Headquarters:
Dutton Park
Year founded:
2021
Number of employees:
210
Phone:
07 3013 5777
Email:
administration@brisbanesouthssc.eq.edu.au
Website:
brisbanesouthssc.eq.edu.au
LinkedIn:
au.linkedin.com/company/brisbane-south-state-secondary-college
“We are providing the culture and the support for students to not only academically succeed but to thrive”
Kristin Lynch,
Brisbane South State Secondary College
Kirsten Ferdinands
Executive Principal
Kristin Lynch
Deputy Principal
Mel Ellis
Deputy Principal
Leadership
Kirsten Ferdinands has over 35 years of experience with the Department of Education in Queensland, holding roles from teacher to principal in rural, regional and metropolitan schools. As principal of Bray Park State High, she led the school to win State School of the Year in 2017. In 2019, she became the foundation executive principal of Brisbane South State Secondary College, in partnership with The University of Queensland. Ferdinands is also the secretary of the Queensland Secondary Principals’ Association and served as acting president in 2024, advocating for educational reforms that support 21st-century learning environments.
Executive Principal
Kirsten Ferdinands
Kristin Lynch has a passion for leading student-centred approaches to learning, where wellbeing and student agency are key to supporting students to engage positively in their learning both within and beyond school. She leads deep learning pedagogies to prepare students for a rapidly changing world. Lynch’s experience leading one of the 20 Pilot School programs to introduce Year 7 into high schools in Queensland has ensured she is well-informed on best practice and understanding of the needs of adolescents within the junior secondary phase, as well as engaging with parents as learning partners. She has an interest in “positive behaviour for learning” and restorative practices, which ensure the young people, teachers and families within her schools feel connected and supported.
Deputy Principal
Kristin Lynch
Mel Ellis, an experienced deputy principal and IB leader, is passionate about fostering lifelong learning in herself, staff and students. With a focus on reflection, design and global competence, she equips students with essential 21st-century skills. Committed to public education, Ellis leads diverse school communities by valuing different cultures and perspectives. She has successfully implemented the IB Diploma in Brisbane schools, promoting academic rigour and data-driven practices. Her leadership fosters a sense of belonging, digital innovation and community, both locally and globally, reflecting her dedication to delivering world-class education in state schools.
Deputy Principal
Mel Ellis
“We are providing the culture and the support for students to not only academically succeed but to thrive”
Kristin Lynch,
Brisbane South State Secondary College
“We want our students to lead the change they want to see and leave their mark. We are truly embracing our motto, ‘Learning for a new world’”
Kirsten Ferdinands,
Brisbane South State
Secondary College
Leadership
“We want our students to lead the change they want to see and leave their mark. We are truly embracing our motto, ‘Learning for a new world’”
Kirsten Ferdinands, Brisbane South State Secondary College
“We are providing the culture and the support for students to not only academically succeed but to thrive”
Kristin Lynch,
Brisbane South State
Secondary College
Leadership
Rebecca Johnson
Deputy Principal
Rebecca Johnson has nearly 20 years of experience with the Department of Education, including leadership roles at Brisbane State High School and as deputy principal at Brisbane South State Secondary College. Specialising in junior secondary education, she supports students transitioning from primary to high school by fostering strong relationships and creating meaningful learning opportunities. Johnson’s data-driven leadership focuses on equity, inclusion and high-quality teaching, ensuring each student’s needs are met. Her programs empower students to excel both academically and beyond the curriculum, preparing them for future success and making a positive impact on the world.
Deputy Principal
Rebecca Johnson
Lyndal Runge
Deputy Principal – Secondary
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
Brisbane South State Secondary College, located at the heart of the city’s “Knowledge Corridor,” was established in collaboration with the Department of Education and The University of Queensland (UQ) to provide students with an innovative environment where learning is tailored for every student.
The college’s unique learning framework places equal emphasis on curriculum and global competencies, which are taught and assessed across every subject. Personalised learning provides a balance of both academic excellence, wellbeing and career-ready skills for students. In a first for Australia, the college has developed a unique memorandum of understanding with International Baccalaureate (IB) and TAFE Queensland to deliver the IB Career-related Programme (CP). The IB CP equips students with essential workplace skills and real-world career exposure while providing strong academic pathways to further study.
There is a collective focus on academic achievement, wellbeing and community engagement leading to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. The bespoke Learner-preneur curriculum has been developed and inspired by The Learner First research conducted by education expert Joanne McEachen.
“We want our students to lead the change they want to see and leave their mark. We are truly embracing our motto, ‘Learning for a new world”
Kirsten Ferdinands,
Brisbane South State Secondary College
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
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
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
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Kristin Lynch, deputy principal, says, “Learner-preneur builds the foundations for wellbeing and lifelong learning by supporting students to develop and measure their self-understanding and global competencies throughout their secondary schooling years.”
Using the college as a community hub also brings together partners to offer a range of supports and opportunities for students, families and the community.
“Learning partners work together to achieve success: students know themselves; students are actively engaged and connected with their learning and their community; families are increasingly involved with their child’s education; students succeed academically; and students are healthy – physically, socially, and emotionally,” shares Lynch. “We are providing the culture and the support for students to not only academically succeed but to thrive.”
Brisbane South SSC is developing a research-based “full-service community school,” where health and wellbeing experts support students and their families on-site in a community hub. The college was one of 50 schools within Queensland to pilot the GP in Schools program across 2023–24. In addition, the collaboration with the UQ Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences has developed a multidisciplinary model of allied-health support for students, who co-design and co-deliver learning with teaching teams.
The college is also earmarked to be a Centre for Pedagogical Excellence to set the benchmark for secondary education. This is supported by their innovative observable classroom, created with UQ partners at the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) and the School of Education (SOE), which also has a co-joining observation room in which real-time pedagogy can be observed without interrupting or influencing teaching and learning. Furthermore, the classroom is fitted with video cameras and microphones to record lessons, lesson segments, and student learning.
“We are reshaping the traditional classroom setting, treating every interaction as an opportunity to connect with and change the lives of our students,” says Kirsten Ferdinands, executive principal. “We want our students to lead the change they want to see and leave their mark. We are truly embracing our motto, ‘Learning for a new world.’”
