First Door Early Childhood Professional Learning

Chrissy is a passionate, creative and qualified early childhood educator with over 20 years experience working with children, families, educators and stakeholders. She has worked in the capacity of educator, group leader, educational leader, assistant director, director, educational consultant and early childhood trainer and assessor, spanning her entire career.

Chrissy comes with a vastly knowledgeable, hands-on approach to facilitating professional learning, and is qualified with a Certificate lV in Training and Assessment. She has a strong focus on emotional wellbeing, developing enriching environments and inspiring collaborative change in teams. Chrissy is a professional artist, and has also gained qualifications in visual art and art therapy.

Holly’s connection with First Door started in 2016, when she enrolled to complete her Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care. Since then, Holly has gained experience as a qualified educator, inclusion support educator, and in a leadership role as an OHSC coordinator.

Alongside working with First Door in our Customer Development role, Holly facilitates wellbeing retreats and workshops specialising in Emotional Wellness and supporting our emotions naturally. Holly has also self published her first book in 2020, 'Essentially You: An Emotional Handbook'. This provides an in depth look at our emotions and how we can support wellbeing with a range of coping strategies and breathing techniques.

Andrea commenced studying early childhood development over 30 years ago, and this started a career focused on achieving best outcomes for children in Early Childhood. After several years working as a qualified educator and leader, Andrea co-founded First Door in 2012. Her passion as Company Director is driven by her desire to promote exceptional education and care for children.

Andrea promotes respectful practice that nurtures emotional security and a natural childhood. She is an avid researcher and shares views from Dr. Emmi Pikler and many leading Early Childhood theorists, play and learning ambassadors, and from current neuroscience research. Andrea has been influenced by her experience of Early Childhood Education in New Zealand, and by visiting Bush Kindys and Forest Kindergartens in Norway, California and Australia.