Joanne McEachen, Waitaha, Ngāti Māmoe and Ngāi Tahu, is CEO + Founder of The Learner First, a global education consultancy operating in three countries. She is a bestselling author with 35+ years of experience as a teacher, principal, regional Ministry of Education leader in New Zealand, and now a globally recognized pioneer in the fields of educational design, assessment, and well-being.

Contributive Learning was developed to help school communities design purposeful learning experiences, measure the outcomes that matter, and guide every student to academic success and well-being. Joanne embeds a social, emotional, and cultural commitment to all students and educators, reflecting their identities, cultures, and aspirations in what, how, and where they learn.

Joanne has also founded the Kia Kotahi Ako Charitable Trust, focusing on how indigenous knowledge can inform educational and environmental solutions. She is on the Executive Committee for Karanga: The Global Alliance for Social Emotional Learning and Life Skills, serves on the Education New Zealand: North America Advisory Board | Manapou ki te Ao and The People for Education Canada Board, is an Edmund Hillary Fellow and a Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar, and is co-founder of New Pedagogies for Deep Learning (NPDL). Through these roles she creates opportunities for students, educators, and communities to learn who they are, how they fit into the world, and how they can contribute their gifts to humanity.