Jeannette Kavanagh

My main consultancy Dr Jeannette Kavanagh and Daughter is within the education field where I work with the cornerstone of civilisation - our teachers. I work with people who teach at all leveles - kindergarten, elementary, High school and at University. As you'll see if you visit my website, I've worked in the education sector for decades - sometimes it feels like centuries. My main work at the moment centres on an initiative of the Australian Federal government called Success for Boys. Helping to make schools more boy-friendly is something I've been interested in for many years.

Over the past twenty years, I've worked part-time as a counsellor and speech coach to help people to find solutions to their anxiety and panic attacks particularly when public speaking or performing in public.

One of my great passions in life is language - how humans acquire it, how we learn second and subsequent languages and how we maintain our first language if we move to a country where it isn't the dominant language. Second language pedagogy - how best to teach a second language - was the subject of my Doctorate. I speak fluent French and Greek as well as English.

Swimming is something I love and I usually start each day with a 1 km swim. It's my 'time out' and a form of energising meditation. If I have the time, I make that a mile (1.6km). Going to the movies, reading, collecting art and going to galleries are other passions. My daughter Natalie and son Vasilis are the two greatest gifts I've ever received.