2026 National Teacher Conference Speakers

Name: Northmost Studio
Price range: $

Read about our 2026 National Teacher Conference speakers

KURT FERANLEY AM PLY
Paralympian, teacher, disability advocate

Kurt Fearnley is an Australian Paralympic champion and one of the most accomplished wheelchair racers in the world. Born with a condition affecting his lower limbs, he rose to international prominence through determination and elite athletic performance. Fearnley has won multiple Paralympic gold medals and dominated major marathons, including New York, London, and Chicago. Beyond sport, he is a respected advocate for disability rights, a motivational speaker, high school teacher, and former NSW Australian of the Year, known for inspiring others through his resilience and leadership. Kurt is a proud long-term Teachers Health Fund member and Ambassador. Learn more about Kurt here.

DR AMANDA GIGUERE
Director of Outreach at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival

Dr Amanda Giguere (she/her) is the Director of Outreach at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival (CSF) and the author of Shakespeare & Violence Prevention: A Practical Handbook for Educators. She oversees CSF’s Shakespeare & Violence Prevention school tour and teaches for the University of Colorado Boulder’s Applied Shakespeare certificate program. In 2025, Amanda worked with the University of Melbourne and Bell Shakespeare. Amanda received her MA and PhD in theatre history and criticism from the University of Colorado Boulder and has taught undergraduate courses at CU Boulder, the University of Northern Colorado and Lingnan University. Her other published works include The Plays of Yasmina Reza on the English and American Stage. She has worked with Curious Theatre, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, Rebel Shakespeare Company, North Shore Music Theatre and Cleveland Play House. Learn more about Amanda’s work at here.

MIRIAM COROWA
Broadcaster, reporter and producer

Miriam Corowa is a Bundjalung woman from the Far North Coast of New South Wales with more than 25 years of experience in the media. Her career has encompassed documentary, news, live events and supporting the development of inclusive reporting at the ABC. Her most recent role at the ABC is Senior Cultural Advisor to News. Miriam works closely with reporting teams and with grassroots community organisations to ensure respectful processes in the production of news content. Pairing an avid interest in Indigenous affairs with general news, she has worked at both SBS and the ABC across programs such as World News Australia and Message Stick. Among the many highlights of her career are her roles co-hosting the ABC's The Apology live broadcast in 2008, and hosting the ABC's Gallipoli Dawn Service broadcasts. Miriam is a member of Bell Shakespeare’s Board of Directors.

DR JEDIDIAH EVANS
Lecturer in English and Writing at the University of Sydney

Jedidiah Evans is a lecturer in English and Writing at the University of Sydney. His research focuses on arts and incarceration, with a particular interest in prison writing. He runs creative workshops in several NSW prisons and is associate editor of Paper Chained, which publishes the art and writing of incarcerated people. His current research partnership with Corrective Services NSW is aiming to support and evaluate meaningful learning opportunities for incarcerated women. As a university teacher, his Faculty of Arts capstone case study, Creative Solutions to the Problems of Incarceration, received the 2023 Teaching Innovation Award and established ongoing dialogue between students and incarcerated people at the University of Sydney. He co-facilitates Bridges Inside, a forum for scholars, students, and community members to engage with issues of prison justice.

JACK STARKEY-GILL
Voice Director - Bell Shakespeare

Jack Starkey-Gill is the Voice Director of Bell Shakespeare and the founder of JSG Voice. His work sits at the intersection of classical theatre training and everyday communication: helping actors find the life within Shakespeare's language, and helping others find the resonance in their own. He holds an MFA in Voice from NIDA and a Bachelor of Dramatic Art from VCA.

At Bell Shakespeare, Jack prepares the company's actors for some of the most demanding text in the English language. His own work as a professional actor grounds his coaching in the lived experience of the stage, not just theory.

Through JSG Voice, he works with teachers, leaders, and organisations across education, law, finance, marketing and the arts. Jack’s approach draws on master voice pedagogues (Berry, Linklater, Rodenburg, Fitzmaurice, Lessac, Houseman) combined with current voice science to build vocal health, clarity, and presence in anyone who relies on their voice for their work.

YVE BLAKE
Writer & Composer

Yve Blake is a multi-award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and songwriter, best known for creating the hit musical FANGIRLS. Premiering at Belvoir and Queensland Theatre in 2019, FANGIRLS toured Australia in 2021, returned to the Sydney Opera House in 2022, and made its UK debut at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in 2024, produced by Sonia Friedman Productions. FANGIRLS has been awarded a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Mainstage Musical, a Matilda Award for Best Musical or Cabaret, an AWGIE Award for Music Theatre, a Green Room Award for New Australian Writing for Musical Theatre, and an ARIA nomination for Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album. Its UK premiere also earned Blake The Stage x Netflix Debut Award, and FANGIRLS is now studied in high school curricula across three Australian states.

In 2026, Blake’s new play, Mackenzie, will premiere in Sydney and Melbourne, produced by Bell Shakespeare, with Blake as consulting producer. She is currently developing a family musical for Mark Gordon Pictures, a screen Adaptation of FANGIRLS for Fremantle, a new play for the Malthouse, and various other projects for stage and screen.

ROB EASTAWAY
Author, speaker and educator

Rob Eastaway is an author, speaker and BBC radio contributor based in London. His passion is for building links across the curriculum, particularly between STEM subjects and the humanities. His interest in Shakespeare deepened while he was researching his book Much Ado About Numbers, which explores the mathematical ideas in Shakespeare’s life and works.

Since 2022, Rob has given talks on Shakespearean numbers to around 15,000 teenagers across the UK and has also appeared at several book festivals and at the historic Shakespeare Club in Stratford-upon-Avon. He is a frequent guest on BBC Radio’s podcast More or Less and is the long-standing director of Maths Inspiration, a national programmer of interactive lecture shows for 16-year-olds that are held in large theatres across the UK. A keen cricket fan, Rob also has strong family ties with Sydney; over 100 years ago, his great-grandfather ran a foundry in south Sydney which produced some of the ironwork that can still be seen around Circular Quay today. Learn more about Rob’s work here.

PANEL: Shakespeare Hot Takes

Virginia Gay

Director, Writer, Performer

Virginia Gay is an award-winning performer and creative. As Writer and Performer, Virginia created Cyrano for Melbourne Theatre Company and Black Swan State Theatre Company, The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh and The Park Theatre, London. As Writer, her credits include Mama Does Derby for Windmill Production Company and Sydney Festival; and The Boomkak Panto for Belvoir St Theatre. As Director, she has worked on The Boomkak Panto for Belvoir St Theatre; Paper Cut (Tropfest Finalist Film); and The Fig Tree for Hayes Theatre Co and Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Her stage credits include Calamity Jane for Sydney Opera House, Hayes Theatre Co, Arts Centre Melbourne and Belvoir St Theatre; Vivid White, The Beast, On the Production of Monsters and Minnie and Liraz for Melbourne Theatre Company; Cautionary Tales for Children for Arena Theatre; and High Society for Hayes Theatre Co. Her screen credits include Colin From Accounts, Thank God You’re Here, Safe Home, Winners and Losers, After the Verdict, Savage River, All Saints and Judy & Punch, which premiered at Sundance. Her awards include an Edinburgh Fringe Festival Fringe First (New Writing) and an Off West End Award (Best Lead Performer) for Cyrano and a Sydney Theatre Award (Best Actress in a Musical) for Calamity Jane. Her nominations include a Logie Award nomination (Most Outstanding Supporting Actor) for After the Verdict. Virginia was the Artistic Director of Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2024 and 2025.

PROFESSOR EMERITA ROBYN EWING AM
Educator, author and academic

Initially a primary teacher, Robyn Ewing AM joined the then Faculty of Education (now School of Education and Social Work) at The University of Sydney in 1989. She is currently Professor Emerita and Co-Director of the CREATE Centre, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She is also a Co-Director of Big Sky Stories, Broken Hill and Co-Convenor, Foundation of Learning and Literacy. Robyn is passionate about the transformative role that the Arts can and should play in lifelong learning and has a commitment to creative professional practice and arts-rich pedagogy at all levels of education. She particularly enjoys working alongside educators and with arts organisations interested in reform. In 2015, Robyn was made a member of the Order of Australia for significant service to tertiary education, professional associations and the Arts. She was the 2012 recipient of the Lady Cutler Award for Distinguished Service to Children’s Literature. Robyn’s teaching, research and extensive publications include a focus on arts-rich pedagogy and literacy learning, innovative teacher education; the experiences of early career teachers; co-mentoring and professional learning; picture books and early language and literacy learning; reflection in professional practice, and arts-informed research methodologies. She is a recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching (1999) and Higher Degree Research Supervision. From 2012-18 Robyn was a member of the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) Council.

DR NATASHA BEAUMONT
Actor, educator and researcher

Natasha Beaumont is a former stage and television actor whose career spans Sydney and London before transitioning into education as a specialist drama teacher across primary and secondary contexts. Her professional practice is grounded in the belief that drama is a powerful vehicle for language development, creativity, and critical thinking. Natasha holds a Master of Education (Drama) focused on additional language learners and a Doctorate exploring videomaking as a tool for oral language development and critical digital literacy. Her research integrates drama pedagogy with multimodal and digital practices, supporting students to become confident communicators and critically engaged creators. She is currently a Lecturer in Creative Arts (K–6) at The University of Sydney and an Associate Researcher with the University’s CREATE Centre. In these roles, Natasha teaches, researches, and collaborates with educators to strengthen arts‑based approaches to literacy across diverse learning contexts. Alongside her academic work, Natasha mentors classroom teachers and arts educators in drama‑based learning, supporting the design of inclusive, engaging, and language‑rich teaching practices. Her work bridges professional performance, classroom practice, and educational research, with a strong commitment to equity, creativity, and meaningful arts learning.

DAY 1 TEACHER SNAPSHOTS

Pieta Swann, Drama/English Teacher, Trinity Anglican College, Thurgoona NSW
Pieta Swann is a secondary Drama and English teacher based in Albury NSW, with a passion for making Shakespeare accessible and engaging for students. She values those lightbulb moments when dialogue and character suddenly click, enabling students to connect deeply with Shakespearean texts. While initially cautious about emerging technologies, Pieta is challenging herself to explore their creative potential. In her Teacher Snapshot session, she will share a practical approach to reimagining Shakespearean villains through generative AI costume designs. Pieta participated in Bell Shakespeare’s National Teacher Mentorship in 2022 and strongly recommends this professional learning opportunity to fellow teachers.

Louise Altman, English and History Teacher, Yolla District School TAS
Louise Altman is an English and History educator with experience teaching across regional, rural, and international contexts. She has served in faculty leadership roles and is passionate about making literature accessible to diverse learners through explicit literacy instruction, creative pedagogy, and hands-on learning experiences. Her work focuses on engaging students with complex texts through inquiry, performance, project-based learning, and scaffolded analysis. Louise has developed innovative programs exploring Shakespeare, war literature, Australian texts, and contemporary media. She is particularly interested in supporting low-literacy learners and fostering deep connections between language, history, culture, and the enduring relevance of literature in today's society.

Fiona Hallenan-Barker, Drama and English Teacher, Burwood Girls High School NSW
Fiona Hallenan-Barker is a Drama and English teacher at Burwood Girls High School, and a theatre director and dramaturg with twenty years' experience in the performing arts. She holds a Master of Teaching from the University of New England, a BA in Theatre from UWS Nepean and a Postgraduate Diploma in Directing from the Victorian College of the Arts. Before entering the classroom, she worked across Australia's theatre sector with organisations including Sydney Opera House, Sydney Theatre Company, Merrigong Theatre Company, The Arts Unit and Impro Australia. Fiona is dedicated to creating playful, performance-based pathways into Shakespeare that build confidence, curiosity and student ownership of learning. Fiona is an arts writer for Theatre Now and reviews theatre under the banner @theatrewithfiona.

Tracey-Lee Daranjo, Independent English Educator, Author & Creator of QuoteCards
Tracey-Lee Daranjo is an English educator, writer, and creator of QuoteCards, a classroom resource now used in schools and libraries across Australia. Across a 22-year teaching career spanning Australia and the United Kingdom, she has taught QCAA, IB, GCSE, and A-Level English. Through QuoteCards, workshops, and professional learning, Tracey-Lee supports teachers in fostering deeper literary thinking and student engagement. Her work focuses on practical classroom strategies that move students beyond recall and translation towards conceptual understanding, critical analysis, and meaningful discussion of Shakespeare, helping students uncover the richness, beauty, and enduring relevance of literary texts.

Pictured below, from left to right, Pieta Swann, Louise Altman, Fiona Hallenan-Barker, Tracey-Lee Daranjo.

DAY 2 TEACHER SNAPSHOTS

Emily Hawkins, English & Drama Teacher, Blacktown Girls High School NSW
Emily is an English and Drama teacher working in Western Sydney. After starting her career teaching Shakespeare through Zoom lessons, Emily has developed her skills in harnessing student creativity to foster a genuine enjoyment of the plays. She is passionate about making Shakespeare's work accessible and fun for all students.

Katie Crowl, Eileen O’Connor Catholic College, Sydney Catholic Schools NSW
Katie is a creative arts specialist in inclusive education and is a practising artist and teacher. She has written for the NSW Creative Arts Secondary Life Skills syllabuses as part of the syllabus reform team for NESA and has worked in a range of special education settings for students with complex to moderate support needs. Alongside her teaching, Katie has worked in creative learning and inclusive arts for museums and galleries. She holds a Bachelor of Performance, Theory and Practice- Acting, and a Master of Teaching in Drama. She is a tragic choir nerd and loves a good dress-up.

Nick Walter, Primary Drama Teacher, Caulfield Grammar School VIC
Nick is a passionate theatre educator and practitioner with over 30 years’ experience. He has directed and designed over 70 productions, including The Tempest, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Julius Caesar. He principally works with primary-aged students and has utilised elements of Shakespeare across most year levels, exploring specific performance skills and wider concepts such as leadership and conservation. He has trained with Shakespeare’s Globe, Donmar Warehouse, Frantic Assembly and Sydney Theatre Company. As a performer, Nick has appeared in touring Shakespeare productions through England, Scotland, Wales and Germany.

Nicole Higgins, Vincentia High School NSW
Nicole brings a wealth of experience, combining her role as Head Teacher of Wellbeing with over a decade of Drama teaching. Drawing on practical methodologies developed through her Bell Shakespeare National Teacher Mentorship, she has effectively supported students with diverse needs to not only navigate high school Shakespeare but to engage deeply, find enjoyment, and uncover meaningful connections within the material. Nicole's professional passion lies in working with disengaged youth in mainstream educational settings. She is particularly committed to supporting marginalised groups, including neurodiverse students, members of the LGBTIQ+ community, and those with lived experiences of trauma.

Pictured below, from left to right, Emily Hawkins, Katie Crowl, Nick Walter, Nicole Higgins.