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Teach For Australia exists to foster a community of educators and leaders committed to educational equity.
The backbone of our mission lies in the actions of our incredible Alumni, who take the ethos and skills learnt during their time in our programs to go out and push for better – inside and outside the classroom.
Thanks to a generous donation from The Hansen Little Foundation, Teach For Australia have hosted the second ever Jane Hansen TFA Alumni Awards, to honour outstanding contributions in the classroom, school and system leadership.
Their stories are our inspiration. Their efforts are proof of the wide-spread impact our Alumni are creating across the country.
Read on to learn more about the innovation and leadership being spearheaded by Teach For Australia Alumni.
(Listed by category)
At a Secondary College in regional Victoria, Dekea transformed how students connected with French by making learning deeply relevant to their lives. Teaching in a community where language study was often seen as inaccessible, she redesigned lessons around local themes like farming and community life – sparking new enthusiasm for learning. The approach led to a surge in engagement, with French thriving as an elective and senior classes running for the first time in a decade.
Di’s story is one of quiet, persistent excellence – the steady, deliberate work that transforms student results over the long term. Working with a Year 12 English cohort that had faced some significant disruption to their learning, alongside fellow winner, Steph Hutchison, she redesigned the program from the ground up to make success not just imaginable, but achievable. Through carefully scaffolded skill development across the year and the creation of dynamic, responsive learning environments, they supported students to achieve considerable learning growth – with the proportion of students exceeding their predicted study scores more than tripling from the previous year.
Working with a Year 12 English class, Steph built a collaborative culture of shared determination, which propelled her students to success. Teaching alongside her mentor and fellow award winner, Di Sherwood, she helped rebuild the program around developmental teaching – breaking skills into achievable steps, embedding practice and feedback, and showing students explicitly how to progress. Across the cohort, results rose dramatically – but the real success was in shifting mindset, proving that with care, clarity and belief, confidence can be taught just like any other skill.
From the classroom to shaping national education policy, Amy has dedicated her career to improving outcomes for students facing disadvantage. After teaching through Teach For Australia, she now works at the Grattan Institute, helping design evidence-informed policy that strengthens schools across the country. Guided by the belief that strong school leadership drives equity, she’s committed to ensuring every student – regardless of background – has access to a great education. A proud member of the TFA Alumni community, she continues to pay forward the opportunities that shaped her own path.
Based in the remote community of Kintore, NT, Anton is leading change from the ground up. After teaching through Teach For Australia, he initiated a program alongside First Nations staff to deliver bilingual and culturally responsive numeracy education. Now as principal, Anton continues to strengthen community-led teaching and leadership. His work reflects the power of education driven by – and for – local people, helping ensure students in the most remote parts of Australia have access to high-quality learning grounded in culture.
When Lachlan stepped into his principal role, he inherited challenges – falling enrolments, incidents of violence and academic results below state averages. Through patient trust-building, evidence-informed teaching, and a relentless focus on wellbeing, he led a remarkable turnaround. Reading levels doubled within a year, attendance now exceeds state averages, and violent incidents have dropped by 95%. Beyond academic success, the school has become a thriving hub – offering adult learning, playgroups, and family support services – proving that when schools and communities grow together, transformation lasts.
As Deputy Principal at a specialist assistance school, Will is transforming the way education supports young people who’ve been disengaged from mainstream schooling. Drawing on the values instilled through his teaching career, he’s led the development of frameworks around wellbeing, learning, and attendance that reflect the unique needs of students living with mental health challenges or neurodivergence. His leadership is helping redefine what success looks like – building pathways that honour every student’s potential and affirming that all young people deserve an excellent education.
At a regional school in WA, Trisha is advocating for culturally responsive teaching. Over the past three years, she’s worked to embed First Nations knowledges and perspectives into Science and Technologies – co-creating lessons and events with Elders, community members and colleagues. From introducing Two-Way Science and CSIRO’s Living STEM program to coordinating powerful cultural celebrations, her dedication has grounded learning in Country, connection and collaboration. By centring First Nations voices and weaving culture into every facet of school life, she’s helping students see themselves – and their stories – reflected in the heart of STEM.
