Meet the team

Arron Wood

Kids Teaching Kids Director

• 2001 Young Australian of the Year (National Environment Winner)
• 2006 Winner in the United Nations World Environment Day Awards – Individual Outstanding Service to the Environment
• 2006 The Centenary Medal for outstanding contribution to conservation and the environment, awarded by the Governor-General
• 2007 Prime Minister’s Environmentalist of the Year Award
• 2007 Melbourne Award for Contribution to the Environment
• Top ten education leaders nationally in 2009 as part of The Weekend Australian Magazine

Richard Wood

Kids Teaching Kids Co-Founder

• 1993 Age State curriculum Initiatives Award
• 1994 The Age Curriculum Excellence Award
• 1999 The Ford One Planet Environmental Award
• 1999 Victorian State Landcare Award

Dianne Wood

Dianne Wood has served as a Social Worker and Teacher before joining the team art Kids Teaching Kids.

• Trained Infant Teachers Certificate – Burwood Teachers College
• Trained Homecrafts Teachers Certificate in Special Education – Melbourne Teachers College
• Bachelor of Social Work – La Trobe University, Melbourne
• Vocational Counselling  Accreditation – Deakin University, Melbourne
       – Triple P Positive Parenting Program Trainer
       – Suicide Prevention training – ASSIST first aid
       – Domestic & Family Violence training
       – Qualified Mediator – able to act in a Family Law environment
       – Qualified in Child Inclusive Dispute Resolution  Practitioner
       – CIP trained for Aboriginal Children
       – Bridges Out of Poverty Training
       – Born to Learn Training (New Zealand)
       – Post-traumatic Stress Disorders training
• 2007 to 2013 – Family relationship Centre social worker; trained in child inclusive practices for indigenous and non-indigenous children
• 2006 Child protection agency and Family Start (New Zealand)
• 2004 to 2006 – Senior Social worker Christmas and Cocos Islands
• Prior to 2004 – School Social worker Mildura District Schools and teacher Mildura and Melbourne schools

Michelle Tripp

Events/Education Officer

• Bachelor of Media & Communications – University of South Australia
• International experience managing & facilitating youth development & recreation programs
  – New South Wales & Victoria, Australia
  – Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa
  – Woodside & Tahoe, California, United States
• National experience directing corporate events & facilitating team building programs & workshops
• Developed & delivered STEAM  & enquiry based in-school enterprise education projects
• Data collation & research for Stanford University Challenge Success – measuring 21^st century skills & promoting healthy child development, effective education, strengthened sense of self & positive mindsets

Danielle Thuringer

Education Coordinator

• Bachelor of Biological Sciences-Colorado State University, USA
• Post-baccalaureate Secondary Science Education-University of Northern Colorado, USA
• Experience teaching and developing science curriculum in schools-USA and Vietnam
• Experience teaching and coordinating environmental education programs-Denver Zoo and Great Plains Zoo, USA
• Program Coordinator for non-profit travel organisation for students with disabilities; focused on science, service, leadership and culture-Colorado, USA
• Teaching English as a Foreign Language certification and international teaching experience
• Earth Expeditions Advanced Inquiry Program field study in Belize: Approaches to Environmental Stewardship-Miami University, USA
• International Baccalaureate certificate in teaching and learning-DePaul University, USA
• Wilderness First Responder certified