- CEFPI Mayfield – Young Professionals (2006–2007)
- South Australia Chapter Chair (2011–2012)
- LEA Regional Secretary (2012–2013)
- LEA Regional Chair Elect (2013–2015)
- LEA Regional Chair (2015–2017)
- LEA Regional Past Chair (2017–2020)
- LEA International Director (2022–2025)
- DEI SubCommittee Member (2023–2025)
- Research SubCommittee Member (2023–2025)
- South Australian Regional Day Out Committee Member (2024)
As one of Learning Environments Australasia’s most influential and enduring leaders, Deb O’Riley has shaped the heart, direction, and global presence of our organisation for nearly two decades.
Her impact spans every level of LEA – Chapter, Regional, Executive and International – and her leadership has been instrumental in strengthening the connection between educational practice, design innovation, and evidence based policy across Australasia.
Deb’s contribution to the broader education landscape, particularly through the South Australian Department for Education, provides the foundation for her profound influence within LEA.
As an educator, principal, executive leader, and later Director of New Schools, she championed the essential link between pedagogy, wellbeing, and the physical design of learning environments. She was a trailblazer in shifting South Australia away from one size fits all school design and toward adaptable, contemporary, learner centred spaces.
Concepts such as learning commons, breakout zones, specialist hubs, outdoor learning areas, and paired GLAs gained momentum under her leadership – supported by her unique ability to bridge the languages of pedagogy and place.
Her advocacy extended far beyond project leadership. Deb’s work reframed how the Education Department conceptualised learning environment quality, embedding clear expectations for innovation and evidence based design in major system-wide briefing documents. These policy shifts continue to influence new schools and infrastructure across the state today.
Within LEA, Deb’s service has been nothing short of remarkable. At the South Australian Chapter level, she was a driving force in strengthening local engagement, growing membership, and deepening the Chapter’s influence across the education and design sectors.
Her leadership as Chapter Chair and later as Regional Chair brought energy, authenticity, and ambition to the organisation, reflecting South Australia’s proud history of educational innovation and progressive thinking.
As Regional Chair and later as International Director, Deb significantly expanded LEA’s global reach. Her work with the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) built strong bridges between Australasia and regions across Asia, Europe, and North America.
She represented LEA with clarity, integrity, and strategic insight, ensuring our region’s voice was not only heard but respected in international forums. Even when structural changes limited voting privileges, Deb continued to influence global direction through her counsel, experience, and steadfast commitment to LEA’s values.
Deb’s leadership style is universally admired. She is courageous, collaborative, and grounded, and she leads with warmth, curiosity, and an infectious sense of humour. To emerging professionals, she has been a generous mentor; to colleagues, a steady guide; to many of us, a trusted friend and confidante. Her ability to navigate complex conversations with grace and strength has shaped countless organisational decisions and strengthened the culture of LEA at every level.
Across two decades, Deb has deeply influenced school communities, educators, designers, and leaders throughout Australasia. Her contributions continue to inspire innovative thinking, elevate professional practice, and reinforce the essential connection between learning and place.
In recognition of her extraordinary service, her transformational impact on educational environments, her leadership across local, regional, and international arenas, and her unwavering commitment to the mission and values of LEA, we are honoured to present Deb O’Riley Life Membership.
