Christopher is an author, keynote speaker, researcher, and the wellbeing specialist for the Phoenix Cups, and Phoenix Support for Educators. He is the co-author “The Phoenix Cups: A Cup Filling Story“, and tours Australia and beyond delivering the Phoenix Cups framework.

Christopher began his career in the corporate sector, however, his passion was for philosophy, wellbeing, and understanding human behaviour, grew his side hustle into a colourful full time career as an author, mentalist, and hypnotherapist.

Nina Ross is a proud Aboriginal woman with connections to Anaiwan and Dunghutti Lands while living and working on Wonnarua Country. She is a mother, wife, artist, and teacher and has 22 years’ experience in secondary schools, including writing educational resources for New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA).

She has written professional teacher learning programs that embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives to build cultural understanding. Nina believes reconciliation is everybody’s business and wants to help educators access and use resources in their classrooms. Since joining Reconciliation Australia’s Narragunnawali team, Nina leads the program’s Professional Learning and Curriculum strategy. 

Dr Sandra Cheeseman is Chief Executive Officer at the Creche and Kindergarten Association, Queensland (C&K).  Over her 40 or so year career in the early childhood sector, Sandra’s professional and academic roles have included early childhood teacher, director, senior lecturer in early childhood at Macquarie University, Sydney and more recently she has returned to where the action is to lead a large not-for -profit early childhood provider.

Sandra has been a key collaborator on a variety of projects and consultancies for Government and other education agencies. Her subject expertise spans early years curriculum, assessment, infant and toddler pedagogies, program quality and leadership. 

Sarah is Senior Lecturer in Creative Arts in the School of Education at Macquarie University. She works with Early Childhood and Primary School preservice teachers to prepare them to incorporate the Arts and be creative in their practice.

She teaches in the areas of Music and Movement/Dance, and her research focuses on the power of singing with children. She is particularly interested in encouraging teachers to use music, singing, and movement in creative and integrated ways.

Skye Taylor is a Child Safe Officer with the OCG. She conducts training for early childhood educators, helping them better understand the Child Safe Standards and how these Standards can be applied in their services.

Skye also conducts training for the SAFE Series protective behaviours program, an initiative that aims to reduce the potential for children to be harmed by helping them recognise situations where they feel scared or unsafe.

Sue Lane has had much experience as a music specialist and classroom teacher in a variety of school settings on the Central Coast of NSW. She worked for many years with pre-service teachers in Early Childhood and Primary Music and Dance Education programs at the University of Newcastle and the University of Technology, Sydney. She has also been employed as a professional development manager, presenter and consultant with Musica Viva Australia.

Sue’s research focuses on arts education provision in Australian schools. She has been actively involved with the Orff Schulwerk Association of NSW for many years, supporting educators in the presentation of creative music experiences with their students.