Get in touch
We’re all about strategically collaborating to flip education inequity on its tail, while empowering educators and leaders to cultivate real outcomes for their students.
Email theconnection@thesmithfamily.com.au
Phone 0447 712 224
Keen to get involved with The Connection? We’d love to learn more about you.
Want to be involved?
If you would like to know more about how your site can work with The Connection and connect with like-minded leaders, please contact Sue Cridge – National Manager & Lead, The Connection at sue.cridge@thesmithfamily.com.au
Sue Cridge
National Manager and Lead – The Connection
Sue joined The Connection in 2013 as the Director, Education.
Sue has deep experience in both education and social sector experience within schools and at system and international levels of practice. She has been acknowledged as an Outstanding Educational Leader by the state of Victoria and was awarded a Sir Winston Churchill Fellowship in Education while working in disadvantaged schools across the government education system. In 2015, Sue was acknowledged with an award from the Australian Council Educational Leaders for this work. In 2018, Sue’s work was recognised with a national Impact25 nomination with Pro Bono Australia.
Sue has served as a volunteer teacher of English in a refugee camp for the United Nations. Her international experience extends to five years spent as Executive Director of Citizen Schools New Mexico USA, establishing a model of engagement and support for underserved public schools as part of a national US education reform initiative which included working within both highly challenged and Native American communities
Sue also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation and the board of the Vincent Fairfax Ethics in Leadership Fellowship. Sue is also a member of Global education Leaders Partnership, International Congress School Effectiveness and Improvement, and an invited Australian delegate to the World Innovation Summit Education.
Sue is pleased to join the whole team in transferring the work of The Connection from Social Ventures Australia to The Smith Family in 2025.
Contact Sue
Nick Johns
Program Manager and Lead – The Connection
Nick joined The Connection in 2019 as an Associate Director.
Nick brings 30 years of diverse experience across primary, secondary, and post-secondary education in both Australia and the UK. His expertise spans teaching, education leadership, project management, consulting, evaluation and research. Prior to joining The Connection, Nick spent a decade managing and consulting on education programs for highly vulnerable young people in the social purpose sector. This work included developing and leading programs to reengage young people not in school and leading the Flexible Learning Victoria network, connecting professionals in flexible education settings.
Nick holds a Bachelor of Science, a Graduate Diploma of Education (Primary), and a Master of Adolescent Health and Welfare, with a research thesis focused on flexible and alternative education through the voices of young people. He is currently completing a Master of Educational Leadership.
Nick also contributes to the education community as a member of the School Advisory Council for St Peters Primary School and has previously served as President of the Committee of Management for the Victorian Applied Learning Association (VALA).
Nick is pleased to join the whole team in transferring the work of The Connection from Social Ventures Australia to The Smith Family in 2025.
Contact Nick
Erin Corbyn
Program Manager and Lead – The Connection
Erin joined The Connection in 2020 as an Associate Director. She brings extensive on-the-ground experience to the role having worked for eight years as a primary teacher and school leader in both the UK and Australia. The majority of her teaching career was in schools where students experience significant social disadvantage and she specialises in strengthening the teaching of fundamental literacy and numeracy skills for these students.
Prior to joining The Connection, Erin worked as a Principal at the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), leading the Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) program. From this role, she brings a policy lens to her thinking and a strength in developing relationships with stakeholders at a system level as well the profession.
Erin has a Bachelor of Arts in Sport, Health and Exercise and a Post Graduate Certificate of Education, both from the University of Durham.
Erin is pleased to join the whole team in transferring the work of The Connection from Social Ventures Australia to The Smith Family in 2025.
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