Russ Hawkins
Incoming CEO, Community Colleges Australia
Commencing as CCA CEO in July 2023, Russ Hawkins brings three decades of public and private sector educational leadership and deep policy networks as a teacher, CEO, school principal, project manager, executive principal and policy advisor to government and non-government sectors. Russ grew up in Western Sydney and started his educational leadership journey as a school principal in Bathurst district, leading to primary and high school principal roles across NSW and QLD.
His Conference presentation will outline the latest data on how Australian ACE providers over-perform in reaching the most vulnerable and disadvantaged learners, updating previous CCA reports.
Russ comes to CCA most recently as CEO at AIIC Murri School Brisbane, the largest community controlled First Nations school in the country under the inspirational leadership of Chair Mick Gooda; and as Executive Principal of eight YMCA Schools in QLD where Russ expanded VET pathways with the Australian Retail Association for student access to training and employment opportunities across 100,000 shop fronts.
Russ is an awarded Fellow of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders and NSW Parents and Citizen Principal of the Year for his community leadership model connecting young parents to adult and community education. In addition to his Bachelor of Education, he earned a Masters of Educational Leadership focussed on education law.
Russ cites his most important and cherished role as a husband to Amanda (a Reading Recovery teacher); together with their two children Laura (a solicitor) and Jack (a real estate agent) they will soon celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. Russ is deeply committed to social justice, social equity, inclusion and CCA member advocacy in adult education with a focus on emotionally intelligent leadership for federal, state and local government policy influence.