Tess Martin
Consultant
Education Specialist
About Tess
Dr Tess Martin completed a Doctorate in Education (TVET) at the University of Western Australia in 2009. In 2010 after a successful career in the Australian TAFE sector she commenced working in the Pacific Islands as Director of the Kiribati Institute of Technology.
Tess has continued to live and work in the Pacific Islands for more than a decade. She is a well-respected and accomplished educator, researcher, consultant, and capacity development specialist with extensive experience spanning over three decades, working in more than 15 PICs. Her varied experiences working in Vanuatu include: the Untrained Teachers Project, PacTVET project, Social Citizen Education Policy Development, the Australian Pacific Partnership Climate Skills Audit, and the Pacific Resilience Program (PREP).
Tess has demonstrated expertise in teacher development, curriculum design, and education planning and policy formulation. Notably she has led the development of National Quality Teacher Standards, Performance Appraisal systems, Workforce Development and Continuous Professional Learning Frameworks, and Curriculum and Assessment Frameworks for different Pacific Island countries.
Her commitment to advancing education extends beyond traditional academia having played pivotal roles in various national and regional Pacific Island organisations, including, the Pacific Community (SPC), University of the South Pacific and the Fiji National University. Tess has worked as a mentor to the executive team of the newly established Solomon Islands Tertiary Education Sector Authority (SITESA) and is conversant with government and non-government education structures, systems and institutes in various Pacific Island countries. She has led and managed projects aimed at enhancing technical vocational education and training (TVET) and been instrumental in developing regionally accredited training programs in Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction.
Tess has published extensively both independently and in teams in the fields of Education and Climate Resilience in the Pacific region. She has presented at numerous regional and international forums over the past 15 years. She has developed a strong professional network with many ex-colleagues also as her friends.
Beyond her professional endeavour Tess is committed to community well-being having served as a Lifeline Accredited Counsellor, founding executive member of the Busselton Community Safe Space and community volunteer in agencies supporting disadvantaged and vulnerable people. Her multifaceted contributions reflect a commitment and passion for education, capacity building and social welfare.