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Associate Professor Sue Whatman is the immediate past President of ACHPER Incorporated. Sue has been a teacher-educator for more than 30 years, currently convening Higher Degree Research (HDR) in education and the HPE Double Major at Griffith University.
My aim is to support Australians in active and healthy living. Growing up in a small country town, we walked and swam, played all kinds of sport and rode our bikes everywhere. We coached, umpired, scored, cheered, set up and packed away. It’s an active life I want all children to have.
Associate Professor Sue Whatman is known internationally for her research in decolonising health and physical education curriculum and sport pedagogy, in initial teacher education and professional learning. Recognised as a Senior Fellow in the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), Sue’s practitioner-focused research informs her award-winning teaching, fuelled and characterised by a sustained commitment to social justice, equity, decolonising and anti-racist praxis. Sue is a Higher Degree Research Coordinator at Griffith University, a member of the Board of Graduate Research, and an active research supervisor and examiner. Sue has a demonstrated publication and funding record in Australian Government, university and commercially funded research. This track record includes critical Indigenous studies, health and physical education curriculum and sport pedagogy and coaching.
AITSL Assessor, HEA Senior Fellow, NSSAB Assessor
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at QUT in 2004, investigating community participation in health education decision-making for girls in remote Indigenous communities.
Master of Education (MEd) at QUT in 1993, investigating the health-related fitness curriculum in Queensland Secondary schools.
Bachelor of Education (BEd) QUT in 1990, with honours equivalent GPA.
Diploma of Teaching (Sec) BCAE in 1989 with secondary health and physical education and geography as majors, with outdoor education as minor.
Anja van Aswegen is an educator with experience in teaching mainstream, special, EAL, and gifted cohorts of students at schools, private programs, and volunteer settings. She works as a Primary school classroom teacher within the Queensland education system. Recently, she has undertaken a Masters of Education and Professional Studies Research at Griffith University. Her thesis, which she is presenting at this conference, explores formalised sex education in Australia – a topic of passion and interest.
Melanie spent 15 years working in the university sector and has taught in Aboriginal studies, specifically in cultural safety and community engagement.
Melisa is a health and physical education (HPE) academic within the University of Southern Queensland and research on health-related work of teachers.
Adrian is an experienced sport and recreation leader with over 25 years’ experience in community development, facility management, and strategic sector advocacy, driving inclusive, active, and connected communities across Australia.
Kristen is a marketing, business development consultant with an extensive background in stakeholder management to drive growth. Kristen has sourced and secured mutually beneficial business partnerships for over 25 years spanning education, corporate, sport and professional associations.
Sam Rossi is a passionate education leader with a strong track record in delivering innovative health and wellbeing programs that empower students to thrive through active, engaging learning experiences.
We exist to empower educators, coaches, parents, and communities to make movement a natural, joyful, and lifelong part of every person’s life. Through education, advocacy, and innovative programs, we break down barriers and ensure movement is for everyone, everywhere, every day.
Our Branches
ACHPER Tasmania
The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land across and waters within and surrounding Australia in which we share. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and to the leaders of tomorrow. We acknowledge the histories and living cultures and the many thousands of years in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have sustainably developed their nations with dignity, grace and aspiration. We recognise and accept yours as the oldest continuous living culture in the world and that your sovereignty has never been ceded.
We are an inclusive, safe and respectful organisation which celebrates diversity and actively supports the inclusion of children, young people and adults from LGBTIQA+ communities, people with disabilities, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and people with diverse religious beliefs or affiliations.
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