ED-TECH comes to Australia; Rising Team for Schools

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The Menzies School Leadership Incubator and Silicon Valley software company, Rising Team are partnering to launch Rising Team for Schools, a platform designed to boost collective efficacy and create high-performing teams in schools. Principals and their teams can use the platform to track efficacy and build engaged, connected and successful teams.

Despite significant investment in leadership development, the school leadership pipeline in Australia is in crisis. The work of the Menzies School Leadership Incubator suggests we need a new approach to leadership that supports school leaders to better manage transformational change and deepen collaborative capacity necessary to cultivate collective efficacy to improve student learning outcomes.

This leadership challenge requires that we think about school leadership in new ways. The increasingly complex and challenging contexts within which schools operate can be more effectively navigated when leaders are focused on deepening collaborative capacity such that schools more efficiently and effectively harness multiple expertise, aligned, and focused on improving student learning outcomes. The education system currently focuses on the development of leaders, however, to build collective efficacy we need to focus on both leader and leadership development, a combination of leadership of self, leadership of others and leadership of systems.

The Menzies School Leadership Incubator aspires to contribute to the systemic changes required to build a pipeline of well-equipped school leaders to lead increasingly challenging and complex school contexts; ultimately improving the learning outcomes for all Australian students. The Incubator has an explicit focus on increasing the capability of leaders to build collective efficacy.

Launched in 2019, the insights generated through the Incubator invite us to consider new ways of working and reorienting our thinking about leadership in the education sector.

To learn about our progress, please view our latest Impact Report: “School Leadership that Cultivates Collective Efficacy” and watch the recent webinar with special guest Laureate Professor John Hattie.

We invite you to connect, join and collaborate with us as we continue to develop and pilot a new approach to school leadership.

Recruitment of the 2023 Rising Team for Schools – Pilot Cohort

It is with great pleasure we introduce the following outstanding school principals who have been selected to participate in our 2023 Rising Team for Schools – Pilot Program. With a successful recruitment process conducted across Australia, we identified these individuals as possessing exceptional potential, and we’re honored to have them on board.

  • Cliff Powys – The Southport School, QLD
  • Giselle Talbot – Marist College Bendigo, VIC
  • Annette Rome – St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar, VIC
  • Deb Cox – Nundah State School, QLD
  • Leslie Tilbrook – St Philip’s College, NT
  • Michelle Cotter – Avila College Mt Waverley, VIC
  • Joshua Moore – Flinders Island District High School, TAS
  • Glenn Forbes – Forest Lake State School, QLD
  • Fiona Stevens – Tamborine Mountain College, QLD
  • Angela Drysdale – St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, QLD
  • Kylie Bruce – Camira State School, QLD
  • Nick Scully – Kolbe Catholic College, VIC
  • Kate Fogarty – Assumption College, VIC
  • Anthony Boys and Chhaya Narayan – Marist College, NSW
  • Anne Stout – Port Melbourne Secondary, VIC
  • Carolyn Blanden – Warakirri College, NSW
  • Sean Butler – Preston High School, VIC
  • Sunyl Vogt  – Mypolonga Primary School, SA

They will each receive:

  • Access to the Menzies School Leadership Incubator insights and network to support their leadership journey to build collective efficacy in your school.
  • Participation in the Rising Team for Schools Pilot
  • A facilitated peer-to-peer network to support their leadership journey
  • PLUS a $2.5K bursary toward their leadership journey

For further information on this opportunity, please view: Menzies School Leadership Incubator: Rising Team for Schools – PILOT STUDY INFORMATION SHEET 

2023 Menzies Orator

The Menzies Foundation is delighted to announce American Technology Executive, Jennifer Dulski will be joining us in Australia in August 2023 as the Menzies Orator. Jennifer Dulski, is the CEO & Founder at Rising Team, Faculty at Stanford GSB, Board member and bestselling author of Purposeful.

Jennifer Dulski has a wide range of executive experience including leadership roles at Facebook, Google and Yahoo!, and founder, CEO and president roles at early stage and scaling startups.

More information to come.

Related Posts

Natasha Eskinja

Digital Communications Coordinator

Natasha is driven by a profound passion for both creativity and analytics, a synergy that fosters authentic storytelling in the digital realm with both innovation and integrity. 

Throughout her career, she has consistently integrated the overarching marketing and communications narrative with the emotional connections of audiences. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Society and the Individual from Flinders University, furthering her exploration of human behaviour and the critical importance of connectedness between organisations, individuals, and communities.

LinkedIn | natasha.eskinja@menziesfoundation.org.au

Sarah Jenkins

Strategic Communications Manager

Sarah has more than 18 years’ experience in communications and marketing leadership across a range of sectors.

Communications strategy and organisational growth is a continuing theme in Sarah’s career. Most recently, she leads the development of a Leadership Movement, evaluated by Menzies Viral Co-efficient Model; a contribution to the NFP. 

Sarah’s early career centred around best practice in marketing and communications which later culminated into the establishment of her very own agency. This work extensively spanned across PR, traditional media, event management, strategy, digital marketing, graphic design and business development consultancy. 

In 2019, Sarah joined the lean and robust team at the Menzies Foundation. She has since crafted the Foundation’s narrative and communication strategy. The development of this strategic communications platform is essential for ‘movement building’ and requires a strong strategic, management and communication skills set. Sarah has brought so much to this important work, which sits at the forefront of communication practice. 

Sarah continues to contribute to the NFP sector through her commitment to Purpose; as she reflects on her own leadership, builds her own leadership capability and contributes to the greater good. 

LinkedIn | sarah.jenkins@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0401 880 071

Rohan Martyres

Director, Strategy and Partnerships

Rohan has 15 years’ experience in facilitating cross-sector collaborations to address complex social and health challenges.  He has worked with the World Economic Forum in Australia, led an international conflict resolution field team in Nepal, and directed a 10-year £40m initiative to reduce health inequity in London.

Most recently, Rohan was Major Grants Development Manager at the Ian Potter Foundation.  He refined the foundation’s major grants strategy, and co-developed a series of large scale initiatives, including joint philanthropic-government funding for a new national organization to support place-based approaches across Australia.

Rohan has held several non-executive roles, including with an international NGO and with London Funders, the peak body of independent foundations in London.  He holds several qualifications including a graduate degree in innovation and strategy from the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.

When Rohan isn’t exploring Melbourne’s creeks with his partner and 6yo daughter, he’s working on his currently weak Australian accent (after 15 years in the UK).

LinkedIn | rohan.martyres@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0404 505 954

Trudy Morrison

Operations Manager

A marketing and communications specialist with over 20 years experience in government, corporate and consumer marketing, Trudy brings her adaptive and organisational project management skills to the Menzies Foundation team. 

With a BA degree in Public Relations, Trudy began her career with the City of Melbourne and in magazine publishing, before moving into marketing communications consulting. She has worked in strategic marketing leadership roles with retail brands and enjoys juggling many projects and tasks simultaneously. Her skills were further enhanced when managing her own communications business representing industries across private education, financial services, aviation, government and the health industry. 

Trudy is passionate about leadership and all people being encouraged to reach their full potential through research and educational initiatives and opportunities throughout Australia. A skilled and accomplished writer and editor Trudy is enthusiastic about bringing her variety of skills to the Menzies Foundation team. 

LinkedIn | trudy.morrison@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0402 361 878

Liz Gillies

Chief Executive Officer

Liz Gillies has had over 25 years experience in a range of fields focused on initiatives for social impact. She has held roles in multiple sectors and academia.

In 2018, Liz was appointed CEO of the Menzies Foundation which aspires to build a leadership movement that supports Australians to pivot to purpose, build their leadership capability and contribute to the ‘greater good’.

Liz joined the Melbourne Business School in 2009 and was instrumental in establishing the Asia Pacific Social Impact Centre (APSIC) and The Centre for Ethical Leadership. In November 2011 she was appointed as research fellow to lead a partnership focused on strategic philanthropy which culminated in the release of the reports: Philanthropy: Towards a Better Practice Model (2018) and the Philanthropy: The Continued Journey to Real Impact and better Practice (2021).

Liz has extensive governance experience, having served on the Board of the Publish Galleries Association of Victoria, Social Firms Australia, Uniting Care Community Options, United Way Australia and the Development Committee of the Towards a Just Society Foundation. She is currently on the Philanthropy Reference Group of Barmal Bijiril and a Director of Philanthropy Australia.

LinkedIn | liz.gillies@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0416 112 703

Natasha Eskinja

Digital Communications Coordinator

Natasha is driven by a profound passion for both creativity and analytics, a synergy that fosters authentic storytelling in the digital realm with both innovation and integrity. 

Throughout her career, she has consistently integrated the overarching marketing and communications narrative with the emotional connections of audiences. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Society and the Individual from Flinders University, furthering her exploration of human behaviour and the critical importance of connectedness between organisations, individuals, and communities.

natasha.eskinja@menziesfoundation.org.au