“Early Education is my core value and most important motivation.”
Being announced as Affinity Education Group’s Best Centre Manager late in 2024 came as a genuine surprise for Bree White, Centre Manager at Milestones Early Learning Emerald Beach, which operates on Gumbaynggirr Country land.
“There are so many amazing Centre Managers within Affinity, I was surprised to be nominated as the State Finalist. To be announced as the National Winner in the Best Centre Manager category was just amazing – I am very proud of our centre and team,” Bree said.
Bree’s recognition and win in the annual Affinity Awards, which were announced by CEO Tim Hickey in December 2024, was based on multiple judging elements including her centre’s record of Quality, Safety & Compliance, Educational Outcomes for children and business operation.
“Bree is an outstanding and highly regarded Affinity Centre Manager. Bree has an incredible reputation for running a high-quality centre with a long waiting list from local families. Although she is a quiet achiever, we were very proud to see Affinity announce her as the Best Centre Manager nationally,” said NSW State Manager Tori Robinson.
A proud Coffs Harbour local, Bree’s 20-year career in early education commenced in Melbourne as an after-school junior.
“There were so few policies and procedures back then, but I loved it straight away and have stayed in the sector ever since,” Bree said.
After a ‘spontaneous move’ to the warmer weather of Noosa, Bree completed her Diploma and then managed to qualify as an Early Childhood Teacher in 2013 while working full time as a preschool teacher in Inverell.
For family and lifestyle relocated to Coffs Harbour in 2014, Bree was working for a private childcare provider when Affinity Education Group acquired her Emerald Beach based centre in 2021.
“Working for a provider as large as Affinity was not something I expected but the benefits for our centre and for my own career have been amazing,” said Bree.
“I was trained in new systems that helped me run my centre in a much more professional way, and given access to dedicated people to support our Quality and Early Education goals. Affinity’s Operations Manager and State Manager are incredible women who I admire and who take the time to visit and support me in our centre.”
“Since joining Affinity two of my team have worked their way up from traineeships with fully funded qualifications provided by the Affinity Learning Academy, and our Assistant Centre Manager Abby is also benefitting from a scholarship to complete her Early Childhood Teaching studies at university, all at no cost to her.”
Bree says her passion for mentoring and leadership has been fostered by Affinity, and during 2025, she has accepted a temporary career progression step to Area Manager, supporting her sister centres Milestones Early Learning North Boambee, Coffs Harbour, Woolgoolga and South Grafton.
“It’s the people in our centres who inspire me – early childhood education is my core value and my motivation every day – with Affinity behind us we know we are able to support children to set them up with positive education and skills for to last them a lifetime.”