Meet Our Elite Early Learning Consultants

Hand-selected specialists bringing deep expertise, proven experience, and a shared commitment to excellence in early childhood education.

Phoenix Support For Educators – Profile

Phoenix Support For Educators

Guidance-based practice, child and educator wellbeing, educational practice and pedagogy, leadership support, coaching, and mentoring.

Phoenix Support for Educators is a specialist professional learning organisation with over a decade of experience supporting educators and education leaders across Australia. Founded by Sandi Phoenix, the team of specialist facilitators - based across QLD, NSW, and VIC - brings a rich, evidence-based approach to professional development, drawing on neuroscience, humanistic psychology, Self-Determination Theory, and the guidance approach to create learning experiences that genuinely shift practice.

While Phoenix Support is well known for the Phoenix Cups® Framework, a needs-based model for understanding behaviour, wellbeing, and relationships, the breadth of what the team offers goes well beyond a single framework. Educators can access professional learning across a wide range of topics relevant to the sector, including child behaviour and the guidance approach, educator and team wellbeing, leadership development, pedagogical documentation, inclusion and belonging, social and emotional learning, and reflective practice.

Professional learning is available in multiple formats to suit different service needs: face-to-face workshops, online courses, keynote presentations, ongoing coaching, and individualised mentoring for educators and leaders. The team has visited thousands of education and care services across the country, working alongside educators at every career stage, from room leaders deepening their practice to directors strengthening their team culture and quality improvement processes.

Whether a service is looking for a one-off professional development day, a long-term coaching relationship, or a structured program aligned to the National Quality Standards, Phoenix Support for Educators brings the experience, heart, and intellectual rigour to make it count.

Book Phoenix Support

Nathan Wallis – Profile

Nathan Wallis

Get Support with Parenting Challenges, Behavioural Learning, Understanding of Child Development and Neurodivergent Individuals

Nathan is a speaker, teacher, and neuroscience educator who’s spent the last 25 years helping people understand how kids brains actually work.

He grew up in and out of foster care, surrounded by chaos, long before we had words like “neurodivergent.” He has since been diagnosed with ADHD,and doesn't approach this stuff as a distant expert. He has lived it, on the sharp end. That lived experience, backed by decades of research and frontline work, helps Nathan explain why so many kids struggle in systems that were never built for their brains.

Nathan has been a university lecturer, a child trauma specialist, a solo dad, and a regular face in schools, boardrooms and conference halls across NZ, Australia, the UK, China, and beyond. Nathan sees his job now as pretty simple: help people cut through the noise and understand what actually builds resilient, thriving humans.

Nathan talks straight, sometimes swear, and always bring it back to what works. His teachings are real insight from someone who’s been the kid, the parent, the teacher, and the guy people now call when they want answers that stick.

When Nathan talks, the science lands. And things shift.

Book Nathan

Jodie Hall– Profile

Jodie Hall

Get Support with Leadership Direction, A & R Readiness, Service Compliance and Development of High Quality Environments

Jodie is a qualified Early Childhood Teacher and consultant based in Queensland, Australia, with over 35 years of experience in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector. She is deeply committed to empowering educators and services to create nurturing, inclusive, and high-quality learning environments for young children.

Holding a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood), Jodie's extensive career has spanned roles including Centre Manager, Area Manager, Educational Leader, Educational Mentor, and Early Childhood Teacher.

Her breadth of experience gives her a strong understanding of both daily practice and strategic leadership. She works alongside childcare services and standalone kindergartens across Queensland to strengthen systems, curriculum design, team capability, and learning environments that support children's holistic development.

Jodie has a special interest in cultural safety, authentic resources, and meaningful community engagement. Her trauma-informed approach recognises the impact of adversity on young children and prioritises the creation of safe, trusting environments that foster healing, resilience, and belonging.

Inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, she views the environment as the "third teacher," thoughtfully designing natural, engaging spaces that encourage curiosity, exploration, and agency.

Jodie brings wisdom, warmth, and practical leadership insight to every service she supports, helping teams build strong foundations where children and educators can thrive.

Book Jodie

Angus Gorrie – Profile

Angus Gorrie

Get Support with Playwork Pedagogy, OSHC Programs, Adventurous and Risky Play, Play Specialist Programs

As a playworker and play advocate, Angus Gorrie is passionate about providing authentic play opportunities for children, wherever they may be, and pushing back against increased play deprivation and play bias.

Angus has qualifications in Behavioural and Social Sciences, and Playwork. He also spends his day as a practitioner working in a large Adventure Playground.

It is this experience and the stories that come with working in a practical setting, combined with the theory and knowledge of study that shapes and guides Angus's perspectives and points of view.

Book Angus

Lynn Chapman – Profile

Lynn Chapman

Get Support with Reconcilation Action Planning, Embedding First Nations Perspectives, Cultural Responsiveness and Understanding

Lynn is an Aboriginal woman with over 30 years experience in the Education Sector.

With a strong commitment to supporting Educators to develop their cultural responsiveness and respect, Lynn brings a depth of understanding that she shares through her lived experiences.

Lynn's life long learning takes Educators from feeling hesitant to being brave.

Book Lynn

Ella de la Motte – Profile

Ella de la Motte

Get Support with Behavioural Guidance, Parenting Support, Slow Pedagogy, Team Morale, A & R Readiness and Documentation.

With over 30 years of experience in Early Childhood Education, Ella de la Motte is a respected consultant, facilitator, and thought leader known for her warm, grounded, and deeply practical approach to professional learning. Ella partners with early education services, leaders, and educators across Australia to create meaningful change — in pedagogy, culture, and community. Her work spans leadership development, team culture, environments, governance, and curriculum design, always grounded in the values of connection, sustainability, and authenticity.

Drawing on decades of on-the-ground experience as an educator, director, and leader, Ella brings a unique blend of wisdom and creativity to every collaboration. Her sessions and keynotes are known for being reflective yet energising, challenging yet compassionate — creating space for educators to pause, rethink, and reconnect with what matters most. Ella is passionate about reimagining environments, strengthening leadership through collaboration, and advocating for ethical, sustainable, and community-driven practice across the sector.

Book Ella

Jay Gomez – Profile

Jay Gomez

Get Support with Inconsistent Practice, Behavioural Guidance, Leadership Direction, Team Pedagogical Direction, Team Morale and Development of High Quality Environments

Jay Gomez is a highly respected early childhood education and care (ECEC) consultant with more than 20 years of hands-on industry experience. Driven by a genuine commitment to achieving the very best outcomes for children, Jay partners with services and educators to build confident, capable teams and high-quality learning environments that truly make a difference.

Jay's journey began in an early learning classroom supporting a child with autism alongside an exceptional team of educators. That formative experience sparked a lifelong dedication to excellence in early childhood practice. Since then, Jay has worked across every role within an early childhood service, developing a deep, practical understanding of operations, pedagogy, compliance, leadership and team development. This breadth of experience ensures his professional development is not only inspiring, but grounded in the realities of daily practice. Holding a Certificate III, Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care, as well as a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, Jay is uniquely positioned to deliver high-impact, practical training. He has provided consultancy, mentoring and professional development to educators and leadership teams across Queensland and New South Wales, consistently supporting services to strengthen quality practice and improve outcomes for children.

Jay is a passionate advocate for play-based learning, underpinned by strong pedagogical knowledge and reflective practice. He believes that when play is intentionally supported by skilled, knowledgeable educators, children are set up for lifelong success. His approach empowers teams to deepen their understanding of the early years, strengthen curriculum decision-making, and embed meaningful, sustainable improvements across their service.

Clients choose Jay because he understands the sector from the inside out. He brings authenticity, credibility and a collaborative style that engages educators at every level. Whether supporting quality improvement, building leadership capability, strengthening inclusive practice, or delivering targeted professional learning, Jay ensures services are well-equipped to meet the needs of their community with confidence and excellence. For organisations seeking professional development that is practical, inspiring and results-driven, Jay Gomez is the trusted partner to elevate practice and achieve lasting impact.

Book Jay