
Download the 2022 WAPPA Conference Schedule
Adam VoigtAdam is a real leader who walks his talk. The resident Education Expert for Channel 10’s “The Project”, his presentations are filled with stories, messages, tools and hope developed from years of successful School Leadership as a Principal in some of Australia’s most challenging locations. Adam is a leader & speaker who has genuinely been there and done that. The author of the acclaimed ‘Restoring Teaching’, Adam has taken to print his ambitions for exemplary practice in our classrooms as a vehicle for restoring teachers to a mantle of authentic community respect. Adam takes his critical messages about schools, learning, culture and leadership and elevates action in the education system through his work. Adam’s work has taken him across Australia and internationally. Just some of his achievements include:
Adam has a passion for empowering as many dedicated leaders and educators as possible with the tools, skills and attitudes necessary to build meaningful, productive relationships in Australia’s schools - and for these relationships to be leveraged for a new level of learner performance and leadership potential. |
Kath MurdochKath Murdoch is an experienced teacher, author, university lecturer and popular consultant. She is highly regarded for her work in the field of inquiry-based learning in which she has taught, written and researched for over 35 years. Based in Australia, Kath works in schools throughout the world to support teachers and children in using contemporary approaches to teaching and learning. Kath began her professional life as a primary classroom teacher before taking up an academic position in the Education Faculty at the University of Melbourne where she worked for a decade. Since that time, Kath has worked as an independent consultant to schools and education organisations throughout Australia, New Zealand, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Never losing sight of the privilege of working with children, Kath remains uniquely attuned to classroom life. She is fiercely committed to working ‘on the ground’ with children and educators as she explores the delights and complexities of bringing an inquiry stance to education. She has extensive experience of partnering with schools to embed inquiry across the curriculum. Kath is the author of over 15 books for teachers including the best-selling ‘Power of Inquiry’and the exquisite set of inquiry coaching cards ‘The Art of Inquiry Teaching’. Kath has recently published her first children’s book, ‘The Wonder of Winsome,’ a story about curiosity. |
Justin Langer A.M.Until the announcement of his retirement from test cricket in 2007 Justin was one of Australia’s great top order batsmen. Originally playing at number three he moved to opener in 2001 and played 105 test matches scoring 7,696 runs including 23 test centuries. Few have worn the baggy green with greater pride Along with Matthew Hayden, Justin formed a hugely successful opening partnership, which ranks as the best in Australian history and featured six double century stands. Justin and Matthew drew much satisfaction from their combined efforts and often described their onfield partnership as a “team within a team.” It was therefore fitting that when Justin played his last game for Australia in the final match of the 2006/07 Ashes Series both Matthew and Justin were at the crease to score the winning runs which returned the Ashes to Australia. He retired in the same Test match as Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. In July 2009 whilst playing country cricket in the UK Justin surpassed Sir Donald Bradman as the most prolific batsman in Australian cricket with a total of 28,068 first class runs. After retiring from his playing career Justin started his coaching career. In November 2009 he was appointed Batting-Mentoring coach of the Australian test cricket team and in May 2011 was appointed Assistant Coach. In November 2012 Justin achieved a long-held dream when he was appointed Coach of Western Australian cricket (Western Warriors and Perth Scorchers). After six very successful years as Coach of Western Australia Justin was offered the highest position in Australian cricket in May 2018 when he was appointed Coach of the Australian cricket team. After four years in that all-encompassing role Justin resigned to spend more time with his family and friends. Leading into his decision, the Australian men’s Test cricket team had won the T20 World Cup for the first time, the Ashes and were ranked the number one team in international cricket. At the same time, Justin was entered in the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame and was awarded Wisden’s Coach of the Year. Justin is patron of Solaris Care, Children’s Leukaemia & Cancer Research Foundation, Kyle Andrews Foundation and an ambassador for The Fathering Project, the Ear Science Institute Australia, the Bravery Trust and Ovarian Cancer Australia. He was named as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to Australian cricket and the community in 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. He has written six books and is in the process of writing his next book on Leadership. |
Tracey EzardTracey is known for her ‘Ferocious Warmth’ leadership approach and professional collaborative culture. Tracey’s collaborative framework The Buzz which creates an environment of learning, trust and innovation is used in education and organisational systems throughout Australia and the UK. Her Buzz Diagnostic on collaborative cultures has been used by over 400 organisations and has had over 10,000 people participate. Tracey has run leadership, cultural and strategic programs for over 15 years in Australia and in New Zealand. She also works with education federations in the UK. She has presented in conferences on programs alongside educational global leaders such as Professors John Hattie, Michael Fullan, Carol Dweck and Lynn Sharrat, Maggie Farrar and Pasi Sahlberg. Tracey works extensively with principal and assistant principal networks throughout Australia. As a speaker, author, educator and mentor, Tracey brings to any group she works with a range of models and positions that will spark the new thinking and discussion that needs to continue evolving in a complex and diverse global paradigm. Tracey is an author of three books. In 2021 Tracey launched her third book ‘Ferocious Warmth - School Leaders Who Inspire and Transform’. Her previous books are ‘Glue -The Stuff that Binds Us Together to do Extraordinary Work’ for leaders across all sectors who want to lift beyond convention to create high performing teams and ‘The Buzz – Creating a Thriving and Collaborative Staff Learning Culture’, designed for education leaders to support schools to bring about transformation in education. Tracey is an educator, a National Fellow of the Australian Council of Education Leaders (FACEL) and a Certified Speaking Professional. She has a background in teaching and educational leadership, business management and HR in fine dining restaurants and project management in the automotive industry (variety is the spice of life!). Tracey is Board Chair of the social enterprise, The Corner Store Network, which aims to eradicate food poverty issues both in Timor Leste and in Australia. Tracey has been running her own speaking and consulting practice for sixteen years. She has two teenage children, two dogs and when not at work loves spending time exploring the world. |
Steve Munby (virtual)Steve Munby is a self-employed consultant and speaker on leadership and on system reform. He has spent his whole career in education, commencing as a secondary school teacher in Birmingham. He later became Director of Education for Knowsley Local Education Authority in Merseyside. Steve was Chief Executive of the National College for School Leadership in England for 8 years and then Chief Executive of Education Development Trust, an international education charity. Steve is the facilitator for the ARC summits (education systems from around the world committed to equity, excellence, well-being and social justice). He is Visiting Professor at University College London Centre for Educational Leadership, Honorary Visiting Professor at Liverpool Hope University and is Chair of the Teaching Awards Trust in the UK. Steve’s publications include: “Imperfect Leadership – A book for leaders who know they don’t know it all” Crown House, 2019. His forthcoming book: Imperfect Leadership in Action – a practical book for school leaders who know they don’t know it all, co-authored with Marie-Claire Bretherton, will be published in March 2022 (Crown House). |
Dr Lyn Sharratt (virtual)Dr. Lyn Sharratt is a highly accomplished practitioner, researcher, author, and presenter. Lyn has a BA in Social Work from The University of Waterloo, Canada; a B. Ed in Teaching, K-10, from The University of Western Ontario, Canada; a M. Ed. In Educational Administration from Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Canada; and an Ed. D. in Theory and Policy Studies from University of Toronto, Canada. She coordinates the doctoral internship program in Leadership, Higher and Adult Education Department at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. Lyn has worked in four school districts across Ontario as a school superintendent, superintendent of curriculum and instruction, administrator, curriculum leader, and Special Education teacher. Lyn has taught all elementary grades and secondary-aged students in inner-city and rural settings. She has analysed and commented on public policy for a provincial trustee organization, the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association; has taught pre-service education at York University, Masters’ and Doctoral students at University of Toronto and Nipissing University; and led in-service Professional Development in a provincial teachers’ union head office. Lyn sits on the Expert Evaluation Committee for System and School Improvement, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Australia; is an advisor for International School Leadership with the Ontario Principals’ Council; is an Author Consultant for Corwin Publishing, USA; and consults internationally, working with system, school and teacher leaders at all levels in Australia, Canada, Chile, the United Kingdom, the United States and Wales. She works tirelessly, focusing her time and efforts on increasing each student’s growth and achievement by working alongside leaders and teachers to put FACES on their data and take intentional action. Lyn has written five books and her 6th book, as lead author with Michael Fullan, is “in press” with Corwin Publishing. |
Rob EdwardsRob Edwards, has a Bachelor of Science with majors in Anatomy & Physiology. He has been a company director for 20 years in the health and well-being industry where he designed and delivered staff development programs for hundreds organizations. Prior to that he worked for five years in a cardiac rehabilitation program where he wrote the internationally distributed book “Better Blood Pressure”. He has diverse experience working with people at all levels of business, cardiac patients, young offenders, elite athletes and remote island communities.Rob received an Order of Australia Medal this year for his charity work. He founded Its Time Foundation that installs solar power in remote Pacific island schools so, those kids can have a modern education. He also founded Plastic Free Oceans and the Sustainable Social platform.Rob’s focus is simply to encourage people to take a brief time out in their busy lives to consider their most important asset - themselves. And to get you thinking about sustainable actions that you can do so you have a long and high quality life. We can’t look after other people unless we look after ourselves first. That’s why the session is called “It’s All About You” |