Principal Profiles 2024
Angela Collins
Name: Miss Angela Collins
Current School: St Mary’s School, Goondiwindi
Previous Position: Assistant Principal – Mission and Identity, St Ursula’s College, Toowoomba
First Year as a Principal: 2023
My big picture for my current school is: To create and foster a dynamic and thriving learning environment for students from Prep through to Year 10
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: Working with dedicated staff who want the best for their students and seeing students achieve their potential
Favourite Book: Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
Favourite Food: My mum’s Chinese Beef
Interests / Hobbies: Exercise and going to the Movies
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Separating work and home
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: Be true to yourself
Favourite Leadership Quote: “Be curious not judgemental”
What Title would you give to your TED Talk or Book: Perspective is everything
Angela Romano
Name: Angela Romano
Current School: Marian College Sunshine West
Previous Position: Deputy Principal Strategic Development
First Year as a Principal: 2024
My big picture for my current school is: to create an inclusive, innovative, and nurturing learning environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive academically,
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: is in nurturing a sense of community and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the school, creating a vibrant and thriving learning environment.
Favourite Book: A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Favourite Food: Gelato
Interests / Hobbies: Photography and Gardening
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Self care and daily walks
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: Be open to feedback and view challenges as opportunities for growth. Encourage a culture of innovation and experimentation, where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities.
Favourite Leadership Quote: ‘Daring Leaders who live into their values are never silent about hard things’ Brene Brown
What Title would you give to your TED Talk or Book: Cultivating Leadership in the next Generation.
Darren Pitt
Name: Darren Pitt
Current School: St Columba College
Previous Position: Deputy Principal, St Columba College
First Year as a Principal: 2017 – Principal of The Springfield Anglican College, Brisbane
My big picture for my current school is: To be a place where every student can flourish - in their learning, relationships and wellbeing.
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: Serving a community
Favourite Book: Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
Favourite Food: Nachos
Interests / Hobbies: Running, reading, playing the drums, walking my dogs
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Running as the sun comes up
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: Work hard and listen more than you talk
Favourite Leadership Quote: Success is 10 percent inspiration, 90% perspiration
What Title would you give to your TED Talk or Book: A joyful heart makes good medicine
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David Broadbent
Name: David Broadbent
Current School: Aquinas College, Ringwood (VIC)
Previous Position: Deputy Principal - Professional Culture at Marymede Catholic College, South Morang (VIC).
First Year as a Principal: 2024
Year of Birth: 1971
My big picture for my current school is: Leveraging relationships and building on current strengths for the future.
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: connecting with a new community to learn with and from them as we journey forward together.
Favourite Book: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (closely followed by: Forgotten War by Henry Reynolds)
Favourite Food: Lamb shanks in a red wine jus.
Interests / Hobbies: Music - both appreciating & playing guitar; AFL (Go Pies!); Cricket; History; travel; Star Wars; Whisky appreciation
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Playing guitar
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: Focus on building strong relationships and seeking feedback from others.
Favourite Leadership Quote: “Beware of educators with solutions. Education is full of strategies, plans, laws, and mission statements. Martin Luther King Jr did not proclaim "I have a strategy" or "I have a plan"; instead, he said,"I have a dream".” - Hattie & Zierer, 2018
What Title would you give to your TED Talk or Book: Ambiguity tolerance and the words-heard:works-spoken ratio.
Erin Wedge
Name: Erin Wedge
Current School: Mary MacKillop College
Previous Position: Acting Principal Mary MacKillop College
First Year as a Principal: Have been acting in the position since 2022.
My big picture for my current school is: Engagement and Improvement with Bold Hope
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: to work with staff in empowering young women to be the leaders of our future.
Favourite Book: At the moment it’s Margaret Wheatley’s: Who Do We Choose to Be? Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity.
Favourite Food: Thai
Interests / Hobbies: Heading to the movies!
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Walking and getting up out of the office!
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: It’s a priviledge and a joy – even on the hardest days!
Favourite Leadership Quote: No one can be a great leader unless they genuinely care about the success of everyone on their team.
Gabriela Osterlund
Name: Gabriela Osterlund
Current School: Emmaus Catholic College, Kemps Creek
Previous Position: Head of School, 5-8, Santa Sophia Catholic College
First Year as a Principal: 2024
Year of Birth: 1971
My big picture for my current school is: for all students to achieve their personal best, to actively seek and embrace challenge, be courageous, and exceed what they believe is possible, so they can be Christ-like in building a better world and serving others.
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: having an impact on staff, students and the wider community.
Favourite Book: The Happiest Refugee, Anh Do Favourite
Food: Anything Italian - Cannoli, Lasagne, Nutella Interests / Hobbies: Bushwalking, Travel
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Bushwalking and Travel
Do Not Disturb on my phone after 8.30pm
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: Have good mentors that will be, encourage you and be honest with you.
Favourite Leadership Quote: “The essence of leadership is relationship; influencing people to achieve things together that can’t be achieved alone.” Leonard Sweet
What Title would ou ive to our TED Talk or Book: Finding joy in ordinary things - gratitude and acceptance.
Gary Conwell
Name: Gary Conwell
Current School: St Stephen’s Catholic College, Mareeba
Previous Position: Police Officer – Northern Territory
First Year as a Principal: 2023
My big picture for my current school is: Learning and teaching improvement, developing an expert teaching team, and capital improvement
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: seeing students learn and staff develop their practice
Favourite Book in the last year: Pax: Ware and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age
Favourite Food: Anything cooked for me!
Interests / Hobbies: Theatre, AFL, reading
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Exercise, sleep
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: Be real
Favourite Leadership Quote at the moment: "Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems."
What Title would you give to your TED Talk or Book: Change your mind, change your life.
Kylie McCullah
Name: Kylie McCullah
Current School: Loreto College, Marryatville
Previous Position: Head of Academics (Deputy Headmistress) St Catherine’s School, Sydney
First Year as a Principal: 2024
Year of Birth: 1973
My big picture for my current school is: Continue to give our students the confidence, intellect, skills and ability to be tomorrow’s trailblazers, innovators and leaders. Young people who can amplify their voice for positive change and good.
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: The variety that each day brings. The gift of working with a team of staff to create an environment where young people thrive.
Favourite Book: The dictionary of lost words
Favourite Food: Figs
Interests / Hobbies: Attending theatre performances
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Going for long walks
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: Be kind on yourself
Favourite Leadership Quote: People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Maya Angela
What Title would you give to your TED Talk or Book: Balance Not Burnout
Elizabeth Illingworth
Name: Elizabeth Illingworth
Current School: St Patrick’s College Launceston
Previous Position: Acting Principal St Patrick’s College Launceston (2023); Principal St finn Barr’s Catholic Primary School (2017-2022)
First Year as a Principal: 2017
My big picture for my current school is: While maintaining enrolments, continue to attract and maintain accomplished and agile staff who feel valued in their roles and continue to provide excellent learning and teaching catering for all students while ensuring all students feel known and valued in a large College.
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: The opportunity to work collaboratively with so many staff to ensure the impact of what is being done is beneficial to all.
Favourite Book: The Happiest Man on Earth - Eddie Jaku
Favourite Food: Chocolate
Interests / Hobbies: Gardening, Walking, Being with family
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Going for a walk with somebody who I don’t work with
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: Strive for growth and excellence whilst always maintaining a balanced lifestyle and remember family comes first. Work to ensure all staff feel known, heard and valued.
Favourite Leadership Quote: Service is black and white; hospitality is colour. Service is just doing the thing that you do with precision, accuracy and efficiency. Hospitality is how you make the person that you are doing that for feel. (Simon Sinek - Unreasonable hospitality)
What Title would you give to your TED Talk or Book: “How to keep doing a job you love”
Lorraine Wolffe
Name: Lorraine Wolffe
Current School: Burdekin Catholic High School
Previous Position: Deputy Principal – MacKillop Catholic College, Tasmania
First Year as a Principal: 2024
My big picture for my current school is: Provide every opportunity for the young people of the Burdekin Catholic community to reach their potential and to be known and loved.
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: to give service to others to work and learn in a thriving educational environment.
Favourite Book: The Kindness Revolution – Hugh Mackay
Favourite Food: Vietnamese
Interests / Hobbies: Travel; Sport (Currently Lawn Bowls)
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Walking
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: To make time and listen
Favourite Leadership Quote: Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do. – Mother Teresa
What Title would you give to your TED Talk or Book: What I have learnt along the way…
Pablo Grana
Name: Pablo Grana
Current School: Good Samaritan Catholic College, Hinchinbrook
Previous Position: Specialist: System Performance (Sydney Catholic Schools)
First Year as a Principal: 2024
My big picture for my current school is: Developing the Exceptional Good Samaritan Person (Catholic) and developing the Exceptional Good Samaritan Student (Learning)
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: Placing the Students at the Centre of everything I do, through a Christ centred approach.
Favourite Book: No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality – Michael J Fox
Favourite Food: Yellow Rice (Spanish Dish)
Interests / Hobbies: Soccer (big Liverpool Football Club Fan)
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Respect and dignity regardless of the situation.
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: Be yourself and focus on students and the centre, knowing your students and knowing your impact.
Favourite Leadership Quote: “Challenge, Encourage and Motivate” (From a mentor)
What Title would you give to your TED Talk or Book: The importance of motivation for high performance in schools.
Peta Sparkes
Name: Peta Sparkes
Current School: Penola Catholic College, Emu Plains, NSW
Previous Position: Assistant Principal
First Year as a Principal: 2024
My big picture for my current school is: Keep my staff, keep them learning and growing so every child is able to feel safe, respected, successful and proud of their achievements at school.
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: Being able to resource teachers and staff so that our students can achieve their very best whilst at school.
Favourite Book: Elephants on acid and other bizarre experiments
Favourite Food: Thai Param long song
Interests / Hobbies: Gym, gardening and entertaining with family and friends.
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Making an appointment at the gym on the way home, so I know I have a time to finish work and begin time with my family and friends. Knowing at the gym I have to work hard and can’t talk, allows me to decompress the day and put a pause on any challenging situations. It is amazing how the next day brings solutions that the previous day I didn’t see.
Advice for an Aspiring Leader: Seek feedback and find mentors who see your gifts whilst supporting you to grow.
Favourite Leadership Quote: “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept” Lt General Morrison.
What Title would you give to your TED Talk or Book: The toughest experiences, the best lessons.
Rose Connolly
Name: Rose Connolly
Current School: Thomas Carr College (Tarneit, Victoria)
Previous Position: Deputy Principal: Learning & Innovation at Emmanuel College (Altona North & Point Cook, Victoria)
First Year as a Principal: 2023
My big picture for my current school is: A community of collaboration where there is opportunity for every individual.
The Joy of becoming a Principal is: Enabling growth for everyone.
Favourite Book: No such thing as one!
Favourite Food: Potato Pizza
Interests / Hobbies: Interior Design, Reading,
My Favourite Well-Being Strategy: Time with my young son.
Advice for an Aspiring Leader:
- Put your energy into the things you can influence, the other things are wasted energy.
- Failing well is an underestimated leadership trait.
Favourite Leadership Quote: “Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible and suddenly you’re doing the impossible.” St Francis of Assisi
What Title would you give to your TED Talk or Book: ‘Giraffes Can Dance!’