I'm a passionate leader in school sport and youth development, currently working as part of the Sporting Schools Program to drive meaningful participation and positive experiences for young Australians. With a strong background in community sport and club leadership, I aim to bring a practical, on-the-ground perspective to building inclusive, engaging sporting environments. I have played a key role in shaping initiatives that connect schools, clubs and communities.

Dr. Josh Symes is an educator, leader, and consultant with over 25 years of experience across Australian and international schools, higher education, and the health and physical education sector. Currently a Lecturer in Health and Physical Education at Deakin University's School of Education, Josh holds a Doctor of Education in K–12 School Leadership and brings a rare combination of frontline teaching, senior school leadership, and academic rigour to his work. His career spans acting Executive Principal at Geelong Lutheran College, Deputy Principal for Wellbeing at Stamford American International School (Singapore), nine years as an HPE leader at Singapore American School, and in various roles with ACHPER — where he partnered with schools and government to advance wellbeing and professional learning nationally. Furthermore, Josh led an AI-based wellbeing and mental health digital start-up company as Director of Wellbeing, Strategy and Insight. Josh is a passionate advocate for embedding movement, physical literacy, and wellbeing as core conditions for learning — not afterthoughts. His work sits at the intersection of research, leadership, and practice, making him a credible voice on whole-school culture change and student engagement.