{"id":81,"date":"2026-04-24T14:43:54","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T05:13:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.aspire2edu.com.au\/?page_id=81"},"modified":"2026-04-24T14:43:54","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T05:13:54","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/new.aspire2edu.com.au\/?page_id=81","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Home<\/a>\/<\/span>About<\/p>\n

ABOUT ASPIRE2<\/p>\n

A firm built on what actually makes leadership appointments work.<\/h1>\n

We exist because most leadership recruitment in Australian education is done on a fraction of the evidence that’s actually available. We set out to change that \u2014 and built the integrated model to prove it.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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OUR STORY<\/p>\n

Why we started.<\/h2>\n
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Aspire2 was founded on a simple observation: the appointments that change schools most profoundly are almost always the ones where the board, the principal, and the organisational context fit well together. And yet conventional search firms spent the vast majority of their effort on just one side of that equation \u2014 the individual candidate.<\/p>\n

We wanted to do something different. To build the organisational understanding, behavioural insight and cognitive evidence into every engagement, not as an add-on but as the core of how the work is done. To partner with boards and leaders through the whole appointment arc \u2014 from the first conversation about whether a search is even the right answer, through the diagnostic and selection work, and into the first year where most appointments either take hold or quietly fail.<\/p>\n

That work now extends beyond appointments into standalone advisory, development and assessment engagements. The thread that runs through it all is the same \u2014 diagnostic-led, evidence-informed, education-specific.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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OUR APPROACH<\/p>\n

Three commitments that shape every engagement.<\/h2>\n

Not a methodology we apply to you. A set of commitments we hold to ourselves about how serious leadership work deserves to be done.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Diagnostic-led<\/h3>\n

We start with the context, not the brief. Before we search, advise, or develop \u2014 we understand the school, the system, the role, and the people involved.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Evidence-informed<\/h3>\n

Our integrated model brings organisational psychology, behavioural profiling and cognitive assessment to every engagement. No guesswork, no gut-feel dressed up as intuition.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Education-specific<\/h3>\n

Built for schools and systems, not borrowed from corporate practice. Every tool we use is calibrated for education. Every person on our team has lived leadership in schools.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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OUR PEOPLE<\/p>\n

The people behind Aspire2.<\/h2>\n

A small team with deep experience across executive search, educational leadership, organisational psychology and cognitive assessment. Every member of our team has worked inside schools, systems, or directly with them.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Tara Staritski<\/h3>\n

CEO & FOUNDER<\/p>\n

Founder of Aspire2 and Managing Partner of ialign. Deep background in executive search, behavioural profiling and educational leadership.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Matt Linn<\/h3>\n

STRATEGIC LEAD<\/p>\n

Strategic Lead across Aspire2 engagements. Former Head of Global Assessment at Janison and Campus Principal at Kangaroo Island Community Education.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Dr Michael Boots<\/h3>\n

INTERNATIONAL SEARCH<\/p>\n

Leads our international executive search work across APAC, the Middle East and Europe. Extensive background in international school leadership.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

Full team profiles coming soon.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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OUR PARTNERSHIPS<\/p>\n

Three proprietary tools, one integrated model.<\/h2>\n

The Aspire2 integrated model draws on three proprietary capabilities that, together, give us the organisational, behavioural and cognitive evidence that most leadership work is done without. Each is available as a standalone engagement as well.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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OutsideIn<\/h3>\n

Organisational psychology \u2014 bringing the school into focus. Culture, leadership dynamics, the environment a leader is actually operating within.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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ialign<\/h3>\n

Behavioural profiling \u2014 scientifically validated leadership style, strengths and risks. Built for education, not adapted from corporate tools.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Wadmore<\/h3>\n

Cognitive capability \u2014 objective assessment of how a leader thinks, adapts, and decides under the conditions the role will demand.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Start a conversation.<\/h2>\n

Questions about how we work, what we’re building, or whether we can help with what you’re working on. Always welcome.<\/p>\n Start a conversation<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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