New Early Childhood Council chief executive appointed

Dr Sarah Farquhar.

The Early Childhood Council has appointed as its new chief executive the prominent education academic, Dr Sarah Farquhar.

The appointment takes effect from 28th October.

A former kindergarten head teacher and lecturer in education, Dr Farquhar heads ‘Childforum’, an organisation that provides education research, analysis and policy advice.

She is set to replace long-standing Early Childhood Council chief executive Sue Thorne who is leaving to live overseas.

Dr Farquhar is the founder and managing editor of NZ’s only ECE academic journal, and the founder and co-ordinator of the NZ Early Childhood Research Network (which has a membership of 1000).

She has a PhD in education, a NZ Free Kindergarten Union Diploma, a Montessori Diploma, and a Higher Diploma of Teaching.

Early Childhood Council president Margie Blackwood said Dr Farquhar would bring extensive knowledge and networks to the Early Childhood Council, and be building on ‘very strong foundations’ created by a departing CEO who had taken the Early Childhood Council from a centre membership of 280 to a membership of 1100.

Dr Farquhar’s past positions include lecturer in education at Massey University where she was responsible for co-ordinating the Certificate in ECE, lecturer in education at Wellington College of Education, and head teacher of Riverton Kindergarten.

She is the author of many academic papers and presentations, a mother of five, and partner to BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander.