Organising Committee
Dr Judith Howard
Associate Professor, School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice, Queensland University of Technology
Associate Professor Judith Howard is a national leader in Trauma-Aware Education in Australia, with important international reach. Judith comes from an extensive career and experience within government schooling in Queensland. She has worked as a teacher, school counsellor and student behaviour specialist and has held both regional and state leadership positions with the Queensland Education Department. Judith’s work has always had a keen focus on addressing the concerns faced by young learners living with the outcomes of complex trauma and the people working hard to educate them. She promotes a neuroscience-informed approach – to which she believes every educator needs access. Judith oversees pre-service and post-graduate teacher education in Trauma-Aware Education at QUT (including the popular, “Graduate Certificate in Trauma-Aware Education”) and has developed online courses that are reaching thousands nationally and internationally. She supervises a growing number of PhD students who are adding to the research evidence base for Trauma-Aware Education. She is the author of the popular book: “Distressed or Deliberately Defiant: Managing Challenging Student Behaviour due to Trauma and Disorganised Attachment (2013) and her more recent publication, “Trauma-Aware Education” Essential Information and Guidance for Educators, Education Sites and Education Systems” (2022). Judith continues to be busy researching, writing, speaking and training, and developing resources to advance Trauma-Aware Education across Australia.
Dr Meegan Brown
School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice, Queensland University of Technology
Dr Meegan Brown is a lecturer and the Study Area Co-ordinator of the Master of Education School Guidance and Counselling at QUT. Her research includes trauma-informed schooling, rural and remote education, educators experiences of working with students living with the effects of trauma, and School Guidance and Counselling. Meegan has over 20 years of experience working as teacher (early childhood, primary, secondary), small school principal, Guidance Officer and Senior Guidance Officer.
Dr Lyra L’Estrange
School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice, Queensland University of Technology
Dr Lyra L’Estrange is a senior lecturer in the School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education at QUT. Lyra’s research and teaching in trauma-aware education contributes to redefining support systems for children and adolescents living with the outcomes of complex trauma and significant adversity. Lyra uses her research experience in public health to translate trauma-informed principles into the education space, supporting learning and development and advocating for the wellbeing of staff and students. Lyra teaches undergraduate and post-graduate units in trauma-aware education and supervises several research students investigating trauma-informed practice across different contexts. She is currently leading research investigating trauma-informed pedagogy in tertiary education.
Business Partner
Ben Sacco
Managing Director, Education Economy
With more than 20 years of experience in Education and Business management, Ben works with organisations and schools to amplify their connection to passion and purpose harnessing the power of human influence at the core of everything they do. He is the Managing Director and Founder of Education Economy and delivers high energy keynotes and presentations that challenge and inspire audiences to leverage their focus on what matters most in work and life.
Ben started his career as a classroom teacher across Primary and Secondary school settings, was a former Deputy Principal and worked at a systems level in policy and implementation, to support school leaders to navigate the uncertainties of change and human behaviour. Ben’s leadership career spans government, corporate and non-profit sector organisations with extensive experience in strategic consultancy, business development, commercialisation, program and project management, policy implementation, evaluation, and professional services.
Ben gets to know people and their stories and is passionate about advocating for change and refined practice. He brings both a systems perspective and frontline experience, which allows him to take a balanced approach to improving organisational efficiency, workforce productivity and employee quality of life.
