Russ leads CEA, the peak body that represents not-for-profit adult and community education providers. He has three decades of public and private sector educational leadership, including time as a teacher, school principal and policy advisor to government and non-government sectors. Before joining CCA, now CEA in 2023, he was CEO at AIIC Murri School Brisbane, the largest community controlled First Nations school in the country.

Russ is an awarded Fellow of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders and NSW Parents and Citizen Principal of the Year for his community leadership model connecting young parents to adult and community education.