20 School Principals and Heads to Know in Australia
Last updated: August 2026
School leadership is practical work. The people below offer useful prompts for thinking about culture, inclusion, wellbeing, professional learning and transitions in Australian schools.
The profiles bring together different settings and leadership questions. Read them as conversation starters for the work of helping students, teachers and communities do their best work.
Why these school leaders matter
Principals and heads shape the conditions in which students learn and teachers do their best work. Their choices can make values visible in the routines, relationships and expectations of a school.
The profiles below show different ways school leaders connect learning, belonging, transitions, wellbeing, professional learning and change.
1. James Kozlowski
Principal, Endeavour Sports High School
James Kozlowski is Principal of Endeavour Sports High School.
NSW Education has featured his Harvard leadership scholarship and his work as a school principal.
2. Melissa Proctor
Principal, Greenacre Public School
Melissa Proctor is Principal of Greenacre Public School.
She describes professional learning, classroom walkthroughs and feedback as practical parts of supporting learning and wellbeing.
3. Mel Mackie
Principal, Box Hill Public School
Mel Mackie is Principal of Box Hill Public School.
Box Hill Public School doubled its enrolments and added 15 teachers while keeping culture, wellbeing and engagement central.
4. Tenae Carroll
Principal, Gwynneville Public School
Tenae Carroll is Principal of Gwynneville Public School.
NSW Education featured Gwynneville Public School after its 2025 NAPLAN results were above the state average.
5. Karina Page
Principal, Ellison Public School
Karina Page is Principal of Ellison Public School.
Her school welcome for 2026 focused on helping children and families feel ready and less anxious about the first day.
6. Joanna McAlister
Principal, Springdale Heights Public School
Joanna McAlister is Principal of Springdale Heights Public School.
Before her first permanent principal role, she worked across K-2, Stage 1 and 2, Reading Recovery, learning support and assistant principal work.
7. Erin Pike
Principal, Temora Public School
Erin Pike is Principal of Temora Public School.
Temora Public School’s reported sense of belonging rose from 75 per cent to 96 per cent in the 2025 NSW Public Schools Student Survey.
8. Hayley Corvini
Principal, Leppington Public School
Hayley Corvini is Principal of Leppington Public School.
Leppington’s upgrade story includes a multipurpose hall, collaborative spaces and real-world learning opportunities.
9. Lucy Norrish
Principal, Nicholson Street Public School
Lucy Norrish is Principal of Nicholson Street Public School.
The School Leadership Institute featured her in a conversation about inclusive culture and high-impact teacher practice.
10. Sam Birch
Principal, St Bernard State School
Sam Birch is Principal of St Bernard State School.
The school’s 2025 staff page records Sam Birch as principal from Term 3.
11. Jedda McNeill
Principal, Peak Crossing State School
Jedda McNeill is Principal of Peak Crossing State School.
Her welcome describes a safe, caring and engaging environment, with the motto Success through Diligence.
12. Sharyn Anderson
Principal, Collingwood Park State School
Sharyn Anderson is Principal of Collingwood Park State School.
Her leadership page highlights professional collaboration, team planning, professional learning and coaching and mentoring.
13. Kylie Vaughan
Principal, Everton Park State School
Kylie Vaughan is Principal of Everton Park State School.
The school’s public leadership page points to evidence-based practice, responsive teaching and a behaviour code developed with the community.
14. Nicole Morriss
Principal, Corymbia State School
Nicole Morriss is Principal of Corymbia State School.
Her public welcome notes 24 years in primary education and a focus on learning and belonging.
15. Kirra Fedorniak
Principal, Cardwell State School
Kirra Fedorniak is Principal of Cardwell State School.
Cardwell is described as a small Far North Queensland school and a Reef Guardian school, with inclusive practices named in the welcome.
16. Alison Moore
Principal, Walkamin State School
Alison Moore is Principal of Walkamin State School.
Her welcome speaks about the whole child, engaging Prep to Year 6 learning and partnerships with the local community.
17. Mitchell Taylor
Principal, Gladstone Central State School
Mitchell Taylor is Principal of Gladstone Central State School.
His public welcome brings together academic excellence, individual care, the arts and whole-person education.
18. Emma Bancroft
Principal, Collier Primary School
Emma Bancroft is Principal of Collier Primary School.
She started a Translation Support Group that involved 21 parents speaking 14 languages; 41 per cent of students speak a language other than English at home.
19. Wendy Cave
Principal, Macquarie Primary School
Wendy Cave is Principal of Macquarie Primary School.
Her public transition story explains how school programs can help children feel safe, happy and supported as they move into primary school.
20. Bruce McCourt
Principal, Calwell High School
Bruce McCourt is Principal of Calwell High School.
His public transition story highlights pathway planning so students can make thoughtful choices about what comes next.
Patterns worth noticing
The strongest common thread is that leadership is described through behaviour. These leaders are connected with listening, making expectations clear, building adult capability, helping students belong and turning broad values into routines that people can see.
Context matters too. A growing metropolitan school, a small regional school, a primary transition and a secondary pathway require different choices, so the best response is often the one that fits the community.
How to use this list
Use the profiles as a starting point for thoughtful research and better questions. If one story catches your attention, explore the school context and consider what the same leadership question looks like in your own setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do school principals work on?
School principals work across learning, people, culture, wellbeing, community relationships and the practical systems that help a school run well.
Why does school culture matter?
School culture shapes what students, teachers and families experience every day. Clear expectations and trusted relationships make it easier for people to learn and contribute.
What can leaders learn from these profiles?
Leaders can notice how broad values become practical choices about belonging, adult learning, transitions, inclusion and the way a community responds to change.
Conclusion
School leadership is close to the ground. These people show different ways to make learning, belonging and community more deliberate, and their public stories are useful prompts for asking what good leadership looks like in your own setting.
Related reading
Read the ideal Working Genius team composition guide, the Working Genius implementation guide, and the guide to signs of silos in a school leadership team.
A practical next step
If you are working with a leadership team, ask one question: what would make this organisation a place where good people would move cities to work? The answer usually points to a practical conversation about culture, clarity and the way work is shared.
Write to jonno@consultclarity.org with the context and outcome you want, and I will reply in writing.
About the Author
Jonno White helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at. He is the founder of Consult Clarity, a keynote speaker, leadership consultant and author. His work is practical rather than motivational: something people can use on Monday morning, not a feeling that fades by Friday.