Training Associates

Sonya Mackenzie is the Technical Director-Education at Mott MacDonald Education. Sonya has worked for over 20 years with educators, school communities and education systems both nationally and internationally to build their capacity for self-directedness, collaboration and transformational classroom practices.

Sonya’s work supports educators in the challenge of developing mental models and practices that improve learning. Her prior work as a middle-years teacher assisted her in developing specialised knowledge for working both in mainstream schools and remote Australian Aboriginal communities.

Sonya’s intuitive nature and professional experience have led her to deeply understand the demanding, unpredictable and critical importance of work in systems and schools. Her passion for learning and wellbeing sits at the heart of her own leadership style and her subsequent work with educators.

Sonya’s recent work has focused on developing and implementing a strategy to support and build the capacity of facilitators and coaches who work in schools with teachers and school leaders. Her research into Cognitive Coaching in Australian schools had her recognised by the international community for her contributions to the field, providing insights into the tensions between coach identity and competing national discourses. Sonya is a certified Thinking Collaborative training associate for Cognitive CoachingSM.

Sonya holds a Master of Education (International), a Graduate Diploma in Psychology and a Bachelor of Education (Further Education and Training).