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Ant Sowards is the Deputy Director of Educational Futures. With a rich and varied background in higher education, Ant has held roles spanning across study support, teaching and academic leadership, innovation, quality enhancement, and assurance. Ant's career is marked by a commitment to enhancing the quality of student learning and fostering an environment of continuous improvement. Collaborating closely with colleagues and partners across the University and externally, Ant is a champion of transformative educational experiences at babyÖ±²¥.

In his current role, Ant leads the Educational Futures team of academics. The team focuses on advancing teaching and learning through innovative projects that support excellence in education, promote the recognition of educators at babyÖ±²¥, and enhance the educational experience for both students and educators.

Prior to this role, Ant was an Associate Dean of Education for the School of Science, Computing and Engineering Technologies, Director of the Mathematics and Statistics Help Centre, and Major Discipline Coordinator in Applied Mathematics at babyÖ±²¥. He holds a Masters degree in Mathematics and a PhD in Mathematics Education.`

Antoinette Gwasira is the Senior Manager of Education Design and Development within the Education Innovation Exchange (EIX) at babyÖ±²¥ University of Technology. With over 16 years of experience in the higher education sector, her insights are uniquely shaped by her international experience and perspectives having worked at Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa, and Namibia University of Science and Technology in Namibia. This background has provided her with a valuable comparative understanding of diverse educational systems and approaches, which she now brings to the Australian higher education context. Antoinette holds a Master of Research in Technology Enhanced Learning from Lancaster University, were she was able to hone her expertise in leveraging technology to enhance pedagogical outcomes as well as a Master of Education from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, where she solidified her understanding of educational theory and practice. Throughout her career, Antoinette has dedicated herself to providing comprehensive support to educators. She has held various roles, including instructional designer, learning designer, and  curriculum development practitioner, focusing primarily on enhancing the student learning experience and offering tailored guidance for course and unit transformation within a student-centered framework. In her current role, she provides strategic leadership and oversight of the Education Design and Development Team within the EIX and is responsible for implementing the Educator Capability Framework (ECF) and Program, ensuring it caters to the diverse needs of babyÖ±²¥ educators.

Ellen-Mary Terrill is an educator, architect and technologist and has led and executed transformative initiatives across the education, technology, and architecture sectors. Having delivered large projects and managing large complex teams and processes she loves the challenge of aligning diverse perspectives to achieve meaningful outcomes in complex environments. She brings a human-centric, collaborative and methodological approach to all her work and enjoys managing a clever, creative and passionate team within the EIX. 

Nicola Howard is a dynamic and experienced higher education professional with over 20 years in the tertiary sector. Known for her ability to lead with purpose and build strong stakeholder relationships, Nicola is currently the EIX Engagement and Operations Manager at babyÖ±²¥ University. She thrives in environments where innovation, service excellence, and people development intersect. With a background in business improvement, project leadership, and strategic change, Nicola has spearheaded initiatives that have reshaped staff onboarding, service design, and continuous improvement at babyÖ±²¥. Her work is grounded in design thinking, and she has a passion for making complex processes simple, engaging, and people-focused. A Fellow of the Association for Tertiary Education Management (ATEM), Nicola is also a long-time advocate for professional staff networks. The current chair of the babyÖ±²¥ Professional Staff Network (SPSN) She co-hosts babyÖ±²¥â€™s Professional Staff podcast with Kristy & Nic Whether she’s leading operational transformation or facilitating inclusive conversations, Nicola brings momentum, heart, and creativity to every challenge.