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Think Board

Think Education's Academic Board Members oversee the quality assurance of all academic activities, including the maintenance of high standards in teaching and scholarship.

Governance structure

Governance and Leadership | Think Education | Organisational Structure

Think Education Board committees

Finance committee provides expert advice to the Board on financial performance in the current year and the financial implications of any future plans.
Audit and Risk committee provides expert advice to the Board on audit and risk performance.
The Nominations committee provides expert advice to the Board on:

  • The Board committee structure and makeup
  • Identifying suitable candidates for board vacancies

 

Think Education Board members

Michael Reed, Chair

Michael, formerly Regional Counsel – Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa at Laureate International Universities. Prior to joining Laureate he was a partner at DLA Piper, a leading global law firm and has practised as a solicitor for over 35 years.

Dan Cockerell, CEO

Dan is the CEO of Think Education.

He previously served as Vice-President of the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, Florida. Dan graduated from Boston University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and earned his MBA in 2001 from the Crummer School of Business at Rollins College.
Dan's career began at Disney’s Epcot Center and included various management roles at Disneyland Paris. He held executive positions at Walt Disney World Resort, including Vice President of Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the Magic Kingdom. Dan was also a keynote speaker for the Disney Institute for 18 years.
In December 2023, Dan moved to Sydney and joined Torrens Global Education Services as Co-CEO. He was later appointed CEO of Think Education.
In June 2024, Dan was named an honorary Governor of the American Chamber of Commerce Australia (AmCham) in NSW.

Michael Thawley AO

Michael Thawley is a former Australian Ambassador to the United States of America. He has a broad range of international and Australian-based business leadership roles, including as former vice-chairman of Capital Group International, a member of Capital Group Companies. Mr. Thawley was born in London and was educated at Australian National University and Surrey University.

Hon. Greg Crafter AO

Greg was a member of the South Australian Parliament between 1979 and 1993, holding Ministerial office for eleven of those years. He was Minister of Education for seven years. Greg was President of the Geneva based International Baccalaureate Organisation between 1996 and 2003. He is currently Chair of the National Catholic Education Commission which represents the 760,000 students and 93,000 staff in Australia’s Catholic schools. He has developed a career as a Non Executive Director and consultant serving on private company, public and charitable boards and has been appointed to Public Sector Boards and Commissions of Enquiry by both Liberal and Labor governments.

Daniel Jackson

Daniel Jackson is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Strategic Education, Inc.. Previously he served as Treasurer and Senior Vice President of Finance for Strayer Education, Inc., and as Regional Vice President of Operations, Director of Business Operations, and Campus Director for Strayer University. Prior to joining Strayer, Daniel held financial and operational roles with Legg Mason Wood Walker and Fairmont Schools Inc.

Laura Anderson

Laura Anderson is an International Company Director, Entrepreneur and Global Philanthropist. Laura has worked extensively across governments and industries locally and globally as a senior adviser on global governance, strategy transformation and risk optimisation. Her professional speciality is harnessing the power of big data and its effect on global supply chains, trade, investment and infrastructure development. Laura is Chair of the United Nations UNCTAD Board of Advisors for the Creative Economy Programme, Chair of Judges for the World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in Oceania and the global Space Technology Entrepreneur S-Booster Awards.

Laura is a global thought leader on the development of the creative economy and its impact on the future of industry structures, social cohesion and economic innovation. She is a champion for the global transformation across The Fourth Industrial Revolution and empowering the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr. Michael McRobbie AO

Dr. Michael A. McRobbie joined the Think Education Board in September 2023. Dr. McRobbie serves as University Chancellor, President Emeritus, and University Professor at Indiana University (IU). He previously served as the 18th President of IU, one of the largest universities in the U.S., from the 1st of July 2007 until his retirement on the 30th of June 2021. Dr. McRobbie served as a vice chair of the board of directors of Indiana University Health System until his retirement from IU. A native of Australia, Dr. McRobbie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with first class honours from the University of Queensland, and a Ph.D. from Australian National University. Dr. McRobbie has been a member of the Strategic Education, Inc. board since 2021.