Dawn Lawrence is our inspiring Postgraduate Director for the Master of Contemporary Education (MCE), dedicated to creating a learning environment that nurtures and challenges postgraduate students to grow as lifelong learners and achieve their academic goals. With a background as a secondary-trained teacher and over 16 years as a Professional Development and Learning Facilitator, Dawn brings deep expertise in transformative leadership, culturally responsive and relational pedagogy, and building strong home–school–community relationships grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi values.Currently pursuing a PhD focused on indigenisation and decolonisation within professional learning and development facilitator practice, Dawn’s research and teaching passions centre around equity, social justice, and critical pedagogies. She believes in critically engaging with big, future-focused educational questions while drawing on the past—and never forgetting the realities of today.If she could meet any historical figure, it would be Paulo Freire, whose work continues to influence her thinking and practice. Dawn’s secret superpower? Somehow managing to do things that IT experts say “can’t be done” — a fitting metaphor for her trailblazing approach.What excites Dawn most about her role at academyEX is the opportunity to learn alongside others with diverse experiences and perspectives, pushing boundaries and shaping education for a better, more inclusive future.

Postgraduate Director for the Master of Contemporary Education

Dawn Lawrence leads postgraduate learning at academyEX, championing equity, critical pedagogy, and transformative leadership in NZ education.