Dr Emma Beckett
The University of Newcastle and Nutrition Research Australia
Dr Emma Beckett is the Ms Frizzle of food and nutrition science. Emma believes knowledge should be shared, and so she is a scientist who communicates – regularly appearing in print, online, on radio, television and social media. Her aim is to share food and nutrition science in a digestible way to empower people everyday. She has won several research and communications awards, including being named as a NSW Young Tall Poppy in 2017.
Assoc Prof Jennifer Boddy
Griffith University
Jennifer Boddy is an internationally recognised researcher with expertise in climate violence. Most recently she has focused on the intersections between domestic violence and climate change, and examined alternative approaches to working with male perpetrators of violence that are situated within the natural environment. Her work is grounded in a commitment to social and environmental justice, and through her research, she seeks to create safe and sustainable environments free from violence. In her role as Dean (Sustainable Development Goals Performance), Jennifer is responsible for driving staff and student engagement with and performance against the Goals, seeking to
ensure that Griffith University fulfils its vision to transform lives and create a future that benefits all.
Dr Alison Booth
Deakin University
Alison Booth is Registered Nutritionist and Senior Lecturer at Deakin University. She co-leads the School Food and Nutrition research group within the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN). Her research specialises in food and nutrition in primary and secondary schools, including food and nutrition education, teacher professional development in food and nutrition and school food environments including food policy, food gardens and lunches. She is the Australian-lead on ‘Growing a Transnational Food Literacy Education Partnership’ (FLIP) with Food Literacy and Home Economics leaders in Canada, USA, Sweden and Australia.
Emma Breen
Food Standards Australia New Zealand
Emma Breen is a dietitian and Registered Public Health Nutritionist. She has extensive experience working with key agencies, organisations and government departments to develop clinical and public health guidelines and advice based on the best available scientific evidence. In her current role as the Director of Public Health Nutrition at Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Emma is responsible for nutrition-related amendments to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. She is also the Australian Delegation Lead to the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses.
Dr Jay Deagon
CQUniversity
As Senior Lecturer of Home Economics at CQUniversity’s College of Education, Jay is passionate about energising the next generation of Home Economics teachers. She advocates Home Economics as a unique knowledge system for empowering individuals, families and communities to enact sustainable solutions to unique challenges. Jay is the current IFHE Vice-President (Pacific), serves on the International Journal of Home Economics editorial board and founded the HomeEcConnect social network. Jay’s eclectic national and international vision of Home Economics is informed by 15 years of study, service, teaching and research.
Dr Sandra Fordyce-Voorham
Holmesglen TAFE
Sandra Fordyce-Voorham is an experienced home economics teacher who recently has transitioned into the higher education sector as a Community and Social Inclusion Teacher. Sandra has been involved with the HEIA/McCormick Foods Flavour Forecast recipe challenge including presenting webinars to support teachers and judging. Sandra has been involved with home economics at a state level and internationally for several decades and is actively involved with HEIA(V) as a member of their committee of management. She has expertise in food skills, food literacy and digital technologies.
Sharon Foster
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
Sharon Foster was appointed Director, Curriculum in November 2021. She initially joined ACARA in September 2020 as Senior Manager, leading the consultation process for the review of the Australian Curriculum. Sharon came to ACARA from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), where she was the Manager of the Victorian Curriculum: F-10 Unit responsible for the development and delivery of the Victorian F-10 Curriculum. Prior to that, she worked in senior program and policy roles across the Department of Education and Training, Victoria focused on developing and delivering curriculum projects and professional learning programs.
Prof Gwendolyn Hustvedt
International Federation for Home Economics
Professor Gwendolyn Hustvedt teaches textiles and product development at Texas State University. Dr. Hustvedt began her involvement with the International Federation for Home Economics in 2008, attending the 100th anniversary World Congress in Lucerne Switzerland and has attended each World Congress since. Dr. Hustvedt was excited to start her term as IFHE President in 2020 and is looking forward to the 25th World Congress in Galway, Ireland in 2024. She sees her leadership of IFHE as an opportunity to bring international collaboration to a new generation of Home Economists.
Dannielle Miller OAM
Enlighten Education and Goodfellas
Dannielle Miller is the co-founder and CEO of leading in-school wellbeing providers for girls, Enlighten Education. She is also the Director of Education for Women’s Community Shelters, and was a founding board director for The Sanctuary, a refuge for women and children fleeing domestic violence in north-West Sydney. Dannielle has engaged with tens of thousands of students on respectful relationships and enthusiastic consent education nationally, and also worked with leading corporates on this including KPMG and Lendlease. Her education programs are trauma informed and survivor centred. Dannielle is also a highly sought after media commentator who has written numerous feature articles on domestic violence. She is also a best-selling author; her books include the title she co-authored with sexual assault activist Nina Funnell, Loveability - An Empowered Girl’s Guide to Dating and Relationships.
Dr Dan Pronk
The Resilience Shield
Dr Dan Pronk studied medicine on an army scholarship and upon graduating moved quickly into Special Operations following successful completion of the SAS selection course. He served four tours of duty in Afghanistan and was awarded the Commendation for Distinguished Service for his leadership in action on his second tour. Upon discharge from the army, Dan completed an MBA and has since held medical leadership roles. He has a deep interest in resilience and is the co-author of the best-selling book The Resilience Shield, which presents resilience as a dynamic, multifactorial, and modifiable construct.
Assoc Prof Erica Southgate
The University of Newcastle
Erica Southgate is Associate Professor of Emerging Technologies for Education (University of Newcastle, Australia). She is a teacher educator and maker of computer games for literacy. Erica is an expert on AI ethics for education and lead researcher on the VR School Study, the longest-running research on embedding VR into school classrooms across subject areas. She is lead author on the Australian Government commissioned report, ‘Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies (AR, MR and VR) in Schools’ and author of ‘Virtual Reality in Curriculum and Pedagogy: Evidence from Secondary Classrooms’ (Routledge). For more on Erica’s research see her websites https://vrschoolresearch.com/ and https://ericasouthgateonline.wordpress.com/
Lucianne Tonti
The Sunday Paper
Lucianne Tonti has worked as a sustainable fashion consultant and journalist in Melbourne, Sydney, London and Paris. She is the Fashion Editor for The Saturday Paper and a regular contributor to The Guardian where she writes the column Closet Clinic about how to care for your clothes. Her first book Sundressed: Natural Fibres and the Future of Fashion, was released in 2022. While living in Paris, Lucianne founded a showroom and consultancy for high-end, sustainable designers from the United States, Europe and Australia. In 2020, Lucianne launched the sustainable fashion site Prelude, which was profiled in Vogue as ‘pav[ing] the way for a slower, “gentler” fashion industry’.
Concurrent speakers
Susan Brandt and Wendy Hunt (retired)
Brighton Secondary School (SA)
Susan Brandt is a dedicated full-time Home Economics teacher in Adelaide, specialising in textiles. She holds an undergraduate degree in Clothing and Textiles and a master’s degree in teaching. Wendy Hunt, a retired Home Economics teacher and active member of SA Quilters, possesses a wealth of experience in teaching textiles and has won multiple awards for her exceptional quilts. Together, Wendy and Susan share a passion for imparting their sewing techniques and skills to both teachers and students, promoting skill development, creativity, and overall well-being.
Chrissy Collins
Kingswood College (VIC)
Chrissy is an experienced Food Studies and Health and Human Development teacher from Kingswood College, Victoria. She is an author for Cambridge University Press since 2007, developing junior and senior Food Studies and Health and Human Development textbooks. Chrissy aims to motivate and inspire her own students by sharing her love of learning and passion for her subject areas, by working with each student to help them reach their full potential.
Dr Leanne Compton
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
Leanne is a Past-president of HEIA and HEIA(V), Curriculum Manager, Design and Technologies at the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and chair of the Advisory Committee for the King and Amy O'Malley Trust. She also was a member of the ACARA Technologies Review Panel. Leanne works closely with teachers to understand and use curriculum documents in home economics-related studies and regularly presents to teachers on using curriculum to develop teaching and learning programs and developing assessment that is fair, valid, equitable and balanced.
Steph Daughtry and Hannah Rohrlach
Post Dining
Post Dining is an Adelaide-based immersive food design company established in 2016. Co-Directors Hannah Rohrlach and Steph Daughtry work across the arts industry, education sector and corporate worlds to creative immersive experiences that are designed to re-imagine our relationship with food and the environment. Hannah is an Accredited Practising Dietitian, food designer and visual artist. Steph is a producer and multidisciplinary artist using installation, film, sound, and participatory elements to connect with audiences. Together, they bring teams of multidisciplinary artist together to create new designs. Web: www.post-dining.com.
Dr Jay Deagon
CQUniversity
As Senior Lecturer of Home Economics at CQUniversity’s College of Education, Jay is passionate about energising the next generation of Home Economics teachers. She advocates Home Economics as a unique knowledge system for empowering individuals, families and communities to enact sustainable solutions to unique challenges. Jay is the current IFHE Vice-President (Pacific), serves on the International Journal of Home Economics editorial board and founded the HomeEcConnect social network. Jay’s eclectic national and international vision of Home Economics is informed by 15 years of study, service, teaching and research.
Amy Farrell
Hester Hornbrook Academy
Amy Farrell, a proud Yuwi woman, raised on Darkinjung Country and living on Wurundjeri Country is a social worker working with children, young people, and their families to address child mental health, family functioning, communication, and parenting practices at Hester Hornbrook Academy. Amy is passionate about working with people of all ages and stages, cultures, abilities, sexualities, and genders. Amy has completed extensive clinical professional development in Trauma Informed Care, leadership, clinical supervision, therapeutic interventions in mental health and childhood development. Amy is also passionate about advocating for First Nations people, providing professional development to staff, evidence-based practice, and organizational and strategic development.
Natasha Farrier
Henley High School (SA)
Natasha is a teacher at Henley High School (9 Years) and lead teacher of the Child Studies Curriculum. She co-led the implementation of the first pilot Flexible Industry Pathway (FIP) for Early Education in South Australia. She was the in-school trainer for the Cert III Early Childhood Education and Care up until 2021 and has since developed an engaging contextualized curriculum named “Year 10 Early Educator” that supports FIP and tertiary education pathways through Child Studies across Years 10 - 12.
Andrew Fielke
Creative Native is a South Australian company that is owned and operated by award-winning chef, author and native food providore Andrew Fielke. Andrew first gained an interest in native foods after working in Europe refining his cooking craft and learning about how food plays such an integral part of culture. Andrew then began working with native foods in 1985, and later opened the Red Ochre restaurant in 1992, which was one of the first restaurants in the country to focus almost solely on native foods. In 2001 Creative Native Foods was founded and continues to supply the very best restaurants across the country, as part of their mission to help develop a true Australian cuisine.
Dr Sandra Fordyce-Voorham
HEIA(V)
Sandra Fordyce-Voorham is an experienced home economics teacher who recently has transitioned into the higher education sector as a Community and Social Inclusion Teacher. Sandra has been involved with the HEIA/McCormick Foods Flavour Forecast recipe challenge including presenting webinars to support teachers and judging. Sandra has been involved with home economics at a state level and internationally for several decades and is actively involved with HEIA(V) as a member of their committee of management. She has expertise in food skills, food literacy and digital technologies.
Katie Frampton
Peter Carnley Anglican Community School (WA)
Katie Frampton is a passionate home economics teacher with over a decade of experience. Known for her innovative approach to teaching, she inspires students to embrace culinary skills, nutrition, and sustainable living. With a focus on practical applications, Katie empowers her students to develop lifelong skills and a deep appreciation for the art of food.
Renee Hutton
Endeavour College (SA)
Renee is a committee member of HEIA SA. Through her online networking platform 'The Home Economics Teacher- Australia and New Zealand', she has had the opportunity to work with teachers across Australia and NZ from a vast range of sites and contexts, in collaborating on ways to revitalise their Home Economics curriculum through task design. As the head of Food Technology, Renee has had the opportunity over the past few years to overhaul their Food Curriculum, bringing her experiences from living in both Australia and New Zealand to design assessment tasks that are innovative, engaging and encourage growth within the subject area to ensure its success into the future.
Amanda Johnson, Jodi Monro, Ilka Klepper, and Jonnie Read
Scotch College (SA)
The presenting group are a dynamic, cohesive team of experienced teachers who are striving to embed cross curricular learning opportunities to students with a focus on sustainable economies and wellbeing within the food, fibre and agricultural curriculum. Amanda Johnson is Head of Technologies and Visual Art, senior food technology and food and hospitality teacher and oversees the LiveWell program Year 7 – 8. Jodi Monro is Head of Textiles Technology and food technology teacher. Ilka Klepper is Head of Agriculture and lead teacher in agriculture Jonnie Read is an innovative agriculture and science teacher.
Vanessa Krolig
Peter Carnley Anglican Community School (WA)
Vanessa Krolig is a graduate teacher with a Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Science. Her expertise in the field brings a unique perspective to the classroom, fostering a love for science and culinary arts among her students.
Madison Lucas
OzHarvest
Madison Lucas is OzHarvest's FEAST Projects Lead, focusing on program growth and coordinating the roll-out of the program in Australia. Madi's passion for holistic health education stems from her studies in nutrition, health promotion, public health, and education. Madi's nutrition knowledge and experience teaching in rural communities has enabled her to roll-out FEAST, ensuring all children can learn where food comes from, its nutritional value and how to prepare healthy meals sustainably in a classroom.
Alexandra Manson
Flinders University
Alexandra Manson is a research dietitian, PhD candidate and King and Amy O’Malley Scholar, in the Caring Futures Institute at Flinders University. She is a HEIA SA committee member and is passionate about home economics and the future of the profession. Alexandra's research focuses on improving the health behaviours of children and families. Her thesis is examining the current school food system and the parent priorities in a potential school-provided meal system in Australia.
Ngaire Mayo, Sarah Jonker, and Sarah Kinninment
Woodcrest State College (QLD)
Ngaire Mayo is a passionate Home Economics and Design teacher, currently Head of Department of Applied Technology at Woodcrest State College. She is a member of the HEIA (Q) committee and is HEIA (Q) conference co-convenor. Ngaire’s love of teaching and learning motivates her to seek innovative ways to improve student outcomes through curriculum and by coaching educators to further develop their own expertise. Sarah Kinninment and Sarah Jonker make up half of the Hospitality team at Woodcrest State College. They have been working together for the last 6 years to modernise and increase the uptake of Hospitality within the school. Sarah J is an experienced teacher who specialises in junior secondary Home Economics right through to senior Hospitality Practices and oversees the big hospitality events and manages the school Café space. Sarah K works as the Head of Student Engagement and Wellbeing to support disengaged students with functioning at school.
Kate Meakins
Henley High School (SA)
Home Economics teacher of 12 years, Kate Meakins is currently the Assistant principal of Design Technologies at Henley High School. Kate started her journey as a trainee for Hilton hotels Australia and completed an Advanced Diploma in Hotel and Hospitality Management. Working at Hilton Adelaide for 9 years, transferred her skills to becoming a specialist Food and Hospitality teacher. Passionate about Home Economics studies Kate received the Educators SA World Teachers Day Award for Outstanding Contribution to Home Economics Education in South Australia 2022.
Tess Monda
Somerville Secondary College (VIC)
Tess Monda is a teacher at Somerville Secondary College, Victoria. She is a VCE assessor and works with VCAA on various tasks. She has a passion for Home Economics and wants to add rigor to the 7-10 curriculum, ensuring students are challenged and engaged in the learning process. Tess has a solid understanding of the curriculum, rubrics and the importance of the continuum of learning for students’ progress.
Emily Murgatroyd
Scotch College (SA)
Adrian Newby
CQUniversity
Adrian Newby is a Lead Vocational Teacher at CQUniversity. As a trade qualified chef, his experience in industry encompasses 30 years with 18 of those years teaching within the Vocational Education and Training landscape. Adrian's involvement in both private and government Registered Training Organisations allowed him the opportunity to deliver non-accredited training to Community Job Agency Groups as a volunteer. Seven years ago, Adrian transitioned into Higher Education as a Tutor for CQUniversity's pre-service teacher Culinary Science for Teachers unit. His passion for this course and life-long learning has consequently drawn him into the professional field of Home Economics.
Jane Norton
Hester Hornbrook Academy
Jane Norton, an educator working in the flexible learning space at Hester Hornbrook Academy utilising her background as both Home Economist and Social Worker to engage, equip, empower, and extend vulnerable young people in learning. Students are 15-25 years old, long term disengaged from school and alongside the educator, supported in the classroom by a youth worker and education support worker as well as a diverse team of professionals providing wrap around services to make a difference in the lives of students few schools will accept.
Professor Donna Pendergast
Griffith University
Professor Pendergast is Director of Engagement in the Arts, Education and Law group at Griffith University. She is an expert in the fields of: early childhood and adolescent learners, including engagement, learning, wellbeing and middle years practices; school and sector policy reform and transformation. Donna has extensive experience as research leader in large scale projects featuring transformation, working extensively with organisations such as the Department of Education (Queensland), shifting Year 7 into secondary schools; the Education Directorate (ACT), co-creating a model for adolescent student engagement; the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, reforming the early years across the sector; Catholic Education South Australia, transforming middle years student engagement and school structures; ORBIS South Australia, shifting year 7 into secondary and developing capability in teachers, valued at $5 million+.
Carlie Sherwood
Cardijn College (SA)
Carlie teaches Food & Hospitality, Food technology. Design and Child Studies at Cardijn College, South Australia. She is a passionate educator who has taught in Australia for 11 years and before that, 5 in the UK. Carlie has also been on the SACE board as a marker, moderator, and supervisor for 10 years. Carlie graduated with Honours from the Birmingham City University with a BA in Design Technology and a Post Graduate Certificate in Design and Technology, Food and Textiles.
Hannah Smith
Marist Sion College (VIC)
Hannah is a passionate Food and Technology teacher from Marist Sion College, Victoria. She is an active Home Economics professional and author for Cambridge University Press. She is passionate about providing knowledge and guidance to new teachers in the field of Health and Home Economics in her role as a Postgraduate Trainer for Home Economics Victoria. Hannah aims to inspire and teach her students skills for life through her love of cooking and sharing food.
Sandy Smith
Edith Cowan University
Sandy Smith is the Food and Materials Technologies: Home Economics Coordinator at Edith Cowan University. Having been a Home Economics educator for over thirty years she has extensive experience in both curriculum and teaching, as well as associated Technologies units throughout Western Australia. Sandy has previously executed professional development sessions for teachers in Home Economics and Technologies Learning Areas for Schools, Sectors, Curriculum Council, HEIAWA and ECU, including metropolitan and regional areas of WA. She continues to do this at ECU, both on and off campus. In 2023 Sandy won a King and Amy O'Malley part time scholarship, supporting her post graduate studies.
Dr Courtney Thompson
Queensland University of Technology & University of the Sunshine Coast
Dr Courtney Thompson is a Registered Nutritionist (RNutr) with a PhD in public health nutrition. Her research interests include how food literacy interlinks with diet quality, food security and impacts on the broader food system. Courtney works as a Lecturer in Nutrition & Dietetics at the University of the Sunshine Coast and as Director of her company, NPR Consulting. She is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) a member of the Nutrition Society of Australia Communications Portfolio.
Anthea Tornatore
Marryatville High School
Anthea Tornatore is an Adelaide eco designer, and fashion design and textiles teacher at Marryatville High School. She holds an Advanced Diploma of Fashion Design and merchandising from TAFE SA and a Bachelor of Education (Music/Music Performance) from the University of Melbourne. She is passionate about advocating the slow fashion movement and embodying the 3 Rs 'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' in her work. Anthea has a small dressmaking business and independent label’s 'Symphony of Style' @adelaide_eco_eventwear and The Upcycle Atelier@adelaide_upcycle_atelier. She sells her bespoke Apparel and conducts upcycling presentations at Adelaide sustainability markets and fairs. Anthea's motto encapsulates the coming together of fabrics forgotten brought together to create a symphony.
Susannah Upham
HEIA(NSW)
Susannah is a Past-president of HEIA(NSW) and has worked across a number of Sydney high schools as a teaching and learning advisor. Her research areas are in leadership and evidence based practice. Her research is in using formative assess to further student development in soft skills.
Kay York
Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority
Kay York is a Learning Area Manager at the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority and supports the Senior Subjects in the HPE and Technologies Learning Area. Prior to working at the Authority she was a Head of Department and teacher of home economics for over 30 years in various schools across Queensland. Kay has been a President of HEIA and HEIA(Q). She is a Fellow of the Home Economics Institute of Australia. She has presented at various conferences and professional development opportunities.