Jared Cooney Horvath, PhD, MEd, is a neuroscientist, educator and author of the best-selling book Stop Talking, Start Influencing. He has conducted research and lectured at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, the University of Melbourne and over 1,000 schools internationally. He has published six books and more than 60 research articles. Jared is Director of LME Global, bringing the latest brain and behavioural research to teachers and students.

Tom Sherrington is a highly regarded education consultant and CPD provider with 30 years' experience as a teacher and headteacher in schools across England and overseas. He writes the well-known blog teacherhead.com, is a regular contributor to ResearchEd and the Festival of Education, and co-founded Teaching WalkThrus. His book, Rosenshine's Principles in Action, sold 10,000 copies in its first month.

Nicole Dyson is a multi-award-winning educator, entrepreneur and global authority on project-based learning and entrepreneurial pedagogy. A former school leader, she is founder of Future Anything and YouthX, Australia's only startup accelerator for school-aged entrepreneurs. Nicole was a 2026 Queensland Australian of the Year nominee and has featured on The Educator's “Most Influential” list for four years running.

Bronwyn Ryrie Jones is a teacher educator, instructional coach and professional learning designer. With a background in classroom teaching and graduate education (University of Melbourne), Bron is renowned for her deep and practical expertise in high-quality instruction. Bron has worked directly with over 30,000 teachers in Australia and abroad, developing explicit and responsive teaching practices on the ground.

Emina McLean is a trusted literacy policy and implementation advisor with nearly two decades of experience across primary, secondary and tertiary education. Specialising in system-wide literacy improvement, she partners with state, Catholic and independent sectors on major reform initiatives, designing rigorous English and literacy approaches. Emina is also Head of English at Docklands Primary School and is completing her PhD at La Trobe University.

As Director of Implementation for Steplab AU, Rory McCaughey helps schools and multi-school organisations across Australia and New Zealand design and sustain high-impact professional development. A former teacher, coach and school leader with 14 years in education, he holds a Master's in Cognitive Psychology and Education and co-created the Educate to Self-Regulate podcast.

Dr Nathaniel Swain is a teacher, instructional coach and writer. He is also a Senior Lecturer in Learning Sciences at La Trobe University's School of Education and SOLAR Lab. Nathaniel founded Think Forward Educators, a community of over 23,000 teachers committed to the science of learning, and writes the blog Dr Swain's Cognitorium. His latest book is titled Harnessing the Science of Learning.

Dr Mark Dowley is co-author of the Amazon best-selling Classroom Management Handbook and a teacher with 20 years' experience. He has held multiple school leadership positions and is currently Chair of Mastery Schools Victoria, which opened its first specialist school for disengaged students in 2025. Mark consults internationally on culture, belonging and behaviour, and completed his Doctor of Education at the University of Melbourne.

Phil Slade is a psychologist, behavioural economist, author and co-founder of Switch4Schools, an award-winning platform helping schools build emotional intelligence and wellbeing. His work centres on Emotional Agency: the capacity to recognise, understand and intentionally influence our emotional responses under pressure. For over 20 years, Phil has delivered keynotes worldwide, including for the World Bank, Rotary International and Suncorp Group.

Caiti Wade is a mathematics teacher, Head of Pedagogy and Professional Practice at St Laurence's College, a cognitive science researcher and an education consultant. As the writer of The Disruptive Educator, Caiti focuses on translating educational research into practical approaches that recognise the complexities of real classrooms, with particular interest in schoolwide pedagogical improvement and professional learning.

Brendan Lee is an experienced primary school leader and educational consultant from NSW dedicated to bridging the gap between research and classroom practice. He has collaborated with AERO, the Grattan Institute, the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, and Think Forward Educators. Through his blog Learn with Lee and the podcast The Knowledge for Teachers, he shares practical, evidence-informed strategies.