Andrea Downie is an educator, action researcher, facilitator and international keynote speaker who  has worked with over 200 schools and organisations in Australia and overseas collaboratively to  activate excellence and inspire transformational, innovative and impactful work. 

She has worked with the Primary, Secondary, Tertiary and TAFE education systems, right across  the State, Private and Independent sectors. She is a proven change maker in increasing  excellence amongst students, staff and structures. 

In 2016 Andrea co-founded purpose driven organisation Project Thrive which focuses on  innovative and disruptive work from well being science and education to enhance the curriculum,  embed systems thinking and create engaging and purposeful 21st century learning practices  through a strengths based lens. Andrea challenges schools and organisations on traditional well being concepts of reactive problem solving and moves them towards effectively co-designing the  future. 

Her on the ground experience, knowledge and action research has given her insight into some of  Educations greatest strengths and importantly opportunities to make the system even better. Her  strong activation skills have led to the implementation of successful processes and policies that  have significantly enhanced student success, improving outcomes for all students, not just those at  the lower end, and has enhanced culture and well-being across communities. 

Andrea is known for her impactful work fusing well-being science (Positive Psychology), systems  leadership and education redesign, often in a faith context. She has implemented effective theory  of change processes with well over 100 Catholic Leaders. Her work with leaders has been  published in an International book to provide school networks, local and state governments with  key principles and processes for developing well-being and educational capabilities across  communities. Andrea has been apart of designing and activating processes and policies to  enhance the behaviour and culture of organisations as well as enhance education practices. 

Andrea has been engaged by the likes of The University of Melbourne, City of Maroondah, Courts  Victoria, Catholic Education Melbourne, Department of Education Victoria and Northern Territory,  21st Century Learning International, English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong, National  Education Summit and many more. Andrea has also work for Mars Australia, one of the worlds top  5 largest privately owned companies as a National Activation Manager. 

Andreas education includes a Bachelor Degree majoring in Psychology, a Postgraduate Bachelor  of Education, Certificate of Gifted Education and a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (First  Class Honours) from the University of Melbourne and a Certificate in Redesigning Education from  Harvard University. Andrea is also on the Systems Informed Positive Psychology team at the  University of Melbourne. 

Her on the ground previous experience teaching in Primary years and holding numerous  leadership positions in Wellbeing, Learning Enhancement, Technology, Gifted Education and as a  Deputy Principal has significantly shaped the innovative, impactful and inspiring work she brings to  education today. She is passionate about making education the best and most desirable system in  the world where well-being, purposeful learning and excellence for all students and staff is at the  forefront.