Revolutionising early childhood education with innovative solutions
Xplor Education strives to support the ECE community in providing the best possible care to our future leaders. With our team of 161 talented professionals spanning Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the globe, we bring our expertise and passion to the table daily. From our dynamic head offices in Melbourne and Auckland, we help childcare services keep children safe, focus on each child’s learning and ensure compliance is covered by automating administrative processes so you can focus on what matters—the children.
The quest for excellence to redefine the childcare sector
Our story began in 2010 with a vision to empower and nurture children throughout their educational journey. Encountering roadblocks such as the outdated systems in place and the financial constraints of hiring an app developer, Xplor’s founder, Mark Woodland, took it upon himself to learn coding to overcome these challenges.
Driven by this passion, we embarked on a pursuit to provide innovative solutions that will revolutionise the early childhood education and care sector. Fuelled by a desire to create solutions that would revolutionise the childcare industry, Xplor Education was born in 2016. Our goal became clear—to develop innovative tools that would enhance the daily operations of childcare services making work more efficient and easier.
In a world disenchanted by the lack of support for families and the childcare industry, Xplor Education introduced groundbreaking solutions that captured the education community’s attention and garnered worldwide recognition.
Driven by this passion, we embarked on a pursuit to provide innovative solutions that will revolutionise the early childhood education and care sector. Fuelled by a desire to create solutions that would revolutionise the childcare industry, Xplor Education was born in 2016. Our goal became clear—to develop innovative tools that would enhance the daily operations of childcare services making work more efficient and easier.
Xplor values and the role they play
From the products and solutions we offer, to the way we work with our customers and colleagues, we know that by living up to our values we will help people succeed.
Make life simple
We challenge over-complication. We know the greatest impact can be achieved when simplicity is a priority.
Move with purpose
We are intentional about where we’re heading. We keep pace and continuously improve as we go, delivering better outcomes faster.
Build for people
We put our colleagues, customers and their consumers at the heart of every decision. We focus on people’s needs to create the best experiences.
Create lasting communities
We create strong relationships and leave a legacy. We look for commonalities and shared passions to thrive together.
Meet the leadership team driving innovation in the childcare sector
Xplor Education is led by a passionate and experienced leadership team dedicated to revolutionising childcare. Get to know the individuals guiding Xplor Education in creating a future where managing childcare is seamless, efficient, and empowering for services and families.
Matt Varley
General Manager
With a background in software engineering, Matt enjoys applying his engineering training and experience to broader business contexts to drive high-performance organisations. As the General Manager of Xplor Education, he’s inspired by the staff and clients he gets to interact with, knowing they’re just as passionate as he is about making a positive impact on each child’s early childhood education.
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Richard North
Chief Commercial Officer
Richard brings 17+ years of experience helping start-ups and established global businesses grow through digital strategy, content, audience and commercial best practices. As the Chief Commercial Officer, he loves seeing firsthand how Xplor Education’s suite of tools is saving people time and improving the quality of information childcare services are sharing with families.
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Shannon Gimpel
Customer & Marketing Director
With a proven track record spanning 10+ years in creating and executing innovative marketing strategies, Shannon has played a pivotal role in driving Xplor Education’s brand visibility and market presence during 2023. As Customer & Marketing Director, Shannon Gimpel brings a passion for building community and customer relationships to drive better outcomes for everyone.
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Harry Vamvakas
Director of Product
After founding a startup at university that helped tutors connect with students, Harry is now focussed on Xplor Education’s commitment to making education great. As the Director of Product, he oversees the team that dreams up Xplor’s innovative products and is responsible for determining the company’s product strategy, roadmap and end-user experiences, particularly for educators and families.
ExpandEmpathy-driven expertise brings real-world insight to your experience
Our team truly understands the unique challenges and joys of early childhood care and education. With firsthand experience working in the field, our team brings a wealth of practical knowledge and empathy to everything we do.
Suzelle Coetsee
Application Support Team Lead
Suzelle gets her passion and motivation to succeed from the dedicated members of the ECE sector, pushing her to help them get the most out of Xplor Education’s top-class platform of childcare tools as the Application Support Team Lead at Xplor Education. Her passion for experiencing new things makes her a true Xplorer in every sense of the word. When she’s not exploring nature or good markets with her family, you could try looking for her in the skies. Her passion for gliding, hang gliding and paragliding helps satisfy her need to keep exploring—with a hot air balloon ride and skydiving on her to-do list. Her extensive experience in ECE has instilled in her a profound understanding of the importance of quality early childhood education. She is driven to ensure that educators and centres receive the support they need to deliver outstanding care and education to the children they serve.
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Mufaro Maringe
Community & Engagement Lead, ANZ
With 4.5 years’ experience as a children’s services employee (educator) and centre manager at Catholic Early Ed Care, Mufaro developed a deep understanding of childcare providers’ needs and challenges. The experience he brings from his childcare roles enriches his current position as the Community and Engagement Lead for ANZ at Xplor Education. His deep-rooted appreciation for the community is evident in his commitment to creating lasting connections and fostering a sense of belonging among Xplor’s stakeholders. Mufaro’s experience in the childcare sector enables him to connect with educators, childcare providers, and other stakeholders on a deeper level. His first-hand childcare experience allows him to develop meaningful engagement strategies that resonate with the Xplor community.
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Will Athanasakis
Head of Product, BMS APAC
Before joining Xplor, Will worked in various roles in secondary education, including as a literacy coordinator responsible for 1400 students, an eLearning coach supporting 90 teaching staff and primarily as a classroom teacher for students aged 7 through 12. Through his work as an educator, he developed a deep passion for making a tangible, positive impact on children’s learning. He firmly believes that time and dedication invested in children greatly influence growth and learning outcomes. As Xplor Education’s Head of Product for BMS, APAC, Will continues to be driven by the desire to improve the experience for students, educators and childcare staff by streamlining educational and administrative processes. He finds immense satisfaction in developing solutions that alleviate burdens for educators.
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Tracy Kilpady
Training Team Lead
Tracy has years of experience and expertise in education. While studying, she completed extensive placements, totalling over 120 days, across various settings such as daycare centres, kindergartens, primary schools and out-of-school care (OSHC) catering to children from birth to age 12. She also developed and implemented a program designed to support students in their transition to a new setting called ‘Transition to Prep’. Recognising her passion for teaching and fostering engaging learning experiences, she was a dedicated prep teacher until 2020. Tracy now serves as the Training Team Lead at Xplor Education. Tracy revels in collaborating with a team of inspired and enthusiastic individuals dedicated to leaving a lasting, positive impact on the education sector. Their shared goal is to empower those who utilise the software, engage with families and, most importantly, provide the best possible educational experiences for the children in their care.
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Tash Veiman
Training Specialist
Before joining Xplor Education, Tash held significant positions in childcare settings, including centre manager and educational leader, assistant centre manager and educational leader, and safety and compliance officer. She is able to leverage this extensive experience in the early childhood care and education sector to deliver exceptional support to childcare services as a training specialist at Xplor Education. Her deep understanding of the challenges and demands faced by childcare workers testifies to her ability to provide practical, effective and tailored support. She is dedicated to empowering childcare providers and helping them succeed in their roles by equipping them with the knowledge, training and support they need to thrive.
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Candy Glover
Training Specialist
Prior to joining Xplor Education, Candy accumulated valuable experience as an Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) and vacation care educator from 2008 to 2017. Later, she transitioned into Early Learning Centre (ELC) administration, where she managed day-to-day administrative tasks for nine different services. She successfully navigated a software transition from CCMS to CCSS during this time, showcasing her adaptability and problem-solving abilities. This versatility enables her to provide comprehensive onboarding, training and support to her clients as a training specialist with Xplor Education. This first-hand experience provides her with an in-depth perspective when approaching training sessions. Using her own experiences and understanding of client challenges, she provides valuable tips, tricks, and insights she would have benefited from during her previous roles.
ExpandThe Xplor Education Timeline
Building communities & partnerships
We forge lasting partnerships to create lasting communities that support children and the people that care for them.
Empowering innovation and creativity
Space Cadets is a collaborative initiative between Xplor Education and St. Andrews Lutheran College, building on their ‘Innovate and Create’ program. Space Cadets focuses on fostering entrepreneurial capability and nurturing creative problem-solving skills through hands-on experience to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
Connecting and collaborating
We invite you to participate in our vibrant online communities to get insights, build valuable connections and share resources. Join a community of your fellow childcare professionals supporting each other in providing the best care possible to children.
Awards and Recognition
At Xplor, we’re always asking what’s next, which drive us to constantly innovate and improve.
Inclusion & Diversity
We come together from all walks of life and all corners of the globe to ignite innovation and create lasting communities that make a difference in the lives of young children.
