AGTA Board
Steve Hawkins
Chair
Steve Hawkins is the Vice President of the Geography & History Teachers’ Association of NT. He has taught in urban, regional and remote locations and supported teachers and is currently working in the development of a remote Aboriginal school in the Groote Eylandt Archipelago.
Caryn Shield
Deputy Chair
Caryn Shield is the Senior Secondary Geography Teacher at St. Michael’s Collegiate School in Hobart. Caryn is currently the President of the TGTA, having previously served as Vice President and as a general Committee member.
Karen Caporelli
Secretary
Karen Caporelli has taught senior secondary Geography at Guilford Young College in Hobart for the past 12 years. Karen is currently the secretary of TGTA.
Michael Da Roza
Treasurer
Michael Da Roza has been long associated with AGTA as the ACT representative. He is currently convening the 2026 conference, and was the coordinator of the previous two years' Geography Big Week Out.
Dr Susan Caldis
Immediate Past Chair
Dr Susan Caldis is GTANSW&ACT President and the AGTA representative for the Institute of Australian Geographers. She is a lecturer in the School of Education at Macquarie University. In 2019 Susan was the Outstanding Educator in Residence for geographical education in Singapore.
Peggy Bakalis
GAWA President
Peggy is the President of the Geographical Association of Western Australia, having served on the committee since 2013. During this time, she has undertaken various roles and responsibilities working on professional development for teachers and revision seminars for students. Peggy currently works at St Mark’s Anglican Community School as the Geography specialist and HASS Teacher.
Steve Hawkins
GHTANT Vice President
Steve Hawkins is the Vice President of the Geography & History Teachers’ Association of NT. He has taught in urban, regional and remote locations and supported teachers and is currently working in the development of a remote Aboriginal school in the Groote Eylandt Archipelago.
Katerina Stojanovski
GTA NSW & ACT President
April Bickley
GTASA President
April Bickley currently teaches at University Senior College, Adelaide. She has served on the GTASA executive for the past since 2017.
Steve Barrett
GTAV President
Steve Barrett is the President of the Geography Teachers Association of Victoria. He currently teaches Geography, Economics and Humanities at Kew High School, where he is the Learning Specialist – Engagement. He has taught senior Geography for over 15 years and was Highly Commended in 2024 for the Alex Lyne Fieldwork Award for his fieldwork on applying theoretical understandings to laneway tourism in Melbourne. He is also passionate about sustainability and has worked to reduce the carbon footprint of Kew High by over 100 tonnes in the past 12 months.
Caryn Shield
TGTA President
Caryn Shield is the Senior Secondary Geography Teacher at St. Michael’s Collegiate School in Hobart. Caryn is currently the President of the TGTA, having previously served as Vice President and as a general Committee member.
Erin Merrin
GTAQ President
Erin is a seasoned educator with over 20 years of experience in the Humanities field, and she’s not your average teacher! After starting her career in the state education system, teaching everything from Geography to Business and History, she’s now the Head of the Humanities Department at All Saints Anglican School on the Gold Coast, Australia. As a Geography guru and Sustainability Coordinator, Erin is all about environmental sustainability, leading the Social Justice & Sustainability Committee and inspiring students to get involved with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Grant Kleeman
GTA NSW & ACT
Dr Grant Kleeman is one of Australia’s leading Geography Educators. Prior to his retirement Grant was a Senior Lecturer and Director of Teacher Education in Macquarie University's School of Education. Grant was closely involved in the development of the Australian Curriculum: Geography.
GTASA
Trish Douglas
GTAV
Trish has recently retired from teaching Geography and Economics to Years 10-12 at Eltham College, Melbourne where she was also VCE Coordinator. She has been a member of GTAV Committee since 2003 and was awarded life membership in 2019 in recognition of her long standing and diverse contributions.
Karen Caporelli
TGTA
Karen Caporelli has taught senior secondary Geography at Guilford Young College in Hobart for the past 12 years. Karen is currently the secretary of TGTA.
GAWA
Julie Davis
GTAQ
Julie Davis works for the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority in the Review and Transition Branch developing the new senior Geography syllabus for Queensland. Julie also lectures in Geography at Queensland University of Technology.
Yuliya Snoxall
GHTANT