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Our People

Senior Practitioners

EdStrategy is led by accomplished institutional leaders who have occupied the executive roles our clients hold today, providing practical insight, trusted counsel, and a deep understanding of execution from the inside.

CEO & FOUNDER

Natalie Kourtidis

With more than two decades of executive leadership experience across public universities, global education providers, and education technology platforms, Natalie has led major growth, transformation, partnership, and market expansion initiatives across Australia, APAC, India, North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America.

Her career combines deep expertise in academic governance, public policy, international education, and institutional leadership with extensive experience in commercial strategy, business development, stakeholder engagement, and transnational education. This unique blend enables her to operate effectively at the intersection of mission, policy, growth, and execution within complex organisations.

EdStrategy was founded to bring this accumulated institutional experience to leaders facing similarly complex execution challenges. Rather than delivering advice from the sidelines, EdStrategy provides the strategic architecture, intelligence, networks, and execution capability required to turn ambition into measurable outcome, bridging the gap between strategy and implementation in ways traditional consulting models often cannot.

“An experienced and values-driven higher education executive, recognised for strategic leadership, global perspective, and deep commitment to innovation, access, and sector advancement.”

Advisory Partners

Senior Advisors

Stephen Kelley

Senior Advisor

Professor of Strategy and Innovation with more than 20 years of leadership experience across universities and cross-sector collaboration, delivering sustainable impact through academic and industry partnerships.

Shane Hearn

Senior Advisor

A distinguished higher education leader with extensive experience in research, scholarship, and academic management, dedicated to advancing digital inclusion and supporting education and health advocacy.

Anna Mihaylov

Senior Advisor

Leadership experience across higher education, private enterprise, publicly listed companies, and not-for-profit, complex organisations, drive strategic transformation, and deliver sustainable outcomes across diverse sectors.

Advisors

Edward Groughan

Advisor

Project Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Business Transformation.

Jess Thomas

Advisor

Project Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Business Transformation.

Damian Scanlon

Advisor

Senior Executive and Consultant specialising in private and higher education, with previous experience as an MBA Program Director

Abhinay Katakam

Advisor

Extensive experience in the application of strategic approached and proven ability to transform and enhance operations.

Who Engages EdStrategy

Leaders Navigating Institutional Complexity

K-12 Education

EdStrategy partners selectively with school leaders to strengthen institutional positioning, educational relevance, and long-term sustainability. We support the design of future-focused pathway strategies, deepen alignment with tertiary institutions and industry, and help schools differentiate their offering while preparing students for the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly changing world.

Higher Education

Partnering with Vice-Chancellors, Executive Leaders, and Governing Boards, The EdStrategy provides strategic counsel on institutional positioning, governance, international growth, enterprise alignment, and revenue sustainability to strengthen long-term performance and competitiveness.

Government

Engages senior leaders across Skills departments, Treasury, and national capability and Defence-linked institutions to support system-level reform and capability planning. Work focuses on funding strategy, workforce development, policy alignment, and strengthening the education-to-industry pipeline to meet national priorities.

EdTech Innovation

Working with major partnership and pathway operators, Ed Strategy supports scalable models, cross-sector collaboration, and digital transformation. Engagement is designed to accelerate innovation adoption, strengthen market positioning, and align emerging technologies with institutional and government priorities.
Request a Confidential Briefing
EdStrategy engages through discreet, invitation-level dialogue with senior institutional and public leaders. This exchange is confidential and non-obligational.


    All enquiries are treated in strict confidence. EdStrategy does not publish client relationships, engagements, or outcomes.

    A strategic execution agency supporting institutional and public leaders navigating complex transformation under conditions of uncertainty, constraint and scrutiny.

    Locations

    Operating from Australia and Greece, supporting partners across Asia–Pacific and Europe.

    Australia
    121 King William Street,
    Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 5000

    Greece
    Leof. Kifisias 166A,
    Athina 151 26, Greece

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