Punchbowl Boys, Sarah Redfern High and Ashfield Boys.

As Principal, Noel has made a number of innovative changes to better engage students in their learning, including introducing a barbershop at his school, a Robotics program, (they have won Australia’s largest Robotics competition for the last 2 years and represented Australia at the world championships in Long Beach California in May, where they also visited NASA) a free Saturday morning program for all students and a Scottish Pipe band (who recently returned from the Australian Juvenile championships in Warrick Queensland) and an outdoor recreation program. His school also run free TAFE courses for parents.

Since 2019, the school has grown from 490 students to over 780 in 2024, more than doubling the number of students in year 7 in that time.

Lisa Holt has spent her career in public secondary education, teaching English and Psychology. Her early leadership positions were largely student engagement and wellbeing centred. In 2017 Lisa became the Principal of Rosebud Secondary College, the first substantive female principal in the school’s 65 year history. At Rosebud, Lisa has focused on building strong teams to support the implementation of her passion for an inclusive school where everyone is a learner.

Victoria is a dynamic and approachable educational leader, navigating the complexities of education with zest! With a strong belief in unleashing the potential of every individual, she dedicates herself to recognizing and celebrating the unique skills, talents and achievements of those she leads.

Currently serving as Principal, she spearheads a team of devoted educators spanning Early Years to Year 10 in the Northern suburbs of Adelaide. In her prior position as Head of Wellbeing for a Senior School with over 600 students Victoria led a team of counsellors, youth workers, and support staff, fostering engagement among students with complex backgrounds and enabling them to thrive academically, achieve success in their vocational programs and flourish in their personal lives – before, during and after COVID!

With a rich 25-year teaching background spanning Australia and the UK, Victoria is committed to championing positive psychology and pastoral care. Her approach involves creating a healthy strengths based connected school environment through the implementation of restorative practices, robust mental health support, high standards and engaging real-world curriculum content.

Beyond the school gates, Victoria dedicates her “spare time” to Make-A-Wish Australia as a Volunteer in her local Barossa Valley Branch.  She is also proud to be a past National Board Member for the charity.

Greg Ashman Deputy Principal at Ballarat Clarendon College, Victoria. He is an honorary fellow at the Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy, Australian Catholic University and a part-time Professor at Academica University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam. Greg is a prolific writer and has written three books: The Truth About Teaching: An Evidence-informed Guide for New Teachers, The Power of Explicit Teaching and Direct Instruction, and A Little Guide for Teachers: Cognitive Load Theory. He also produces a newsletter at fillingthepail.substack.com. Prior to moving to Australia, Greg worked at three government schools in London as a teacher, Head of Science and Deputy Principal.

Noel Dixon is currently in his 4th year as Principal Granville Boys High School, where he has spent most of his teaching career, although previously working as a music teacher at Punchbowl Boys, Sarah Redfern High and Ashfield Boys.

As Principal, Noel has made a number of innovative changes to better engage students in their learning, including introducing a barbershop at his school, a Robotics program, (they have won Australia’s largest Robotics competition for the last 2 years and represented Australia at the world championships in Long Beach California in May, where they also visited NASA) a free Saturday morning program for all students and a Scottish Pipe band (who recently returned from the Australian Juvenile championships in Warrick Queensland) and an outdoor recreation program. His school also run free TAFE courses for parents.

Since 2019, the school has grown from 490 students to over 780 in 2024, more than doubling the number of students in year 7 in that time.

John is the creator at The Living School.

John believes that schools must nurture a sense of wonder. Schools need to engage. It is about offering opportunities based on personal goals – diversity. Teachers are not coaches but they must relate. Teachers go beyond correction. The effective teacher is an affective teacher. Quality teachers allow learners to explore passion, fail forward, connect with confidence and foster a deep sense of belonging. It is not about motivating – as if an adult has to command content. It is all about developing life-long learners. John believes learning must have an authentic focus on engagement, mastery, grit and practical experience. Wisdom is experience.