Committee

Melinda Gindy, President
BArts(mus), GradDipEd(mus), GradCertGiftedEd, MEd (SpEd), MMTA, HFTGN

Melinda is the co-founder and President of Gifted NSW (formally GFSG Inc.). Melinda Gindy has a background in music teaching across primary and secondary settings and is the Leader of Diverse Learning at a K-12 school in Sydney. Melinda is the President of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented (AAEGT) and represents the AAEGT at the Australian Alliance for Associations in Education (AAAE). Melinda is the Founding President of GFSG Inc./Gifted NSW and has served as the associations’ President for 8 years. She is the former AAEGT Vice-President (2015 – 2019) and was National Facilitator of Gifted Awareness Week Australia from 2015 to 2019. Melinda is also an Australian Delegate to the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children. Melinda served on the organising committees for the 2016 AAEGT National Gifted Conference, the 2017 and 2019 NSW Gifted Awareness Forum for Educators (GAFE), and the 22nd Biennial World Gifted Conference. In 2016, Melinda published 2E Music Studio, an evidence-based resource for music teachers focussed on meeting the needs of twice-exceptional children during private music lessons. Melinda works in a volunteer capacity across multiple education sectors, including writing and consulting for the recently delivered NSW Department of Education High Performance and Gifted Education Policy and associated resources. Melinda has been an invited and sessional presenter at a number of local, state, national and international conferences, including 2017 and 2019 World Gifted and the 2E Research Symposium in Los Angeles, USA. In 2019, Melinda was awarded the Honorary Fellowship of the Teachers’ Guild of NSW. Melinda is also proud mum to three gifted/twice-exceptional tween/teenagers.

Rebecca McKeon, Vice President
BAppSc (SpPath), CPSP

Rebecca is the Vice President of Gifted NSW and is passionate about supporting gifted children, their families and their educators through what can be a challenging journey. As a Speech Pathologist working with gifted children with learning disabilities, Rebecca brings understanding and experience from a professional perspective to the role.  As mum to three gifted and GLD school-aged daughters, Rebecca understands this journey on a personal level.
Rebecca completed her Speech Pathology degree at the University of Sydney in 2001.  Since that time she has held positions across the public and private sectors, working in schools, preschools and community health services in the Illawarra, South Western Sydney, and Sutherland Shire.
Since joining the Gifted NSW committee in 2013, Rebecca’s formal roles have included Gifted Awareness Week representative for NSW, Organising Committee member for the 2016 AAEGT National Gifted Conference, and Gifted NSW Secretary.
Rebecca has participated in an array of professional learning opportunities specific to the field of gifted education, and is passionate about furthering her knowledge in this field through collaboration with others, and reviewing current literature. Throughout her work with Gifted NSW Rebecca has been privileged to meet many dedicated educators whose passion and understanding changes the lives of their gifted students for the better.  She also cherishes the connections she has made with insightful parents as they develop skills, knowledge and experience advocating for their gifted children.

Elizabeth Barns, Sub-branch Liaison Officer
BEd (Early Childhood), MEd (SpEd), Certificate IV in Training & Assessment

Elizabeth is an early childhood teacher, she teaches in preschools and long day care centres, as well as in adult education, teaching others to teach. Elizabeth has recently completed a Masters in Education (special education including gifted) and she is a parent of a gifted child. In her work with Gifted NSW, Elizabeth cares for our Sub-branches.

 

 

 

Bohdan Balla-Gow, General Committee
MEd(GiftED), COGE

Bohdan has been involved and held leading roles in high potential and gifted education for 16 years as a Deputy Principal, Head Teacher and Teacher in comprehensive, partially selective and fully selective high schools across Sydney. Since November 2017 Bohdan has been a leading member of the high potential and gifted education team in the DoE where he has co-led the development of the high potential and gifted education policy, implementation advice for schools and professional learning for schools across the state.  Bohdan is passionate about finding a balance between excellence and equity in public schooling in NSW and is committed to leading the implementation of the new policy across the state to benefit all students, including high potential and gifted students. Bohdan has 4 postgraduate degrees, including MEd (gifted education – postgraduate academic excellence award) and COGE (with high distinction).

 

 

Suzanne Vasilevska, General Committee

Sue Vasilevska is currently Teaching and Learning advisor in the Learning and Teaching Directorate in The NSW Department of Education. Her substantive position is Deputy Principal of Riverside Girl’s High School. Sue is passionate about providing for high potential and gifted students, their families and teachers. She has served as president of both the National and State Gifted and Talented Association and has also worked as the State Gifted and Talented Advisor. Sue’s doctorate investigated why students from minority and low socio-economic groups were under-represented in State Gifted and Talented Programs.