Headquarters:

111 North Boambee Road, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450

Year founded:

1994

Number of employees:

190

Phone:

02 6651 5644

Email:

secretary@bdc.nsw.edu.au

Website:

bdc.nsw.edu.au

LinkedIn:

au.linkedin.com/school/bishop-druitt-college

“We prioritise embracing cutting-edge technologies, creative problem solving and continuous improvement to enhance our premium funding solutions and provide exceptional value to our clients”

Simon Doyle

Principal

Sue O’Connor

Acting Assistant Principal – Head of Secondary

Sarah Stokes

Head of Primary

Leadership

Simon Doyle is a forward-thinking leader at Bishop Druitt College with 34 years of experience dedicated to future-focused education. He leads initiatives like the Design of Deeper Learning and has implemented digital credentials to prepare students for post-school success. He supports diverse programs such as World Option electives for Years 9 and 10 and student-led clubs like the Human Rights Group and Rainbow Club, fostering inclusivity and social responsibility. Grateful to be part of a community shaping resilient, socially aware graduates, Doyle is committed to preparing students for the challenges of tomorrow.

Principal

Simon Doyle

With over 25 years at Bishop Druitt College, Sue O’Connor is passionate about building a culture where every student feels connected, supported and inspired to thrive. As the driving force behind the Wellbeing Hub, she has led the development of innovative programs, such as the Wellbeing Dog Program with Barkley, the Rites of Passage framework and strengthened pastoral care initiatives. O’Connor’s focus is on nurturing the whole student – intellectually, emotionally, socially, physically and spiritually – so they can approach learning with confidence and resilience. She values strong relationships and a sense of belonging, believing that wellbeing and academic excellence go hand in hand. Now as acting assistant principal – head of secondary, she continues to shape a school culture that places care, connection and student growth at the centre.

Acting Assistant Principal – Head of Secondary

Sue O’Connor

Now as Acting Assistant Principal – Head of Secondary, she continues to shape a school culture that places care, connection and student growth at the centre. With over 13 years in leadership and 21 years in education, Sarah Stokes is dedicated to transforming learning at Bishop Druitt College. She leads initiatives like Investigations, Kaizen, Designing for Deep Learning and the Teaching Schools Hub, driving innovation and continuous improvement. Stokes’ passion is creating an inclusive school environment where students, teachers, and parents feel valued and connected. With a focus on curriculum development and student wellbeing, she builds strong relationships, supports staff growth and fosters a culture of belonging and excellence, ensuring the best outcomes for all students.

Head of Primary

Sarah Stokes

BRETT BASTOW, IQUMULATE PREMIUM FUNDINGs

Leadership

Andrea Wiffen

Acting Director of Student Wellbeing K–12

Andrea Wiffen, Acting Director of Student Wellbeing K–12, has dedicated 18 years to prioritising student wellbeing and development, with a particular focus during the past 12 years in leadership roles supporting young people. Her leadership style is relational, authentic and values-based, fostering strong teams built on trust and collaboration. Wiffen is passionate about helping young students develop their sense of purpose and identity as global citizens. She believes that building strong relationships with students, staff and parents is essential for success, as it inspires connection and enables the best possible outcomes for all members of the school community.

Acting Director of Student Wellbeing K–12

Andrea Wiffen

Karen Coombs

Product Manager

Karen Coombs is a seasoned product manager at Frontier Software, leading cross-functional teams across Melbourne and Brisbane. Renowned for her strategic vision and user-centric approach, she drives innovation across key platforms, including ER21, API21, onboarding, self-service and ichris. Her agile leadership style fosters collaboration between technical and business units, ensuring product-market fit and delivery excellence. With deep expertise in enterprise HR and payroll systems, Coombs excels in translating complex strategies into actionable outcomes. She’s a clear communicator, dedicated mentor and active contributor to best practices in product development and customer experience.

Product Manager

Karen Coombs

Stevens & Associates Lawyers is a leading and trusted employment law firm based in Sydney known for delivering high-quality legal expertise in the area of employment law and industrial relations across Australia, alongside a proven track record of effectively and swiftly resolving a variety of workplace law issues. In the past year, the firm’s growth has been notable. It has: • experienced a 213% growth in the number of client matters, increasing from 149 client matters in the 2022 financial year to 390 client matters in the 2023 financial year • improved its online visibility, leading to over 50 online enquiries each month and a conversion rate of client leads of up to 40% • significantly expanded the breadth and type of matters that it advises on day to day, which has increased the firm’s skillsets, diversity and resilience • expanded its community outreach by collaborating with local Sydney venues for client seminars and continuing active participation in a Sydney small/family business group Stevens & Associates Lawyers has adapted to digital trends by implementing an effective strategy with SEO and web design, resulting in a structural shift that has seen increased representation of employees where the firm previously mainly advised employers. The firm’s recognition as a “Fast Firm” attests to its momentum in the employment law space.

“IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started”

Wayne Tower, IQumulate Premium Funding

Liviu (Liv) Marciu

Chief Technology Officer

Matthew Westwood-Hill

Chief Information Security Officer

Kathy Pallasis

Manager, Human Resources

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Liviu Marciu, chief technology officer at Frontier Software, leads the company’s digital transformation and innovation strategy from Melbourne. With deep expertise in software engineering and enterprise architecture, he drives platform scalability, security, and performance. Marciu collaborates with senior leaders like Nick Southcombe to align technology with business goals, oversees software development and infrastructure, and fosters a culture of technical excellence. He plays a key role in vendor partnerships and emerging tech integration. With a software engineering degree and an MBA from Melbourne Business School, Marciu is a strategic communicator and thought leader in HR tech, data security and agile delivery.

Chief Technology Officer

Liviu (Liv) Marciu

Matthew Westwood-Hill is a seasoned cyber security leader with over 20 years’ experience in digital forensics, incident response and information security. He has led teams at SBS, CyberCX, and Ernst & Young, managing major incidents and aligning security strategies with business goals. Westwood-Hill is known for his innovative, risk-reducing solutions and clear communication with executives and regulators. He drives awareness, compliance and resilience through training, policy and strategic planning. A frequent speaker and media contributor, he holds advanced qualifications in cyber security and digital forensics and is a recognised expert witness committed to continuous learning and emerging threat readiness.

Chief Information Security Officer

Matthew Westwood-Hill

Kathy Pallasis, manager, human resources at Frontier Software, leads HR strategy and operations from Melbourne. She oversees policy development, employee relations, and internal communications, working closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams. Pallasis is known for her clear, responsive communication and collaborative approach. She manages employee records, supports strategic planning and coordinates workplace logistics. With experience in enterprise software, payroll systems and governance, Pallasis is a trusted resource for internal stakeholders. She holds a humanities degree, is a member of AHRI, and actively contributes to continuous improvement and inclusive workplace practices through policy and operational leadership.

Manager, Human Resources

Kathy Pallasis

Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager. As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.

Commercial Manager

Stephen McMillan

One culmination of these efforts has been the real-world, needs-based IQEdge solution. A one-stop online quoting tool designed for both the Australian and New Zealand markets, IQEdge delivers quotes in under 60 seconds. Plus, the solution offers quote comparison and quote versioning capabilities, enabling users to review vital historical and financial data in a single page view. IQEdge can streamline and automate application processing, underwriting document verification and payment collection, cutting the need for manual labour and minimising processing errors. A digital “self-service” platform, IQEdge, reduces the need for customer and administrative support. Meanwhile, borrowers can access their accounts, make payments and manage their policies independently and through sales and support teams, which are always available for further assistance. “We’ve created a quality platform that simplifies the quoting process yet amplifies the customer experience,” says Gordon. “It’s a real game changer.” IQumulate offers an online digital quoting tool to clients. The best-in-market solution enables IQumulate to tailor funding offerings to brokers that align with their prefered distribution channel.

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What does IQumulate have in mind for the future? “IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started,” says Wayne Tower, CEO. “Through continuous engagement with our clients, partners, marketplace and industry, we will listen to the needs as they arise and position our business to be agile and respond to changes as they occur. “Faster decision-making innovations such as AI-powered decision support systems can expedite the underwriting and approval process, leading to quicker responses to clients. This can improve client satisfaction and potentially attract more business, creating a competitive advantage with the potential to allow IQumulate to command premium pricing or capture a larger market share. “As forward-thinkers with a digital and ‘do it better’ mindset, we collectively and proactively look to learn and improve on our customer experience for our clients, paving the way for successful business outcomes for our clients and our business in the coming years ahead. “We’re excited for the future and look forward to what’s on the horizon.”

Adam Basaldella

Manager – Claims

Product Manager

Claire Watson

Commercial Manager

Stephen McMillan

Claire Watson

Product Manager

Claire Watson

Product Manager

Claire Watson

“Our mindset is simple. Keep building a single global standard for lawful, source-verified screening, and make it faster, clearer and easier to use”

Daniel Callaghan, Veremark

“We verify facts at source and standardise lawful screening wherever you hire, so offers move sooner, exceptions drop and managers get decisions they can stand behind, while candidates get a clear, respectful experience”

Daniel Callaghan, Veremark

Ivan Verescuk

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

Shaun O’Brien

Head of Underwriting

Emily Walker

Head of Strata and Development

Rex Oakman

Head of Operations and Risk

Sandy Newton

Head of Underwriting

Andrew Mitchell

Manager – NSW

Michael Prokopis

Manager – Southern Region

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Jeffrey Valdivia

Manager – Commercial Strata

Adam Basaldella

Manager – Claims

Bishop Druitt College stands as the premier co-educational K–12 institution on the Coffs Coast, deeply embedded in Anglican tradition. Its vibrant, inclusive community embodies the belief that it takes a village to raise a child, fostering strong partnerships with families and local businesses to enrich each student’s educational journey. At the heart of its mission is “the Bishop Druitt Way,” which emphasises prioritising wellbeing, empowering for life, embracing diversity, pursuing personal excellence and serving the community. The college’s comprehensive K–12 Student Wellbeing Hub, innovative academic programs and a diverse range of extracurricular activities – including thriving performing arts and sports programs incorporating high performance – ensure its graduates are not only academically accomplished but also empathetic and resilient leaders poised to make a positive impact in society. The college’s state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Adventure Playground, Stage 1 rooms, Branson Centre, STEAM Lab and trade training centre, elevate learning experiences, while its affiliation with the International Round Square network provides exciting opportunities for global exchanges and conferences. Innovation is woven into the fabric of its institution, with its Teaching Hub pioneering the development of passionate, well-equipped educators. Bishop Druitt College nurtures character and community, transforming students into globally prepared citizens grounded in the values of mutual respect, integrity and generosity of spirit.

IQumulate invests in education and people, which are vital to attracting new business and talent to the company. “We have long tenures for several of our key staff, including some in leadership positions, and this sound working knowledge of our business, practices and industry provides great insights and a wealth of experience to offer our clients,” says Bastow. “Our new head of sales, Graeme Gordon, formerly manager for New Zealand, joins us in Australia to drive our sales strategy and lead our team to successful outcomes for our clients and our business. We look forward to great things ahead with Graeme as he continues to be active and present in the New Zealand market as well as building sound working relationships and new connections in Australia.” Clients can also expect a lot from working with IQumulate. “Through active engagement with our trusted broker network, IQumulate provides relevant information, education and training content,” says Graeme Gordon, head of sales. “Our clients can expect IQumulate to support their business in several ways, providing an understanding of what premium funding solutions are available and how IQumulate can spread the cost of insurance and help borrowers get the right level of insurance cover to free up their cash flow for other expenses or business growth opportunities. Premium funding is often considered a tool for those who simply cannot afford to pay their premiums in full. While this is certainly a significant driver for many, it is also successfully used by profitable companies who use premium funding to manage their cash flows more wisely or better manage their liquidity.”

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