Michaela BENSLEY

Chief Executive, SACE Board of South Australia

Michaela is the Chief Executive of the SACE Board of South Australia. Michaela has a history of leading an education organisation at a range of levels across a diverse range of functions and has been the Deputy Chief Executive of the SACE Board for the last three years. 

In close partnership with the Chief Executive, Michaela worked to implement the Board’s vision by supporting the leadership direction and governance necessary to ensure the successful delivery against strategic and financial goals. 

Michaela is heavily invested in the SACE Board’s purpose of shaping education so that students thrive. Her deep understanding of the SACE ensures there is essential alignment between this purpose and its articulation in the pillar of Connected Qualification. 

Michaela is excited by the opportunity to build on the SACE Board’s business maturity as a Bold Leader, particularly in the areas of continuous improvement, evaluation, automation, and customer service excellence. 

With a commitment to adaptive leadership Michaela’s approach supports and promotes an innovative and inclusive workplace culture, focussed on delivering services that align with strategic purpose and create maximum impact.

Michaela continues to represent the SACE Board on a range of state and national committees and forums.

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Hassan MEKAWY

Director of Education Services

Hassan Mekawy is the Director of Education Services at the SACE Board of South Australia. His career at the SACE Board has spanned over a decade where he has focused on developing, aligning and delivering transformational education initiatives connected to the organisation’s strategic vision. 

With over 25 years’ experience and leadership within the Australian education sector across three states, Hassan’s achievements include establishing and managing the Institute of Educational Assessors, which was designed to support teachers and strengthen their assessment literacy, as well as delivering courses and events to over 5000 primary and secondary teachers in South Australia, Northern Territory and internationally.

An innovative thinker and experienced educator, Hassan is a member of the University of Adelaide School of Education Advisory Board and the University of South Australia Bachelor of Secondary Education Advisory Group.

A passionate champion of SACE Board’s Reconciliation Action Plan journey, Hassan has established strong relationships within the Aboriginal community to develop and manage the SACE Board’s Aboriginal Education Strategy.

Hassan was awarded a Master of Education from Flinders University and a Bachelor of Arts and Post Graduate Diploma in Education from La Trobe University.

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Sam MILL

Director, People & Performance

As the Director People & Performance, Sam leads the corporate services functions that support the SACE Board’s operations. With a career spanning the South Australian public sector and private enterprise, Sam has held senior roles at SA Health during the pandemic, PIRSA and other agencies. She brings extensive expertise in strategic leadership, finance, business performance, and corporate governance. A strong advocate for lifelong learning, Sam holds multiple degrees, including a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Business Psychology. Beyond her role at the SACE Board, Sam applies her business acumen and strategic insight as a member of the Eldercare Board and Chair of its Clinical Governance Subcommittee.

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Claire TOLA

Director, Operations Transformation and Enterprise Portfolio Manager

Claire Tola is the Director of Operational Transformation and the Enterprise Portfolio Management Office at the SACE Board of South Australia. Her career at the SACE Board has spanned over a decade where she has worked strategically to lead and oversee the day-to-day business operations and focus on architecting the agency’s strategic deliverables to ensure value is created at the enterprise level.  

With over 25 years experience in the education sector, Claire’s achievements include establishing and managing the Enterprise Portfolio Management Office, which was designed to implement the agency’s operating model and way of working, and leading a digital modernisation program, including the first electronic examination for high stakes assessment in the southern hemisphere.  

A systems thinker, experienced in business transformation, strategic development, and complex change. 

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