About
Linda’s dominant Freedom Cup finds her championing risky play, nature play, and child-led, emergent curriculum. Never one to pass up a good yarn, she brings learning to life through storytelling - weaving narratives that spark curiosity, connection, and joy.
As a VIT-registered teacher with over a decade of teaching and educational leadership experience, Linda has co-created and taught an award-winning bush kinder program designed with mental health at its heart, while also embedding evidence-based, contemporary pedagogy at the Excellent-rated Kinglake Ranges Children’s Centre.
Across her 11 years in the sector, Linda has contributed through publications, magazine features, conference presentations, and guest lecturing at RMIT and La Trobe University, sharing her knowledge around nature play, risky play, and embedding First Nations perspectives.
Team Phoenix know Linda takes her Fun Cup seriously. She’s never one to turn down a challenge for a great cause, whether it’s push-ups for suicide prevention or braving an icy ocean dip to raise money for cancer research. Linda understands that for humans to flourish, fun isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have - in life, in teaching, and in building thriving communities.
Her current studies, a Masters of Educational Leadership, have ignited a commitment for educator wellbeing, social sustainability and a drive to rethink practices, and communities where every human has the opportunity to flourish.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Liberal Studies (Marketing and Human Resource Management) from Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato (The University of Waikato, NZ)
- Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood) from RMIT
- Forest School Leader Level 3 Certification from Forest School Learning Initiative, UK
