15 Catholic School Leaders in South East Queensland

Catholic schools across South East Queensland carry a large human responsibility. Their leaders shape learning, wellbeing, culture, family relationships and the everyday conditions in which children and young people can thrive.

This recognition directory brings together 15 principals and heads across Brisbane, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and nearby communities. The names are arranged alphabetically, not ranked, so the list is easy to use.

The 2026 school year gives the list a useful moment of focus. Some leaders are beginning new appointments, while others are bringing a clear local emphasis to belonging, learning, student voice and community life.

Why Catholic school leadership matters.

School leadership is practical work. It is visible in how students are known, how teachers are supported, how families are welcomed and how a school turns its values into daily decisions.

Across this group, the strongest themes are relationship, belonging, explicit attention to learning and a willingness to lead the whole community. Those themes matter whether the setting is a primary school, a secondary college or a campus that brings both together.

1. Andrea Hickey.

Head of Campus (Year 7-12), St Francis College.

Andrea Hickey stepped into the Head of Campus role at St Francis College, Crestmead, for 2026. Brisbane Catholic Education describes her focus as creating environments where young people feel safe, supported and empowered to shape their own future.

That combination of safety and agency is a useful lens for secondary leadership. It puts the daily experience of students at the centre while recognising the responsibility leaders carry for culture, confidence and opportunity.

2. Alison Gilbert.

Principal, St Mary’s College.

Alison Gilbert began as Principal of St Mary’s College, Ipswich, in 2026. Her BCE profile places strong emphasis on being known by name, staying close to the community and helping young women discover their strengths.

That makes her a good example of leadership that joins presence with purpose. In a school community, listening and open dialogue are not extras. They are part of how trust is built.

3. Bernadette Wright.

Principal, Christ the King School.

Bernadette Wright is Principal of Christ the King School, Graceville. Her appointment is part of BCE’s 2026 group of new principals and heads leading school communities across South East Queensland.

Her inclusion reflects the importance of primary-school leadership in the wider education picture. The work is close to students, families and teachers, and it gives school culture a strong foundation from the earliest years.

4. Carol Seagar.

Principal, St Joseph’s School.

Carol Seagar became Principal of St Joseph’s School, Bardon, in 2026. Her BCE profile highlights relationships, explicit teaching, student wellbeing and the school’s first Reconciliation Action Plan.

That is a broad but grounded leadership brief. It connects the quality of learning with the quality of belonging, while keeping community participation and reconciliation visible in the work of the school.

5. Charles Brauer.

Principal, St Peter Claver College.

Charles Brauer is Principal of St Peter Claver College, Riverview. BCE included him among the school leaders beginning new roles for the 2026 school year.

His role adds an Ipswich corridor perspective to the list and shows the range of settings in which Catholic school leaders work. A college principal has to hold the needs of students, staff, families and the wider community together across a substantial school environment.

6. Conor Finn.

Head of College (Secondary), Southern Cross Catholic College.

Conor Finn is Head of College (Secondary) at Southern Cross Catholic College, Scarborough. His role brings a secondary leadership lens to a large bayside school community.

That matters because secondary leadership sits at the meeting point of learning, identity, family partnership and the transition into adult life. The role is both educational and deeply relational.

7. Duncan Maitland.

Principal, St William’s School.

Duncan Maitland is Principal of St William’s School, Grovely. His appointment places Brisbane’s north-west in a list that stretches across several distinct South East Queensland communities.

The value of a local school leader is often found in the steady work of connecting formation, teaching practice and community. Those everyday connections help a school feel coherent for students, staff and families.

8. Jessica Lusk.

Head of College (Secondary), Unity College.

Jessica Lusk is Head of College (Secondary) at Unity College, Caloundra West. BCE describes her as bringing a long connection to education and a relationship-centred approach to her new leadership role.

That combination is especially important in secondary settings, where students need both clear expectations and adults who take the time to understand them. It is a reminder that leadership presence is built through repeated, ordinary contact.

9. John Christie.

Principal, Marymount College.

John Christie is Principal of Marymount College, Burleigh Waters. His appointment gives the Gold Coast a clear place in this South East Queensland view of Catholic school leadership.

College leadership is never only about internal operations. It also involves making a school a trusted part of its local community, with a clear sense of purpose for students and families.

10. Nathan Haley.

Principal, Sacred Heart Primary School.

Nathan Haley is Principal of Sacred Heart Primary School, Booval. BCE named him among the leaders taking up principal and head roles for the 2026 school year.

His inclusion keeps the list connected to primary-school leadership in the Ipswich area. At that level, strong leadership is felt in the routines, relationships and learning habits that shape a child’s first experience of school.

11. Nicole de Vries.

Head of College (Primary), Unity College.

Nicole de Vries is Head of College (Primary) at Unity College, Caloundra West. Her role sits alongside the college’s secondary leadership and gives younger students and their families a distinct place in the college community.

That primary perspective matters. The transition into formal learning depends on clear routines, strong relationships and a sense that children are known, supported and encouraged to grow.

12. Nick Fogarty.

Principal, St Columba’s Primary School.

Nick Fogarty is Principal of St Columba’s Primary School, Wilston. BCE connects his leadership with clear expectations for students and staff, as well as a library extension and STEM learning space for the school community.

Those details show how leadership choices become tangible. A school’s culture is expressed through expectations, but also through the spaces and opportunities that make learning more engaging.

13. Paul Easton.

Principal, St Joseph’s College.

Paul Easton is Principal of St Joseph’s College, Coomera. BCE describes his return to school leadership as the next step in a long connection with education, including senior work within BCE.

His focus on student voice and a whole-school view of learning gives the role a useful emphasis. School leadership is stronger when students are not treated as passive recipients, but as people whose experience and contribution matter.

14. Russell Davey.

Principal, St Peter’s Primary School.

Russell Davey is Principal of St Peter’s Primary School, Caboolture. His appointment adds a Moreton Bay perspective to a list that reaches from Brisbane’s inner suburbs to the coast and the Gold Coast.

Primary-school leadership is community work in a very direct sense. The principal helps create the conditions in which children learn, teachers collaborate and families feel that the school is a place they can belong.

15. Theresa Redgwell.

Principal, Holy Family Primary School.

Theresa Redgwell is Principal of Holy Family Primary School, Indooroopilly. BCE describes her focus on creating a safe and welcoming environment while continuing the school’s work in learning improvement, including mathematics.

That balance is worth noticing. Belonging and academic improvement are not competing priorities. For a school community, both are part of helping students feel secure enough to learn well.

Conclusion.

The leaders in this list work in different suburbs, schools and age settings, but the common thread is practical responsibility. They are shaping the culture in which teachers teach, families participate and students grow.

The group also shows why school leadership needs both steadiness and attention. Relationships, student voice, explicit teaching, wellbeing and community belonging are not separate projects. They reinforce one another when leaders keep them visible in everyday decisions.

For school leaders, the challenge is to turn those ideas into habits the community can feel. That is where culture becomes more than a statement on a wall.

How is the list ordered?

The names are arranged alphabetically. This is a recognition directory, not a ranking, and inclusion does not mean one leader is more important than another.

Does this list include every Catholic school leader in South East Queensland?

No. South East Queensland has a much wider Catholic school network. The BCE school finder is the better place to explore the full range of schools.

Next reads.

If your school is working on culture and leadership, you may find our leadership consulting useful. For a practical way to understand how people contribute differently to a team, explore Working Genius.

Work with Jonno.

I help leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at. If your school or education organisation wants practical help with culture, leadership or team effectiveness, email jonno@consultclarity.org and tell me what you are working on.

About the author.

Jonno White is a keynote speaker, leadership consultant and author. His work is practical rather than motivational, giving leaders something they can use on Monday morning.

Last updated 2026-08-11.