Our state managers

A proud Pitta-Pitta woman, Cassy has a passion for creating high-quality early learning environments that meet the needs of the teams she leads as well as the children and families in the communities she serves.

With a career spanning 20 years in the early learning sector, Cassy has been with Goodstart since its inception in 2010 and during this time has held numerous positions including centre director, area manager and regional manager.

Cassy is currently responsible for the day-to-day operations of centres in regional Queensland and is focused on improving the conditions and experience for those under her leadership.

She is committed to delivering on the strategic goals and quality standards of the organisation as well as building strong connections with families and improving the learning outcomes for children. Cassy takes a contemporary approach to leadership which fosters resilience and high levels of trust and accountability. She is driven to see others succeed and strives to continually build capability and excellence in her teams.

Kerrin is a highly experienced early childhood leader with a 26-year career dedicated to advocating for the education, care and wellbeing of young children.

Throughout her professional journey, Kerrin has held various roles in early education. She holds a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education), Postgraduate Certificate in Early Childhood, Master of Educational Leadership (Early Childhood) and a Master of Education (Research) from Macquarie University in Sydney and a Diploma in Marketing. 

Kerrin's professional and research interests revolve around themes of social justice and gender studies, aligning with her dedication to improving conditions for the early childhood sector. She believes that quality early education is pivotal to supporting the workforce participation of Australian women.

An expert in the field, Kerrin has made significant contributions to professional journals such as the Australasian Journal of Early Childhood and has shared her insights at national conferences. Kerrin’s commitment to elevating the early learning sector aligns seamlessly with Goodstart's vision.

Goodstart’s vision and purpose drives Nikki and her passion to ensure every one of her 70 plus centres are supported to deliver positive impact for children, families and their local community.

Over a 20-year career in the early learning profession, Nikki has worked in various roles for both small family-owned providers, for-profit and not-for-profit early learning organisations.

Nikki draws from her operational experience to build capability within her area leadership teams to drive continuous improvement and create the best outcomes for children.

Nikki advocates for the importance of early learning and has an unwavering commitment to ensuring that all children can access safe environments and quality teaching and learning.

Michaela is passionate about the early years and has built a career dedicated to improving outcomes for children both in the UK and Australia. Michaela joined us at Goodstart in 2010 and has held various leadership roles such as Centre Director, Area Manager, Performance Lead and now Acting State Manager for Western Australia.

Michaela brings a wealth of knowledge on child development as well as great experience building high performing professionals in the early learning and care sector. This combined passion for people and early learning allows Michaela to inspire Goodstarters to be their best and achieve the best outcomes for children. Michaela leads the operation of more than 50 centres across Western Australia, which provide early learning for more than 5,600 children, 4,500 families and 1,100 Goodstarters each day.  

Michaela understands how important the first five years are for all children and holds the belief that children are capable of the most amazing things. Through great partnerships with families, secure relationships with teachers and educators, and a deep understanding of learning through play, we can and will give children the best start to life. 

Melinda is an accomplished professional with many years of experience in the early childhood education sector.  She is passionate about high quality early learning environments and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role.

Having worked in various leadership positions in the industry, Melinda brings an invaluable perspective and skill set in driving Goodstart's vision and purpose. She ensures that in NSW South and ACT creating high-quality learning environments is an everyday priority that support children's learning, development and wellbeing. 

As State Manager, Melinda is responsible for overseeing the operations of more than 70 Goodstart centres in NSW South and ACT. Melinda is a people focused leader and thrives on working in partnership with the centre directors, educators, and support staff to deliver the very best outcomes for children, families and local communities

Lisa has been at Goodstart since its foundation and as a Early Childhood Teacher, takes pride in inspiring educators and teachers across the state to continuously deliver high quality early learning experiences.

Lisa has been working in the early childhood profession for over 20 years, with diverse experience working in a range of settings from birth to children aged 12 years as well as in adult vocational education. Over the past nine years, she has held a number of leadership and operational roles at Goodstart. She is passionate about contemporary best practice within the sector, especially infant and toddler pedagogy. Lisa holds a range of qualifications in leadership, management, business, training and assessment which she draws on to lead NSW – North’s 70 plus centres and 12 NT centres.

Brooke, a passionate and dedicated Goodstarter who has been with the organisation since 2002. Throughout her tenure, she has held various positions, including Educator, Centre Director, Area Manager, State Business Improvement Manager – SA/NT, and State Performance Lead – SA/NT. 

Her extensive experience in these roles, coupled with being a parent whose child has attended Goodstart, has significantly contributed to her ability to lead the Goodstart network in SA. Brooke consistently prioritises the needs of centre teams, children, and families, ensuring that they remain at the forefront of all decisions. She is a fierce advocate for inclusion, striving to ensure all children, regardless of their background or circumstance, can access early learning to support their learning and development.

As a leader, Brooke places a strong emphasis on people and relationships. She thrives on empowering others and believes in working collaboratively with centre directors, educators, and support team members. By fostering these partnerships and championing inclusive and high quality early learning, she leads centre teams dedicated to delivering the best possible outcomes for children, families, and local communities.

With over 25 years of experience working in the in early learning sector, Christine brings not only extensive knowledge but inspired leadership for high quality early learning.

She has a strong background in working in the education management industry and has a strong passion working for non-profit organisations like Goodstart. 

In this role, Christine is able to utilise her strong expertise in building the capability of others as well as bring her strong love for strategy – so that we’re constantly improving and not losing sight of the future. She has a strong focus on coaching, team building, and mentoring to build a strong and thriving Goodstart culture across her state. Christine has a passion for making a difference and has a natural ability to inspire and motivate others.

Narelle is highly experienced and passionate about the VIC North region and strives to instil a culture of reflection and continuous improvement to deliver on Goodstart’s vision and purpose.

Narelle possesses more than 23 years’ experience working in the early learning sector, including 20 years in Victoria. Narelle empowers leaders through coaching to create and sustain high performing cultures – centred on health and safety and the delivery of high quality early learning.  Narelle is a huge advocate for high quality early learning and teaching and the invaluable contribution educators and teachers make in children’s first five years in partnership with families.

Previous to being appointed as a State Manager, Narelle was an Operations Manager for Goodstart’s Region 33, and brings a strong track record of inspiring centres to meet and exceed the National Quality Standards.

With over 20 years of experience in early learning, Jessica is currently the Acting State Manager for VIC West and TAS. Having been with Goodstart since its founding in 2010, she is committed to supporting the organisation and its impact on the early learning sector.

Jessica is passionate about the inclusion of all children and is deeply committed to ensuring every child has access to the high-quality early learning opportunities and care they deserve. This aligns closely with Goodstart’s mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children and families.

Jessica’s leadership is focused on driving improvements across all centres by collaborating with her leadership team. Together, they work to support the achievement of excellence in outcomes for each centre, ensuring that all children and families are given the best possible start in their educational journey.