Headquarters:

10 Henry Street, Gordon 2072, NSW

Year founded:

1901

Number of employees:

278

Phone:

02 9498 9898

Email:

admin@ravenswood.nsw.edu.au

Website:

ravenswood.nsw.edu.au

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/school/ravenswood-school-for-girls

“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”

Erica Kofie, QBE

Anne Johnstone, BA, LLB (Hons), GradDipEd, MAPP, CF, MACE

Principal

Sarah Guy, MEd (Merit), BEd (Primary), MACE

Head of Junior School – Deputy Principal

Lucy Cumming, BA, DipEd, GradDipEd Psych (Hons), MAPP, MACE

Deputy Principal – Boarding, Wellbeing and Development

Leadership

Anne Johnstone is an internationally recognised educational leader renowned for her pioneering work in the field of positive education and the wellbeing of young people. She is the chair and a founding board member of the Positive Education Schools Association (PESA) and vice chair of the International Positive Education Network (IPEN). She is also chair of the Leadership Centre Council for the AISNSW Association of Independent Schools of NSW. In 2023, Johnstone was selected for the Most Influential Educators 2023 List by The Educator. In 2022, she was also awarded the Teachers’ Guild of NSW 2022 Phyllis Evans Medal, an Excellence Award for Principal of the Year in the Australian Education Awards and listed on The Educator’s 2022 Hot List. She is also the recipient of a Churchill Fellowship, during which she explored strategies to foster resilience in learning while based at Cambridge University in England. Johnstone is currently undertaking a PhD in education through the University of Melbourne and holds a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania, a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (with honours), as well as a Graduate Diploma of Education. An internationally sought-after speaker and presenter, she is passionate about helping young people fulfil their potential and flourish in all aspects of their lives.

Principal

Anne Johnstone, BA, LLB (Hons), GradDipEd, MAPP, CF, MACE

Matthew Boundy is a passionate, future-focused educational leader with over 20 years of experience working in suburban and regional settings. Currently fulfilling the role of deputy principal – primary at Balcombe Grammar School, he leads a thriving and engaging learning environment where the focus is on developing the whole child through excellent wellbeing, academic and cocurricular programs. Together with his therapy dog, Maurice, he helps create a welcoming and supportive primary school where the school’s values of compassion, curiosity and optimism are evident the moment you walk through the school gates.

Deputy Principal – Primary

Matthew Boundy

Natalie Kurelja is an experienced educator with nearly 25 years of teaching across government and independent schools. With a background in human resources and training, she prioritises child safety and effective policies. Currently the head of faith and wellbeing at Balcombe Grammar School, Kurelja is dedicated to promoting authentic connections, holistic learning and healthy social and emotional wellbeing for both staff and students. Her role spans across primary and secondary schools, where she advocates for evidence-based wellbeing programs and contemporary curriculum. Kurelja places a strong emphasis on pastoral care and positive relationships, utilising restorative practices to empower students to learn and grow. She also brings expertise as a circle-time practitioner, promoting school values and enhancing the social, spiritual and emotional development of students. Kurelja remains dedicated to staying informed about current wellbeing practices and trends, encouraging a positive, safe and nurturing educational experience for all.

Head of Faith and Wellbeing (F–12)

Natalie Kurelja

Erica Kofie, QBE

“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”

Erica Kofie, QBE

Leadership

“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”

Erica Kofie, QBE

Leadership

Jennifer Richardson, MEdAdmin, BEdSec, BSc

Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning

With a rich history spanning three decades in education, domestically and internationally, in both the Catholic and independent sectors, Celia Mara is honoured to be part of a 5-star innovative school award-winning team. Currently serving as the head of teaching and learning at Balcombe Grammar, she drives innovation through the development of authentic learning initiatives such as “Journeys,” QUEST and STRIVE, aligning transferrable skills across Years 7–9. Mara’s unwavering commitment to the principles of lifelong learning and equity creates an inclusive environment where students become curious, compassionate and responsible global citizens. She exemplifies adaptive leadership, working with teams to guide and inspire educational transformation efforts that align seamlessly across the school’s F–12 community.

Head of Teaching and Learning (F–12)

Celia Mara

Pamela Elliott, BA, DipEd, DipTESOL

Head of Senior School

With extensive experience spanning both the Catholic and independent education sectors across Australia, Lyndal Runge is proud to contribute her expertise to an award-winning, 5-staff Innovative School team. In her role as deputy principal – secondary at Balcombe Grammar, she works to empower the school’s staff to cultivate adaptability and innovation across all aspects of secondary school. Runge is dedicated to enhancing the capabilities of both educators and students, eagerly taking on the task of leading innovation in alignment with the school’s strategic vision. Her passion for the future of education shines through as she strives to create an educational environment that encourages all community members to embrace the excitement and challenges of tomorrow.

Deputy Principal – Secondary

Lyndal Runge

Formed in 1901, Ravenswood School for Girls is a Uniting Church of Australia school built upon Christian foundations and located in Gordon, an Upper North Shore suburb of Sydney. The school’s motto is “semper ad meliora” – always towards better things – and its guiding principles are:

“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”

Erica Kofie, QBE

Kylie Quinlivan

General Counsel and Company Secretary

Keith Schlosser

Global Chief Information Officer

Dan Draper

Group Chief Underwriting Officer

Simon Williams

Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955

Kylie Quinlivan is general counsel and company secretary of hipages Group and a member of the executive team. This is her second role as general counsel of an ASX-listed company. Quinlivan is a top-tier trained corporate lawyer with over 17 years of experience in public and private M&A/transactional work, fundraising, and corporate governance. She is commercially oriented, curious, and with a demonstrated ability to understand complex matters quickly and communicate simply. Quinlivan is excited by hipages’ growth potential, its entrepreneurial spirit and conviction for creating a unique culture. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce/Laws (Honours) and a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney.

General Counsel and Company Secretary

Kylie Quinlivan

Keith Schlosser is global chief information officer at AXIS Capital, where he leads the company’s global information technology and data strategy. He is also responsible for driving change throughout the organisation by delivering high-quality, future-oriented IT services in line with AXIS Capital’s business strategy. Schlosser has more than 30 years of insurance industry experience, spanning roles in information technology, business solutions, marketing and sales. Prior to AXIS, he served as chief information officer for Chubb’s Overseas General Insurance division, where he spearheaded a number of growth, innovation, digital and change initiatives. Before that, he served as CIO at The Travelers Companies international division. Schlosser was also a vice president for marketing technology and web communications at AIG.

Global Chief Information Officer

Keith Schlosser

Dan Draper was appointed group chief underwriting officer in September 2022. He had previously served for more than two years as group head of underwriting at AXIS. Prior to that, he had been group chief risk and actuarial officer at VIBE. Before joining VIBE, Draper spent eight years with AXIS, holding a number of leadership roles that included group chief actuary, chief risk analytics officer, and insurance segment chief risk officer. Before that, he held managerial positions at the Financial Services Authority, XL Capital, and EY.

Group Chief Underwriting Officer

Dan Draper

Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.

Partner

Kimi Shah

Partner

Kimi Shah

Partner

Kimi Shah

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Principal Anne Johnstone says, “We’ve cultivated a culture of innovation that runs through every facet of our educational approach, especially in our innovative curriculum and STEM programs, globally leading Positive Education curriculum and wellbeing programs and the school’s state-of-the-art facilities.” A key foundation of the school’s innovative culture is the Ravenswood Institute, established in 2016. It provides teachers with access to top-tier educational training worldwide, dedicated professional development and collaborative opportunities across departments. Fellowships, partnerships and research grants have seen Ravenswood staff travel interstate and access overseas conferences to learn in association with Ivy League institutions such as Stanford, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania. To further develop its innovative operations, Ravenswood has also partnered with Australian-based institutions including:

University of New South Wales (UNSW) School of Education for the UNSW Mini COGE program, equipping teachers with strategies for addressing diverse student needs University of Queensland’s Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC) Partner Schools Program on the “Curiosity Project”, where staff collaborate with SLRC to research classroom strategies based on neuroscience, cognitive psychology and education

It also has a partnership with St Andrews Episcopal School in the USA, where staff collaborate to develop a neuroscience education framework. Positive Education was implemented at Ravenswood in 2016, when Johnstone joined the school as principal. She says, “It combines traditional curriculum with strategies to increase optimism, wellbeing and resilience for students, staff and the broader school community.” Similarly, the school’s pioneering Visible Wellbeing approach and Wellbeing Program is a multi-layered system of support and guidance provided by highly qualified and experienced educators including:

class teachers mentor teachers year coordinators stage assistant coordinators head of senior school deputy principal – boarding, wellbeing and development head of positive education the school chaplain psychologists learning enrichment team health care unit two therapy dogs, Daisy and Penny, to provide further support to students and staff

Other parts of the program include innovative wellbeing facilities:

wellbeing gardens an 800-metre Wellbeing Path that winds through the school with inspirational quotes and bespoke art installations made from sustainable materials created by renowned environmental artist and Ravenswood Alumni Jennifer Turpin a sunshine room and a sunshine wall a wellbeing room in the Residential College (boarding house) the Senior Learning Centre, which provides Year 12 students with a dedicated, inspiring learning environment

“These initiatives have not only enhanced the learning experience but also helped students develop essential life skills, resilience and emotional intelligence”, says Johnstone. Ravenswood also stages a Lunch and Learn Positive Education and Wellbeing series for staff. Johnstone says, “It provides the chance for staff to engage with industry experts and remain up to date on the latest Positive Education findings, so they are at the forefront of the latest innovations and research.” Other areas of innovation that have been driven by Ravenswood’s student body include:

the introduction of a range of sustainability and environmental initiatives, including more recycling and compost bins, and introducing paper-only products in the school café making pants part of the official uniform, following robust conversations and months of consultation with students and parents in forums

“At Ravenswood, we devise innovative solutions both organically throughout the year and also through structured professional development, collaborative research and appreciative inquiry initiatives,” says Johnstone.