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Directors

AAEGT Directors 2021-2023

"Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much" - Hellen Keller

Sarah Bond

Sarah Bond, Ed.D., is the Coordinator for Academic Talent Development programs at The Southport School (Senior School).

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    At The Southport School, Sarah's students engage in programs such as Future Problem Solving, Tournament of Minds, daVinci Decathlon, ICAS, Model United Nations, Ethics Olympiad, and the Formula One STEM Challenge. She is also the Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning (New Teachers) and a Coordinator for the TSS Round Square program. A published academic, with a doctorate in Educational Leadership, Sarah was the Program Manager for Gifted and Talented Education for the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, where she spearheaded the first widespread program to identify and serve gifted children in Abu Dhabi’s government schools. She has also worked as a gifted specialist and a teacher in Florida, Texas, and California and is the parent of a gifted child.


    Qualifications: Ed.D., M.A., B.A. 

Melinda Gindy

President


Melinda is passionate, committed and experienced in governance and the work of the AAEGT in furthering the national gifted agenda through constructive collaboration.

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    Melinda has worked in a volunteer capacity across multiple education sectors, including the recently delivered NSW DoE HPGE Policy and associated resources, in addition to her teaching and diverse learning coordination roles. Melinda has been an invited/sessional presenter at many state, national and international conferences, and was awarded the Honorary Fellowship of the Teachers' Guild of NSW in 2019 for her work in gifted education. Melinda is currently an Educational Leadership Doctoral Student majoring in Leading Diverse Learners.


    Qualifications: BArts (Mus), GradDipEd, GradCertGiftEd, MEd (SpEd), MMTA, HFTGN, MACEL

Jae Jung

Editor, Australasian Journal of Gifted Education


Jae Jung, PhD, is an associate professor in the School of Education and the Director of GERRIC at The University of New South Wales, Australia.

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    His research program incorporates various topics relating to gifted adolescents, with a particular focus on their career-related decisions. 


    Jae's research has been recognised with awards from the American Educational Research Association, the Mensa Education and Research Foundation/Mensa International, and the Society for Vocational Psychology, and grants from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 


    He is the current editor of the Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, a member of the Council of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Asia-Pacific Federation on Giftedness.

Susan Knopfelmacher

Susan Knopfelmacher, MEd (Gifted Ed), has held leadership positions for many years in a leading university and state, select-entry and independent schools, most recently as Head of Gifted Education and Extension Programs.

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    She has specialised in teacher professional learning and in mentoring diverse gifted learners who have regularly represented Victoria and Australia in symposia and Olympiads, achieving scholarships and entry to leading Australian, UK & US universities. 


    Susan presents nationally and internationally on gifted teaching, leadership and curriculum design. Currently, she is Co-Vice President, AGATEVic and completed her fourth term as elected Australian Delegate to the WCGTC, 2007-2019.

Lynda Lovett

Lynda Lovett has worked in the field of gifted education for over 30 years.

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    Lynda has been a teacher of full-time ability groupings and is currently employed as an Education Officer working on gifted policy, and developing and delivering professional learning. 


    Advocating for the academic and socio-emotional needs of gifted children, Lynda’s other passion is mentoring preservice and early career teachers in how to meet the needs of gifted students in their schools and classrooms. 


    Lynda is a presenter at many state, national and international conferences.


    Qualifications: M.Ed (Ed Psych), COGE 

Elizabeth Singer

Vice President


Elizabeth Singer is a passionate, motivated person who has spent many years serving on the committee of the ACT Gifted Families Support Group.

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    Elizabeth has served on many literacy, numeracy and curriculum committees, and advocates to governments, teachers and other stakeholders. Gifted education became a focus when as a Mum of gifted children she became aware of their needs and challenges. Her deep knowledge in gifted education has developed through attendance of workshops, conferences and reading. Elizabeth has presented on gifted education at local and international events.

    Nina Thomas

    Nina began her career in the RAAF before entering the mining industry. She then studied to be an accountant owning a business that allowed her to work from home with her twice-exceptional son. 

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      Later, she trained as a teacher and is now the gifted and talented coordinator at a primary school in Perth. Nina has completed both a Masters in Educational Psychology and a Masters in Gifted Education and is currently undergoing study in the area of neuroscience.

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