About Mary-Lou
Mary-Lou has had a very varied background with an extensive cross-sectoral history across education, travel and tourism, recruitment and retail. She has the rare gift of being a creative and strategic thinker, coupling that with her genuine interest in others she has the ability to quickly turn thoughts into actions.
In 1997 she became one of Australia’s internet pioneers when she launched Australia’s first online retail business, Australia Presents. She later moved across to education after obtaining a Masters in eBusiness and Communication and a Diploma in Vocational Education and Training. Mary-Lou worked at Swinburne University as an eLearning Leader for the School of Business, a Course Convenor and lecturer of eMarketing, eCommerce, Change Management and eBusiness Systems. She moved to Melbourne Girls Grammar (MGGS) in 2009 to take up the role of Director of eLearning and she, and her team successfully transformed learning at MGGS by introducing online environments that extended the student’s capacity to learn independently and collaboratively.
To complete the digital transformation at MGGS she accepted the role of Chief Digital Officer in January 2017, and whilst this role encompassed what was previously eLearning, she oversaw the complete digital ecosystem to ensure it delivered on the School’s strategic intent and to fortify the School’s place at the leading edge of education innovation.
During her ten-year tenure at MGGS, Mary-Lou worked across numerous departments and teams including: eLearning, IT, Library Services, Business Services, CEE (Centre for Educational Enterprise), Community and Marketing. Mary-Lou was instrumental in a number of major projects across the School including the introduction of the Learning Management System eVI in 2010, instigating the first MYSET (Middle Years Science & Enterprise Tour) and SYSET (Senior Years Science & Enterprise Tour) Tours, the development of the Centre for Educational Enterprise (CEE), three major building projects, the move to BYOT (bring your own technology), the development of an avatar called eVI who represented the learning environment at the School and in her role as CDO the upgrade to the I.T. infrastructure to ensure the School was well situated for a succession plan to keep them well placed moving forward with cyber security, privacy and cyber safety at the fore.
Mary-Lou has also presented at conferences both nationally and internationally on digital transformation and architecture, online and blended learning, women in tech., social media, future of work, creativity, cybersafety and personal branding.
Further details on her projects, references, work history and qualifications can be viewed on LinkedIn.
Conference Presentations and Interviews
- 2022 Oct 2022 Release of Digistorm Admissions Club Video Series
- 2022 12 Oct Keynoting at the Qld. ICT Summit: The Future of Education
- 2022 12 Sep Interviewed for the EdLeaders Podcast
- 2022 11 Aug Panel: Benefits of a strategic focus on ransomware and cyber security for schools+
- 2022 18 Jul Redlands Staff PL Presentation: Why you need a personal brand
- 2022 2 Jun AISNSW ICT Management and Leadership Conference: From Service to Helpdesk
- 2022 3 Jun AISNSW ICT Management and Leadership Conference: Is Elon Musks Starlink the answer for rural connectivity
- 2022 19 Apr MITIE NSW Conference: Led the Women in ICT Panel
- 2022 19 Apr MITIE NSW Conference: on the Cyber Security Panel
- 2022 24 Feb ICT in Schools Summit: on the Cyber Security Panel
- 2021 18 Aug Edutech Conference Panel: How to get Principal support for your IT Project
- 2021 14 May Keynoted for Global Victoria’s first Virtual Edtech Trade Mission to Latin America.
- 2021 6 Apr Edugrowth Panellist: “Exploring collaboration in classrooms, the effect of technology on parents, and more.”
- 2021 13 Jan Interviewed by Cohort21 on
Digital transformation in the education sector; pedagogy giving way to heutagogy; digital transformation as a human, cultural experience and the future of education. - 2020 Nov (Re)Learn: The Learning Innovation Festival
- 2020 Oct Learning Revolution’s Home Learning Summit
- 2020 Oct Interviewed for the Meet a Member segment of A School For Tomorrow
- 2020 22 Sep Interviewed by Digistorm pm Thought Leadership – Meet ML O’Brien
- 2020 1 Sep Live Q&A Panel as part of the Victorian Digital Innovations Festival
- 2020 22 Jul Interviewed by Digistorm – Thought Leadership in the Education Industry.
- 2020 3 Jun Interview for Atomi Brainwaves Podcast- eLearning Leadership
- 2020 12 May Interviewed by Peter Hutton for the Future Schools Alliance– How digital technology will redefine school-time in a post COVID world.
- 2019 Jul Clariden 3rd Digital Innovations & Blended Learning Conference, Melbourne.
- 2019 Jul AIS ICT Managers Conference, Queensland.
- 2019 Jul The Educators Leadership Conference, Melbourne.
- 2019 June Clariden 3rd Digital Innovations & Blended Learning Conference, Sydney.
- 2019 Feb Schoolbox LMS Annual Conference, Melbourne.
- 2018 Feb CDO Summit, Sydney.
- 2018 May World Disrupt Forum, Sydney.
- 2018 May AIS ICT Leadership & Management Conference, Canberra.
- 2017 Aug Schoolbox LMS Annual Conference, Melbourne.
- 2017 Interview: Q & A with Schoolbox
- 2017 Jun EduTech, Sydney.
- 2017 Mar Future Schools Conference presentation & panel session, Melbourne.
