About The Next Word

Matthew Esterman has worked in education for over 15 years, having experience as a teacher, school leader, presenter, writer, and consultant.

He holds postgraduate degrees from Macquarie University and the University of Sydney, and is the recipient of several awards, including the Commonwealth Bank Teaching Fellowship for 2023 supported by Australian Schools Plus. 

He has an interest in establishing and maintaining valuable partnerships with external organisations such as universities, industry partners and charitable organisations, as well as seeking out and adopting innovative approaches to the school experience.  

Matthew has explored many innovative areas of school and work, including eSports, entrepreneurship, partner projects, school design and professional learning.

Matthew is a fresh thinker in the strategic and practical use of AI in schools, exploring the potential and pitfalls of various tools and platforms. He is a keen lifelong learner who believes we can bend the future using creativity, critical thinking, and compassion.

See Matt's full LinkedIn profile by clicking here.

Dr Nick Jackson is the founder of Now Future Learning. He has worked for over 23 years in education mostly in schools but also in universities. Nick believes in constructivism and constructionism and has a passion for working and researching with teachers, students and technology. He focuses on learners being empowered to access education in the ways that they choose and have doors open to create new pathways into learning enhanced by technology. 

In 2023 Nick was awarded his PhD from Monash University. His research focused on the empowerment of high school students, involving them in active roles to positively affect technology integration to improve teaching and learning.

Nick’s specialties include pedagogy, educational technology, A.I. in education, e-learning, teaching, learning, online learning, coaching, training, empowering learners, communities of practice, ICT, computing, digital technologies, web design, design thinking, critical & creative thinking and all manner of digital innovation.

See Nick's full Linkedin profile by clicking here.

See Now Future Learning by clicking here.

Dr Geethani Nair help schools and education systems navigate AI adoption with confidence — from technical readiness and infrastructure planning through to governance, digital safety, and building genuine digital literacy across the school community.

"With 25+ years across vocational education, corporate learning, and national workforce policy — including regional ICT management for TAFE NSW and current advisory roles with the Australian Computer Society — I bring both strategic perspective and hands-on technical depth."

Geethani's approach bridges what leaders need to understand with what IT teams need to implement. She works with school boards on AI governance and risk, support ICT teams on systems integration and cybersecurity, and help schools move beyond policy to practical, sustainable adoption.

See Geethani's full Linkedin profile by clicking here.

See SkillsBridge Solutions by clicking here.

 An educator for over 30 years, Dr Tim Kitchen is one of Australia’s leading voices in digital creativity and education innovation. A passionate advocate for empowering students and teachers through creative technologies, Tim has taught across primary, secondary, and higher education and has inspired thousands of teachers and students through his workshops and keynotes. 

A bestselling author and frequent presenter at national and international education events, Tim was Adobe’s Senior Education Specialist for Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia from 2013 to 2025. Today, he continues to share his expertise and enthusiasm as an education consultant, exploring new ways to spark creativity in the learning & teaching process. 

See Tim's full Linkedin profile by clicking here.

See Tim's website here.

 Adam Wollins has spent over two decades at the intersection of technology and education, holding executive ICT leadership roles across the NSW Department of Education, the University of Sydney, Lenovo, and independent schools. He has led teams of 200+, managed multimillion-dollar transformation programs, and helped shape the digital infrastructure that supports hundreds of thousands of students and teachers across NSW.

As Director of IT at an independent school in Sydney, Adam authored the school's five-year ICT strategy, established governance frameworks, led AI adoption, and turned a struggling technology team into a trusted, high-performing unit. At the NSW Department of Education (one of the largest education systems in the world) he directed statewide infrastructure programs, led the ICT response to COVID-19, and built the standards and specifications still used in schools today.

Adam brings a rare combination of strategic vision and operational depth. He understands what it takes to align technology with teaching, learning and school culture as someone who has done it in real life, and at scale. His specialties include ICT strategy and governance, digital transformation, cybersecurity, AI adoption, and large-scale program delivery.

See Adam's full LinkedIn profile by clicking here.

Shahenda Kandil is a teacher who has always been drawn to the intersection of technology and learning. Across six international schools in three countries, and within a range of international curriculum frameworks, she has spent her career finding meaningful ways to bring technology into classrooms, whilst making sure it actually serves teaching and learning when it gets there.

Her background is cross-disciplinary: a Bachelor's in Media Management and a Master's of Education gave her a deep instinct for technology and a clear sense of how to use it purposefully. Her experience lies mostly in primary education, before evolving into teaching teachers and helping schools move from scattered experimentation to coherent, confident practice.

Her expertise spans curriculum design, pedagogy, AI literacy, and professional learning. Currently she leads AI strategy at an independent school in Sydney, chairing the AI Committee, driving whole-school integration across two campuses, and co-designing an AI platform to support Year 11 and 12 students with their HSC studies at home.

At The Next Word, she brings exactly this kind of experience to the schools she works with: a practitioner, conference MC, and regular conference presenter who builds genuine AI capability from the ground up. Start with people, not platforms.

She is also the founder of Teggie, equipping parents and teachers with the tools to better support children's learning so the benefits of technology extend well beyond the school gate.

See Shahenda's full Linkedin profile by clicking here.