Macquarie & Charles Sturt University

Tamara Cumming is an Associate Professor and leading advocate for early childhood workforce wellbeing and sustainability. She is Associate Director of Workforce and Policy at the Children’s Voices Centre, Charles Sturt University - a multidisciplinary research centre championing children's rights, and empowering early childhood workforce members. With a career spanning more than 20 years—from early childhood educator to academic—Tamara brings deep insight into the complexity of early childhood practice. Her research focuses on educator well-being, workforce sustainability, and making visible the complex realities of early childhood education practice. She is known for championing systems thinking to drive policy change and sector development. Tamara’s work is widely published and recognized for its impact on shaping healthy environments for educators and children alike.