2025 Council Members

Jacqueline McCarthy

Treasurer

Jacqueline is the primary school science specialist at Abbotsleigh, having transferred there from Sydney Grammar. She is a qualified primary and secondary teacher specialising in agriculture. Prior to specialising in Primary Teaching Jac was engaged by the Royal Agricultural Society as their Education manager. She is passionate about nurturing the curiosity of primary-aged students and is currently holding the role of Treasurer at STANSW.

Annie Martin

Annie Martin has been the Junior School Science Coordinator at PLC Sydney for the last 11.5 years. She is passionate about making Science accessible to all teachers and students and she designs innovative and relevant contexts for inquiry-based learning. Annie began her teaching career as a high school Biology and Chemistry teacher. She aims to make all her students scientifically literate but also thoroughly enjoys mentoring her students with extra-curricular science projects.

Julie Rogers

Julie is Deputy Principal Inclusion and Support, previously Head of Science, at Lucas Heights Community school. She is passionate about creating a legacy of effective practice, leading and developing teacher efficacy and assisting colleagues to continually develop as professionals. She has held the office of councillor 2016, 2022-23 Treasurer 2017-2019, Vice President 2020-21 and executive position of Treasurer in 2024.

Ken Baumgarner

Ken has been teaching in NSW private schools since 1988. Before that Ken worked as a Science Department Curriculum coordinator in the Western Samoa (Samoa) Department of Education. In NSW schools, Hills Grammar School, Oxford Falls Grammar School and Northern Beaches Christian School, Ken has taught Science in years 7-10 and Yr 11 and 12 Biology. He has a special interest in environmental education.

Kathryn Newton

Kathryn is a passionate, dedicated Science educator located in Newcastle. Having worked in public schools, she has experience teaching Junior Science, Biology, Investigating Science and Physics, as well as working casually for NESA. Kathryn convenes the Hunter Head Teacher network for Science and believes that together we need to support and encourage all Australians to engage in lifelong learning to eradicate fake news, to think critically and rationally.

Lesley Gough

Lesley is a tertiary educator for primary science and technology at Western Sydney University and as a PhD candidate (Primary Science) who uses research-based practices to develop learning materials for Initial Teacher Education and for a variety of public-school classrooms. She's passionate about developing professional learning for Primary Teachers, including those currently practicing and those training to become a teacher.

Genevieve Firmer

Genevieve is based at the University of Sydney, working on a PhD that aims to address some of the systemic issues facing science teachers arising from policy and curriculum. She works with schools and teachers around the country through STANSW, RACI, Breaking Good, E$$ENTIAL MEDICINE$ and Future Anything, leveraging her experience as a senior science teacher (specialising in chemistry and biology) and curriculum leader in a rural school in the Northern Territory. Genevieve is passionate about helping science teachers collaborate to tackle challenges together.