Apiary Fellows 2025

She has over 16 years of experience in the Early Years sector, which brings her to her current role as Program Manager for Indi Kindi based in the Northern Territory. Indi Kindi is a groundbreaking, on Country early childhood solution for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children that integrates culture, education, heath, wellbeing and development to give them the best start in life, something Alinta is very passionate about and close to her heart.

She is an expert in early childhood development and education, with 20 years of experience designing and scaling evidence-based programs that strengthen ECD systems around the world. Previously, Ana held key roles at UNICEF Headquarters in New York, Dubai Cares, and Plan International, focusing on parenting, workforce development, caregiver support, public financing, and multi-sectoral collaboration. With advanced degrees from SOAS, University of London, and the University of Barcelona, as well as executive education from Harvard, Ana is dedicated to ensuring all children have a strong start in life.

Living on Yuin Country in NSW, she works for SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children, supporting Aboriginal Community Controlled (ACCOs) Services with their early years’ programs. Angela's work fosters meaningful relationships, amplifies children's voices, and assists ACCOs in navigating the National Quality Framework, training, and funding opportunities. She is committed to the holistic support of children and their families in their life goals with respect and dignity.

Angelle spent most of her life in New Zealand before making the exciting move to Australia in 2024, where she now calls Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, home. 

As a member of the Grow Well team in Anyinginyi Public Health, Angelle is passionate about health promotion, particularly in supporting Mums and Bubs during the critical early years of childhood development. Being Torres Strait Islander, Angelle understands the significance of cultural sensitivity, empathy, and respect when working with Indigenous communities and strives to create meaningful connections, listen with care, and contribute to positive, lasting change.

As the founder of The Healing Hive Play Therapy, she is passionate about the power of therapeutic play in supporting children's social and emotional well-being.

Holding a Master’s in Child Play Therapy and Early Childhood Education, Belinda integrates neurosequential knowledge into classrooms and therapy settings, working closely with families, educators, and allied health professionals. Her work is dedicated to encouraging resilience, connection, and healing through play, ensuring children thrive within their unique ecosystems of relationships.

Beginning her career working directly with children, her passion for advocating for quality outcomes led her to leadership roles over the past eight years. She has managed multiple services, supported new centre openings, and mentored teams in delivering high-quality education and care. Now overseeing 38 services, Breanna is dedicated to fostering a culture of excellence by aligning compliance with a genuine celebration of early childhood learning.

Beginning her career in statutory child protection, she worked directly with families to ensure child safety and well-being. Now a Regional Manager at Uniting, she leads an Early Intervention portfolio, driving proactive, family-centred support. With a strong commitment to collaborative and innovative approaches, Courtney is dedicated to empowering communities and ensuring every family has access to the resources they need to thrive.

Currently a Pedagogical Leader at Gowrie Victoria, she is dedicated to ensuring continuity of learning, enhancing educator capability, and fostering excellence in pedagogy and practice. With a strong commitment to children’s rights, Debbie champions nurturing, empowering environments and encourages critical reflection and innovative learning. Her leadership supports professional growth, collaboration, and the continuous improvement of early childhood education.

Ellen Casey is the Head of Program and Pedagogy at Swinburne Children’s Centres, where she works with service and organisational leadership teams to create supportive learning environments. She is a passionate advocate for children, social justice, and the critical role of early childhood education in shaping sustainable futures. With a diverse career background, including roles as a paramedic, primary and early childhood educator, and early years leader since 2021. She holds a Master’s in Environment and Sustainability, focusing on leadership for sustainable development, and completed a Master’s thesis on the connection between gender equality and sustainability in early childhood education.

Emma holds a postgraduate diploma in specialist community public health with a Registered Nurse background, and has been focusing her career on child protection, safeguarding, and addressing child sexual exploitation.

Emma's personal experience as a young parent fuels her commitment to breaking cycles of adversity and improving outcomes for children and families. Through early intervention and collaboration, she works to create opportunities for children to thrive. Emma is dedicated to expanding the Glugor Young Parents Program, aligning it with the QLD government's Early Years Strategy to strengthen partnerships, secure resources, and enhance the program’s impact in supporting young parents and their children.

With a background in the not-for-profit sector, she is committed to the principles of co-design and co-production of research.

Her work in policy and economic research projects, as part of the Education and Economic Participation team at Deloitte Access Economics, focuses strongly on child development and tackling disadvantage at the intersection of Early Childhood Education and Care, First Nations, and Gender Equity policy. She has a particular interest in programs and policies with a place-based approach to addressing disadvantage, which have been a key focus across her work.

Helen is committed to community impact and fostering a strong sense of belonging. She works collaboratively across services to ensure everyone feels seen, valued and supported. Her leadership is grounded in advocacy for safe, accessible, and nurturing spaces.

Beyond 3Bridges, Helen partners with other providers to strengthen sector connections, share best practices, and drive innovation in education and care. She also co-hosts the We Belong Podcast, where she engages in meaningful discussions on sector related topics, advocating for inclusive practices and spaces where children can thrive. Her vision and dedication continue to influence positive change across the community.

Passionate about supporting children and families facing developmental challenges and disadvantages, Jean has served as an Educational Leader at a local preschool and led significant changes in allied health support within early learning environments.

Jean joined The Hive Mt Druitt in 2020, where she guides early years initiatives, including early learning and child health programs, from a personal connection to early intervention through her own child's speech challenges. Jean has a Master of Education in Early Childhood Leadership and works to improve outcomes for children, emphasising on collaboration to achieve better results for children and families. 

Passionate about advocating for high-quality education for all children, Jono is especially focused on addressing the funding imbalances for 3-5-year-old learners.

As the Educational Leader at Windsor Community Children’s Centre, he champions risky play opportunities, safety for children and educators, and an anti-bias curriculum. Jono, who is completing his Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching), was honoured with the Dianne Chandler Award in 2023 for their engagement with current ECEC trends and research. Jono also presented at the Social Justice in Early Childhood 20th anniversary conference in 2024.

She brings extensive experience in early childhood education, having owned and managed a children’s centre and worked directly with children and families in diverse settings across Australia and overseas.
As a qualified early childhood professional and counsellor, Julia is dedicated to deepening her understanding of early neurodevelopment and parent-child relationships, with a particular interest in oral language skills. She is passionate about turning research into practical strategies that empower families to support their children’s early learning and development.

Kirrin previously worked at the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and is deeply involved in children’s early literacy and literature, serving on boards such as Raising Literacy Australia and the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature.

She has been a judge for all the major Australian children’s literary awards and focuses on community engagement as a qualified firefighter with the Rural Fire Service. Based in Canberra and regional NSW, Kirrin advocates for the importance of the early years in human development, particularly through ARACY’s Nest framework for child wellbeing.

She has significantly contributed to Indigenous governance, including her election to the inaugural First Nations Voice to Parliament (SA) for Region 4. Lisa’s achievements include being the second Aboriginal female to complete Year 12 at Mt Gambier High School and receiving a Deakin University Academic Scholarship. She is deeply involved in sports, served as a mentor and advisor in AFL, VFL, and community football, and has led initiatives promoting Aboriginal educational success and cultural leadership. Lisa's work is dedicated to empowering communities, strengthening cultural identity, and cultivating excellence for future generations.

Marty has research interests in social-emotional learning, neurodiversity in education, supporting international student teachers, and the benefits of esports in schools and communities. Marty is AuDHD and has a passion for supporting neurodiverse learners through universal design principles and approaches across all areas of teaching and learning.

He is a co-leader of the newly founded Neurodiversity@UniSA Special Interest Group. Marty is an enthusiastic advocate for a gender diverse Early Years Workforce and advocates for more men in ECE through UniSA's innovative MENtor Program for Males in ECE and his involvement with the Minderoo Foundation Dad's Action Plan for the Early Years. Marty has delivered numerous conference presentations and keynotes internationally, including in China and New Zealand.

Passionate about creating safe and inspiring environments for children, she drives systemic change through collaboration and innovation. Michelle is currently a Senior Partnership Officer at Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership.

As co-founder of Calmer Kids, Michelle developed neuroscience-based resources to support resilience and mental health for children, families, and educators. With expertise in leadership and stakeholder engagement, she champions preventative approaches for lasting social impact.

Perpethua is deeply passionate about early years’ education, recognising its vital role in providing children with the opportunity to thrive and transform during their developmental stages. Professionally, Perpethua is the Aboriginal Engagement and Community Support Officer for the Women’s Heart Health Study at Westmead Hospital. She also works as the Engagement Team Support Officer for Balarinji, where she brings extensive experience in community engagement and development.
Perpethua has ambitions to establish her own early year’s enterprise and is currently studying pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion at The University of Sydney.
In her personal time, she loves spending quality moments with her children and family, enjoying activities such as fishing, camping, and hunting.

As the Early Childhood Improvement Manager, she leads a team focused on driving reforms to enhance early childhood services. Nicole has a strong background in managing quality assessments, moderating sector compliance, and building partnerships between government, service providers, and communities. She has successfully developed and implemented strategic plans that advance early childhood education and care, all while maintaining a results-driven approach to ensuring high standards and positive outcomes for children, families, and communities.

Having a background in long day care services and management, Rachel is a deeply thoughtful and reflective ECEC practitioner who has led teams through pedagogical practice shifts to drive better outcomes for all children. She is especially passionate about about the first two thousands days and uplifting the role of care as curriculum for very young children.

Rachel leads with heart and humility. Guided by the simple values of kindness, respect and joy, for Rachel, every relationship and encounter is a meaningful one, with lessons and stories to fuel greater purpose in her work.

Guided by the belief that "Every child deserves a champion," Rajat focuses on creating nurturing, child-centered environments where all children, including those with additional needs, can thrive. His teaching philosophy highlights play-based learning that encourage curiosity and resilience. Beyond his work in the classroom, Rajat is committed to professional development and mentoring future educators, having participated in Early Years Learning Networks, Teachers' Conferences, and the Effective Mentoring Program.
Currently preparing for an Assistant Director role, Rajat is dedicated to supporting fellow educators and advancing high-quality early childhood education. His cultural learning experiences also have enriched his ability to integrate culturally responsive teaching practices.

Under his leadership, TEAM has grown from a small Facebook group into a robust network of 278+ members, providing advocacy, mentorship, and leadership development for male professionals in the sector.

In addition to his work with TEAM, Ramesh is the founder of Flourish Digital Enterprise, where he supports early childhood professionals with personal branding, website solutions, and lead generation. He is also an editor at Thriving in ECEC and a passionate speaker and trainer, dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in early childhood education.

With over 30 years of experience in early childhood and primary education, Sally has specialised in disability services for the past 15 years.
She has worked in transdisciplinary teams at institutions like the Royal Children’s Hospital and Melbourne City Mission, serving children and families across Melbourne. As a leader, Sally focuses on building high-performance teams and encouraging skill development, innovation, and collaboration to achieve long-term, life-changing outcomes for those accessing early intervention programs.

She takes a social justice approach to her work and recognises the importance of education in creating opportunities to thrive.

Samantha has a reputation for enabling growth and diversification to create long term sustainability and to maximise opportunities that benefit her staff, clients, and community. She brings a wealth of experience in stakeholder engagement, and the development and implementation of programs within a partnership context.

Samantha has an MBA and is a graduate of the AICD. In addition to her CEO role at Glen Education, Samantha is on the Board of the Early Learning Association of Australia, and a Director on the Board of Better Health Network which provides primary and allied health services.

Steevie is passionate about inclusivity, having earned Certificates 3 and 4 in Auslan to ensure all children, including those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, are fully included. She strives to create a nurturing environment where children are supported to be themselves and families feel confident in the care provided.

Rebecca has 27 years of experience in early childhood education. She is dedicated to creating culturally safe, inclusive, and high-quality learning environments and services and currently serves as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Liaison Educator and Educational Leader at Sesame Lane Childcare and Kindergarten, where she ensures the authentic integration of First Nations perspectives in early learning.   

Passionate about reconciliation and advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families, Rebecca facilitates cross-cultural understanding, breaks down systemic barriers, and promotes self-determination. She is committed to empowering communities through education, advocating for equitable access to culturally responsive services, and strengthening family partnerships to shape children's educational journeys.