Dr Joe Santoro is a registered psychologist with a Masters degree and PhD in Educational Psychology, completed at The University of Melbourne. Over the course of his career, Joe has worked across educational, clinical, and research settings, with a longstanding interest in understanding how cognitive, developmental, and environmental factors shape learning and school achievement.
Joe’s professional work has focused on helping children, adolescents, families, and schools better understand complex learning profiles, particularly where students may be bright, capable, or motivated, yet still experiencing unexpected challenges in the classroom. His work is guided by a strong interest in understanding not just what a student is doing, but why they may be learning, thinking, or responding in the way they do.
Joe has particular expertise in the assessment of Specific Learning Disorders (including dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia), giftedness and twice-exceptionality (2e), attention and executive functioning difficulties, and complex learning profiles that may not have been fully understood previously. He also works with families who are seeking a deeper understanding of their child’s cognitive strengths in order to support long-term academic growth and talent development.
Joe’s doctoral research focused on the identification of giftedness and the cognitive characteristics of highly able learners within classroom settings. His research has informed school-based approaches to gifted identification and educational differentiation, and he has presented his work at both national and international conferences.
In addition to private practice, Joe has contributed to large-scale educational research and policy work examining the factors that influence student achievement, with his work informing educational practice both within Australia and internationally.
Outside of his professional work, Joe is a husband and father who understands many of the joys, challenges, and important decisions that can come with supporting children’s learning and development. Living and working locally in the Geelong region, he values strong relationships with families, schools, and the broader community.