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I am delighted to bring you the June 2026 edition of
the Advocate as the ongoing ACHPER Australia
President and, in so doing, sincerely thank the
Board and our Branches for their support at our recent AGM in May.
I am very enthused and motivated to continue our
support of our professional communities and excited that Assoc Prof Sue Whatman will continue on the Board as our Vice President.
I continue to be committed about the long-term future of ACHPER and its significance to its stakeholders and the wider professional community.
Election Results - Meet the National Board of the Australian Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER)
Joining Sue and myself it gives me a great deal of pleasure to share with you the other members of our Board following our May 24 AGM and subsequent Board meeting:
Adrian Fisher, from Western Australia, was re-elected in his Director’s position. Adrian brings a wealth of experience in sport and leisure management to the role, and we are excited to continue working with Adrian, who has also been with the Board in an appointed position since 2020. Adrian is the former Manager of Sport at both the University of Western Australia and Murdoch University and is now the Coordinator of Recreation and Community Services for the City of Busselton.
Sam Rossi, from South Australia, will also continue in his Director’s position. Sam is a passionate education leader with a strong track record in delivering innovative health and wellbeing programs that empower students to thrive through active, engaging learning experiences. Currently the General Manager of Education and Programs at AFL Max, Sam leads the strategic design and delivery of innovative school and camp programs that engage, educate, and inspire.
Kristen Skinner, from Victoria, is a marketing, business development consultant with an extensive background in stakeholder management to drive growth. Kristen has sourced and secured mutually beneficial business partnerships for over 25 years spanning education, corporate, sport and professional associations and has a achelor of Education - Physical Education and Modern Dance.
Dr Melisa Chong, from Queensland, is a health and physical education (HPE) academic within the University of Southern Queensland with a research focus on the health-related work of teachers. She teaches the health and physical education curriculum in both the undergraduate and postgraduate programs engaging in program design, online and face to face teaching and is the academic integrity lead within the School of Education and Creative Arts. She has been part of the health promoting schools committee within ACHPER and prior experience includes teaching HPE in schools locally and internationally.
Melanie Syron, from Queensland, is a Worimi woman and resides on Kabi Kabi country in the City of Moreton Bay, Mel is the Founder and Director of 100% Aboriginal owned consultancy business, Black Wattle Professional Services. Black Wattle leads cultural advisory services, cultural capability training, Reconciliation Action Plans, Cultural Capability Statements, community consultations and engagement, evaluations, program and project design. Mel has also lectured in Indigenous studies across numerous programs including education, health, social work and business, winning an Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) Program Award and an
Excellence in Teaching group award for Baugul Baujulin Yabruma (Well, Better, Always).
And, we have a new appointed Director:
lisahunter rom Monash University Victoria, has been engaged with ACHPER since 1983 (Qld), beginning as a preservice volunteer and continuing through teaching, leadership, and research across Australia and internationally. Her work spans school teaching, curriculum leadership, and academic research, including postgraduate study investigating national curriculum implementation (Deakin) and doctoral research student transitions in HPE (University Queensland).
Across her career, lisahunter has advanced teacher-as-researcher practices, led professional learning, and contributed to ACHPER through workshops, conference presentations, and research dissemination. Her scholarship and teaching in HPE and teacher education centre equity, diversity, and ecosocial justice, challenging the field to be more inclusive and responsive. As a Board member, she plans to strengthen ACHPER research partnerships, support First Peoples-led work, and deepen collaboration between tertiary institutions, schools, and community organisations. Her vision is for equitable, safe, challenging, inclusive and responsive HPE enhancing health, education, and movement outcomes for all young people.
Please join me in congratulating the new and continuing Board members and follow the links to read the expanded version of their profiles.
Celebrating our newest ACHPER Life Members and Service Awardees!
It also gives me a great deal of pleasure to advise you that we have two new ACHPER
Australia Life Members and one new Service Award recipients:
Douglas Hearne LMACHPER – NSW: Life Membership
Dawn Penney LMACHPER – WA: Life Membership
Julie Percival – NSW: National Service Award
They have all made outstanding contributions to our organisation.
We look forward to Douglas, Dawn and Julie officially receiving their awards at an appropriate function of their respective New South Wales and Western Australian Branches and, in due course, they will be celebrated through our ACHPER LinkedIn website and subsequent editions of ‘The Advocate’.
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