The Top Teachers and Educators in Australia Under 35

They are a collection of exceptional teachers under 35 who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation, and achievement in their professional journeys so far.

TE has also recognised schools with the School Leadership Award 2025 for creating dynamic and innovative environments for young educators to thrive. Their success in supporting and enabling the Rising Stars to shine is reflected in a national upward trajectory in admissions to non-governmental schools – 87% of the winners are in this category.

Independent schools have seen an 18.5% jump in admissions between 2019 and 2024, compared to 4.6% across the total school admissions.

Parents are opting to select the schools they feel deliver the best for their children, which begins with standards inside the classroom. The shifting demographics across Australian education can be traced back to the abilities and dedication of the new generation of teachers. TE’s Rising Stars 2025 are making a difference on a daily basis and also changing the face of the profession.

What defines the best of the new generation of educators is their foresight. They know what they want to achieve and the impact they want to make in their schools and across the sector.

Kali Rouillon seeks to foster a collaborative and inclusive learning environment that emphasises open communication and mutual respect. The primary teacher at Bishop Druitt College in NSW aims to be approachable and provide guidance to colleagues.

“I believe that effective leadership is grounded in creating a culture where reflection and growth are prioritised,” she says. “By encouraging my peers to continually evaluate and adapt their teaching practices, I hope to inspire a collective commitment to lifelong learning and improvement.”

More specifically, Rouillon actively integrates technology into the classroom to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.

She says, “By staying current with the latest technological advancements and best practices, I can lead by example, demonstrating how technology can be used to meet the diverse needs of students.”

 

“I want to lead in a way that empowers my colleagues to be thoughtful, reflective and proactive in shaping the future of education while ensuring our students are world prepared”

Kali RouillonBishop Druitt College

Whereas long-term impact with a priority on ethics and relationships is the focus of fellow Rising Star Georgia O’Brien. She teaches mathematics and history to students in Years 7–12 at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Qld.

“I want to be a middle leader who balances teaching with leadership, ensuring that decisions remain connected to the realities of teaching in a classroom,” she says. “My journey thus far has led me to reject the notion that leadership is purely trait-based and instead embrace the idea that leadership is developed over time.”

Over the last year, O’Brien led an internal professional development session on the Exam Insights program, sharing with colleagues how the technology can be integrated into Microsoft OneNote more effectively in the classroom.

She has also enthusiastically embraced AI in her teaching to streamline administrative tasks, enhance lesson engagement and differentiate learning materials and concepts. As an example, she uses AI to differentiate lesson plans, give ideas for lesson starters/hooks and suggest concrete activities and resources that can be used to develop conceptual understanding of mathematical concepts.

O’Brien believes it essential to teach students to critically and ethically engage with AI. She has taught students to use AI to analyse their draft essays by inputting specific criteria to receive detailed feedback for improvement and also explored AI’s strengths and limitations.

 

“I am passionate about harnessing innovation and technology to create engaging, meaningful learning experiences that empower both students and educators to thrive”

Georgia O’BrienSt Margaret’s Anglican Girls School

Being a team player is the type of leader that Marcellin College’s student wellbeing program and coordinator Christina Cammarano is aiming to become. She admires educators who have senior roles but still take time to be in the staffroom or out in the yard and acknowledge their staff’s efforts.

“I’d love to be the sort of leader that is seen to be among others,” she says. “A great leader is one who is a part of a solution-focused culture and who makes everyone feel valued.”

 

“I’m eager to continue finding ways to enable more opportunities in the wellbeing space”

Christina CammaranoMarcellin College

Assistant head of junior school at St Gregory’s College in NSW, Mark Gannon, believes no challenge is insurmountable when approached with innovation, a growth mindset and a strong sense of purpose.

He says, “I aspire to be a leader who is collaborative, kind and visionary, always guided by what is best for students. I believe that students should be at the centre of their learning, and I work to empower them as active participants in their education.”

Gannon is an advocate for building capacity in both students and staff by leading professional development opportunities that support staff in refining their teaching practice, implementing innovative pedagogies and enhancing student engagement.

“I believe in the power of strong community connections, working closely with parents and the wider school community to create an environment where students thrive,” he says. “I want to be a leader who is approachable, supportive and forward-thinking, ensuring that every decision is made with a long-term vision that benefits our students, staff and school community.”

 

“I am committed to continually evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of education”

Mark GannonSt Gregory’s College

St Gregory’s runs a Graduate Teacher Internship, a 12-month program designed for new graduates with mentorship from experienced educators, diverse classroom experiences across K–6 and targeted professional development. The interns build confidence in classroom management, differentiated teaching and inquiry based.

Gannon says, “I work closely with these interns in a coaching capacity, guiding goal setting and ensuring access to resources and support. We have been running this program for three years, with all our interns thus far transitioning seamlessly into full-time classroom teaching roles.”

Gannon, who has a master’s degree in educational leadership, was on the path to becoming a physiotherapist and was working as a National Rugby League referee when he realised teaching was what motivated him.

Over the past 12–18 months, Gannon has been an ardent promoter of student agency.

“I have worked alongside staff to create more opportunities for students to take ownership of their learning,” he says.

His initiatives include:

• bringing students into collaborative planning meetings with staff to reflect on learning experiences and co-design future learning experiences

• redesigning parent-teacher interview structure to focus on three-way conferences, placing student goal setting and ownership at forefront

• enhancing visible thinking strategies and fostering student curiosity through quality inquiry, ensuring learning is meaningful and student driven

He’s also played a significant role in the year-long Who We Are Unit of Inquiry, a program collaboratively developed by the school’s staff.

Gannon says, “It integrates the new Personal Development, Health and Physical Education syllabus to promote student wellbeing, self-awareness and identity, giving students the tools to develop a stronger sense of who they are and how they engage with the world. By embedding this across the year, we have provided ongoing, meaningful opportunities for students to explore their personal growth, relationships and place within the community, rather than limiting these discussions to a single unit of study.”

Another area Gannon has taken significant leadership in is St Gregory’s transition from a two-stream to a four-stream junior school next year. This has required strategic leadership in communication and stakeholder engagement, ensuring parents, staff and students are well informed, supported and excited about the changes.

“I have worked to foster clarity, transparency and collaboration throughout this process, ensuring our community remains engaged and confident in the school’s direction,” he says.

Rouillon redesigned and led an innovative writing program underpinned by deep learning principles, to develop students’ critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration skills. She coordinated a partnership with a robotics company to guide students through the design process of creating functional robotic models. This served as the foundation for a persuasive writing unit, where students developed advertisements in oral, written and digital formats to promote their robotic designs.

“To further enrich the program, I collaborated with an Apple consultant to enhance my proficiency with applications such as GarageBand,” she says. “I then transferred this knowledge to students and colleagues, teaching them to use the platform to create compelling jingles that accompanied their digital advertisements.”

The Rising Star further embedded digital technology by helping students utilise apps such as Kid Geni to translate written descriptions into vivid, AI-generated visuals and New Arc to transform hand-drawn designs into digital creations. Students were able to bring their ideas to life and connect their creativity with real-world applications.

She says, “This multi-modal approach integrated technology, music and writing, empowering students to creatively express their ideas while refining their communication skills and building confidence in their writing.”

The outcomes that have been delivered are:

“By embedding digital learning into classroom practices, I have ensured that all learners feel engaged, successful and prepared for the future,” says Rouillon.

Being proactive is a trait of Cammarano. As student wellbeing program and coordinator, she has booked external organisations a year in advance to facilitate workshops including:

• Tomorrow Man (redefining masculinity)

• Headspace (mental health services)

• Pat Cronin Foundation (social violence prevention education)

• Elephant Ed (sex education)

“I’m really hoping that the students will remember these experiences beyond their secondary school years and that they feel supported by the college in becoming the best version of themselves,” says Cammarano.

Personal professional development has been O’Brien’s focus. She completed a master’s degree in education (leadership) at Queensland University of Technology.

She says, “I also led two professional development sessions for colleagues, focusing on technology integration and the use of AI to enhance teaching practices. Additionally, I have continued to mentor pre-service teachers and early-career teachers, providing guidance and support as they navigate the early stages of their careers.”

On top of this, O’Brien has taken charge of the development and delivery of an innovative telescoping program to successfully support the acceleration of four Year 9 students in mathematics. She led the creation of a parallel curriculum so the group could study two-year levels at once and a subsequent evaluation of the program. O’Brien taught the parallel curriculum in Year 9 and supported colleagues in preparing the curriculum for students in Year 8.

Despite only being six years into her career, O’Brien has her sights on what she wants to achieve.

Active beyond the classroom, she is a teacher assistant for the school’s Queensland Girls Secondary Schools Sports Association swimming team and a house leader. She coached three students to successfully compete in the World Scholar’s Cup, Auckland Global Round by:

• guiding the girls to conduct research

• mentoring them on debating and public speaking skills

• supporting them to develop teamwork, collaboration and critical thinking

“The next step in becoming the leader I aspire to be is to take on greater responsibility within middle leadership”, she says. “I am also working towards certification as a Highly Accomplished Teacher, which I hope will further enhance my credibility, leadership influence and ability to drive positive change in my school community.”

Adopting a similar mindset is Rouillon, who is involved in a mentorship program and plans to continue collaborating with colleagues and participating in workshops to deepen her understanding of pedagogy, technology integration and effective leadership strategies.

She says, “I aim to focus on strengthening my reflective practices by actively seeking feedback from both peers and students. This will help me gain a clearer understanding of my strengths and areas for growth, allowing me to continually improve as a leader and educator.”

While Gannon has begun mentoring and developing future leaders. However, he is committed to continuing to engage with mentors who have guided his own career.

“These conversations challenge my thinking, refine my leadership approach and ensure I remain a learner at heart,” she says.

His vision is that strong schools are built on cultures of shared leadership, where teachers feel empowered to lead in their own ways. This is why he wants to foster collaboration, innovation and commitment.

And he has an ambition where he can implement all of these principles.

“My aspiration is to one day serve as a head of junior school, where I can further drive student-centred learning, staff development and community engagement on a whole-school level,” says Gannon. “I want to lead in a way that ensures every educator and student feels seen, valued and inspired to grow.”

 

• Abi Hails
  
  Teacher
  
  Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School
• Adele Stramare
  
  Primary Teacher
  
  Rostrevor College
• Aladdin Watson
  
  Wellbeing Leader
  
  Roma Mitchell Secondary College
• Alisha McMullen
  
  Junior School Teacher
  
  Penrhos College
• Andi Pegler
  
  Teacher
  
  Dara School
• Andrew Smale
  
  Head of House and VCE Psychology and Chemistry Teacher
  
  Huntingtower School
• Candace Neville
  
  Head of Digital Integration and Innovation
  
  John Paul College
• Carlo Librino
  
  Director of Identity and Mission
  
  St Paul’s College
• Chantal Young
  
  Assistant Head of Social Science
  
  Ascham School
• Charles Fedor
  
  HASS Teacher, Head of Debating and Oracy Arts Coordinator
  
  Guildford Grammar School
• Chloe Aldred
  
  Teacher
  
  Brisbane Grammar
• Daniel Forlano
  
  Head of House
  
  Seton Catholic College
• Emily Rizzardo
  
  Classroom Teacher
  
  St John XXIII Primary School
• Emma Stafford
  
  House Representative and English, HASS and RE Teacher
  
  Holy Cross College
• Francesca Christie
  
  Assistant Deputy Principal, Catholic Identity
  
  Irene McCormack Catholic College
• Genevieve Easton
  
  Year 5 Classroom Teacher
  
  Stuartholme School
• Georgia Simmonds
  
  Head of Department
  
  The Gap State High School
• Grace Gonzalez
  
  Learning Management System Leader
  
  Mount St Joseph Girls’ College
• Harrison Smith
  
  Curriculum Leader – Humanities and Social Sciences
  
  Mt Maria College Mitchelton
• James Ince
  
  Teacher – Mathematics and Science and House Tutor
  
  Lauriston Girls’ School
• Jamie Hayter
  
  Learning Area Leader – English
  
  Mercedes College
• Jennifer Radford
  
  Teacher
  
  Corinda State High School
• Jessica Simons
  
  Head of Digital Learning
  
  Xavier College
• Jordan Bailey
  
  Vet Coordinator
  
  Carinity
• Jordan Gregson
  
  Year 4 Coordinator
  
  Ascham School
• Kellie Presnell
  
  Teacher – Mathematics and Physical Education and Acting Curriculum Leader – Health and Physical Education
  
  Lauriston Girls’ School
• Kristy King
  
  Curriculum Leader – English and Languages
  
  Mt Maria College Mitchelton
• Maddy Brown
  
  Teacher
  
  St John XXIII Primary School
• Maeve Thomson
  
  English Teacher
  
  Canterbury Boys High School
• Maeve Wyse
  
  Teacher
  
  The Gap State High School
• Makiko Ryland
  
  Teacher
  
  Kincoppal-Rose Bay
• Mariah Dhar
  
  Outdoor Education Coordinator and HSIE Teacher
  
  Snowy Mountains Grammar School
• Marty Pender
  
  Year 12 Growth Coach
  
  St John XXIII Catholic College
• Melissa Barber
  
  Highly Accomplished Mathematics Teacher and Head of House
  
  Sunshine Coast Grammar School
• Natalie Presutti
  
  Jumpstart Coordinator and Outdoor Education Teacher
  
  Penola Catholic College
• Nick Macgregor
  
  Head of Science
  
  Sacred Heart College
• Rebecca Gratton
  
  Mathematics Department Head
  
  Snowy Mountains Grammar School
• Samantha Warren
  
  English Learning Area Leader
  
  Aquinas College
• Thomas Allott
  
  Head of Mathematics
  
  St Michael’s Grammar School