Singapore Team Members

Dannielle Miller, CEO, Enlighten Education

Bachelor of Education (Secondary), Graduate Certificate in Management (Professional Practice), Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training

“When working with teenagers, it is important to engage them emotionally; if you can capture their hearts, their minds will follow. I am incredibly proud of the work we do and passionate about acting as a catalyst for change.”

Dannielle is a highly respected and experienced educator, author and media commentator on issues affecting teenage girls.

Beginning her career as a high school teacher, she was soon on the path to becoming a major innovator and expert in the field of education. As English Coordinator at a dual-campus high school, she was responsible for the curriculum, staffing and quality of learning of the English faculty. Her commitment to student welfare was clear, and she was then commissioned by the Federal Government to be the Full Service Schools Coordinator for high schools – public, Catholic and independent – in the Western Sydney region. In this role, she assessed and advised on programs aimed at keeping in school those students who were at risk of dropping out before completing their education; her advice formed the basis for government funding decisions.

Having gained unique insight into how best to help at-risk students meet their full potential, she was inspired to start up a new program fusing the most effective strategies. The Lighthouse Project was born: mentors give at-risk students workplace responsibilities, which helps the students develop employment skills and allows them to discover the real-world relevance of what they learn at school. This immensely successful program continues in Western Sydney, assuring a bright future for students who may otherwise drop out.

Another of Dannielle’s innovations was a Higher School Certificate (HSC) course she developed in the field of service learning. This type of learning develops students’ entrepreneurial skills while at the same time involving them in meaningful volunteer work that benefits the community. Their work received NSW Board of Studies approval and brought a whole new level of interest to this positive and forward-thinking approach to education.

Her achievements in student welfare and curriculum development, plus long-held concerns about girls’ struggles with body image and self-esteem, came together in 2003, when Dannielle joined with fellow educator Francesca Kaoutal to found their own company, Enlighten Education. The company is based on the belief that by entering into, and engaging with, the world of teenage girls, they can encourage meaningful and constructive conversations about gender, identity, education, careers and girls’ futures.

Enlighten Education won the 2007 Australian Small Business Champion award for Children’s Services and is now a national network of passionate, talented women. In 2007 Dannielle was named the NSW /ACT Small Business Champion Entrepreneur.

In 2009, The Weekend Australian newspaper named Dannielle Australia’s number 1 Emerging Leader in Learning.

Dannielle delights in working with thousands of teenage girls across Australia and New Zealand each year, and she is regularly called upon by the media for her expertise on teen issues. She is an avid blogger (http://enlighteneducation.edublogs.org) and the author of The Butterfly Effect (Random House Australia, September 2009), a book on raising happy, confident teenage girls by forging deeply connected and loving mother-daughter relationships. Her achievements are featured in education journals, her articles have appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, and she is a popular speaker at youth and education conferences and forums.

Dannielle offers parent and teacher information sessions and is available to speak at seminars and conferences. See: Parent Information Sessions – run by Enlighten’s CEO Dannielle Miller.





Rachel Hansen

Master of Philosophy (Criminology), Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Criminology) with First Class Honours (Psychology)

Contact Rachel: rachel@enlighteneducation.com

“Young women today live in a highly marketed, beauty-driven, fast-paced world. This is an exciting world, but one that is also very challenging. I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to work with Enlighten. I love seeing the passion ignited in the girls as they realise their true worth and own beauty.”

Rachel is an accomplished educator and an engaging presenter with a real affinity for young women, who respond to her enthusiasm and humour. She has extensive experience in education, counselling and graduate recruitment.

In 2002 Rachel was the recipient of a Chevening Link scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge (UK). This scholarship is awarded to New Zealanders of outstanding merit. At Cambridge, Rachel completed a Masters thesis examining the needs of adolescent girls in custody. After completing her Masters, Rachel spent time coordinating the graduate recruitment program at an investment bank in the UK, working alongside the top European universities. She then began teaching senior high school psychology in London. She also taught Criminology at Cambridge University as part of The Oxbridge Academic Program, a summer school for high school students from around the world.

On returning home to New Zealand in 2006 Rachel worked as a high school guidance counsellor and sexuality education teacher, as well as a mentor for young women. Since becoming a mother in 2008, Rachel has become aware of the huge influence of the media and marketing on children. She is particularly passionate about the issue of the sexualisation of young people by the media and popular culture, and she often blogs on issues affecting young women.