Mark Grant PSM
Dip Teach BEd MStudEd PCiL MACE

Chief Executive Officer

Mark Grant PSM joined AITSL as CEO in April 2019, bringing a significant breadth and depth of operational experience as a teacher, principal, and executive to the role. During a career dedicated to education, he has maintained a passion for quality teaching and school leadership, and the resulting benefits these bring to students in the classroom.

Prior to joining AITSL, Mark held the position of Executive Director, Leadership and High Performance at the Department of Education, NSW. Mark combines this executive experience with a background in schools as a teacher and leader. During his tenure as principal at three NSW schools, Mark drove improvement initiatives to benefit student growth and outcomes.

Mark has also led complex, integrated strategic work, including school improvement measures; teacher quality, induction, professional development, and leadership support for all school-based staff; and needs-based funding budgets to all schools.

Mark has a deep commitment to making a broad and significant contribution to education, and to the lives of children and young people across the nation.

Edmund Misson
BA (Hons) EMPA

Deputy Chief Executive Officer

Edmund Misson is the Deputy CEO of AITSL and is a respected leader in the national education landscape.

Edmund’s considerable experience across education research, policy development and policy implementation has seen him successfully lead AITSL’s work with all jurisdictions to deliver solutions that promote quality teaching and school leadership across Australia.

Since joining AITSL in 2011, Edmund’s focus has been on using evidence to support teachers in all systems and sectors to excel at every stage of their teaching careers.

He has led AITSL’s role in helping to shape national reforms to ITE for graduate teachers, and several of AITSL’s landmark national policies and frameworks now being used by the profession in all states and territories.

Edmund previously held leadership roles with the Victorian Government, advising on a range of education, training, and other social policy issues.

He has a Master’s degree in Public Administration.

Donald Abell
BCom GradDip FCA

Chief Financial Officer

Don Abell joined AITSL in 2011. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and a Diploma in Taxation Law from Monash University.

Don has over 30 years’ experience in professional accounting, including 25 years as a partner at the chartered accounting firm, KPMG. He has also served as a company director and board chairman for several companies.

Dianne Jickell
BA (Hons)

General Manager, Corporate

Dianne Jickell joined AITSL in May 2017. As General Manager, Corporate she leads AITSL’s communications, brand and digital, people and culture, and business services functions.

Dianne provides high-level strategic and operational advice with a focus on strengthening AITSL’s internal engagement and external reach.

Dianne has extensive experience in strategic leadership and change management, marketing, communications, and stakeholder engagement across a wide range of sectors internationally.

Prior to joining AITSL, Dianne was a senior executive at an Australian peak body, Philanthropy Australia. She delivered several key initiatives to support the organisation’s objectives and worked as part of the executive team to design and develop a refreshed direction for the organisation.

Lisa Molloy
BSc LLB MPICT GAICD FGIA AMIIA

General Counsel and Company Secretary

Lisa Molloy joined AITSL in April 2017. As General Counsel and Company Secretary, Lisa’s responsibilities include providing legal support and advice to the Board and Executive, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing fraud control and risk, facilitating internal audits, supporting high-quality company policies and operations, and managing the Assessment for Migration function.

Lisa is a legal professional with extensive experience working with boards, and providing legal, risk, fraud management, operational, and strategic advice to government and the private sector.

Prior to joining AITSL, Lisa worked in private practice and for State and Federal Government. Lisa also holds a Bachelor of Science, a Masters of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, is a PRINCE 2 Practitioner, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute for Company Directors and Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia.

Danny Pinchas
BEcon PGDipEd

General Manager, Teaching and School Leadership

Danny has more than 10 years’ experience as a leader across the education sector and joined AITSL in 2013.

As General Manager, Teaching and School Leadership, Danny leads AITSL’s important work across ITE reform, quality teaching support, and school leadership development. Danny’s responsibilities involve driving and supporting the development and implementation of a range of policy initiatives and resources to empower teachers and school leaders.

Prior to joining AITSL, Danny held positions at the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. Before that, he spent several years in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, working in remote communities as a principal, teacher, and numeracy coach.

Xian-Zhi Soon
BA LLB GDLP

General Manager, Evidence and Impact

Zhi joined AITSL as the General Manager, Evidence and Impact in March 2019. He is responsible for building a robust and credible research foundation for developing and delivering evidence-based policy and programs. Zhi also leads AITSL’s work measuring its impact in the sector.

Previously, Zhi worked as Director of Education Policy and a global executive member of the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), an international research and policy organisation that originated at the heart of the Government of the United Kingdom. At BIT, Zhi also served as the Director of the Behavioural Research Centre for Adult Skills and Knowledge, and as the Director responsible for economic growth, productivity, consumer markets, and environmental sustainability policy.

Zhi has held positions in the Australian Government, including in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a diplomat. At state level, he has worked at the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet and as a Board Member on the NSW Board of Studies. He also has private sector experience as a management consultant.