Leadership team

As a graduate teacher at Princes Hill Secondary, he kept putting his hand up for more opportunities with the union, and four years later he began working at the AEU.

Justin still misses the buzz he got as a teacher when he’d look around the classroom and realise, “This is working!”

Justin was elected as President of AEU Victoria in 2024. Prior to this, he held several positions at the AEU, including Deputy President from 2013 to 2024. Justin is also the Victorian Trades Hall President and sits on the AEU Federal Executive.

Justin loves winning hard-fought campaigns on behalf of members. He believes public education is the cornerstone of democracy, and is inspired by the work teachers do each and every day.

She has taught science, maths and health in Victoria and overseas, including a year spent teaching English in South Korea, and worked as a year level coordinator. After taking on the role of AEU representative at her school, she participated in several union campaigns and was elected to AEU council.

It was participating in the Anna Stewart Memorial Project that made Erin determined to work for the AEU, having learned more about the history and achievements of the union movement. She wanted to influence change on a bigger scale and is proud to represent members as the AEU fights for needs-based funding and equity within the education system.

Erin started out in the Member Support Unit (now MSC) for two years before being elected as the AEU’s Deputy Vice President of Secondary in 2010. Three years later, she went on to take up the Vice President role before being appointed Branch Secretary in July 2018.
 

Briley attended her first federal conference as a New Educator observer, and soon afterwards took up a role on AEU Branch Council and then on Branch Executive. After ten years of teaching, she was elected Deputy Vice President of Primary in 2013, and Vice President of Primary in 2016. In 2024, Briley was elected Deputy President of AEU Victoria.

If she wasn’t in an elected role at the AEU, Briley would be back in the classroom in a flash – she misses seeing the students develop, and the tangible difference you can make as a teacher. But what really inspires her is when the AEU can help individual members or schools by providing resources, information and support when they need it.

Seir’s commitment to trade unionism was instilled by her parents, both of whom are also teachers, and was strengthened by her undertaking the Anna Stewart Memorial Project in 2013 and the AEU’s Women in Leadership program in 2014. Seir became a Branch Councillor in 2010, a member of Branch Executive in 2016, and has twice been elected to the role of Deputy Vice President of Primary.

Seir says her experience working in disadvantaged schools in the western suburbs inspired her strong belief that all students, irrespective of the school they attend, where they live, or their socio-economic status, have an entitlement to a high-quality public school education, and a genuine opportunity to succeed.

Elaine started teaching beauty therapy when she first came to Australia from Scotland in 1991, although her union career dates back to her first gig in a fish and chip shop when she was 13. She taught at Ella Bache as a teacher and principal for seven years, before leaving to work as a program manager at Victoria University, overseeing the beauty programs.

Teaching remained her first love, however, and from 2010 she took a position in learning and teaching, where she found herself training trade teachers. Around the same time, she was elected sub-branch president at VU, finding that working with teachers across all the VU campuses gave her an ideal opportunity to talk about the union and develop relationships.

After joining Branch Council, Elaine was invited to take part in the Anna Stewart Memorial Project, which was a turning point in her involvement with the AEU. Working alongside a group of likeminded women was a phenomenal experience and made her determined to pursue a career with the union. She held the office of Deputy Vice President of TAP from 2014 to 2019, during which time she was responsible for the disability and AMES sectors.

As Vice President of TAP, Elaine particularly enjoys helping members negotiate and implement new agreements, as well as raising awareness of the needs of TAFE, Disability and AMES.

At university, Rebekah worked as an ES at a large, low socio-economic school in Geelong. Working in both office administration and in student support, she gained a unique perspective on the expectations and demands placed on two different but interdependent roles.

Rebekah began teaching at Point Lonsdale Primary in 2002, also working at schools in Geelong and Colac in leadership roles. In 2010 she took over as the sub-branch president at Point Lonsdale, building a strong and active sub-branch. 

Within the AEU, Rebekah has worked on the Regional Executive for the Geelong area, and has presented at reps and women’s conferences. She participated in the Anna Stewart Project, and the first WILD program. She was part of the working party that lobbied federal politicians to consider the Gonski Review, and continues to advocate for full and fair funding for public schools. 

Rebekah was elected Deputy Vice President of Primary in 2020, and Vice President of Primary in 2024. She is deeply committed to the trade union movement, and strongly believes in collective unionism and the need to promote our profession.

Luckily, the sub-branch was a great place for Marino to cut his union teeth, with a strong culture and good working relationships. Marino kept saying yes and was soon persuaded to nominate for Branch Council, convinced that being on council could help him to help his sub-branch. Like many of the current leadership team, he became active in the New Educators Network, and was encouraged by experienced councillors to run for leadership roles.

In challenging times, Marino knows the importance of solidarity with members, and the power of coming together for a shared purpose. His goal is to have schools and sub-branches working together to implement wins in the VGSA that can, for example, reduce contract employment through translations and reduce workload through measures like the Professional Practice Days.

When Cara started university, it was natural to join up as a student member, and then when teaching, once she got active in the union, things moved quickly! She was invited to join Sector Council, then Branch Council, then Branch Executive, and then completed the AEU’s ‘Women in Leadership’ program. 

From there, it was an easy choice to accept an invitation to stand for Deputy Vice President of Early Childhood, and after three years, she was elected Vice President. At a national level, Cara has been on the AEU Federal Early Childhood Education Committee for several years and is now the AEU Federal Executive Early Childhood Education Committee representative.

Activism, advocacy, and leadership play a strong part in Cara’s vision for Early Childhood educators. She sees these elements as an essential part of the educator role, and believes more members need to recognise how they can exercise them broadly, as part of everyday practice.

Shane first joined a union while working as an apprentice in the construction industry, and it became obvious that unionised workplaces had better safety standards and conditions for workers. He joined the AEU in 2005, took up a position on the sub-branch in 2018, and was elected sub-branch president in 2019. In that year, he also took up a position on the TAFE & Adult Provision Sector Council before being elected to Branch Council and Branch Executive in 2022.

The role of Deputy Vice President of TAFE and Adult Provision provides Shane the opportunity to represent members by raising issues on their behalf. He enjoys working to improve the conditions for members and to improve outcomes for students by campaigning for increased funding and the recognition of the importance of TAFE in vocational education.

As an active union member, Meagan has participated in the Anna Stewart and WILD programs, the New Educators conference, the AEU Federal women’s conference, and public education school funding reviews and campaigns. Meagan sees the strength when we work together as a union, and, as an experienced teacher, she knows the important issues that need to be addressed to improve educators’ working conditions and the state of public education in Victoria.

Meagan loves the rewarding experience of being a teacher, and takes joy in helping fellow educators to be empowered and work towards a better education system for all.

Since then, she’s worked in several public secondary schools in Melbourne teaching English and Media Studies and taking on a variety of middle leadership roles. Her enthusiasm for the union at the sub-branch level led to becoming an elected AEU Branch Councillor and AEU Branch Executive member. She has been an elected officer of the union since 2012 and continued to participate in union business during maternity and family leave, often bringing her baby to meetings with her. Issues confronting women and gender non-conforming people are at the forefront of her mind when representing the profession.

Though she much prefers being the one behind the camera, Jem has represented teachers and students in the state and national media, as well as lobbying state and federal politicians about a range of important issues, including the teacher shortage crisis and school funding. 

Jem cares deeply about the teaching profession and the teacher, ES and principal members who work tirelessly every day to make a difference in the lives of their students.

A colleague encouraged her to become an AEU sector councillor in 2012. The role opened up many opportunities, including participating in the Women in Leadership Development (WILD) program in 2017. Following this, Heidi nominated to join the Branch Council and Branch Executive.

Working as a Project Officer for Early Childhood in 2018 provided valuable experience for Heidi and an opportunity to better understand the needs of our members. In 2020, she took a more active role within the Inner-City Region, joining the Executive committee. In 2021, she nominated as regional President.

Each of these opportunities boosted Heidi’s confidence to engage in advocacy and activism, recognising the importance of standing strong and utilising the power of the collective to unite with one voice.