Our People
Pivot is a company for teachers and education experts by teachers and education experts
We employ some of the great minds in education, including some of the smartest researchers in the field. That means what we do is both thought-through and practical.
Above all, it’s actually useful to the people for whom we do it.
Cleo Westhorpe
FOUNDER
Cleo is an accomplished and highly regarded secondary school teacher, geographer and mentor in the world of education. Equal parts educator and entrepreneur, Cleo loves working with students, teachers and principals to foster classrooms and schools where all voices are heard, amplified and embraced. She has co-authored the Geography Alive textbook series, now in its eighth version.
Belinda Harries
FOUNDER
Belinda is a seasoned Australian education policy expert, having spent many years in senior roles within the Commonwealth and Victorian state governments. Qualified in economics, Bel is a dynamic thinker willing to embrace and develop outside-the-box opportunities. She has combined her government career with ventures including founding a development think-tank in Vanuatu.
Caitlin Macleod
FOUNDER
Caitlin is a management consultant with expertise in regulation, strategy and governance. She has advised companies and governments across the UK, Africa, the Pacific, and Australia. With an academic background in law, social psychology and anthropology she brings to Pivot an emphasis on high-quality evidence, as well as a fascination with how clever approaches can liberate individuals to be their best.
Nirelle Bennett
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Nirelle has a wealth of experience in corporate operations with qualifications and experience in sales, marketing and project management. She loves dynamic environments and turning her hands to anything, from demanding corporate firms (Ernst & Young, Corrs Chambers Westgarth) to building her own tourism business in Thailand. She overseas our Schools Team to ensure we operate efficiently, effectively and exceed our client expectations.
Dr Bronwyn Hinz
HEAD OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Bronwyn is a highly experienced researcher specialising in schooling policies, education system reform and federalism in Australia and internationally. Her award-winning research is regularly cited by government, the media and education stakeholders. Her career is driven by a passion and belief that deeper knowledge, student voice, better collaboration and intelligent resource allocation are keys to setting up all students, teachers and schools to excel.
Dr Tim O'Leary
CONSULTANT
Tim is an experienced educator, school leader, consulting statistician and researcher who has a passion for the effective use of data, in its many forms, to improve student outcomes. He has recently completed his PhD at the University of Melbourne’s Graduate School of Education under the tutelage of Professors John Hattie and Patrick Griffin.
Cassie McGannon
CONSULTANT
Cassie is an education policy and strategy adviser with experience across government and not-for-profits in Australia and the US. She works with Pivot to provide school and system leaders with clear insights from their teachers’ Pivot survey data.
Roger Turner
CONSULTANT
Roger is an English language teacher with experience in classrooms in Australia and overseas, developing a specialty in working with students of non-English speaking backgrounds. He has a keen interest in pedagogy and how it applies to language acquisition.
Jordana Hunter
CONSULTANT
Jordana has an extensive background in public policy design and implementation, with expertise in school education reform, human services and regulation. She is a former Fellow in the School Education Program at the Grattan Institute and has also held senior roles in the ACCC. Jordana is currently undertaking a PhD in education system reform. She has a particular interest in designing government policy to support quality teaching and evidence-based literacy instruction in the early years.
Karen McMillan
PSYCHOLOGIST
Karen McMillan (MAPS) is an organisational psychologist with over 25 years experience who has specialised in executive coaching and leadership development in both the public and private sectors. Karen also has experience working in the school system as both a teacher and as a school counsellor in Victoria, Tasmania and NSW. She is passionate about helping teachers to develop their potential and build wiser teaching practice.
James Martin
DIGITAL STRATEGY
Jamie leads our digital marketing efforts and generally makes sure this website is doing what it ought to. He has deep experience in marketing, digital transformation, SEO and SEM across a number of industries in the UK, Japan and Australia. Glued to the screen at work, Jamie unwinds in analogue mode with thick history books, a good glass of red and a perfect stock on the stove.
Audrey Colbert
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
Audrey has extensive administration and operations management experience across the insurance, medical and engineering industries. She is always looking to achieve the best result the easiest way, and helps all of Pivot’s clients with a smile.
Vera Tomek
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
Vera is a Certified Practicing Accountant and finance professional with a love of the fine detail, problem solving and database administration. With almost 20 years business analysis experience in the manufacturing industry, she now enjoys the mix of working with clients and making sure internal operations are as smooth and efficient as possible. Vera is a keen traveller and gives practical support to her favourite child-focussed charity.
Nadia Morgante
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
Nadia has developed a keen eye for detail over her career in finance and bookkeeping. She brings her extensive Excel and system skills to Pivot, working behind the scenes to support the school partnership team.
Peter Bretell
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
Peter has worked in a range of Business Development roles within the sport, education and insurance industries. Prior to this Peter worked all over Australia for many years as a teacher. This deep experience gives him a strong rapport with teachers and school leaders, and he works to provide great outcomes for all schools.
Amanda Pakes
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
Amanda is a qualified teacher with a wealth of experience in the education industry. She has worked as a teacher and in sales/marketing within the early learning years, primary, secondary and adult learning education sector. She is driven by her passion for education and a deep desire to help others transform their lives through education.
Theresa Achkar
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
Theresa is a Finance Professional (CPA) with over 20 years experience in leadership roles across the public, private and not for profit sectors. Her broad experience and diverse educational background has ensured success in many complex organisations within corporate services including Strategic Planning, Project Management, Governance and Performance Reporting.
Amanda Bickerstaff
NATIONAL DIRECTOR USA
Amanda has spent the 15 years in the education and education technology fields with a focus on professional learning, online learning, STEM, computer science education, and curriculum development. After stumbling into EdTech after graduate school, she has helped build and launch multiple organisations in the US with a focus on improving teacher practice and student outcomes
Garth Harries
SENIOR COUNSELLOR (USA)
Garth is an experienced and entrepreneurial system leader in the United States, having led transformational change initiatives as an entrepreneur in early childhood, as Superintendent of Schools in New Haven CT, and as part of the senior leadership of the New York City Department of Education. Throughout his career Garth has sought to more deeply engage both students and teachers in improving education – he sees Pivot as the natural extension of that vision.
Kadie Crawford
ACCOUNTS & ADMINISTRATION
Kadie is a qualified Accountant who has worked in a wide range of industries ranging from ASX listed mining companies to the last 5 years spent in early childhood education where she has focused on growth and development. She has recently started her Masters in Teaching which has been a passion project a long time in the making and looks forward to utilising her knowledge.
PIVOT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PTY LTD
ABN: 29 601 883 372
Australia Office
Email: info@pivotpl.com
Phone: 04818 PIVOT
