Board Members

The Board comprises twelve members nominated by various educational organisations. Members of the Board are nominated by the various educational organisations but do not represent those organisations. All Board members are committed to fulfilling the functions of the Board in the most effective and professional manner possible.

Ms Karen Blanchfield, Chair

Following a long successful and very satisfying career as a teacher, principal and Regional Director, in Australia and overseas, Karen Blanchfield has recently begun a new phase of exploring life after work. From her base in Alice Springs, she continues as the Chair of the Teacher Registration Board, where her experience and knowledge of education is valued in the NT and at the national level.

Ms Marisa Boscato

Marisa Boscato is currently based in Alice Springs and works as the Curriculum Specialist for Katherine School of the Air and Yuendumu School. In this role, Ms Boscato supports the review and development of curriculum policy, plans and teaching materials, including facilitating professional learning for teachers and home tutors as required.

Her teaching careers spans 31 years with leadership roles at the Schools of the Air, Girraween School, Nightcliff Middle, Ludmilla Primary, Nhulunbuy Primary, Anula Primary and Katherine South Primary, along with positions in the teaching and learning divisions of the Department of Education.

Ms Elsabe Bott

Elsabe Bott has taught in the Northern Territory since 1988, working in both the Independent and Catholic sectors. Elsabe's experience in the Northern Territory has given her opportunity to work with a diverse range of students of different cultural backgrounds and abilities. Her interest in working with Aboriginal students led to her completing a Master of Educational Studies (Aboriginal Education). She takes a keen interest in professional development activities and professional standards for teachers, which complements the work of the Teacher Registration Board. Elsabe is currently a member of the NT Advisory Committee of the Queensland/NT Branch of the Independent Education Union.

Mr Gordon Canning

Gordon Canning has 8 years of teaching experience including approximately eight years teaching at Gunbalanya School primarily in the areas of early childhood and primary. His teaching career started at the beginning of 2009 after completing a Bachelor of Education at Charles Darwin University. Initially Gordon worked as a relief teacher with the Remote Schools Improvement Strategy in the Arnhem and Katherine regions. In 2010 he began as a primary classroom teacher at Gunbalanya School, teaching year 1 and 2. In 2013 he began teaching Gunbalanya’s Preschool and completed his Bachelor of Teaching and Learning Early Childhood, also through Charles Darwin University, in 2014. In 2018 he moved to teach Preschool at Woodroffe Primary School and has since moved to work with the Preschool team at Leanyer Primary School. 

Professor Greg Shaw

Professor Greg Shaw is Dean of the College of Education at Charles Darwin University. Professor Shaw has long experience working in a range of educational contexts. He began his career as a secondary agriculture science teacher, and has worked in primary, vocational education, community development, higher education and as a consultant in education. Greg’s interests and research are wide ranging and include ICT in education, agricultural education, technology and science education, professional development and adult education, distance education and online learning, evaluation, rural education, developmental education, and indigenous and cross- cultural education. Greg is Chair of the Board of CarersNT and Treasurer of the Board of the Australian Council of Deans of Education.  Greg has significant experience working in international contexts including China, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Fiji, and Indonesia.

Dr Michele Willsher

Michele Willsher currently teaches academic literacy and provides academic advice to Indigenous Students enrolled in courses at Charles Darwin University. Michele began her teaching career as a Primary School Teacher at Lajamanu School where she taught in bilingual multi-grade classes. After completing her Graduate Certificate in Language (Mandarin), she became an English Language Teacher in an industrial town in Northern China. The following time both studying and working in China, Michele returned to the Northern Territory to work in the field of Teacher Education. For the last 15 years, Michele has remained teaching in this field, teaching in the Northern Territory as well as in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China.

Michele also holds a Batchelor of Education (Hons); Master of Education; Graduate Diploma Applied Linguistics (TESOL); and Doctor of Philosophy. Michele’s professional interests include oral language and literacy teaching - in both first and EAL/D contexts; culturally responsive pedagogy and Indigenous education. Michele has previously been a Board Member of Darwin High School, Representative of the NT Department of Education Languages’ Stakeholder Reference Group and is a current Executive Member of the NT ATESOL Association.

Ms Bernadette Morriss

Bernadette Morriss began her teaching career in Victoria in 1978 and has a broad range of teaching and leadership experience in both Victoria and the Northern Territory that extends over 41 years. This experience includes a working knowledge of education contexts extending from Early Learning Centres through to Vocational and Tertiary Education. Experience in primary and tertiary settings includes working with Aboriginal students and students from culturally diverse language and cultural backgrounds. Bernadette has lead learning environments as an Associate Dean at Charles Darwin University; Principal of a Primary Catholic School in Darwin and is currently a Principal Consultant at Catholic Education NT providing support for Principals in Urban, Regional and Aboriginal community contexts.

Ms Louise Corrigan

Louise Corrigan is Principal of Wulagi Primary School in Darwin. Prior to that she was Assistant Principal at Leanyer Primary School and was a Specialist in Teaching and Learning at Anula Primary School. After starting her career at Tennant Creek Primary School in 2004 she has been obsessed with learning. Her obsession with learning drives her desire to be a better teacher always. In 2008 Louise was awarded a Highly Commended for excellence in teaching, at the Teaching Australia awards. Throughout her career she has developed a passion for early childhood education and educational equity and access by sharing her love for learning not just with her students but with parents, the communities she works in, with her colleagues and paraprofessionals. Louise works in education leadership development across the NT and was a Fellow for the Centre for School Leadership, Learning and Development Preparation for School Leadership Darwin in 2012. She has shared her knowledge and expertise about the profession of teaching at National and Territory wide conferences sitting on panels and telling stories from her career with references to current educational literature and her vision for school improvement at school and system levels.

Mr Greg Hauser

Greg Hauser is a current senior teacher in Darwin Region schools with over 10 years of experience in primary teaching. Greg identifies as an Ngalakan man of South East Arnhem land and a born and raised Territorian.

Greg’s passions in teaching are data informed goal setting, student leadership and understanding 21st Century learners. The attributes and experience Greg brings to positive relationships and expectations are values based, ethical and moral. Greg is committed to educational evidenced—based programs and responsibilities as an employee of the Department of Education, Northern Territory.

Ms Lorraine Hodgson

Lorraine Hodgson is  the Principal at Nemarluk School in Darwin and has been teaching in the Northern Territory, urban and remote schools, since 1978. She brings to the Board a considerable experience and understanding of professional learning for teachers and school leaders. In 2008, Lorraine was awarded by Teaching Australia and the Australian Joint Council of Professional Teaching Associations (AJCPTA), now the Australian Professional Teachers Association, an International Study Tour with the objective of increasing awareness of international leading practice in teaching and leadership, building collaborative networks and sharing experience. 

Lorraine is an executive member of the Australian Association of Special Education (NT Chapter) and an active member of the Professional Teachers’ Association of the Northern Territory (PTANT), and she is a Director of the Australian Professional Teachers Association which she has been involved with since May 2007. She served as a Director on the Board of Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership from December 2009 to April 2012.

Ms Danielle Schmidt

Danielle Schmidt is a teacher with ten years experience in the Northern Territory at very remote schools. She is currently working as a Primary/Secondary teacher at Borroloola School. Danielle is passionate about bringing best practice to remote settings and believes that everyone has the right to access quality education no matter where you live.  She believes that building strong relationships with students and in community is key to improving outcomes.  Her career has seen her work in a variety of roles in remote schools including; primary, secondary and Special Education where she designed and implemented a special needs database.  The development of this database gave more consistent and transparent information so programmes could be designed to maximise outcomes for students.  

Danielle has recently completed the Advanced Leadership Program: National Excellence in School Leadership Initiative.  Danielle now lives and works in Borroloola with her small family.

Mr Paul Arundell

For the past two years Paul Arundell has worked as both the Director of Education and CEO of NT Christian Schools. He has worked on the Boards of the Block Grant Authority and the Non-Government Schools Ministerial Advisory Council. 
His teaching career spans 34 years working as a teacher in NSW, WA and the Northern Territory. Before moving to the Northern Territory he was Principal at Strathalbyn Christian College for six years and Mountains Christian College for the six years before that, successfully leading and developing both schools. He has also been a representative of NT Christian Schools at the Christian Education National Forum of State Executive Officers and has undertaken overseas study tours including the AISNT China Tour in 2017.
Paul has a Masters in History and has recently completed the Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership.