Geelong education power rankings: The leaders who shape our students, schools and universities

We’ve ranked the 20 most influential education figures in Geelong, from prominent principals to policy heavyweights and uni visionaries. See who tops the list.

Geelong’s education sector has weathered a turbulent year of tragedy, scandal and reform. Schools grappled with untimely student deaths, the impact of AI, the upcoming social media ban and growing students absenteeism.

Flatlined NAPLAN results didn’t help, nor did data showing a huge gender gap, with boys years behind girls in writing. Meanwhile, the state government battled rising rates of violence on campuses and struggled to fill teaching jobs while attempting to dampen teacher expectations of a pay rise.

Throughout the year, education heavyweights from the Geelong region weathered the tides and set the agenda for the millions of Victorians in schools, childcare and universities.

Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll topped the list as the everywhere man not afraid to bite the bullet and tackle problems head-on.

Highly regarded advocates in the private school space like Victorian Catholic Education Authority chair James Merlino (3) and Independent Schools Victoria chief executive Rachel Holthouse (4) ranked highly.

Locally, private school administrators also wielded significant influence.

Geelong Grammar principal Rebecca Cody, Geelong College’s Simon Young and Kardinia International College’s Catherine Lockhart all ranked in the top 20.

Leaders like executive principal at Christian College Geelong Dr Mathilda Joubert and St Joseph’s College Geelong principal Tony Paatch also navigated untimely tragedy in their tight-knit school communities.

In July, police revealed the arrest of Joshua Brown, a Melbourne childcare worker facing more than 70 charges relating to the abuse of children and babies in his care.

As many Geelong parents took their children to get tested for sexually-transmitted diseases, the case sent shockwaves through the sector.

It hasn’t been a great year for the university sector either, with revelations about wage theft at Deakin, financial pressures due to student caps, and one in three students dropping out.

Nonetheless, Deakin University vice-chancellor Iain Martin ranked second on the list, reflecting his responsibilities as the head of Geelong’s largest tertiary provider.

On a broader stage, it’s impossible to look past reforming juggernaut and federal Education Minister Jason Clare for top spot on our national power list.

Originally published as Geelong education power rankings: The leaders who shape our students, schools and universities