Our team
The Blackwood Street Early Learning team is made up of centre employees and board members. All our employees are required to pass a ‘Working with children’ check. A copy of the register of all staff is available to view by parents/carers at the centre by contacting the Service Manager.
Centre Employees
Emma
Service manager
Welcome to Blackwood Street Early Learning, my name is Emma. I am the Service Manager and responsible for all aspects of care and education at our lovely Centre. I joined the BSEL team in January 2020. I bring with me over 15 years’ experience in the early childhood care and education sector. I started my studies in Ireland where I completed my Diploma in Childcare and then I hopped the pond to Liverpool in the UK to complete my Bachelor in Early Childhood Care & Education. I spent time working in Ireland and the UK before myself and my husband emigrated to Australia in 2011.
My personal philosophy is that children are capable, competent learners with rights. They have a right to be heard, to be seen, to learn, to thrive, to grow and to prosper. I feel it is our role as educators to facilitate learning that is developmentally appropriate, research based and meets the individual needs of each child. Children have a right to learning spaces that are engaging, exciting, challenging and most of all fun!
As a mammy of two I understand from both sides the importance of quality care, especially in our birth to 2 years and Kindergarten ages. Those two times are of such significance in a child’s life and for the family as a whole. For the Nursery, its often a baby’s first time away from their parents and as they start to develop new relationships with our educators- it’s a time of great change and development for all. In Kindergarten, the children are about to embark on a whole new journey and this time is utilised to prepare them to be successful lifelong learners. Kindergarten is where children are encouraged and supported to resolve conflict, develop thinking strategies, grow in confidence and understanding of themselves and others.
My philosophy as a leader is team first. A team that is motivated, challenged and appreciated is a team that will go above and beyond; not just for me, but for our families and each of the children in our care.
Although I have just started my journey at Blackwood Street Early Learning I am excited for the future. Our centre is steeped in history as we have been in operation since 1949! A lot has changed since then but we remain true to our roots in serving our community and providing the best outcomes for children in our care.
Come and visit us today, I would love to show you around our Centre.
Laurie
Educational Leader
Brittany
Early Childhood Teacher
Sarah
Educator
Bella
Lead educator
Kerry
Lead Educator
Kim
Lead Educator
Yuri
Lead educator
Tahnee
Lead Educator
Elysee
Educator
Rebecca
Educator
Lily
Educator
Lisa D
Educator
Lisa M
educator
Paula
Educator
Rhiannon
educator
Evina
Educator
Tracey
Educator
Amber
Educator
Pam
Educator
Vandna
Chef
Esmee
Admin Officer
Ashleigh
Educator
Leanne
Lead Educator
Tess
Educator
Board Members
The Board of Directors are all parents who volunteer their time to become involved in the governance of the centre.
The Board is elected on a bi-annual rotating basis at the Annual General Meeting, and works closely with the management team to oversee the operations of the centre and develops the long term strategy. Board Meetings are held once every calendar month.
We do appreciate it when parents are ready to commit themselves to helping the Association in whatever way they can. It is only with such proactive involvement from all members of the Association that we can uphold our vision and thereby better meet the needs of all families in our community.
Any parent who is interested in becoming involved with the management of the Association is encouraged to nominate for a position on the Board of Directors or a position on one of the Board Sub Committees. Please contact the board directly on board@blackwoodstreetearlylearning.com.au for further information.
President
Lisa Allely
Lisa is a trained musician and music educator, with 12 years of experience teaching music in Brisbane schools. She is committed to community music-making and the philosophy that music is for everyone. Lisa’s training as an educator has brought a unique and valuable perspective to the BSEL organisation. Her eldest child has finished at the centre after attending from Koalas to Kookaburras, and her youngest started in Koalas in 2020.
Treasurer
Justine Stevens
Justine is a Chartered Accountant (CA) with 12 years’ experience working for both large international and local businesses both in the UK and Australia. Justine has a wide range of experience including process improvements, financial modelling, strategic planning and analysis, budgeting and forecasting, and financial reporting. Originally from London, Justine moved to Australia in 2012, before settling in Mitchelton in 2018. She has one daughter who attends the Centre.
Vice President
Nathan Bevan
Nathan has over 12 years of management experience across big and small business and has previously held positions in sales and product development. He currently helps run his family’s local business and is dedicated to ensuring Blackwood Street is a success now and into the future.
Nathan has two children, with his youngest attending the Brumbies room.
Ordinary member
Tina Walker
Tina is a Chartered Accountant (CA) with 17 years’ experience in various fields including audit, taxation, financial reporting, compliance, strategic planning and project planning. She has worked for various entities, including public accounting practices, manufacturing, insurance and water. Tina also has previous volunteer committee experience in building maintenance, establishing and growing CA awareness in the public sector, and by providing financial reporting support to a Brisbane-based church. Tina has two children at the Centre.
ORDINARY MEMBER
Hannah Rowan
Hannah is the Chief Operations Officer of a terrestrial ecology company. Hannah brings a range of experience to Blackwood Street Early Learning, including strategy development, governance, project management and snack selection. Hannah lives in Everton Park and has a daughter at the centre who started in Koalas in 2020. She joined the board to help support not-for-profit organisations within the local community.
