Associate Professor Jeannie Rea

Associate Professor Jeannie Rea is currently Head of Community Programs in the College of Arts, Business, Law, Education and IT and Chair, Quality Teaching and Learning Committee of Academic Board at Victoria University, Melbourne. Her current teaching is principally in community development focussing upon advocacy and action for progressive social change and environmental justice.

Recently Associate Professor Rea undertook the development of a Roadmap for TAFE South Australia. The comprehensive report was released in full by the South Australian Government in early August 2023 adopting the 6 Goals. The Roadmap frames the development of the TAFESA Strategic Plan for the next decade.

Associate Professor Rea has been a professional educator and advocate in the postsecondary sector for over four decades. Starting her career in TAFE and the Technical Teachers Union of Victoria, she then worked at Victoria University for almost twenty years teaching and researching in gender studies, labour history, environmental science, public relations and public advocacy. She previously held education leadership roles in governance and management at Victoria University including Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development, and Head of the School of Communication and the Arts.

Associate Professor Rea returned to Victoria University in 2019 after completing two terms as the National President of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), the industry union for all staff working in Higher Education. She also served on the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) national executive. She has contributed expertise in gender analysis, labour unions and higher education locally and globally.

She is a long-term member of the National Youth Employment Body (NYEB) Advisory Board, and amongst other community roles, chairs the board of the Australian Living Peace Museum.

Associate Professor Rea believes passionately in the role of education in transforming people’s lives to make for a fairer and environmentally sustainable world. Throughout her life, she has worked for access, equity and quality education for all in Australia and internationally.