Qualifications
Doctorate of Education, University of New England
Master of Arts First Class Honours, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Diploma of Teaching, Auckland College of Education, New Zealand
Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors, Sydney Australia

Accreditations/Instruments
Mediation Accreditation Resolution Institute, Sydney Australia

Areas of Specialisation
Conflict resolution, women’s and girls’ leadership, strategic planning, principal wellbeing, turning around schools facing serious challenges, regional education.

Experience
Dr Debra Kelliher has had a career in education and now runs her own consultancy, AWARE Network, specialising in leadership development for university students in residential colleges. She has a Doctorate of Education and a Master of Arts with First Class Honours from Auckland University. Debra is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a qualified Executive Coach and mediator. Debra is on the Board of Odyssey House, a therapeutic community for those with substance misuse.

She has a keen interest in girls’ education, leadership, and student voice. Debra's Doctorate examines effective ways to increase girls’ leadership capacity. The findings emphasise the importance of trust and relationships in enhancing student leadership. She is interested in women’s leadership and principal wellbeing.

Debra and her husband Paul have a blended family of six adult children and love
family occasions, travel, walking holidays, and art.

Previous/Current Clients
Kambala (an Anglican independent girls’ school), Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, ACT Education Directorate.