Di is a passionate educator with experience across a wide range of educational settings. She is an advocate for differentiating programs for neuro-diverse students and gifted learners. She was the Senior Curriculum Adviser for the Gifted and Talented Unit for the NSW Department of Education and Training and ran professional learning workshops, conducted online professional learning programs for K-
13 teachers across NSW to support for schools, teachers, parents and students for implementing the NSW Gifted and Talented Policy. Prior to going to Head Office, she was the Coordinator of the Ku-ring-gai Gifted and Talented Unit, a Designated Centre of Excellence in Gifted and Talented Education at St Ives North Public School. She was an educational adviser in the development of the “Goodness and Kindness” program trialled at St Ives North Public School and went on to become a national program called “Together for Humanity”. She has been a Deputy at a large schools of 1,000 students and responsible for Student Welfare, Learning Support, Curriculum Programming and Professional Learning. She has been a guest lecturer at University of NSW, University of Sydney and Macquarie University. Di received the university Medal from University of South Australia and has received state and national recognition for excellence in teaching pedagogy, curriculum differentiation and curriculum development. She coordinated the educational and welfare program in a South East Asian Refugee Camp for over 2,000 refugees. Since retiring she has started a private consultancy advising schools, teacher and parents about the identification of gifted and neuro-diverse students with a focus on how best to support their differing educational, social and emotional needs. For more than a decade she has been an active member on the Board of her local Rotary International club and an Educational Adviser Board to the Henry Parkes Foundation.
