Meet Donna
Professional Biography
Dr Donna M Velliaris is an educator, academic, researcher, author, and editor with three decades of experience across school education, higher education, teacher education, and academic development. Her career spans Australia, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand, where she has taught and supported learners from Reception to PhD level in culturally and linguistically diverse settings.
Her experience bridges classroom practice and higher education, encompassing teaching, curriculum development, educational leadership, professional learning, research, and the supervision and mentoring of preservice teachers. She has taught English Language & Literature (ELL), English as an Additional Language (EAL), Japanese Language, Studies of Society & Environment (SOSE), Ethics, Peace Studies, World Religions, Film Studies, and Dance. Working across different educational systems and stages of learning has shaped an approach grounded in inclusion, cultural responsiveness, intellectual rigour, and the connection between educational theory and practice.
Specialises in academic and professional literacies, academic development, inclusive educational practices, and teacher training.
Donna specialises in academic and professional literacies, academic development, inclusive educational practices, and teacher training, with complementary expertise in academic integrity, assessment, student belonging, and intercultural education. A central thread throughout her career is the development of educators and their learners: how they are prepared, supported, challenged, and enabled to participate and succeed in diverse contexts.
Writing and scholarship form a substantial part of Donna’s professional contribution. She has produced more than 100 publications, including almost 50 book chapters and eight authored or edited books, with further titles in development and production. She regularly contributes to EduVerse Newsletter, IGI Global Newsroom, and International Schools Network (ISN), extending her scholarship to professional audiences beyond traditional academic publishing. Her publications connect research with the practical concerns of educators, institutions, and the learners they serve.
Donna has been ranked among the Global Gurus Top 30 in Education for four consecutive years, progressing from #30 in 2023 to #22 in 2024, #9 in 2025, and #6 in 2026. She has also been recognised among the Top 50 Essential Thought Leaders on Student Belonging and the Top 100 Educational Leadership Speakers. These distinctions have contributed to a growing international profile and opportunities to participate in wider conversations about the future of education.
Across her career, Donna has worked across classrooms, universities, international schools, research, publishing, and educational leadership while maintaining a consistent commitment to inclusive, rigorous, and responsive education. Her cross-sector and international perspective continues to inform her scholarship and her contribution to the preparation and development of educators.
You can read Donna’s personal biography here.