PRESIDENT:

 Leonie Kronborg, PhD, M.Ed.St., B.Ed., GradDipSpEd., DipT. 

Dr. Leonie Kronborg, is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Education, Monash University.  She co-ordinated Postgraduate Studies in Gifted Education at the Faculty of Education, Monash University where she taught gifted education units at pre-service and post graduate level.  She supervises PhD students with research interests in gifted education and talent development. Her research interests focus on education of gifted students, twice-exceptionality, teacher education, talent development and gender. Leonie presents her research at state, national and international conferences. She is a past president of the Victorian Association for Gifted and Talented Children and Australian Association for the Education of Gifted Children. She is past Vice President of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children, and was the elected Australian Representative Executive Member from 2013-2021. Leonie’s PhD was on Talent Development of Eminent Australian Women. For this research, she received an award for outstanding research from the (USA) National Association for Gifted Children (2008). She gained the Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2012 and the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2013. Leonie was Editor in Chief and co-editor of the Gifted and Talented International journal from 2015-2023, and on Editorial Boards of the Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, Gifted Child Quarterly and Journal of Advanced Academics. and Gifted Education International. 

Leonie's details at Monash University are: https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/leonie-kronborg

VICE PRESIDENT:

Kate Mitchell, M.Ed(gifted education), Grad Dip Cert, B. Comm., Dip Ed, FACEL

Kate Mitchell has been teaching and a leader in State Government Secondary schools for 35 years. She has been Principal of a large secondary school for 10 years and she has also been Regional Network Leader with responsibility for over 30 schools, both primary and secondary. During her tenure as Principal she developed the school into a top performing secondary school in terms of Naplan and VCE results. She also fostered an outstanding program for gifted and talented students. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Diploma of Education from Melbourne University and a Masters of Education in Gifted Education from Monash University. She was awarded the Eastern Region Woman’s Principal of the Year award for her work in gifted education and she was also recognised for the significant contribution that she made to educational leadership when she was made a Fellow of the Australian Council of Educational Leaders (FACEL). She has served on the Executive of TAASS (The Accredited Association of SEAL Schools); as a member of the Victorian Gifted and Talented Education Expert Reference Group, and is the Victorian State Director of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented (AAEGT).

VICE PRESIDENT:

Susan Knopfelmacher, M.Ed (Gifted Ed), BA (Hons), Grad Dip Ed, Postgrad Cert Gifted Ed

Elected Director of Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented (AAEGT) 2021-2022 

Susan has worked in state & select entry schools, independent schools and the university sector for over thirty years to create enriching and engaging educational programs and curricular opportunities for gifted young people from many backgrounds. As Head of Gifted Education and Extension Programs at a leading girls’ independent school, Susan developed a unique, diverse program specialising in the intellectual and personal growth of highly able and gifted girls from Years 7-12, by encouraging excellence through a variety of specialised mentoring programs and inquiry approaches. Prior to this, she specialised in gifted education, ran the Student Leadership Program and taught VCE English Language (sociolinguistics) and Philosophy at The Mac.Robertson Girls High School - where her students enjoyed outstanding success, winning a number of Premier’s Awards. Throughout her teaching career and as Academic Director, Head of Humanities, Foundation Studies Program at LaTrobe University, she has specialised in developing innovative curriculum, pedagogy and teacher professional learning. Susan’s MEd (Gifted Education) and Postgraduate Certificate in Gifted Education specialised in the characteristics and pedagogy of excellent teachers of highly able and gifted students. Susan has presented locally, nationally and internationally at AAEGT, VAGTC, WCGTC and ECHA conferences, has been a VAGTC Committee member and has served six consecutive terms as an elected Australian Delegate to the WCGTC, 2007-2019.

susanjknopfelmacher@gmail.com

TREASURER

Jennifer Krafchek, PhD, MEd, B.Ec., Grad Dip Ed. 

Dr Jennifer Krafchek completed her doctorate in gifted education at the Faculty of Education at Monash University, Clayton. Her research has focused on gifted and high-achieving females. Jennifer’s PhD thesis examined the experiences of academically high-achieving females before the onset of disordered eating. Jennifer also has a Masters of Education from Monash University majoring in Gifted Education, with a focus on gifted girls and perfectionism. She has worked in schools as a teacher of VCE Psychology and Economics, and as a coordinator of middle-school gifted programs. Jennifer was a Teaching Associate in the Faculty of Education at Monash University in 2020/ 21, lecturing for the subject on Gifted Education for the Bachelor of Teaching degree in 2021.  Jennifer is currently a professional speaker in schools. She has presented her research nationally and internationally at AERA and WCGTC conferences on Gifted Education and at ICED international conferences on Eating Disorders.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Liz Kelly - M.Ed. (Gifted Ed); Grad.Dip.Ed.Studs (Gifted); B.A.(Hons); Dip Ed.

Liz Kelly currently works as an education consultant and parent educator/consultant. She completed a B.A. (Hons) and Dip.Ed.at The University of Melbourne. Initially, she taught secondary English Expression and English Literature. She completed a Graduate Diploma of Educational Studies (Gifted) at The University of Melbourne followed by a Master of Education (Gifted) from Monash University.

Liz was part of a multidisciplinary special education team at Melbourne Girls Grammar School from 1997-2008 and was inaugural Head of Extended Curriculum. She established a curriculum-based program for highly able learners.

The main focus of the program was ability-grouped classes with dedicated, differentiated curricula in English, Mathematics, Languages and Science from years 7-10. In addition to classroom learning, the program sought to provide a range of provisional offerings and counselling for students whose learning needs were not being met by regular schooling. 

An example of this was the contribution that Liz made to the development of The University of Melbourne Mentor Program whereby Year 10 students worked for 6 months with and were mentored by PhD students in chosen fields of interest.

Between 2009 and 2012 Liz had experience as a sessional lecturer, Faculty of Education, Monash University and Gifted Education Consultant for Krongold Centre, Monash University. As a sessional educator, in Teach for Australia, Liz taught graduate education students about programming for the learning needs of gifted children.

Liz’s role counselling children of high ability and her concern about children’s social and emotional development, lead to her pursuing further study in 2010, at a professional entry level, at the University of Melbourne (Faculty of Medicine; Department of Psychiatry – Mindful). Liz completed Child, Adolescent and Family Therapies (C.A.F.T.) Development Psychiatries Course (DPC) and is a facilitator for Tuning into Kids ™ and Tuning in to Teens ™.

Liz now works privately as an education consultant. She advises parents about school matters and is an advocate for able children who have specific learning needs. Her experience in designing curricula allows her to provide advocacy for parents and children who need help navigating the complexities of school life - be it school selection; school readiness and/or appropriate learning strategies matched to a child’s ability.

Since 2014, and after completing further postgraduate study, Liz has been working as a parent educator, working closely with parents who wish to parent intentionally and in ways that optimize children’s emotional development. She now runs small group, interactive parent education workshops and seminars, in schools, privately and on an individual basis.

Liz is a council member of Trinity College at the University of Melbourne and was a past member of the Education Strategies Committee. Recently, Liz has trained with and volunteered for the Post and Ante Natal Anxiety Association (PANDA) as a telephone counselor and as a community education officer. She was a case manager for the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre for 2 years. Currently she volunteers with the Pyjama Angel Foundation mentoring children in permanent foster care.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Margaret Plunkett, PhD, M.Ed., Grad Dip, Dip Ed, B.Ec.

Dr Margaret Plunkett is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Federation University Australia. Margaret has had an interest in gifted education for more than 40 years, having developed and taught gifted education courses at both Monash and Federation Universities. Her main research interests include professional learning for pre-and-inservice teachers, particularly in relation to providing appropriate opportunities for traditionally underserved populations such as high ability students in regional and rural settings.  She served as an elected Australian delegate on the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children from 2006-2021and was an Associate Editor for the Australasian Journal of Gifted Education. 

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Susan Kelly (formerly Wade), PhD, MEd(Gifted Ed), GradDipEd(Sec), Monash, BA(Hons) Melb 

Dr Susan Kelly is a Lecturer in the School of Education at the Australian Catholic University. Her doctorate focused on talent development of highly able individuals on the autism spectrum. She is also experienced as a teacher in a Secondary Select Entry Accelerated Learning program. Susan taught with Dr. Kronborg in undergraduate and postgraduate gifted education units at Monash University. Susan is also an educational consultant and has given seminars, conference presentations and staff professional development sessions relating to education, giftedness, perfectionism, talent development and the autism spectrum. Additionally, she has worked with schools to provide parent information sessions addressing parental support of twice-exceptional students. Susan has been awarded the Monash University / Herald Sun Victorian Graduate Teacher of the Year, a Creative Innovation Asia Pacific Innovation Leader scholarship, an ASfAR / APEX Autism Trust Award, the ASfAR Margot Prior Prize and an Australian Postgraduate Award.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Maya Antoun , PhD (Monash Uni) M.Ed. (Monash Uni), B.Arts in Education (University of Balamand, Lebanon)

Dr. Maya Antoun is a Senior Lecturer in the Institute of Education, Arts & Community at Federation University.

 She completed her Master of Education and PhD at Monash University with a gifted education focus. Prior to joining Federation University, Dr. Antoun was an Associate Professor at the University of Balamand, Lebanon. Her teaching and research interests are in the field of gifted/inclusive education, teacher education, and professional development. She has published in reputable Scopus indexed journals. Maya is a Lebanese Delegate on the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children and has played a key role in shaping Lebanon’s gifted education policy for 2023-2024.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Claudia Cornejo-Araya, PhD (Monash), M.Ed Psych (Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile), B.Ed Psych (Universidad Catolica del Maule, Chile)

Dr Claudia Cornejo-Araya is a Chilean educational psychologist (Chile), with a Master in Educational Psychology (Chile) and a PhD in Education (Monash University, Australia). Her doctorate focused on developing a model to understand why some teachers inspire gifted and highly able students in secondary schools in Victoria.

In Chile, Claudia worked in academia (at Universidad Catolica del Maule) until she moved back to Melbourne in August 2024. For many years, she taught and coordinated units about educational psychology, qualitative research, and psychology of learning for undergraduate and postgraduate students in the field of psychology. There, she was granted a 2-year competitive grant (called Fondecyt – Anid) from the Chilean Government to study rural gifted education, which finished in March 2024. Her areas of interest in gifted education are effective strategies to teach gifted and highly able students, professional development, and rural gifted education. 

Claudia has published research articles in key refereed gifted education journals and presented her research at international conferences..  She was an Assistant Editor of Gifted and Talented International, the journal of the World Council of Gifted and Talented Children post PhD. 

In 2025, during the first semester, Claudia will be taking on a new academic challenge in her career, tutoring in two different units on positive learning relationships and classroom culture, in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. Also, parent of a young son.