About Us

Think Forward Educators is a community of teachers and school leaders who are passionate about the Science of Learning. Think Forward Educators now occupies a unique position as a practitioner-driven organisation providing much needed professional learning that is delivered by educators for educators.

Since its launch in 2019, Think Forward has grown from a group of 20 to more than 30,000 educators across Australia (and even internationally).

Our Approach

Meet the Team

Dr Nathaniel Swain

FOUNDER AND CHAIR
Teacher, Instructional Coach, and Researcher. He has recently joined La Trobe University School of Education and SOLAR LAB as Senior Lecturer in Learning Sciences and Learner Engagement. Nathaniel has taught a range of learners in primary school settings, and has a background in speech-language pathology.
Katie Roberts-Hull

CEO
Katie is CEO of Think Forward Educators. She began her career as a primary school teacher in the US and for the last decade has worked in education policy research in Melbourne. She holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Email: katie@thinkforwardeducators.org
Jeanette Breen

BOARD MEMBER
Experienced teacher, presenter, and liaison for the creation of partnerships and professional learning opportunities. In addition to her school-based role, Jeanette works with UK company No More Marking as the bridge for schools using innovative writing assessment. She leads a Writing Network with Think Forward Educators and holds a Professional Certificate in Clinical Teaching and Masters in Instructional Leadership
Reid Smith

BOARD MEMBER
Co-CEO of Ochre Education. Reid is also an experienced teacher at both primary and secondary level in regional Victoria, and a member of La Trobe University's Science of Language and Reading (SOLAR) Lab. He is experienced in developing coherent curriculum across a range of year levels and contexts, and bridging the gap between educational research and practice.
Haley Stonham

BOARD SECRETARY
Haley has been an educator for over 18 years and is currently the Religious Education Coordinator. Haley has also held the positions of Acting Assistant Principal and Curriculum Coordinator. During 2018 and 2019 she was a Senior Project Officer in the K-10 Branch at Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Haley Co-Lead's the Think Forward Educators Network for the ACT Branch. She is a passionate advocate for the SoL and has been enthusiastically part of Catholic Education ACT's CATALYST system wide initiative.
Chris Guy

BOARD MEMBER
Chris is an experienced Instructional Coach who is passionate about supporting teachers to implement evidence aligned instructional practices to improve outcomes for students. She has worked in remote indigenous communities, country and metropolitan schools and spent a few years teaching in the USA. Currently she supports leadership teams and teachers in two low-SES schools in the Northern suburbs of Adelaide to effectively use Instructional Coaching to develop teacher expertise