Neil Adams
Neil is an experienced middle phase teacher and a member of Holland Park State School's Gifted and Talented Committee. He has a Bachelor of Education and a Graduate Diploma in Computer Education. Neil has obtained a pedagogical licence and has managed ICT programs at school. Neil has had extensive teaching experience throughout Queensland and has been involved in programs for indigenous students. Neil is a strong advocate for gifted education and has planned and promoted best practice in gifted education in his teaching. Neil is a successful receiving teacher and mentor for accelerated gifted students.
Michelle Bannister-Tyrrell
Having taught every grade from Kindergarten to Year 12, as an OC teacher, Secondary English teacher, Assistant Principal, Head of Junior School and G&T Programs Coordinator, Michelle has had a wide range of experience upon which to draw. With over 14 years involved in G&T education, her formal qualifications include a Masters in G&T education, and she is currently working on her Doctoral research project while teaching full time.
Margaret Bishop
Margaret has worked as an educator for over 35 years and is a committed 'learning revolutionary'. As director of Bishop Education Services & Training Pty Ltd, she aims to support life-long learning by resourcing and modelling productive thinking and learning strategies. She is a popular presenter of workshops and keynotes both in Australia and overseas and has recently facilitated a successful AGQTP Constructive Pedagogies Project with Catholic Education in South Australia. Margaret has contributed to a number of current educational resources and has been instrumental in bringing 'real-life' science to indigenous students at remote schools as deputy coordinator of School DustWatch, a joint Griffith University and ASISTM project. In her role as Education Consultant to IBISCA Queensland, Margaret has worked with international scientists exploring the biodiversity of Lamington National Park. She is currently developing teacher resource material to assist schools to undertake similar school-based studies.
Tony Burton
Tony Burton is a consultant psychologist who has worked with gifted students and their families since 1976. He was foundation president of the Queensland Association for Gifted and Talented Children and was made a life member in 2003. Tony has individually assessed thousands of students and assisted families, schools and education systems in catering for the gifted.
Matthew Capp
Matthew Capp (BEd, MEd) has seven years experience working as a teaching professional. He is currently the Year 10 Coordinator at Mt Maria College. Throughout his teaching experience he has demonstrated a particular interest in working with gifted visual-spatial learners.
Cheryl Capra
During 41 years with Education Queensland, Cheryl has worked in both primary and secondary schools. She has taken leadership roles at both Regional and Central Offices and has written curriculum materials for English, German, Maths and Science. A variety of other roles on behalf of the department included liaison with other jurisdictions, Premier's Department and the Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In 1997, Cheryl returned to the classroom prior to her then planned retirement in 2000. She felt her career should finish with her doing the work she loves most-teaching children. She did not retire in 2000 and since 1998 has enjoyed teaching Year 7 at Albany Hills State School as well as assuming the role of science coordinator for the school, which included a school-wide science renewal project.
Recent achievements
2000: National Excellence in Teaching Award (NEiTA), for Queensland
2002: attended and contributed to Queensland Science Summit
2003: Albany Hills won National Award for Quality Schooling
in Science, Maths and Technology for the Community of Science Learning
Project, planned and led by Cheryl from1999
2004: Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Cheryl's research entitled,
Touching the Future: Children learning to think critically through doing science
2005: 5 May, Albany Hills' Astronomy Club students questioned astronaut Dr John Phillips
in a live link with the International
Space Station (ISS) from the school's auditorium; event being webcast to the world
2007: Peter Doherty Award for excellence in Science Teaching (August); September,
Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science
Teaching in Primary Schools.
Cheryl is currently Queensland's nominee for the 2008 BHP Billiton Science Awards.
Ailsa Crockett
Ailsa (B.A. Dip.T. Grad.Dip.Spec.Ed. M.Ed.) has been Head of Student Services at A.B. Paterson College for the past ten years. During this time she has been responsible for establishing a Gifted and Talented program at the College, from identification to provision. She has been involved in a number of research projects with Independent Schools Queensland such as the Unicorn Project and over the last three years the AGQTP Gifted Education. Ailsa has previously presented at QAGTC Conferences.
Kay Distel
Kay (M App Sci [Social Ecology] Cand PhD) trained as a psychotherapist, worked as a trainer in social and mental health and has had ten years of specialized work with children with listening, language and learning issues. She uses an intensive auditory processing program known as the Tomatis Method. As well, she has in-depth training and knowledge in dyslexia and literacy from a body/mind perspective and uses this in short courses for children and adults and is developing specialised training courses. Her PhD uses an Action Research methodology and Kay invites inquiry from people interested in participating further on the issues under discussion.
Karen Edwards
Karen has been Director of E-Learning since June 2007. Karen's interest in emerging technologies to improve learning outcomes has seen her awarded a leading role in the implementation of these technologies at the Academy. Prior to her appointment, she was the Secondary Teacher Librarian at Brisbane School of Distance Education, where her expertise in virtual learning was developed to cater for the needs of the geographically dispersed students. In her role as Director of E-Learning, Karen is responsible for overseeing the digital publishing of the curriculum, the management and development of the software platform, supporting the collegiate to digitize the learning process and overseeing the management and development of the hardware platform.
Kylie Foot
Kylie is an experienced Secondary History (Modern and Ancient) and English teacher who recently received the Blashild Fellowship and spent time in Jerusalem at the Yad Vashem School for overseas educators. Her outstanding educational background and experience has made her an invaluable resource for both primary and secondary gifted and talented students within the school. With Michelle Bannister-Tyrrell she has developed a number of units of work for both Primary and Secondary students which sensitively cover the issues of racial discrimination, genocide and the confronting nature of the Holocaust. This work applies the historical context relevantly within today's Australian multicultural society.
Angela Foulds-Cook
Angela is the Facilitator of Innovative Learning at The Southport School where she works with gifted and talented students and with staff to enhance academic performance using brain-friendly learning techniques. Angela has taught many culturally diverse, top 10% scholarship students at International Baccalaureate Diploma Schools. She is studying for a MSc(Ed), researching gifted science students and is the mother of two gifted children, one of whom has learning challenges.
Selena Gallagher
Selena is a primary school teacher and a parent of a gifted child. Her Honours research explored the attitudes of teachers and preservice teachers towards gifted students. She is currently a PhD candidate at UNE and her research interests focus on closing the gap between research findings and educational practice surrounding acceleration and ability grouping.
Michele Juratowitch
Michele is Director of Clearing Skies and provides counselling, consulting and project management. She has experience working with students, parents and teachers in schools and through a number of GERRIC programs. Michele has qualifications in Social Work and Gifted Education and was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study the counselling and intervention needs of gifted children, adolescents and families.
Damien Kee
Damien obtained his PhD in Robotics from UQ in 2007. He has been teaching robotics, engineering and fundamental software concepts to students and teachers throughout Queensland for over six years. Damien is currently the Australian representative on the RoboCup Junior International Committee.
Bev Langbein
Bev Langbein is the Gifted Education Coordinator at Kirwan State School, as well as fulfilling the roles of Reading Recovery teacher and class teacher with the Early Phase. She has taught in all facets of education including being director of a Montessori preschool to tutoring indigenous adults studying for their Bachelor of Education Degree. Bev has taught in state and private education throughout Australia.
Tracey Lenarduzzi
Tracey has worked as a primary school teacher in Brisbane for 11 years, currently working at Villanova College, Coorparoo, as a Learning Enrichment Teacher. Tracey's passion is enriching the experiences of bright and talented youngsters, and she has coordinated several programs at Villanova, with teams experiencing national success in both Tournament of Minds and Macquarie Bank Future Problem Solving Program. Tracey recently completed her Masters of Education in Special Education, and took on the State Directorship for Tournament of Minds (Qld) in 2006. TOM (Qld) was definitely back on the map in 2007, with many of our students achieving recognition at national level.
Peter Merrotsy
After eighteen years experience as a teacher of mathematics in rural New South Wales, Dr Peter Merrotsy was appointed as a Lecturer in Gifted and Talented Education at the University of New England in 2004. His research is focused on the education of gifted students from backgrounds of disadvantage (low SES, cultural minority status, rural and isolated contexts). He is the editor of the journal TalentEd and co-editor of Gifted and Talented International. Recent projects include Workshops for Parents of Gifted Children in Regional and Remote Areas of Australia, and the Wii Gaay Project, which identified gifted Aboriginal children followed by an intervention to support them to achieve their potential at school.
Fiona Meyer
Fiona is Opti-MINDS Director; Challenge Writer; Judge; International Presenter; Artist; and a former Branch President, Committee Member and Counsellor for QAGTC. Fiona has been involved in Tournament of Minds and Opti-MINDS for 19 years, 14 of them as Director; and is a veteran of workshop presentations. Her expansive knowledge and experience of thinking functions and strategies, enhanced by her work in this field with students throughout Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Torres Strait Islands, New Zealand and Singapore, has led to her development of various thinking processes and tools. Fiona continues to pursue a lifelong passionate interest in people, creativity, brain functions and thinking strategies.
Peter McGrath
Peter has recently been appointed Director of Special Programs at QASMT and is responsible for Gifted and Talented Education, Alliance Programs with university and industry and fostering links for gifted students in the wider community. He has a Bachelors degree in English, a Masters in Linguistics and a Postgraduate Diploma of Education. His career has spanned four states and territories of Australia and teaching in international schools in the Pacific, Asia and Europe. He has had seventeen years of experience as Head of English in various schools and roles as Deputy Principal in a number of schools.
Mirella Olivier
Dr Mirella Olivier is a qualified medical doctor. She has a Masters of Health Sciences (Deakin University Melbourne), and is currently studying towards receiving her PhD(LaTrobe University Melbourne). Mirella has also completed Health Education and Communication training and became involved in teaching at the primary and tertiary levels, with specific focus on gifted education. Mirella is the BRAINways EDUCATION coordinator.
Bronwyn Olsson
Bronwyn is one of the Gifted Education Project Officers for Education Queensland in the Greater Brisbane Region. Through the facilitation of the G.E.M. (Gifted Education Mentors) Program, she passionately supports, trains and mentors educators as they gain the expertise to cater for gifted students within their school community. Positions she has held in her past lives range from Class Teacher to Learning Support Teacher, from Primary Music Specialist to G&T Coordinator.
Andrew Pegler & Mary Killeen
Andrew and Mary live on a 24,000 hectare sheep/cattle station near the tiny town of Yaraka, in outback Queensland. Additionally, they run a water tank and water infrastructure requisite sales and delivery business from home. They have two gifted daughters, aged 23 and 11. Both are involved with the Isolated Children's Parents' Association with Andrew being Federal Vice President and Mary Yaraka/Isisford Branch President. They have been active members of the Yaraka State School P & C Association since 1990 and are members of the QAGTC. They have both always been passionate about education, especially that of geographically isolated children. Their interest in, and involvement with, gifted education has escalated since the birth of their second daughter.
Toni Riordan
Toni is Curriculum Support Area Leader at Nudgee College and was Head of Enrichment until 2007. In that time she implemented a whole school approach to educating gifted and talented boys. She has taken on the newly created role, Head of Core Studies Year 9 this year and hopes to utilise much of the pedagogy developed while working in the gifted education area.
Glenda Seymour
Glenda is new to teaching, having entered the arena following six years as a Science Laboratory technician at JCU, where her passion for teaching forced a career change. Building on knowledge from 12 years' experience with students with disability, has enabled her to differentiate curriculum through a multi-sensory approach. She is passionate about assisting all students to work to their potential.
Sue Stevens
Sue has been a science teacher since 1983 in a number of private schools in Sydney and a variety of schools in Brisbane. While raising a family, she undertook a COGE qualification from UNSW and then a M.Ed. (Gifted Education) from UNE. Her passion is for the appropriate accommodation of all learners to maximise their potential. Acceleration is of particular personal and professional interest to Sue.
Lesley Sutherland
Lesley (MSc, CoGE, Grad.Dip, BA, Ph D candidate) has recently been appointed gifted and talented coordinator at A.B.Paterson College, Gold Coast Queensland. She has recently completed the UNSW (GERRIC) Certificate of Gifted Education with distinction and previously presented at the QAGTC and AAEGT Conferences as director of the Wyvern Centre for Extended Learning at Wesley College in Western Australia. She has been involved in gifted education for the last seven years in a wide variety of teaching, parental, administrative, research and gifted association roles.
Chris Sawrey
Chris has been teaching for some time. She has completed a Bachelor of Education, Graduate Diploma of Education (Learning Support), Certificate of Gifted Education (COGE) and a Masters in Gifted Education. Her role is as Learning Enrichment Coordinator in the Junior School at Sunshine Coast Grammar School.
Kathy Underhill
Kathy has 25 years' experience as a primary school teacher in the greater Brisbane area. Kathy qualified as key teacher for the Year 2 Diagnostic Net and has worked in Special Education for the last seven years. She is currently a Learning Enrichment Teacher at Villanova College, Coorparoo. Her passion is in the area of mathematics and problem solving. Kathy has been a facilitator of teams in the Tournament of Minds competition and as TOM Secretary, works with Tracey in the implementation of the program in Qld.
Jodie Valpied
With a background in teaching, Jodie has studied educational and psychological needs of gifted individuals extensively, including completion of a Master of Education degree and Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology. She has enjoyed presenting on giftedness internationally, and has worked as a consultant specialising in both giftedness and introversion. Jodie's current PhD research focuses on links between introversion, intelligence and sensitivity.
Sue Vasilevska
Sue is current president of the NSW Association for Gifted and Talented Children and is a past president of the AAEGT. Sue is a deputy principal in a NSW State disadvantaged school and has also been a deputy in a selective high school. Sue has worked as the NSW state gifted and talented consultant. Her doctorate investigated why students from minority groups were under-represented in State run gifted and talented programs. Sue enjoys teaching, presenting to parents and teachers and most importantly spending time with her family.
Kylie Wallis
Kylie has been teaching for many years. She has completed a Bachelor of Education, Graduate Diploma of Education (Special Education), Certificate of Gifted Education (COGE) and a Masters in Gifted Education. Her role at Sunshine Coast Grammar School is as Gifted Coordinator Middle/Senior School.
Diana Whitton
Dr Diana Whitton is an associate professor at the University of Western Sydney who has specialised in curriculum planning and development for gifted students. She has written and presented in the area nationally and internationally and been recognised for her achievements when she was awarded the eminent scholar in gifted education by the AAEGT.
Janelle Wills
Janelle is currently completing her PhD through QUT. Her research focuses on optimising the learning potential of gifted students with a reading disability with an emphasis on developing self-efficacy. She has over 20 years teaching experience as both a classroom teacher and Learning Support Specialist. Janelle is currently employed as an Educational Consultant for Independent Schools Queensland.
Ruth West
Ruth has worked as Director of Studies at QASMT since June 2007 with responsibility for Curriculum Planning, Assessment, Reporting and IB Coordination. Having completed an Honours Degree in Economics and Law and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education, Ruth started her teaching career in London, UK. Ruth has worked in a range of educational establishments in Europe, North America and Asia and has continued her own education, gaining an MSc in Managing School Improvement. Her most recent position prior to joining QASMT was as Deputy Principal at a state high school in Workingham, UK.
Hazel Wilton
Hazel is Guidance Officer at Kirwan State School and was a Guidance Counsellor in New Zealand for seven years before working with Education Queensland as a Guidance Officer for the past 20 years in both secondary and primary schools. A primary teacher in NSW in a previous life, she has also taught in England, Zimbabwe and in New Zealand.
Robyn Yared
Robyn has worked in the field of Gifted Education for over 10 years. She is committed to the professional learning of teachers and desires to enhance their ability to cater for the gifted. Robyn currently works as a Project Officer across two districts in the Greater Brisbane Region and also as Gifted Education Coordinator at Robertson State School. Through her work with students, parents and educators, Robyn has gained firsthand experience with the complexities surrounding the education of the gifted. Her knowledge has been further enhanced through postgraduate study in the guidance and counselling of the gifted.
Gail Young
Gail is an experienced early phase teacher and Chairperson of the Gifted and Talented committee at Holland Park State School. She has a Masters' Degree in Special Education specialising in Gifted and Talented Learners. Gail participated in the 2006 GEMS program and is the Gifted and Talented Mentor at Holland Park State School. Gail acknowledges and facilitates quality whole-school educational programs for gifted students that support and celebrate their unique needs, interests and advanced cognitive abilities. Gail accept challenges and positively responds to support her colleagues and to maintain shared responsibility with parents in providing programs that differentiate curriculum for gifted students. Gail is a committee member of the QAGTC Inc state management committee and an information volunteer.