Time to Act is a community of practice that changes over time. The community is managed by a team of educators and researchers from Deakin’s Centre for Regenerating Futures and Drama Victoria. We also have an evolving body of expert teachers who offer mentoring, resources, and professional learning to the community.
Community Managers

Dr Jo Raphael
Senior Lecturer
Deakin University
Jo leads the Drama Education programs at Deakin University. She teaches, researches, and publishes with a focus on the transformative potential of the arts for learning across the curriculum, especially in environmental sustainability and climate change education. Jo enjoys interdisciplinary collaborations and participatory and arts-based research approaches. Jo is co-director of Deakin University’s Centre for Regenerating Futures.

Dr Meg Upton
Research Fellow
Deakin University
Meg lectures at Deakin University in curriculum and pedagogy, is a specialist in senior years curriculum, an arts education consultant, and previous Curriculum Manager at the VCAA. Meg is a teaching and research member with the Drama Victoria/Deakin Time to Act project and was co-project manager for the Australian Climate Change Education Summit 2024 held in October.

Dr Danielle Hradsky
Research Fellow
Deakin University
Danielle is a drama/arts educator and researcher, gardener, and bushwalker. She is passionate about the power of the arts to create change in education, particularly in the areas of (re)conciliation, de/colonisation, and sustainability. Danielle lives and works on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nations.

Pamela Peelen
Project Director (Time to Act)
Drama Victoria
Pamela’s career spans the arts, community and education sectors. She has coordinated educational theatre programs internationally and across Australia, collaborating in a wide range of initiatives celebrating significant community events. As Project Director for Time to Act, Pamela focuses on building community capacity, forming strategic partnerships to enhance developmental initiatives.
Expert Teachers

Katherine Zachest
Graduate Researcher
Deakin University
Katherine has extensive experience in drama education in early childhood and lectures in drama at Deakin University. Katherine has presented at national and international conferences and is a sought-after speaker on the benefits of drama for young children. She is the author of Drama for Early Childhood. Katherine is currently studying her Ph.D. entitled Children Drama and Planetary Wellbeing.

Laurence Page
Performing Arts Leader of Learning
Preshil School
Laurence is the Performing Arts Leader of Learning/Production Manager at Preshil, on the Committee of Management for Drama Victoria and a performer at Impro Melbourne and Les Improvisé.

Darcie Kane-Priestley
Director of Drama
Ruyton Girls’ School
Darcie is currently the Director of Drama at Ruyton Girls’ School and has taught Drama for 16 years. She is passionate about the power of theatre to provoke change and an advocate for the Drama Victoria community. Most recently she has: collaborated with Children’s Ground, presented at the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Global Forum in Boston, presented for Drama Victoria, supported VCAA on Advisory Panels and has been a VCE Examiner.

Nick Mawson
Drama Teacher
Northern Bay College
Nick Mawson has been teaching and leading in K-12 Drama and Theatre in the Geelong area for over a decade. He has a wealth of experience teaching primary Drama across a range of curriculums. Nick is working towards a PhD candidature where he hopes to focus on cultivating creativity in the Drama classroom.
