Headquarters:
Andrews Farm, Adelaide, SA
Year founded:
1996
Number of employees:
278
Phone:
08 8254 0600
Email:
darren.pitt@stcolumba.sa.edu.au
Website:
stcolumba.sa.edu.au
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/st-columba-college
Back row (L-R): Daniel Ganama, deputy principal; Lorna Starrs, director of teacher development; Jack Griguol, head of curriculum and learning; Liane Anderson, director of human resources; Oliver Harms, head of secondary Front row (L-R): Steve Brombal, head of business services; Georgy Jureidini, director of student life; Darren Pitt, principal; Jane Bailey, director of spirituality; Daniel Mawhinney, director of wellbeing and service; Craig Bonnett, head of primary Not in photo: Bianca Wall, director of wellbeing and service; Tamara Lowe, director of community engagement
The members of the St Columba College leadership team share a vision for excellence and prioritising staff wellbeing. Together, they represent every aspect of the College, ensuring that all staff, students and families have a voice in how the College is run and in making decisions that impact them. Their leadership is built on meaningful relationships, open communication and celebrating the talents and efforts of the people around them.
Each member of the Leadership Team displays the College values, mission and purpose every day through their positive interactions and their commitment to providing the tools and support others need to flourish. By listening to staff, appreciating feedback and taking a strengths-based approach, they work to create a positive and supportive environment where people feel valued and encouraged to perform at their best. Together, the leadership team creates a culture that facilitates excellence, growth and a positive school experience for the whole community.
Toni Williams
Director of Business & Operations
Geraldine Ebbrell
Deputy Principal
Leadership Team
The members of the St Columba College leadership team share a vision for excellence and prioritising staff wellbeing. Together, they represent every aspect of the College, ensuring that all staff, students and families have a voice in how the College is run and in making decisions that impact them. Their leadership is built on meaningful relationships, open communication and celebrating the talents and efforts of the people around them.
Each member of the Leadership Team displays the College values, mission and purpose every day through their positive interactions and their commitment to providing the tools and support others need to flourish. By listening to staff, appreciating feedback and taking a strengths-based approach, they work to create a positive and supportive environment where people feel valued and encouraged to perform at their best. Together, the leadership team creates a culture that facilitates excellence, growth and a positive school experience for the whole community.
Principal
Toni Riordan
As director of business & operations for the Society of Sacred Advent (SSA), Toni Williams oversees operational functions across both St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School and St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School.
She holds dual Bachelor of Business degrees in Accounting and Information Systems, providing her with expertise in both financial management and technology systems. She is CSA certified and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
William’s governance training through GAICD complements her operational responsibilities, enabling her to contribute to strategic decision-making across the SSA schools. Her background in accounting and information systems allows her to manage the complex operational requirements of running multiple educational institutions.
Director of Business & Operations
Toni Williams
Geraldine Ebbrell brings over 20 years of educational leadership experience to her role as deputy principal at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School. She previously served as director of student experiences at West Moreton Anglican College, overseeing creative arts, sport, activities and outdoor education programs along with major college events.
Ebbrell’s background at West Moreton includes five years as acting head and deputy head of senior school. Prior to this, she spent eight years as leader of learning at Stuartholme School. She holds a Master of Education in Leadership and Management (Distinction) and is an aspirant of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA). Her professional background is in health and physical education, and she has experience in pastoral care, curriculum development, and staff professional development.
Deputy Principal
Geraldine Ebbrell
Jason Locke
Head of Primary
Jason Locke joined Matthew Flinders Anglican College as head of primary in January 2026, bringing over 30 years of expertise across P–12 and tertiary education. Prior to his current role, Locke served nine years as head of primary at Toowoomba Anglican School. His leadership is anchored by a passion for early literacy and extensive experience in pedagogical reviews and school improvement.
Locke previously served as head of teaching and learning at Toowoomba Grammar School and managed literacy programs across 126 schools. Holding a Master of Education, he maintains industry leadership through active memberships with the Australian College of Educators and the Independent Primary School Heads Association.
Head of Primary
Jason Locke
Heidi Müller
Director of Business Operations
As director of business and operations at Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Heidi Müller provides strategic direction and leadership of the College’s commercial activity. She contributes vast experience, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant while at KPMG and working in independent schools. She also worked at Microsoft over nine years, responsible for the finance functions of regions in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.
Müller has a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, which enables her to teach School Economic Management Sciences and Accounting. Her roles in education include St Peter’s School in Johannesburg, South Africa and Masada College in New South Wales.
Director of Business Operations
Heidi Müller
Christine Furner
Director of Professional Learning
Claire Napoli
Director of Advancement and Engagement
Adam Wollins
Director of ICT
David Sexton
Director Business Services
Chris Furner has held a number of teaching and leadership positions across state and independent schools. A career highlight has been the completion of a PhD on how to boost teacher learning across all career stages as a means to improve practice and accelerate student learning outcomes. She enjoys developing whole-school staff development initiatives and professional learning programs that inspire and encourage teachers and leaders and coaching them towards “outstanding teaching”.
Director of Professional Learning
Christine Furner
As the director of advancement and engagement, Claire Napoli’s role encompasses internal and external communications, enrolment, branding, school events, community relations, alumni, archiving and reception. She has a degree in business and over 20 years of marketing and business development experience. Napoli started her career in public relations and event management before moving into marketing and business development roles in the professional services sector, particularly corporate law firms.
Director of Advancement and Engagement
Claire Napoli
Adam Wollins joined Hills Grammar in July 2023. He has over 20 years of experience in the education sector, including in schools, TAFEs, universities and the NSW Department of Education. He has a proven track record in the effective creation, development and leadership of high-performing ICT transformational and operational support teams.
Director of ICT
Adam Wollins
As Director of Business Services, David oversees the financial, operational and commercial aspects of the School. In this role, he contributes to shaping and implementing strategic initiatives, supports business sustainability and enables the next phase of campus development, including the 10-year Master Plan and Strategic Plan (2026–2028).
He is an accomplished executive leader with over 25 years of experience at C-Suite and Board level spanning diverse sectors including education, not-for-profit, disability, sport and professional services. He has extensive experience shaping and executing strategic plans, driving income growth and diversification, master planning and major capital projects, stakeholder engagement, leading high-performing teams and managing complex budgets.
Director Business Services
David Sexton
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Adam Basaldella
Manager – Claims
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.
Product Manager
Claire Watson
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
“Having close connections with our parents, staff and community, is integral to a rich learning environment. When we work together, we can achieve amazing things”
Karen Yager,
Hills Grammar
“I believe that students learn in a supportive environment with passionate and inspiring teachers and staff. We surround our students with positive creative and inspiring people, enthusiastic about their own learning and keen to immerse students in the spirit of life-long learning across the whole community”
Karen Yager,
Hills Grammar
Founded in both the Anglican and Catholic traditions, St Columba College is the only school in Australia to share that distinction – a founding identity that speaks to a culture built on the belief that celebrating what we have in common is more important than worrying about what we do not. Staff retention at St Columba College also tells a story worth paying attention to. In 2023, the Adelaide-based co-educational school was losing roughly a third of its staff every year. By 2025, that figure had reversed, with retention rates climbing to 91%. That turnaround was the product of a leadership team that looked honestly at the experience it was offering its people and committed to doing better. That philosophy is evident in the community the College serves, where more than 30% of students speak a language other than English at home, and in the staff body it deliberately builds to reflect that diversity. Inclusion at St Columba is not a compliance exercise. It is an expression of its founding values to not only include, but to embrace, welcome and celebrate all people. Leadership with a purpose
The College’s leadership team draws on the principles of positive energising and servant leadership, placing staff needs at the centre of decision-making. Human connection, timely feedback and the intentional acknowledgement of talent and effort are active practices at St Columba. It is a practice based on the belief what when the staff are engaged and flourishing, the students, families and College benefit.
Staff input is regularly sought and acted upon, with consultation built into how decisions are made. The result is a culture where kindness, inclusivity and high standards are consistently modelled from the top and felt at every level of the organisation.
Growing from within
That investment in people extends into career growth. In 2025, 94% of appointments to positions of responsibility were filled by internal candidates, signalling clearly to staff that their ambitions have a real pathway at St Columba. This is an intentional approach to retain the talent that exists in every part of the staff body.
Supporting that pipeline is the Teacher Development Program, which guides graduate and early career teachers through personalised coaching, AITSL progression and Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher accreditation.
In 2027, the plan is to expand into a Staff Development Program, extending structured goal-setting, coaching and mentoring to all employees, including Education Support Officer (ESO) staff. The College has also launched a Women in Leadership Program, helping experienced female middle and emerging leaders step into executive roles.
Wellbeing with intent
St Columba’s approach to wellbeing is grounded in energy management rather than simply workload reduction. The Working from Home Day Strategy offers staff one flexible day per term, redeployed from existing non-contact days, to work in a way that best suits them. Higher productivity and reduced staff absenteeism have followed.
The College’s Behaviour Curriculum reinforces this by maintaining focused, safe and settled classrooms where disruption is not tolerated, allowing teachers and support staff to direct their energy where it matters most.
For a school that has transformed its retention story in just two years, St Columba’s trajectory to become a 5-Star Employer of Choice 2026 is as clear as its commitment to the people driving it.
Learning designed for educators
The centrepiece of Hills Grammar’s approach to staff development is its Professional Learning Model, led by director of professional learning Dr. Chris Furner. Grounded in adult learning pedagogies, aligned with the school’s strategic intent and staff profile and standards, the model deliberately moves away from compliance-driven professional development towards something more meaningful. This is delivered as learning that is authentic, research-based and tailored to where each educator is in their career journey.
Supporting this is the Learning Centre Staff Program, which creates structured opportunities for staff to share practice, reflect on their work and learn from one another. Mentoring, leadership development and action research opportunities are embedded throughout, making professional growth a continuous and collegial practice rather than a periodic obligation. It is a model that reflects Hills Grammar’s commitment to investing in the people responsible for delivering its educational vision.
Future-forward leadership
The school’s commitment to its team extends to how Hills Grammar approaches leadership. Working in partnership with the governing council, school leaders maintain a shared focus on developing what the school describes as a ‘future fit’ graduate and the workforce equipped to teach them. Innovation is encouraged, and the culture is one where academic ambition and professional development are seen as inseparable.
Wellbeing in a remarkable setting
Staff also benefit from complimentary wellbeing programs, a genuine commitment to work-life balance and access to an Employee Assistance Program. Additionally, for educators who value a workplace where the physical environment itself is part of the daily experience, Hills Grammar’s picturesque campus offers a setting that is as restorative as it is inspiring.
There is also a proactive approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), such that employees are informed and educated through integrated professional learning frameworks. Hills Grammar is proud to be actively shaping bold thinkers, and in turn empowering the people who teach them.
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