 Anthony Semann
Anthony Semann is one of the Directors and founders at Semann & Slattery. For the past 15 years he has worked as a researcher, consultant and manager with a broad range of government, non-government and private organisations.
His skills and expertise have seen him work with organisations across Australia and overseas including Columbia University (New York) as well as in France and New Zealand.
Anthony has an exceptional capacity to challenge organisations and people to reflect on how their approaches to communication, leadership, diversity, values, relationships and workplace culture affect what they do, their services and ultimately the community.
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 Ben Newsome
Ben Newsome founded Fizzics Education in 2004 to deliver science education across Australia and now reaches 350,000 students a year with staff in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.
He is a qualified science teacher, former CSIRO Education member, 2013 Churchill Fellow, 2015, 2016 and 2018 Australian Small Business Children’s Education Services Winner.
In 2012 Ben co-founded the non-profit Virtual Excursions Australia, which has now grown to include over 40 major cultural institutions and departmental distance education managers. In 2015 he co-founded another non-profit called the Pinnacle Education Collaborative, a network of over 30 cultural organisations in North America that deliver virtual excursions to schools, retirement homes, remand centres and more.
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 Catharine Hydon
Catharine Hydon is the Director and Principal Consultant at Hydon Consulting. She has a Masters in early childhood education and draws on her experience and ongoing practice research to consider how theory connects and informs practice.
Catharine’s involvement in the early childhood sector is an important part of her commitment to the outcomes for children. She is a long-time member of Early Childhood Australia (ECA) currently serving as the Co-chair of the Reconciliation Advisory Group and is a regular contributor in ECA publications. Catharine has been a member of the ECA Code of Ethics working group for the last two reviews and is a co-author on the recently published Ethics in Action Implementation guide. Catharine is a Board Member of the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority and the Early Years-10 Curriculum and Assessment Committee for the VCAA and has recently been appointed as a second tier reviewer for ACECQA.
Catharine is a dynamic speaker and collaborative facilitator and is skilled at engaging professionals in reflective dialogue and creative conversations.
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 Child Wise
Child Wise is one of Australia's leading not-for-profit child abuse prevention organisations. Established in 1991, Child Wise work to build awareness, deliver education and provide the tools to empower individuals and communities around Australia so they can actively prevent child abuse and exploitation.
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 Jessica Staines (The Koori Curriculum)
The Koori Curriculum is an Aboriginal early childhood consultancy based in Sydney’s inner west. Consultants at the Koori Curriculum facilitate a range of professional development workshops for educators that help guide the inclusion of Aboriginal perspectives in early childhood curriculums.
The Koori Curriculum is operated by Jessica Staines, a Wiradjuri woman who is also an early childhood teacher. Jessica has worked in early childhood for over ten years in both urban and rural services. Whilst working in early childhood Jessica naturally found herself supporting educators to become more culturally aware and feel confident in embedding Aboriginal perspectives in their program.
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 Karen Glancy
Karen Glancy is an early childhood trainer, consultant and mentor. Karen has extensive experience working in all sectors of early childhood and as well as being co-founder of Early Childhood Pickers. Karen co-owns a gardening and landscaping business and has a range of qualifications including a Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies and a Horticulture Certificate.
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 Lisa Baker
Lisa Baker has been in the field of early childhood education for 29 years. She holds a Master of Applied Positive Psychology and Bachelor of Education, specialising in Early Childhood, and over two decades of professional experience, action research and practitioner enquiry.
Lisa has a depth and breadth of knowledge and experience early childhood and is an engaging speaker.
Lisa believes early childhood is a critical and powerful time for growth and learning – in cognitive, social, emotional, neurological and physical domains. She advocates that wellbeing and meaningful relationships must be integral to positive education environments and that respect for the competency of children be prioritised in order that they flourish.
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 Louise Dorrat
Louise studied drama, voice and dance and performed professionally in Children’s Theatre before changing career 30 years ago to early childhood. She has a long history of managing a broad range of early year's programs and teaches the Bachelor of Education at a number of Universities focusing on social justice and the creative arts.
Louise assisted in the establishment of the Westgarth Bush kinder and worked in the bush setting for 2 years. She delivers professional development across Australia and New Zealand. Louise’s background in theatre results in presentations that are at once engaging and informative.
MEd, BTeach, Dip SSc,
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 Dr Red Ruby Scarlett
Dr Red Ruby Scarlet is an activist, early childhood teacher, researcher, consultant, artist and academic. She has been working in early childhood for over 25 years and is devoted to creative, imaginative, inclusive practices that promote dignity and integrity in early childhood. She has developed curriculum and learning frameworks both nationally and internationally and has won numerous awards for her teaching and advocacy.
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