Maree Herrett worked in education in Australia from 1976 until her retirement in 2019, her final seven years being in the role of school principal at Santa Sabina College, Strathfield.
Prior to her appointment as principal, Maree held a number of different leadership and teaching positions at Santa and other independent and NSW Government schools. She worked with academics including Professor Andrew Martin, and Honorary Professor
Susan Groundwater-Smith AM, in school-based research and projects. Her commitment throughout my career was to gender equality and justice, and that commitment informed her doctoral studies, supervised by Emerita Professor
Raewyn Connell.
Maree's thesis focused on gender equity policy and practice in Australia from 1975–2010: a period in which government, professionals in schools, and academics from university worked together in productive partnerships to achieve gender equality. Alongside the focus on gender, was a study of policy and the implications of shifting policy from a social democratic one to that of neoliberalism, and the impact on education.
Maree's ambitions include writing the story of gender equality and education in Australian for academic and general audiences, particularly teachers.
Sine 2020, Maree has worked in Sydney School of Education and Social Work, contributing to lecturing, tutoring and marking in the Master of Education (Leadership and Management) program. She has worked with Dr Christine Grice, the program coordinator, to refine the focus and relevance of the program – particularly in the context of COVID-19, and the online environment. She brings her insights as a former principal regarding the nature of gender and leadership – its challenges and opportunities.
