Heidi Gregory is a leading advocate in Victoria's Specific Learning Difficulties (SLD) community. She began her journey as a parent supporting her children with dyslexia, dyscalculia, Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and ADHD, and in 2014, she founded Dyslexia Victoria Support, which has since become Australia’s largest parent-led dyslexia support group, with 11,000 members. Heidi is committed to driving evidence-based literacy education for children with learning difficulties. According to the most recent Grattan Report* research indicates that 25% of Victorian students are not proficient at reading.

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For more than a decade, Heidi has been at the forefront of challenging outdated educational practices and advocating for much-needed reforms. As a passionate parent activist, she has worked tirelessly to remove ineffective reading programs from government endorsement, supported the change to move to evidence-based support for all children and empower parents to become advocates for their children. In 2024, Heidi testified at the Legislative Assembly Inquiry into Education in Victoria, further solidifying her role as a trusted voice in educational reform.

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Heidi collaborates with educators, media, government departments, and national organisations to drive positive change in education. Through her Consulting, Parent Advocacy services, and workshops, Heidi equips parents and caregivers with the skills to organise and manage essential documentation for meetings with specialists, educators, and health professionals. Her work supports the organisation of vital reports and plans such as Cognitive and Language assessments, Independent Learning Plans (ILP) or Independent Education Plans (IEP), school documentation, NDIS documentation or medical plans, Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) VCE Special Examination Arrangements (SEAs), and Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) SEAS University applications.

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As a parent advocate, Heidi has been recognised in several influential books that highlight her dedication to educational reform. These include Nessy, What I Need, which empowers children and families with dyslexia, Reading for Life: High-Quality Literacy Instruction for All by Lyn Stone, a comprehensive guide to evidence-based reading instruction, and Wild Things: How We Learn to Read and What Can Happen If We Don’t by 2024 Australian Children's Laureate Sally Rippin, which explores learning challenges and neurodiversity from a parent’s perspective, supported by extensive research. These mentions underscore the value of her work in supporting families and driving meaningful change.

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​In 2018, Heidi and the team at Dyslexia Victoria Support were honoured with the Victorian Premier's Volunteer Champions Award for Teamwork. Alongside her role as Vice President of SPELD Victoria, Heidi volunteers for numerous organisations, sits on SPELD Victoria's Committee of Management, serves on the Panel of Experts for Dystinct Magazine, and is a Victorian Committee Member for Sharing Best Practice.

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Heidi holds a Graduate Certificate in Document Management from RMIT University and a Diploma of Library and Information Studies from Victoria University. She has completed language and literacy training through La Trobe University, SOLAR Lab, Little Learners Love Literacy, the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI), and courses with SPELD Victoria, AUSPELD, and Dyslexia SPELD Foundation (DsF).

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Throughout her career, Heidi has worked within various government and semi-government organisations, including the Department of Education, Independent and Government schools, and the State Library of Victoria.

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*Hunter, J., Stobart, A., and Haywood, A. (2024). The Reading Guarantee:

How to give every child the best chance of success. Grattan Institute. Page 10. https://bit.ly/3IcV4Dt