People who have signigicantly influenced Koorie Education in Victoria.

	Chairpersons of the VAECG Professor Colin Bourke Alf Bamblett		Presidents of VAEAI Phillip Cooper Kennedy Edwards Dr. Mary Atkinson Geraldine Atkinson
	Executive Officer's of the VAECG Bruce McGuinness Dianne Fitzgerald Esme Halden Alan Brown Gary Murray Lionel Bamblett		Community Members Aunty Melva Johnson Aunty Laura Bell Wendy Brabham Vera Briggs Lil Pettit Terrylene Marks Uncle Albert Mullett Ambrose Golden-Brown
	Non - Koories Glynn Beaton Ian Adams Mr Ming Chui Jan Muller Alan Peach Joan Kirner Stephen Elder Bruce Kiloh

Glynn Beaton, Supervisor, Aboriginal Education Services

Glynn Beaton replaced Colin Bourke as the Aboriginal Education Services Supervisor in 1976 when Colin became the President of the VAECG. Glynn came to Aboriginal Education after working in Primary Education, Special Education at Monash University, and after three years running an Aboriginal school at Areyonga in the Northern Territory (1962-1964) Glynn assisted in the establishment of the Victorian Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and was instrumental in negotiating for community based Aboriginal Education programs. Glynn remained in the position of Aboriginal Education Services until 1983 when he left to take up a position of Deputy Principal and then Principal of Yooralla Balwyn/Belmore School in Balwyn. Glynn retired in 1991.

Ian Adams

Ian Adams was the Assistant Director of Special Services Division, Ethnic Education of the Department of Education in the 1970's when Aboriginal Education Services was under the Special Services Division. Ian was instrumental in assisting Aboriginal Education Services and the VAECG to successfully implement programs in Aboriginal Education in Victoria.

Mr Ming Chui

Ming Chui was the Director of the Commonwealth Department of Education between 1978 and the 1980's. Ming was an important part of Aboriginal education and provided support for many of the programs that were implemented.

Jan Muller

Jan has been a long time supporter of Koorie Education, beginning her involvement with the first meetings of the VAECG at Camp Jungai and in her student days as a vigorous campaigner for black control of Black Affairs through ABSCHOL and the Tent Embassy cavalcade to Canberra in 1972. Jan worked as a Resource Teacher for Aboriginal Education Services during the early 1980's, working with students in eighteen schools across the Metropolitan area and co-ordinating programs with Aboriginal Educators in twelve schools. In 1990, Jan worked closely with VAEAI on the Strategy Plan for Koorie Teachers as the Teaching Union representative, and assisted with the recruitment program for Koorie Intern teachers.

Alan Peach

Alan Peach was the State Co-ordinator the Aboriginal Education in the TAFE Sector from 1977-1985. He was responsible for establishing many of the TAFE courses that were the forerunner of the TAFE Liaison Officers, courses and Koorie Support Units today.

Joan Kirner

The Honourable Joan E. Kirner, as Minister of Education in 1992, signed the Partnership in Education Koorie Education Policy with the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated to deliver Koorie Education programs for Koorie students in Victoria. In this Partnership document, the Victorian Government committed itself to the implementation of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy. As Minister of Education, Joan Kirner stated "The VAEAI Committee of Management has been fully involved in the Strategic and Operational Plans, and as Minister for Education, I join them in looking forward to the successful implementation of the Policy in Victoria."

Stephen Elder

Stephen Elder, Parliamentary Secretary for Education in the Kennett Government worked very closely with the VAEI in the establishment of the Koori Open Door Education schools in Glenroy, Morwell and Mildura. Mr Elder recalled when Mary Atkinson and Lionel Bamblett came to him with a dream they had for Aboriginal education which involved the establishment of a Koori school within a traditional school setting. Mr Elder worked with our community to get the concept up and then sold it to the Minister for education. In recognition of his work and involvement in the establishment of KODE schools, Mr Elder opened the Glenroy school in 1994.

Mr Elder was also involved in the establishment of other Indigenous programs through the Department of Education to combat racism in sport and the Koori Mentors Program. These programs involved Koori sports persons and Koori elders going into school and talking to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. These speakers were role models for students within Victorian schools.

Mr Elder was also involved in a delegation that went to the World Indigenous Peoples Conference in 1994 in Albuquerque, USA in an attempt to secure the 1998 World Congress. Mr Elder also worked with the Aboriginal community on the south coast of New South Wales where he established a community youth sport scheme which helped young unemployed aboriginal people in the Narooma area. Mr Elder also got federal funding to employ an aboriginal youth worker. The programs Mr Elder supported in his time as a member of the Victorian Government and Adviser to the Federal Minister for Education are still running today and assisting our people.

Mr Elder currently works as a senior executive with the Catholic Education Office.

Bruce Kiloh

Bruce Kiloh was educated in country Victoria and began teaching in 1972. Between 1976 and 1988 Bruce held a range of positions in the Disadvantaged Schools Program including consultant, Regional Coordinator, State Executive Officer and State Coordinator. After serving as a Senior Policy Officer within School Programs Branch, Bruce managed Targeted Program Section (1991-1992) with responsibility for policy program and curriculum materials development for equity programs including School improvement, The Victorian Equity Program, Disadvantaged Schools Program, Country Education Project, English as a Second Language and non-English speaking Background Services, the Students at Risk Program, Education of Girls program, Koorie Education and Gifted Education. Between 1990 and 1999, Bruce had responsibility for the development of Koorie Education and worked closely with VAEAI to establish major policies and programs within Koorie Education, including Koorie 2000 and the Koorie Open Door Education (KODE) campuses. Bruce is currently a member of the KODE Taskforce and the Central Implementation Committee for Koorie Education.