Headquarters:

43 - 77 Taylor Road, Sheldon, Qld 4157

Year founded:

1997

Number of employees:

285

Phone:

07 3206 5555

Email:

enrolments@sheldoncollege.com

Website:

sheldoncollege.com

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/school/sheldon-college

Kate Mortimer, BEd, (Honours), MEd (Educational Leadership)

Principal

Lissa Gyte, BEd (Secondary),MEd (Ldshp & Mgt)

Deputy Principal, Senior School

Brenton Campbell, BEd (Secondary), BCI(Drama), MEd (Evidence-Based Teaching)

Deputy Principal, Middle School

Leadership

Kate Mortimer is the principal of Sheldon College, where she leads with a dedication to excellence, innovation and holistic education. Passionate about nurturing student potential, she champions a balanced approach that combines academic rigour with wellbeing, underpinned by the College’s philosophy of “Love, Laughter and Learning.” With extensive experience in educational leadership, Mortimer has a proven track record in fostering collaborative learning environments that inspire both students and staff. Under her guidance, Sheldon College has enhanced its focus on future-ready skills and authentic technology integration, equipping students with the tools they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

Principal

Kate Mortimer, BEd, (Honours), MEd (Educational Leadership)

Lissa Gyte is the deputy principal of Sheldon College, an experienced and authentic educational leader dedicated to fostering a positive workplace culture that empowers teachers and corporate staff alike. Known for her relational approach, she understands that achieving the College’s strategic goals requires a blend of connection, direction, support and challenge. Constantly driven by the question “How can we do this better?”, she is committed to continuous improvement and ensuring that every individual feels known and valued. Gyte’s leadership aligns with Sheldon College’s “Love, Laughter, Learning” philosophy, supporting an environment where both staff and students thrive.

Deputy Principal, Senior School

Lissa Gyte, BEd (Secondary), MEd (Ldshp & Mgt)

Brenton Campbell has been teaching at Sheldon College since 2006. He has taught English to students from Years 7 – 12, the QCAA English syllabus and Literature syllabus to Years 11 and 12 students, been a Year Level Coordinator and a Head of Faculty (English and Languages). He is an accredited QCAA Assessor. As a teacher, Campbell values home-school partnerships, believing that together, they empower young people to reach their potential. As a leader, he leads his curriculum teams with integrity, honesty and collaboration. Campbell enjoys reading, travelling and learning languages as they give him perspective and empathy for others.

Deputy Principal, Middle School

Brenton Campbell, BEd (Secondary), BCI (Drama), MEd (Evidence-Based Teaching)

Mrs Mardi Bolton, BEd, MEd(Educational Wellbeing)

Deputy Principal, Junior School

Mardi Bolton, director of primary at Sheldon College, leads learning, teaching and wellbeing initiatives for around 750 students in Prep to Year 6. With over 25 years in state, independent, and Catholic systems, she is a collaborative leader with a Master of Educational Wellbeing and Advanced Coaching accreditation. Passionate about community and wellbeing, Borton champions mentoring to support teachers in enhancing classroom instruction. She is especially proud of her role in developing the College’s Learning with IMPACT framework, a roadmap for evidence-based teaching that fosters consistent, impactful learning and improves outcomes for every student.

Deputy Principal, Junior School

Mrs Mardi Bolton, BEd, MEd (Educational Wellbeing)

Nicky Skinner

Business Development Manager

Nicky Skinner, based in Christchurch, was honoured as NZ Adviser’s BDM of the Year. With over 20 years of banking experience – including roles as bank manager, private banker and senior lender – she brings deep expertise to her work. Skinner supports mortgage advisers with product knowledge and deal presentation skills, focusing on building strong, trusted relationships. Her collaborative approach and dedication make her a valued resource, consistently praised for her guidance and support in helping advisers achieve outstanding client outcomes.

Business Development Manager

Nicky Skinner

Sarah Radonich

Third Party Support Manager

Steph Leeson

Business Development Manager

Margaret Leau-Sulusi

Business Development Manager

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Sarah Radonich is a third party support manager (relief BDM) at Westpac, building strong relationships with mortgage advisers across New Zealand. With 15 years of banking experience, she supports a wide range of regions and communities, working alongside a team of experienced BDMs. Radonich is known for her responsiveness, collaboration and focus on delivering efficient, results-driven experiences for advisers and their clients, always striving for the best possible outcomes.

Third Party Support Manager

Sarah Radonich

Steph Leeson immigrated from the UK 14 years ago and began her Westpac career as a specialist lender. Now a business development manager, she supports mortgage advisers across Auckland and Northland, offering expert guidance and support. Leeson is highly regarded for her lending knowledge, responsiveness and collaborative approach. Her dedication was recognised nationally as a finalist for the 2025 NZ Adviser BDM of the Year award, reflecting her impact within the third party channel.

Business Development Manager

Steph Leeson

Margaret Leau-Sulusi brings over 20 years of banking experience to her role as business development manager, having started with Westpac in 2005. Her background includes lending support, senior lending roles and branch management. Leau-Sulusi partners closely with mortgage advisers, providing product expertise and strategic guidance to drive strong client outcomes. Known for her collaborative style and responsiveness, she is passionate about building trusted relationships and delivering customer-focused results.

Business Development Manager

Margaret Leau-Sulusi

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

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“We also maintain open lines of communication with advisers so they know what to expect and can plan accordingly”

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There are schools that talk about putting people first, and there are schools that build their entire operating model around it. Sheldon College sits firmly in the second camp. Guided by a culture of ‘Love, Laughter, Learning’ and a core philosophy that people make the difference, the Brisbane college has spent recent years constructing a comprehensive employee value proposition. That work has been led by principal Kate Mortimer, a self-described people advocate and human resources champion who has shaped the college’s strategic direction around a simple but powerful conviction: that exceptional student outcomes depend on exceptional staff experience. Under her leadership, Sheldon has elevated both academic rigour and workplace culture as mutually reinforcing priorities, embedding high-impact teaching practices and data-informed decision-making while simultaneously investing in the relational foundations that make a school a genuinely rewarding place to work. The centrepiece of this investment is Sheldon’s Employee Value Proposition (EVP), developed through deep consultation with staff to ensure it genuinely reflects their needs and aspirations. People and culture is one of seven strategic pillars in the college’s 2023 and Beyond strategy document, a signal that this is not a wellbeing initiative bolted on to the edges of an institution, but a core strand of how Sheldon understands itself as an employer. The EVP spans five domains: financial health and wellbeing social family professional growth and learning The benefits that flow from this framework are deliberately broad. The college offers corporate benefits, including a bespoke Staff Wellness Program driven by a dedicated Staff Wellness Committee. Staff study subsidies and scholarships support formal qualifications. A renewed Growth and Learning Cycle, release time for professional development, and a comprehensive program accessible to both academic and corporate staff ensure that lifelong learning is an operational reality. What sets Sheldon apart is how seriously it takes staff voice. The college runs an annual ‘Dumb Things We Do’ survey, a deliberately candid mechanism for surfacing genuine frustrations and inefficiencies, alongside weekly Pulse surveys, a Staff Consultative Committee, and a Staff Wellness Committee. DEI policy is communicated through weekly all-staff morning briefings that are live-streamed and recorded, ensuring all employees can engage with key information regardless of when or where they work. Recruitment is anchored to the same philosophy. Sheldon seeks professionals who demonstrate excellence and model lifelong learning as well as those who will contribute to, and thrive within, what the college describes as a vibrant, future-focused learning environment. Looking ahead, the college plans to expand its Reward and Recognition Program, grow its corporate partnerships, and continue drawing best practice from well beyond the education sector. For Sheldon College, the logic has always been straightforward: care deeply for your people, and your people will care deeply for your students.

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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