Lisa Holt
Rosebud Secondary College, VIC
Boon Wurrung/Bunurong
Teaching Fellow
Lisa Holt is a passionate public education leader who has transformed Rosebud Secondary College in rural Victoria through her deep commitment to equity, community and student-centred learning. As Principal since 2017, Lisa has implemented a whole-school turnaround strategy, introducing a suite of evidence-based programs — FLEX (academic intervention and extension), PACE (careers education), and BASE (wellbeing support) — all driven by triangulated student data and rigorous 8-week review cycles.
Under her leadership, staff culture has dramatically shifted, with staff survey results improving from 37% to 93% for teaching practice, and from 56% to 87% for trust in colleagues. Lisa’s strategic workforce planning and professional learning initiatives have made Rosebud a model of collaboration and high-functioning teams, hosting over 100 visiting schools and supporting five partner schools in adopting similar approaches.
A visible and trusted figure in her community, Lisa lives where she works and embraces the symbolic role of Principal with integrity and purpose. She serves on the Victorian Institute of Teaching Council and the Australian Education Union Principal Advisory Group and regularly speaks on education reform.
Lisa is driven by the belief that all students deserve the tools to shape their own future — and that public education is the most powerful force for breaking cycles of disadvantage.