Director, Woodleigh Institute

Australia Hub | AUSTRALIA

Dr. Richard Owens is the Director of the Woodleigh Institute, a global innovation lab dedicated to understanding and enhancing transformative approaches to learning and leadership. The institute has a special interest in regenerative education and the role it can play in building the capacity of young people to lead growth, renewal, and wellbeing for themselves, others, and the planet.

Richard has over 25 years of experience in teaching, senior leadership, and innovation roles. He has previously served as a teacher, curriculum coordinator, university lecturer, Deputy Head, and Head of School, and was the founding director of an international centre for leadership and learning in Singapore. He has worked with teachers, school administrators, academics, system leaders, regional executives, and academics from Australia, Asia, North and South America, and Europe.

Richard also currently serves a number of networks focused on systems change in education. He is the Convenor of ReimaginED, a unique, participatory conference that aims to develop our collective capacity to address complex challenges in education. He is the National Coordinator (Australia) for the Mastery Transcript Consortium, an international network of schools introducing digital transcripts that recognize and celebrate the unique strengths, abilities, interests, and achievements of all students.  Richard is also the Convenor of the Compassionate Systems Collective, the Australian hub of a global ecosystem of educators advancing deep change in education through a focus on systems awareness.