Mark Corrie has Torres Strait Islander, Maori and English heritage. He holds a Bachelor of Education – Primary P-10 and has worked in a range of leadership roles, most recently as Principal of Tyrrell College F-12 at Sea Lake North Western Victoria. Mark is an experienced facilitator, executive coach and mentor. He is currently working with school leaders in the state-wide SPPIKE program. Mark’s passion is working collaboratively with school communities to develop positive, sustainable workplace cultures and improving learning outcomes for Indigenous students.
Mark is a strong advocate for building authentic relationships because this creates authentic relationship and puts people at ease. It builds trust and safety it shows empathy when we sit and listen and not owning the space by talking about self all the time. It centres on being personable enough and finding commonalities in life, so people feel trusted, safe and heard.
Mitch Tambo is undoubtedly one of Australia's most unique and electrifying First Nations entertainers, often hailed as "the new voice of our generation." His debut album, "Guurrama-Li," made an indelible mark on the music charts, rapidly ascending to top positions not only in Australia but also in the UK, US, Europe, Asia, and New Zealand upon its release.
Beyond his musical prowess, Mitch is an accomplished presenter, hosting Blak Excellence for Meta, Yarning Strong online and live series, and the children's TV series MusoMagic Outback Tracks, a production that showcases and celebrates positive stories in remote Aboriginal communities. Mitch has even lent his voice to the character Tez the Echidna in an ‘Outback Christmas’ episode.
Mitch's commitment to social causes is equally noteworthy. He serves as Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador for Support Act and is their Ambassador for Aus Music T-shirt Day. He has collaborated with Commercial Radio Australia on The Voice mental health campaign across Australian radio and has previously been a UNICEF ambassador. His unwavering commitment to social change continues to make him a remarkable force in both the entertainment industry and the broader community.
Libby Birch is an accomplished AFLW player, a promising media talent, and a qualified physiotherapist. Libby earned her reputation as one of the AFLW’s premier players the hard way – through determination and absolute dedication to her craft. Growing up a gifted netballer, both captaining Victoria and participating in multiple Australian squads, Libby had never even considered playing football, but at 18, on the eve of the AFLW’s inception, she was awarded a chance opportunity by now good friend Daisy Pearce and never looked back. Libby personifies what it means to be a team player on and off the field. She is a natural leader who is extremely driven and highly competitive. She is relatable and energetic, generous with her time and never wavers from her values and beliefs.
Away from playing, Libby is a qualified physiotherapist, working in disability and hospital wards. She is also an emerging media talent in the football world and holds many roles including co-hosting, expert commentary, football analysis, boundary riding and as a print columnist. For the 2023 AFL (Men's) season, Libby has earned a prominent role within 3AW Football Team as a Boundary Rider and providing expert analysis 'Around the Grounds'. Libby is passionate about getting young girls and women involved in sport to have fun, improve their health and wellbeing, and develop life skills.
Simon Hamilton started out as a trained primary teacher with DET in 1984 at Naranga School and then transitioned to secondary teaching after completing a further science degree and later, a Masters in Education. Simon was fortunate to work in the country up at Kerang for 7 years and then in leadership roles in the principal class at Mt Erin SC, Pakenham SC and the principal at Western Port SC.
Simon joined the Southern Metropolitan Region in 2008 and has held several senior roles since then including Assistant Regional Director, responsibility of Casey Tech School Planning, Emergency Management, new school program and infrastructure and growth. He has been lucky to have been SEIL in four networks across both Bayside Peninsula and Southern Melbourne areas. Simon was fortunate enough to spend 18 months as Acting Area Executive Director in Inner Gippsland in 2017 and 2018 before commencing in his current role as Area Executive Director in 2019..
Anneliese Freitag, Psychologist and Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA), is the Department of Education (DE) Behaviour Coach for South East Victoria Region. Her role currently sits within the newly formed Health and Wellbeing Branch of the Student Wellbeing and Engagement Division (SWED).Anneliese began work for DE in 2013 as a Student Support Services (SSS)Psychologist working predominantly in Greater Dandenong, before seconding to the BCBA Pilot Project in 2018. Her current work, as SEVR Behaviour Coach invests heavily in increasing broader Behaviour Science knowledge within the Region and aims to build the skills of others.
Tom Cazaly is a proud Noongar man and currently Manager: Health & Wellbeing, with the Student Wellbeing & Engagement Division for the South Eastern Victoria Region. Tom is a trained teacher and has held teaching, Leading Teacher and Principal Class positions across Victoria, Western Australia and the United Kingdom. Tom holds a Bachelor of Arts, Graduate Diploma of Teaching, Masters of Teaching and Graduate Diploma of Educational Leadership. Tom has worked in both the Secondary and Special Education contexts and is passionate about supporting schools to embed strong inclusion, wellbeing and behaviour practice
Principal in Residence, Leadership Excellence Division
Kendra Parker is currently Principal in Residence at the Academy, having most recently been principal of Lysterfield Primary School. As a school leader she is passionate about developing students with the knowledge, skills and characteristics to be productive and successful in their future in a global, connected society by nurturing their curiosity and passion for learning. At the Academy, Kendra is committed to developing leaders at all levels who have this same passion for students. Her work at the Academy has included working with Viviane Robinson on the Academy Leadership Excellence Framework and creating a set or resources to support schools to reach for educational leadership excellence. As a facilitator for Leading Quality Conversations, and previously Leading by LearningTM, Kendra believes that leading quality conversations in schools is critical for leaders at all levels to solve complex problems, build and maintain trust and enable a true learning community for students, staff and community.
Principal in Residence, Leadership Excellence Division
Simone Eirth is a dedicated public educator and committed to systemwide improvement. Currently working as a Principal in Residence within the esteemed Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership. Simone brings a wealth of experience and passion to her role. With a diverse background in school leadership across New South Wales and Victoria, she has continually championed student agency and empowered staff by building capacity and recognising the impact of their teaching on student achievement. At the Academy, Simone is part of the Professional Leaning Partnerships team, and a facilitator for Leading Quality Conversations. She works across a number of strategic priorities at the Academy which includes the development of resources for the Academy’s Leadership Excellence Framework. Simone has always been a keen learner and is relishing the experience of contributing and facilitating professional learning at the Academy.