Brisbane Catholic Education Archives

Women Leading the Way in SEQ Catholic School Communities

Communities across South East Queensland are seeing more women step into the top jobs at their local Catholic schools, with a growing number of female educators appointed as principals and heads of college in recent years. As International Women’s Day approaches on 8 March, Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) has highlighted the appointment of 29 women to principalship or head of college or campus roles over the past two years, reflecting a shift toward stronger female representation in school leadership.

From Graceville and Bardon to Mango Hill, Birkdale and Scarborough, these appointments are shaping the future of education in neighbourhoods across the region. For families, students and staff, it means welcoming experienced educators who will guide school communities through the next chapter of learning and growth.

BCE’s People and Culture Executive Cathy Heffernan said the appointments reflect a broader effort to support and prepare more women for leadership roles in schools.

“Since the program commenced, 38 per cent of participants have progressed into Head of College, Principal or BCE office leadership roles,” Ms Heffernan said.

“Beyond appointments, the program builds confidence, capability and connection, qualities that are essential for leadership in today’s educational landscape.”

*Jessica Lusk, Head of College Unity College (Secondary), Caloundra West*
*Photo Credit: Supplied*

Across BCE schools, female principalship has increased from 33 per cent in 2021 to 50 per cent in 2026. In BCE offices, women now make up 64 per cent of leadership roles, up from 48 per cent in 2021.

Many of the recently appointed leaders have participated in BCE’s Women in Leadership program, which was reimagined in 2024 to strengthen leadership pathways and build a pipeline of future-ready female leaders.

For educators like Notre Dame College, Bells Creek Head of College Jasmine Brown, the program has had a lasting impact.

“For me the program highlighted the importance of women actively supporting and advocating for one another,” she said.

“I also found the course an opportunity to connect with other like-minded women who shared the same aspirations for senior leadership.

“The impact of the program has endured well beyond its conclusion, particularly for me through the lasting professional relationships I have built.”

Jasmine Brown, Head of College Notre Dame College, Bells Creek
Photo Credit: Supplied

Since March 2024, a number of schools across South East Queensland have welcomed new female leaders, including appointments at St Mary’s College in Ipswich, St Patrick’s Primary School in Nanango, Unity College in Caloundra West, and St Francis College in Crestmead.

Other appointments span communities including Graceville, Bardon, Mango Hill, Ferny Grove, Birkdale, Zillmere, New Farm, Scarborough and Enoggera, where local school communities are now led by experienced educators committed to supporting students, families and staff.

For BCE, the growing number of women stepping into leadership roles reflects a commitment to creating inclusive leadership pathways and recognising the vital contribution women make to education and their communities.

As schools across the region celebrate International Women’s Day, these appointments highlight the strong role women continue to play in shaping the future of Catholic education across South East Queensland.

Name	Position	School	Suburb
Alison Gilbert	Principal	St Mary’s College	Ipswich
Sarah McCarthy	Principal	St Patrick’s Primary School	Nanango
Jessica Lusk	Head of College (Secondary)	Unity College	Caloundra West
Nicole de Vries	Head of College (Primary)	Unity College	Caloundra West
Andrea Hickey	Head of Campus	St Francis College	Crestmead
Bernadette Wright	Principal	Christ the King School	Graceville
Carol Seagar	Principal	St Joseph’s School	Bardon
Clare Hogan	Principal	Our Lady of Good Counsel School	Gatton
Renay Condon	Principal	St Benedict’s Primary School	Mango Hill
Louise Parry	Principal	St Thomas More Primary School	Sunshine Beach
Amanda Steer	Principal	St Andrew’s Catholic Primary School	Ferny Grove
Nadia Galetto	Head of College	St Bonaventure’s College	Flagstone
Jo-Anne Boyle	Principal	Holy Spirit School	Bray Park
Gabrielle Jansen	Principal	St Mary MacKillop Primary School	Birkdale
Cheryl Bell	Principal	St Flannan’s Primary School	Zillmere
Bianca Murphy	Principal	Holy Spirit School	New Farm
Liesl Profke	Principal	St Clare’s Primary School	Yarrabilba
Tracey-lee Cheesman	Principal	Our Lady of Fatima Primary School	Acacia Ridge
Veronica Wasiak	Principal	St Michael’s College	Merrimac
Gemma Lovell	Principal	Mother Teresa Primary School	Ormeau
Velma Erskine	Principal	St Joseph’s Primary School	North Ipswich
Megan Pidskalny	Head of Campus	FisherONE Online Education	—
Jasmine Brown	Head of College	Notre Dame College	Bells Creek
Melissa Fallarino	Head of Campus	Southern Cross Catholic College	Scarborough
Felicity Pryer	Principal	St Pius X School	Salisbury
Lisa Atholwood	Head of Campus	Emmaus College	Jimboomba
Sharon Collins	Principal	Siena Catholic College	Sippy Downs
Kate MacArthur	Principal	Our Lady of Assumption School	Enoggera
Helen Boyes	Principal	St Paul’s School	Woodridge

Published 6-March-2026

Holy Spirit College Fitzgibbon, New Secondary Catholic School in 56 Years, Officially Opens

After more than a year of construction, Holy Spirit College Fitzgibbon, the first co-ed Catholic high school to be established in Brisbane in 56 years, has officially opened!

The school welcomed nearly 100 students attending Year 7 at its new $1.35 million facilities in February 2022. But on 3 June 2022, the school welcomed His Grace, the Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge, alongside The Hon Stirling Hinchliffe, the Minister for Tourism, Innovation and Sport, and Member for Sandgate for the blessing and opening ceremonies.

Holy Spirit College Fitzgibbon Principal Stephan le Roux said that they were inundated with applications from parents within a few months of the announcement of the plans to build a new Catholic school in North Brisbane. He confirmed that enrolments are “fully subscribed until the end of 2025.”

Two more buildings are due to be completed in the coming years. Wunya, which means “welcome” in the local Turrbal language, will house the administration block. The other building will be called Garrnang, which means “community”.

The buildings were funded by the Queensland Government and Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE).

The last BCE high school to open in Brisbane was Clairvaux Mackillop College, Upper Mount Gravatt in 1966.

Executive Director Dr Sally Towns that locals in Fitzgibbon have been looking for a faith-filled co-educational schooling option and BCE recognised the community as a priority growth area.

Needless to say, the students and staff have been eager to come to school and experience the “innovative approach to education, implementing project-based learning to enhance the teaching of the Australian Curriculum,” according to the principal.

Expressions of Interest for New Catholic Secondary School on Beams Road, Fitzgibbon Now Being Accepted

Expressions of interest are now being accepted for a new co-educational Catholic Secondary School being proposed for Beams Road in Fitzgibbon, planned to open in 2022.

Brisbane Catholic Education seeks to develop a Catholic High School, on the corner of 441 Beams Road and Carselgrove Avenue, catering to Grade 7-12 students. The 5.76-hectare land was the former site of the Big Easy Golf and Leisure Centre.

BCE is a community of parish and dioscesan Catholic schools operating 141 schools across the Archdiocese. The institution recently opened two Prep schools in Bli Bli and Coomera.

Between 2020 and 2025, Brisbane Catholic Education plans to open six new schools:

Primary school in Redbank Plains , to open with Prep – Year 3 in 2020
Three secondary schools: Plainland and Yarrabilba – to open in 2021, Fitzgibbon – to open in 2022
Two Prep schools: Flagstone – to open in 2024; Narangba – to open in 2025.

The future high school in Fitzgibbon will feature two-storey classrooms, specialty classrooms, administration, PE/Hall with car park, Learning Centre, Music and Performance, cafe, tennis court, sports field, campus piazza, and staff parking.

co-educational Catholic Secondary School being proposed for Beams Road in Fitzgibbon — *Photo credit: Amanda Cooper – Councilor for Bracken Ridge Ward / amandacooper.com.au*

Councilor Amanda Cooper, however, expressed concerns about the proposed development. The applicant, she said, is seeking Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID), which means Council will not be able to assess the plans and will remove the process of letting residents voice their concerns regarding the proposal.

“While I recognise the need, and support the provision for additional educational facilities, I hold serious concerns about the lack of community consultation this development will receive,” Councilor Amanda Cooper said.

“Fast tracking a development of this nature should not occur without adequately addressing the existing issues that are already impacting residents, specifically the Beams Road open level-crossing and the significant lack of commuter parking at Carseldine Train Station.

“In seeking a MID for this site, it ultimately and unnecessarily removes the ability for Council to review, assess and provide guidance on the impacts that will be experienced by the community. Most importantly, it also removes the right for residents who will be at the forefront of any impact, the ability to express their concerns,” she said.

Parents wanting to express their interest in the new proposed Catholic Secondary School in Fitzgibbon may click on this link to access the form.