Susan Darby

Susan Darby is currently the Principal of Edge Hill State School in Cairns. This successful primary school achieves literacy outcomes on par with the national average and sets a benchmark to which the Coen State School aspires.
Awarded the Far North Queensland Inaugural Educator of the Year Award by the Cairns Post, Susan’s thirty years of Service to Education Queensland has been greatly complemented by her qualifications including a Graduate Diploma of Education, Bachelor of Education (Distinction) and Master of Education. Susan’s diverse professional background has included classroom teaching, Teacher in charge in Distance Education, Recruitment and Selection and memberships on the Inaugural Board of the Queensland Studies Authority, the Show Case Board and the James Cook University PRAC Committee.
As Director of Cape Curriculum from 2002 to 2004, Susan brings with her a solid understanding of education and an ability to assist the project in developing crucial networks and connections in the education arena. Susan has a long term understanding of the need for connection between schools and community.

Don Anderson

Don Anderson is the Executive Director of Schools for Torres Strait and the Cape for the Department of Education and Arts. Previously the College Director for Cape York College, Don has a Bachelor of Education Studies and Post Graduate qualifications in Aboriginal and Islander Education, Education Administration and a Diploma in Teaching.
Don was previously seconded by the department to work with Cape York Partnerships in its early development and prompted the New Basics curriculum with the team in early 2001. He has an extensive teaching background in Cape York including holding the post of Principal in the Aurukun community.
With a personal and professional interest in Indigenous Education, Don strongly believes that educational outcomes can and will be improved with schools right across the region through the development of community partnerships.

Simon McNamara

Simon McNamara is currently the Group Chief Information Officer for the Westpac Banking Corporation and is regularly invited by various Banking and IT Organisations to speak at forums and conferences. His extensive qualifications include a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Economics and Statistics as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Science.
Previously, Simon has held various positions with Financial Institutions in London including Global CIO at Deutsche Bank, and Head of Trading Technology at Midland Bank/Midland Montagu.

Over the last number of years Simon has been integral in arranging and fully supporting secondments of Westpac members to the Cape York Program. Simon brings to the project over twenty years of experience with various organisations around the world.

Professor Kevin Wheldall

Kevin Wheldall has been Professor of Education at Macquarie University, Director of Macquarie University Special Education Centre, and Principal of MUSEC School for Children with Special Learning Needs since 1990. He is President Elect of Learning Difficulties Australia and Executive Director of LDA Publications (including editing the Australian Journal of Learning Disabilities). He also edits the journal Educational Psychology and has published over 150 books, chapters and journal articles.
A registered Psychologist, he is a fellow of the British Psychological Society and the College of Preceptors. He is also currently the Director of MULTILIT ('Making Up Lost Time In Literacy'), both a research and development initiative and an intervention program targeting low-progress readers. With MULTILIT being rolled out in Coen and in an Indigenous rural community for the first time, Kevin has a keen interest in not only following the progress of his program, but also seeing the children in the community realise their educational potential.
Kevin brings with him a wealth of experience in an advisory capacity as he is also an adviser to both state and federal government education bodies and ministers on matters relating to Special Education.

Ann Creek

Ann Creek is a Southern Kaanju woman from Coen and, representing the Southern Kaanju people on the board of the Coen Regional Aboriginal Corporation, she is a leader in her community. Ann was instrumental in getting the Every Child Is Special project up and running in her community and is a strong advocate for education as Chair of the Parents Education Group.
Ann has been involved in many areas of the project including establishing the partnerships with Multilit and sitting on the Course Development Advisory Committee that developed the course that is being delivered to the young adults in her community by the tutors on the project. Ann also sits on the Boards of Cape York Partnerships and the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership.
Ann brings to the board a passionate understanding of the need for Indigenous education reform and a strong desire to see parents in her community demanding quality education for their children.

Dr Dale Anderson

Dale Anderson was appointed to the role of Institute Director at the Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE in early 2001. He has also been the Regional Director of the North Queensland Region of the Department of Employment and Training.

Dale has an extensive professional background in education and began his career as a teacher. He later became a guidance officer and then a Senior Lecturer in Education Administration at James Cook University. Dale has a PhD in educational leadership, and a professional interest in Education Administration and Education Service Delivery in remote communities.

Passionate about the need for change, Dale has been with Cape York Partnerships since its inception and is a board member of the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership. Dale tells us that, “doing what has always been done is not the best way to bring about the change we need”.

Peter Callaghan

Peter Callaghan is the Chief Executive Officer for the Coen Regional Aboriginal Corporation. Peter has a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is a Certified Public Accountant with extensive experience with business management and accounting.

Specialising in taking troubled organisations and making them functional, he has worked with a number of major corporations around Australia and PNG. Recently, Peter established his own business and provides services to a number of indigenous communities.

Peter has also worked in bringing about partnerships between government, the Coen community and Cape York Partnerships for the past five years. Having lived and worked in indigenous communities and with indigenous people for over eight years, he brings a solid understanding of the realities and the possibilities for these communities.

Mike Lynskey

Mike Lynskey is the CEO of Reconciliation Australia, which is a non-government, not-for-profit foundation established in January 2001 to lead the national movement toward reconciliation and places education as its number one priority.

Mike has undertaken Post Graduate studies in History, Politics and Librarianship and has been a librarian at the National Library of Australia. While in this role Mike was instrumental in helping to establish the Australian National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra. As the former CEO of the Fred Hollows Foundation, Mike has also worked to improve the health outcomes of Indigenous Australians.

With a professional interest in politics, economic development and Indigenous issues, Mike brings with him extensive national and international experience in development and fundraising.

Gabrielle Matters

Gabrielle Matters is a Principal Research Fellow with the Australian Council for Educational Research. She has extensive qualifications including a Bachelor of Science from The University of Queensland and a PhD in the field of psychometrics from Queensland University of Technology.

Formerly the Director Assessment and New Basics at the Queensland Department of Education and the arts, Gabrielle has been recognised for her work with a Queensland Chapter Medal from the Australian College of Educators, as well as a Centenary of Federation Medal for services to education in Queensland.

Gabrielle brings her years of experience in education, along with her professional interests in educational measurement, research and reform.

Kim Bannikoff

Kim Bannikoff is the Director of Queensland Studies Authority and has a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma in Education.
Kim began his career in education in 1971 as a teacher in Victorian technical schools and went on to work in TAFE Colleges as a teacher and administrator. After Kim returned to Queensland, he was appointed Assistant Director-General (Strategic Planning and Portfolio Services) at Education Queensland to lead the development of the Queensland Government’s blueprint for school education in Queensland to 2010.
While working for Education Queensland in 1999–2000, he worked with Cape schools and with Noel Pearson and Allan Luke on the initial stages of the involvement of the Education Department in Cape York Partnerships. He brings to the group his expertise in the areas of educational opportunity for indigenous students, and making things happen in the public sector, “however slowly”.

Di Weddell

Di Weddell is the Branch Head of the Schools Outcomes Group for the Department of Education, Science and Training. In this role Di has managed the Australian Government’s targeted programmes in Literacy and Numeracy and she has represented the Government in national taskforces on school performance, assessment and early childhood.
With a Bachelor in Education as well as a Masters in Education, Di was previously a teacher in high schools and senior colleges. She also lectured in education in areas such as Teaching Studies, Curriculum and Evaluation. As Parliamentary Officer with the Australian Senate, Di is currently leading a taskforce for the National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy.
Di has a professional interest in building teams and networks of people to contribute to improving national outcomes. As a leader and team player, she brings her experiences in social policy to assist in achieving better outcomes for the children and families in Cape York.

Noel Pearson

Noel Pearson is a member of the Bama Bagaarrmugu from Kalpowa and Jeanie River area in the south Eastern Cape York region. A History and Law graduate, Noel is the Director of Cape York Partnerships and voluntary team leader of Every Child Is Special.
From the early 1980s Noel co-founded the Cape York Land Council and under his stewardship the organisation completed groundbreaking projects that inspired indigenous groups across the country. These included the Native Title campaigns that lead to the Wik decision, the Cape York Heads of Agreement and the Comalco Agreement. Noel is also the Director of the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership which aims to drive policy innovation and move to include a model of active Indigenous participation in public policy debates. Noel continues to work as an advisor to Indigenous organisations in Cape York.
Noel's current work draws widely on his thoughts on breaking down ‘passive welfare dependency' amongst Cape York Indigenous people, by reinstating the rights of Indigenous people to take responsibility for their lives. He brings with him a passion for change and an inspiring record of ambitious and groundbreaking achievements.