VCSSDPA President
Vice Principal at Salesian College Sunbury. Angela is passionate about learning through connection with students, staff and families. She has worked in a number of Catholic schools for over 30 years including a role at CEM as a project lead and program facilitator for senior leaders in P -12 schools across the Archdiocese of Melbourne. She works collaboratively in her leadership with staff and is committed to building leadership capacity of others through coaching and professional learning.
Angela completed the Executive – Master of Business Administration at the Australian Catholic University and continues to learn and grow in her professional practice. Her love for learning transpires through positive learning experiences leading to growth and development for every student.
VCSSDPA Secretary
Deputy Principal – Staff & Operations at Marymede Catholic College. David has worked in Catholic education for 25 years, having previously served on the Leadership Team at Parade College as Director of Teaching and Learning and in a range of pastoral and learning leadership roles at Marcellin College and OLSH College (Alice Springs).
Throughout his career, David has greatly appreciated the mentorship of other leaders and has valued acting as mentor to others. As the 2016 PAVCSS Memorial scholarship winner (attending the World Education Leadership Symposium in Switzerland), he has benefited significantly from the invaluable networking and learning opportunities provided by the VCSSDPA and looks forward to contributing to the lifelong learning and collegial opportunities for current and future Deputy and Assistant Principals.
VCSSDPA Treasurer
Nicholas is currently the Deputy Principal at Marcellin College. He has been a teacher there for twenty four years, in addition to being and Old Collegian. He has held a range of leadership positions including eleven years as a House Coordinator and five years as Mathematics Learning Coordinator.
Nicholas has a strong conviction to the Marist Charism and values the opportunity to teach and guide young people. He firmly believes that the Catholic ethos of schools must be a lived experience for all members of our communities. Nicholas has a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Leadership from Monash University. As a new member he looks forward to giving back to the VCSSDPA that has supported him over the last four years in his role.
Louis Papadimitriou currently holds the position of Deputy Principal Community Engagment at St Kevin’s College. Having worked in Catholic education for over 20 years he has held numeorus senior leadership roles in Student Wellbeing, Curriculum and School Operations. Through his various roles Louis has found that educational leadership is about mobilising and energising others, with the aim of improving teaching and learning.
Louis centres his spirituality and leadership around his faith. Louis believes that as leaders within a Catholic Tradition we have a shared responsibility to role model the values shown to us by the life of Christ. As part of his professional journey, in 2000 Louis completed a Graduate Diploma in Religious Education. In 2012 Louis completed a Master of Educational Leadership and again supported though sponsorship by Catholic Education Melbourne; Louis completed his studies in Master of Business Administration (Executive) in 2017. Louis is a member of the Catholic Parish of Holy Spirit and St Anthony’s (Thornbury East and Alphington).
Deputy Principal – Learning and Teaching at Notre Dame College, Shepparton. Kris has a strong commitment to the mission and ethos of Catholic Education and has worked at a number of schools in her career spanning nearly three decades.
Kris is committed to improving learning outcomes for students, especially in regional Victoria, and passionate about supporting student pathways and strengthening the VCAL, VCE and VET programs. Professional learning for staff is a major priority for Kris to ensure that students benefit from contemporary pedagogy and practice. She is excited about the opportunity to work with the VCSSDPA Executive and to represent her regional colleagues to encourage greater networking and learning opportunities.
Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning at Saint Ignatius College, Geelong. Bernadette has taught for over 30 years in a variety of educational settings and is grateful of the many opportunities that she has had to develop her own leadership skills through generous and excellent mentoring. In 2011, Bernadette completed her Master of Educational Leadership at Australian Catholic University and continues to read widely to inform her own leadership practice.
She is passionate about building professional learning cultures that empowers staff to reflect on their pedagogy and to focus on student improvement. Bernadette enjoys working with staff to create a shared and contemporary practice of learning and wellbeing based on research, professional dialogue and collaboration.
Anita Kay-Taylor – Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching at Mount Lilydale Mercy College. Anita has a love for learning, which has led her to a highly rewarding career in Education, across several systems and in a plethora of leadership roles. The core of her practice as a teacher and a leader is based on a moral purpose to empower students and teachers to use education to address issues in society, through interculturalism.
Her expertise has been developed through various studies and lived experiences in State and Catholic School Leadership programs, a Masters in International Education Policy, curriculum development and innovation. Anita is committed to being a faith leader, practicing servant leadership within any given context. She is enthused and energised by any opportunity to work for and with peers. The VCSSDPA is an ideal match as this network is dedicated to leadership professional development through collaboration.
Rachael is currently the Deputy Principal Staff at St Bede’s College. She has held this role since 2017, having held other Deputy Principal roles in the areas of school organisation and planning since 2001. Rachael sees herself as a lifelong learner and enjoys both informal and formal learning opportunities and has most recently undertaken an Executive MBA (ACU), MEd and post graduate units in theology.
Rachael is committed to staff professional learning and growth and seeks to implement structures and pathways to grow aspirant and middle leaders to lead learning. Rachael’s focus is on leading a learning community that embraces continual improvement in practices to improve student learning outcomes.
Rachael would embrace the opportunity to contribute to the VCSSDPA Executive in supporting learning and enrichment opportunities for current and aspirant Deputy and Assistant Principals.
Julie is currently the Deputy Principal Head of Clyde North Campus, St Peter’s College Cranbourne. She has held this position since 2017, having held numerous leadership roles in a variety of educational systems in both Australia and Africa. Julie feels blessed that her leadership has been developed through an integrated approach involving faith formation, leading in faith and through the critical lens of trust and collaboration.
Julie has held a variety of leadership roles in curriculum and student and staff wellbeing which have supported her leadership formation and provided her with great agency to build capacity in emerging leaders within Catholic schools. Julie is truly indebted to those leaders – especially deputy principals – who have shaped her journey and leadership formation in Catholic education. Deputy Principals work tirelessly and it would be a tremendous honour to support their work and leadership as a member of the VCSSDPA Executive.
