Our People

Passionate about developing student agency and creativity, Jo devotes her time investing in each and every child at Annesley to map their own path to success. Engaging students in rich and authentic experiences and spending their time exploring significant global issues is close to her heart. As an old scholar of Annesley, Jo was influenced by her teachers and leaders to know no bounds and is rewarded by the opportunity to nurture today’s Annesley students in the same way. In her own time, Jo loves riding her bike, hiking with friends, family and her dog Sampson, gardening, cooking and camping.

David is the Learning and Teaching Coach at Annesley, supporting teachers and students across the school to develop challenging and engaging curriculum. He is originally from Peterborough in the UK, but has moved to South Australia with his family after 13 years working at an IB World School in Abu Dhabi. Outside of school, David is a keen soccer player and loves playing his guitar.

Donna is an Early Childhood Educator and is passionate about play based and inquiry learning. She is particularly focused on how environments can best support students to demonstrate autonomy, their sense of wellbeing and can foster their natural curiosity whilst providing opportunities for students to share what is unique about them. When not at school you will find her out enjoying the natural environment, connecting with friends and enjoying the many arts festivals our beautiful city has to offer.

Sharyn has been an educational leader in a diverse range of settings and her early leadership roles included a focus on wellbeing as a Counsellor and a focus on teaching and learning as a curriculum coordinator. Having had time to learn from these roles, Sharyn was able to connect these experiences to lead schools as both a Principal and Deputy Principal. Sharyn is passionate, not only about student learning but her own learning and stays up to date with recent educational research to apply this to her leadership through reading, networking and professional learning opportunities. As a parent of two children (a son and a daughter), Sharyn recognises the important foundations that a Primary education provides to develop students as confident, independent learners. 

Alicia is a passionate and energetic early years educator valuing each child’s strengths and passions. She values the importance of connection and working in partnership with families to best support each child in her care. Alicia loves sport and leading an active lifestyle. When she has time she enjoys escaping for a run or walking Mt Lofty.  When not at school Alicia enjoys spending time with her 4 gorgeous daughters and being part of their very busy social and sporting lives.

Steph teaches in the Middle Primary eagerly establishing the new Primary Years model. A lover of all things pineapple, Steph promotes goal setting and self-regulated learning using the PYP Approach to Learning. In her spare time, Steph is an avid reader and enjoys being active, particularly with two school aged children in tow. Steph recommends being like a pineapple – wear a crown, stand tall and be sweet on the inside!

Sarah began working with children in 1997 and is passionate about humanising education. She loved the experience of working in international schools, before having her daughters Isabel and Eliza. Outside school hours she is a keen gardener and enjoys the company of her friends and large family.

Sophie believes that a nurturing, empowering and happy environment is the key to learning and life success for all. She is passionate about providing personalised learning for students on their paths through education and life and uses creative ways to engage and inspire children. Sophie has experience teaching in roles as a specialist and classroom teacher across the junior primary and primary years. Sophie moved to Australia in 2019 from the UK with her husband and three children who are loving exploring and taking advantage of the amazing opportunities that South Australia affords. Sophie is also a member of Drama SA and the Association of Head of Music In Non Government Schools (AHOMINGS).

Olivia has enjoyed teaching and nurturing children in both the Junior School and ELC at Annesley. She feels privileged to have been able to see the school grow and be part of such a special community. In her spare time she enjoys family outings, getting dirty in the garden and creating floral design.

Kin is passionate about outdoors and loves all things sports related. Most of Kin’s time is spent with his young family, a new born and an energetic toddler.

Matt is committed to delivering quality education and loves working with students as they discover their strengths and passions. He has considerable experience teaching in IB schools and is passionate about bringing out the best in each child through strong student voice and ownership of the learning process. He loves learning and enjoys listening to the “Stuff You Should Know” podcasts on long car trips. In his spare time, Matt enjoys spending time with his family, playing a range of musical instruments as well as refining the very important art of roasting coffee using such things as popcorn makers or a heat gun blasting into an old bread-maker.

Bella enjoys supporting children to achieve success and reach their fullest potential. Bella also has a passion for Mathematics and loves creating learning experiences driven by the interest and passions of her class. Outside of school, you can find Bella catching up with family and friends, grabbing a coffee, or doing Pilates.

Penny spends her Mondays and Tuesdays teaching in the Grevillea Room. Her passion is ensuring all children feel welcome, involved and have fun in their learning. When she’s not at work, Penny refocuses her inexhaustible energy to entertain her two young sons’ notoriously short attention spans. When they’re all tuckered out, Penny finds solace in books, your go-to person for the latest recommendations featured on her bookstagram.

Pastor Pete is the Chaplain at Annesley. He is passionate about helping people discover who they are, and how they can live out their God-given potential. Pete is an ordained Minister and marriage celebrant in the Uniting Church. He holds degrees in Engineering (Civil) and Ministry, a Master of Theological Studies, and a Grad Dip in Counselling. His home life is never quiet as he and his wife Jo raise (navigate) 5 teenage children and their cavoodle Rosie. Pete enjoys playing piano and trying to write songs which his children don’t think are lame and dated.

Christiana is a passionate teacher who is the specialist Science teacher for Early Years and Primary students. She grew up on a farm catching tadpoles and climbing trees and this connection to the environment is evident in her room and lessons. She is keen to develop and encourage a sense of wonder and curiosity in all students. Christiana enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters when not at work and during holidays they often set out exploring and camping in the great outdoors.

Penny is a passionate Health and Physical Educator. She  focuses on helping students develop the skills and knowledge that gives them the confidence and motivation to lead healthy and active lives. Outside of school Penny enjoys being at the beach with her family or running some of the local trails.

Laura is a passionate early years teacher with many years experience in teaching the IB PYP. She enjoys getting to know her students and supporting them in achieving their individualised goals and celebrating their successes. Laura loves animals, specifically dogs and loves spending her weekends with family and friends enjoying good food and wine. Laura grew up in the Clare valley and as an adult has spent time living in Adelaide and the UK.

Alana enjoyed working within Australian media organisations for a number of years before joining Annesley and has found her purpose, learning alongside Annesley students in both the junior school and more recently the ELC. Alana lives with her beautiful daughters, fun loving husband Rob and pampered pooches Pepe and Waffles. In her spare time she loves spending time with her family and friends, dancing and relishing in the simple pleasures of life, like an embrace from a loved one. Alana is passionate about instilling a life long love of learning and values such as curiosity and compassion in the children she is lucky enough to spend her days with at Annesley.

Joe is committed to establishing positive relationships with his students and making learning interesting, relevant and fun. He deeply believes that children will amaze us when given the opportunity to do so. He has a particular interest in the effective teaching of Mathematics. Joe loves being active, playing a range of different sports and passionately supporting his favourite teams. Walking his dog, Bentley, and settling in for an afternoon of reading are two of his favourite things to do.

Katie is an experienced Early Childhood teacher. She began her career teaching in ELC, Reception and Year 1 in Adelaide before moving to Singapore where she taught at the Australian International School. She believes that the first years of school are pivotal as they provide a foundation for children to develop skills, confidence and independence.  Katie believes being a child’s early years teacher is an amazing position as you are able to give them a great beginning to their educational journey.

Alana is an experienced teacher who is passionate about building relationships with students. She believes for students to be successful at school they must feel safe and secure, an environment she fosters and works with students to create in the classroom. She has a strong passion for Mathematics. She consciously applies a real-world context to different topics so that students can see a purpose.

Monika has been a teacher at Annesley for six years. She has enjoyed opportunities to work in both the primary school and early learning center, treasuring the many positive relationships she has made with the children and their families. Children are at the center of every choice she makes, which is reflective in the way the learning environment is set up to create space for all learners to feel a sense of wellbeing and agency. Monika has a passion for dance and movement to support wellbeing. Movement is also incorporated throughout the day in both Literacy and Mathematics, engaging the children in real play-based learning.

Rosie has taught as a Specialist Spanish teacher across Junior and Middle School, before transitioning to a classroom teaching role. Her love of language learning and culture has contributed to her understanding and skills in language acquisition and spelling. Rosie values relationship building above all else, working hard to form positive connections with the students.

Jodie has been part of the Annesley community for several years, previous to that she taught in in both the UK and Singapore. Jodie has a passion for hands on active learning and believes every child is a unique and capable learner. She enjoys learning alongside children both in and outdoors in natural environments where she can support the children to learn through play in an engaging and fun way.

Natalie has spent several years teaching and leading at highly regarded Independent Schools in Singapore. Prior to that, Natalie held various teaching, consulting, and leadership roles in the Department of Education in QLD. Highly regarded for her collaborative approach and engaging with industry experts in meaningful ways, Natalie brings a wealth of diverse experience to Annesley and is proven in personalising the learning for students in partnership with parents. Natalie also holds a Master’s in Special Education from Griffith University.