Michelle Bartlett | Director - People, Policy & Practice

Hi, I'm Michelle!

I've had the privilege of being part of Greythorn Early Childhood Centre since December 1996. Greythorn was my first Director position after many years working with children in community managed early childhood services across Melbourne, and I honestly can't imagine being anywhere else.

Originally, I'm from Albury in country NSW, but I moved to Melbourne when I was 18 and quickly discovered my passion for early childhood education. 40 years later, I still love coming to work each day. Greythorn has become so much more than a workplace to me. It's a community, and the educators here really are like an extended family.

As Director of People, Policy and Practice, I focus on leading our team, supporting families, overseeing enrolments, staffing, compliance, and the many behind the scenes systems that help our service run smoothly. I love finding new ideas and opportunities to improve what we do, whether it's enhancing our programs, supporting our educators, or making Greythorn an even better place for children and families.

I'm fortunate to share the leadership of Greythorn with Leanne, our Director of Operations. We've worked together for many years and have built a partnership based on trust, respect and plenty of laughter. While we each have our own areas of responsibility, we work closely together and make decisions as a team. We complement each other perfectly. I'm often the one dreaming up new ideas, while Leanne has an incredible talent for turning those ideas into reality.

My husband and I have a wonderfully blended family with four adult children and three beautiful grandchildren who keep us on our toes. While we're now enjoying the quieter pace of an empty nest, family is still at the heart of everything we do.

Outside of work you'll usually find me sewing, cooking, planning the next family get together, or doing a little online shopping. Christmas is my favourite time of year, and I love creating traditions and making memories with my family. I also enjoy getting lost in a good book or unwinding with a TV series on a Sunday afternoon.

I feel incredibly lucky to be part of so many children's early years and to watch families grow over time. After all these years, I still feel just as passionate about Greythorn as I did on my very first day 30 years ago, and I look forward to welcoming many more families into our community.

In the office: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday