Our Team
Our Team
David Chiem
Founder, Executive Chairman & Group CEO
David is the Founder, Executive Chairman & Group CEO of MindChamps PreSchool Limited. Arriving in Australia at the age of nine without being able to speak a single word of English, David has since gone on to become the first Asian cast in a lead role on mainstream Australian television, in the internationally acclaimed drama series Butterfly Island. He has also published two critically acclaimed novels, Only the Heart and The Full Story, which were nominated for three prestigious Australian literary awards.
David is also co-author of The 3-Mind Revolution, the ground-breaking volume that lays out a new world-view for leaders and educators, alongside internationally acclaimed author and literacy expert Brian Caswell. His research and work in developing the ‘3-Mind’ philosophy underpins the MindChamps movement, providing children with the mindset and learning tools to be the best they can be – that is, MindChampions.
Brian Caswell
Dean of Research & Programme Development
Brian is an internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning author, researcher, educator and songwriter, with a passion for early-childhood education and a special interest in the psychology and neuroscience of the learning brain.
Recruited by David at the very beginning of the MindChamps journey (1998), Brian’s leadership of the MindChamps Research and Programme-Development teams and his work with leading educationists, developmental psychologists, language-acquisition specialists and neuroscientists from 4 continents has been instrumental in the development of MindChamps’ educational philosophy and ‘brain-friendly’ learning strategies – including the S.M.I.L.E.S.TM Early Learning methodology, hailed as a breakthrough in preschool curriculum design, which is used in all MindChamps PreSchool and Early Learning centres worldwide. He was also mentor to the team which developed the celebrated curriculum for MindChamps Reading – personally writing over 200 reading and phonics books and 40 songs for use in the programme.
Over the past 35 years, Brian has spoken live to over 300,000 people on the subjects of Creativity, Literacy, Writing, Education and Early-Childhood Development – and to many more on podcasts, videos and Zoom presentations, television and radio.
Brian’s published writings range from innovative novels and short-stories to instructional volumes for parents and educators, from picture books for beginning readers to numerous articles and book chapters on literacy, creativity, education and parenting.
Dean Carey
Dean of Theatre
Dean is the founder and CEO of Actors Centre Australia (ACA) in Sydney, one of Australia’s top theatre schools. An established acting teacher, he brings with him with more than 30 years of experience and have coached celebrities such as Hugh Jackman.
Dean was also the Head of Acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Some of the TV and film projects that he has worked on as a performance consultant include the Australian productions of The Boy from Oz and Saturday Night Fever.
Our World Research, Advisory and Programme Development Team
Our research-backed curriculum is uniquely synthesised by award-winning and world-leading experts from the 4 domains of: Education, Psychology, Neuroscience and Theatre.
- Neuroscience
- Education
- Psychology
- Theatre
Chancellor and Chair of the MindChamps Global Research, Advisory & Programme Development TeamEmeritus Professor Allan Snyder FRS
- Fellow of the Royal Society (the prestigious scientific fellowship that counts Newton and Einstein as its former fellows)
- Founder, Centre for the Mind (University of Sydney)
- Holds the 150th Anniversary Chair of Science at the University of Sydney
- Winner of the 2001 Marconi International Prize, the world’s foremost prize in communications and information technology
SENIOR FELLOW AND DIRECTOR OF MINDCHAMPS AIRDr Fiona Kerr
- Founder of The NeuroTech Institute and FocusNTI
- Consultant to Finland’s National AI Committee, the US Department of Defence and the Australian Medical Industries Ministerial Advisory Panel
- Fellow of Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
Senior FellowEmeritus Professor Steven Schwartz AM, FASSA
- Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2013
- Former Chairman of the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority
- International award-winning researcher
- Named as one of the 100 highest cited researchers in his field
- Former professor with Harvard and Stanford
- Won the Brain Research Award, British Red Cross Society
- Australian Academy of Science – Royal Society (London) Exchange Fellowship
- Former Vice-Chancellor of:
- Macquarie University
- Brunel University
- Murdoch University
Chief Academic OfficerMr Steven Andrews
- Former Senior Education Advisor to the UK Government
(Tony Blair Administration) - Former Director of Schools, Greenwich, UK
- Former Group Chief Education Officer, Cognita International Schools
- Former Group CEO, Tanglin Trust School, Singapore
Senior FellowDr James Muecke AM
- 2020 Australian of the Year
- Former Lieutenant Governor of South Australia
- Member of the Order of Australia
- World Renowned Ophthalmologist and Blindness Prevention Pioneer
Mentor PrincipalMrs Carmee Lim
- Former Principal of Raffles Girls’ School, one of Singapore’s top schools
- Former Senior Inspector of Schools in the Ministry of Education, Singapore
- First Executive Director of the Academy of Principals, Singapore
Director General Of EducationMrs Louise Mulligan-Andrews
- Former Director of Schools, The Department for Education, UK
- Responsible for improving student exam performance in Nottingham City at double the national rate
FellowProfessor Trevor H. Cairney OAM
- Awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2012
- Adjunct Professor at the University of New South Wales, Department of Education
- President of the New South Wales Business Chamber
- Has written nine books and over 200 reports, articles and book chapters on early learning, training, language acquisition and development
FellowMs Libby Gleeson AM
- Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2007
- Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Sydney, Department of Education and Social Work
- Award-winning writer for picture books and fiction titles, including Hannah and the Tomorrow Room, An Ordinary Day, and Amy and Louis
- Chair of WestWords, Western Sydney’s Literature Development Organization for Young People
Senior FellowProfessor Kathy Hirsh-Pasek
- Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute, USA
- Director, Infant Language Laboratory, Temple University, USA
- Recipient of numerous awards
- Author of 12 books including Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children, Einstein Never Used Flash Cards and A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool
- Has published over 200 articles and research papers
Senior FellowProfessor Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
- Director, Child’s Play, Learning, and Development Laboratory, University of Delaware, USA
- Recipient of numerous awards
- Author of 14 books including Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children, Einstein Never Used Flash Cards and A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool
- Has published over 150 articles and research papers
Senior FellowDr Scott Hicks
- Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award-winning director and screenwriter
- Director of the Academy Award-winning films Shine, Snow Falling on Cedars and box-office hits including No Reservations and The Lucky One
- Member of the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
- SA Australian of the Year recipient in 2008
Senior FellowMr Aubrey Mellor OAM
- Awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 1992
- Former Director of the world-renowned National Institute of Dramatic Art, Australia
- Renowned theatre teacher to a generation of acclaimed Australian Academy Award winners
Our Teachers and Trainers
Our teachers and trainers are personally coached by members of the Our World Research, Advisory and Programme Development Team, who are recognised as leading experts in the domains of Education, Psychology, Neuroscience and Theatre. They go through extensive training to embody and impart the MindChamps curriculum, and also undergo an accreditation to ensure that they are fully equipped to nurture our young Champs. We believe that “when we stop learning, we stop teaching.”
Our Teachers and Trainers
Our teachers and trainers are personally coached by members of the Our World Research, Advisory and Programme Development Team, who are recognised as leading experts in the domains of education, psychology, neuroscience and theatre. They go through extensive training to embody and impart the MindChamps curriculum, and also undergo an accreditation to ensure that they are fully equipped to nurture our young Champs. We believe that “when we stop learning, we stop teaching.”
Preschool Teachers and Early Childhood Professionals
Our preschool teachers receive up to 200 hours of extensive training and accreditation at MindChamps, regardless of their early childhood qualifications, to ensure that your child’s mind is nurtured by only the most qualified and dedicated educators.
Enrichment Trainers
Only the top 10% of applicants with extensive educational qualifications and expertise are selected to become MindChamps trainers. For any educational and training organisation, there are two areas for which there can be no compromise:
All MindChamps accredited trainers are seasoned education professionals with the drive and talent to make it through our intensive and exhaustive selection and training process.
Enrichment Trainers
Only the top 10% of applicants with extensive educational qualifications and expertise are selected to become MindChamps trainers. For any educational and training organisation, there are two areas for which there can be no compromise:
All MindChamps accredited trainers are seasoned education professionals with the drive and talent to make it through our intensive and exhaustive selection and training process.
Champion Ambassadors
At MindChamps, our ambassadors embody the essence of what a Champion should be. By harnessing the Champion Mindset within themselves, these extraordinary people have used this personal attribute to be the best they can be, turn adversities into strengths and emerge triumphantly.
Jane Lee
Jane was the captain of the first all-woman team to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 2009, as well as the first Southeast Asian woman to scale all the 7 summits of the world, doing so between 2010-2011.
To Jane, success in climbing is 10% physical and 90% mindset. She believes that every child has the potential to achieve great things. The key is to get each child to embrace the self-confidence that will nourish a conviction to dream big and see his/her goals through to the end.
As a MindChamps brand ambassador, Jane would like to set a positive example for children, by showing that with the correct mindset, they are capable of overcoming even the most extreme of challenges to reach their goals.
Jeremy Lim
Jeremy is a graduate of the MindChamps Success 4 Life Programme in 2003 and was appointed as a Youth Fellow of MindChamps in 2006. Despite being diagnosed with the brittle bone disease – a condition where bones break easily and are prone to fracture as the body lacks the collagen required for a sturdy bone structure – his disability does not deter him from learning, growing or contributing to society. Moreover, Jeremy believes that the many challenges he faced as a result of his condition have made him a better person, rather than a bitter one.
Jeremy describes his experience at MindChamps as enriching, rewarding and life-changing; he credits the educational institute for teaching him not only effective learning methods but also useful life skills. He believes that it is only natural for one to develop a Champion Mindset after being taught at MindChamps.
Jeremy is also a recipient of the Singapore National Youth Achievement Gold Award in 2009 and has written an autobiography entitled Beyond Bone Breaking that was published by MindChamps Publishing in 2011. The autobiography shares his life journey, challenges and lessons with everyone.
Rainer Ng
A Youth Fellow of MindChamps since 2011, Rainer is a 50m backstroke silver medallist at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games and a graduate of the MindChamps Youth Athlete 3-Mind Academic Programme, a joint initiative that was specially formed by MindChamps and the Singapore Sports Council for the training of youth athletes for the 2010 Games.
Rainer directly attributes his ability, courage and determination to break through negative barriers and beliefs to MindChamps. The study techniques that he learnt during the MindChamps Youth Athlete 3-Mind Academic Programme taught him how to itemise and summarise information, making it easier to digest. It also taught him how to analyse information and train smart during his training sessions.
Join The Dream Team
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Our Pedagogy
Our Awards
Careers
Our Pedagogy
Our Awards
Careers
