The team working to develop the National Guidance incudes people with diverse knowledge, skills, experience, and perspectives relevant to the National Guidance.
Professor Dawn Adams (Project Co-lead)
Dawn will lead a team split across Griffith University and the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre (OTARC) at La Trobe University. Being within the School of Education and Professional Studies, the Griffith University team work closely with teachers and those involved with teacher training. Prof. Adams is a Clinical Psychologist and academic whose research focuses upon autistic students’ wellbeing, with a particular focus on the school setting.
Professor Suzanne Carrington (Project Co-lead)
Suzanne was the Program Director of the School Years Program for Autism CRC from 2013-2022. She is a trained educator, and worked in early childhood, primary, secondary and special schools. Suzanne has 30 years of experience working in universities including teaching, research, international development, and various leadership roles. Suzanne’s areas of expertise are in inclusive education, ethical/transformative leadership for inclusive schools, disability and teacher preparation for inclusive schools.
Dr Emma Goodall (Project Co-lead)
Emma is an auDHD researcher and public policy professional working within Australasia to improve life outcomes for neurodivergent individuals. She is an experienced and qualified teacher at pre-school and school levels and has worked across all levels of education as a teacher, specialist teacher and consultant including working with federally funded autism projects.
Dr Annetta Cayas
Annetta is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Griffith University; she also works as a sessional academic at Queensland University of Technology. Her research explores the intersection of families and schooling, and investigates how educational policy and school requirements for parent engagement impact the day-to-day experiences of diverse young people, parents, families and educators.
Dr Elizabeth J. Cook
Elizabeth is autistic and has ADHD. She is currently a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the School of Education at Queensland University of Technology, and a sessional academic at Edith Cowan University. Elizabeth has over a decade of experience in education, evaluation and applied research. She has contributed to large-scale evaluations for education departments, government agencies and not-for-profits across early childhood, school and higher education sectors.
Associate Professor Sofia Mavroloupou
Sofia has experience in teacher preparation for autistic students, working in partnership with schools, governments, NGOs and professional associations and has a long history of conducting research for Autism CRC school years projects.
Professor Beth Saggers
Beth has experience in teacher preparation for autistic students, working in partnership with schools, governments, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and professional associations. Beth has a long history of conducting research for Autism CRC school years projects.
Associate Professor Kate Simpson
Kate is a leading figure in autism research and education at Griffith University, where she serves as the Director of the Autism Centre of Excellence (ACE) and Program Director of the university's postgraduate autism studies program. Kate is a trained occupational therapist and a teacher (primary and special education). She brings over three decades of experience working with autistic people and their families.
Louise White
Louise is an autistic researcher and mother of two fabulous autistic sons. She is completing her PhD through the Autism Centre of Excellence at Griffith University, where she is also a sessional academic. She was the first recipient of the Michael Nathaniel Dyer PhD Research scholarship. Her research focuses on identifying effective ways to support autistic students as they transition on from secondary schooling and into adulthood. Louise is an inclusive curriculum consultant and teacher who has worked in primary and secondary schools in both Australia and the United Kingdom.