Headquarters:

21 Bridgman Dr, Reedy Creek, Qld 4227

Year founded:

1982

Number of employees:

400

Phone:

07 5593 4226

Email:

office@hillcrest.qld.edu.au

Website:

hillcrest.qld.edu.au

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/hillcrest-christian-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”

Jeff Davis

Executive Head of College

Joy Geyer

Associate Head of College

Darren Rackemann

Head of College

Leadership

Jeff Davis is the executive head of Hillcrest Christian College, leading with a clear vision for Christ-centred, innovative and future-focused education. With extensive experience in senior leadership across the independent school sector, he is dedicated to fostering a culture where every student is known, valued and supported to thrive. His passion for educational excellence, staff development and community connection continues to strengthen Hillcrest’s reputation as a leading, award-winning college on the Gold Coast.

Executive Head of College

Jeff Davis

Joy Geyer is the associate head of college at Hillcrest Christian College, bringing exceptional leadership grounded in Christ-centred values and a deep commitment to student growth. With extensive experience in curriculum, wellbeing and innovative learning design, she helps drive Hillcrest’s future-focused educational vision. She is dedicated to creating an environment where every student is known, valued and supported in their unique potential. Geyer’s passion for staff development and strong community connections continues to strengthen Hillcrest’s reputation as a leading, award-winning college on the Gold Coast.

Associate Head of College

Joy Geyer

Darren Rackemann serves as head of college at Hillcrest Christian College, bringing extensive expertise in the middle learning years and a strong commitment to student-centred innovation. With a background in leading dynamic Years 5–9 learning environments, he has been instrumental in shaping Hillcrest’s RISE Program, a transformative model that empowers Year 9 students through real-world learning, character development and purposeful challenge. His leadership reflects a passion for nurturing student agency, strengthening wellbeing and creating futures-focused pathways. Rackemann’s vision continues to enhance Hillcrest’s reputation for delivering outstanding, Christ-centred education designed to help every learner flourish.

Head of College

Darren Rackemann

BRETT BASTOW, IQUMULATE PREMIUM FUNDINGs

Leadership

David Gemmell

Head of RISE Program

David Gemmell leads the RISE Program at Hillcrest Christian College, bringing deep expertise in middle years education and a passion for empowering students through meaningful, real-world learning. Under his leadership, the RISE Program has continued to strengthen its focus on character formation, authentic challenge, collaboration and student agency. Gemmell is committed to creating an environment where Year 9 learners grow in confidence, resilience and purpose as they step into their next stage of schooling. His dedication to innovative, Christ-centred education ensures every RISE student is supported to discover and develop their God-given potential.

Head of RISE Program

David Gemmell

Rob Fuller

Head of School (10-12)

Rob Fuller commenced as head of school (Years 10–12) in 2024. He joined Kingswood College from Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School, where he was director of curriculum. He is a passionate teacher of politics, history and English and has held roles such as year level coordinator and curriculum leader across the middle and senior years. He is deeply committed to supporting students through their VCE journey and enhancing teacher practice. At Kingswood, Fuller has introduced improved subject selection processes, reimagined the Student Representative Council and strengthened student-centred initiatives that promote resilience, character and meaningful real-world learning experiences.

Head of School (10-12)

Rob Fuller

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

Tina Flyger

Head of People and Culture

Matthew Westwood-Hill

Chief Information Security Officer

Kathy Pallasis

Manager, Human Resources

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Tina Flyger commenced as head of people and culture in 2024. With over 15 years of human resources experience, she believes people are the cornerstone of any organisation. She takes a collaborative approach, working closely with executives, managers and teams to shape and deliver effective strategy. She is a dynamic, approachable and highly experienced people and culture leader, with a background spanning both schools and industry. Flyger’s expertise is key to nurturing staff and students, strengthening relationships, and fostering a positive, forward-looking culture that supports the continued growth and success of the Kingswood College community.

Head of People and Culture

Tina Flyger

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

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Spokesperson, Hillcrest Christian College

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Spokesperson, Hillcrest Christian College

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

Hillcrest Christian College combines pastoral care, academic achievement and sector-leading innovation as part of its Christ-centred identity. Staff and students are encouraged to push the boundaries of traditional education within a culture of authentic relationships and shared purpose. The college has become one of Queensland’s most adaptive schools through its flexible learning model, high-quality onsite and online delivery, and commitment to personalised pathways. This blend helps the school meet the diverse needs of families locally, nationally and internationally. A significant innovation has been the development and implementation of the RISE Program in Year 9. Based on the importance of this transitional stage in adolescence, the college shifted from a traditional subject-based model to a purpose-designed program, that strengthens student engagement, wellbeing and real-world capability. RISE builds motivation, confidence and connectedness at a crucial developmental moment and equips students with the skills and character foundations needed for senior schooling through: project-based learning service experiences teamwork leadership development authentic community partnerships Other innovations include the school’s Virtual Learning Community (VLC) for Prep to Year 12, an expansion of the Athlete Development Program, and significant campus upgrades such as the finalisation of the Innovation Building. The college has also put in place an extensive digital learning platform that leverages digital technologies and integrated artificial intelligence from the very beginning of each student’s learning journey. This innovative trajectory is driven by the executive leadership team that unites strategic vision with practical educational expertise. Under the guidance of the executive head of college and leaders across learning and teaching, student wellbeing, innovation and operations, a collective decision-making process exists. Additionally, Hillcrest uses a range of metrics to measure the success of their innovations including academic, operational and wellbeing indicators: engagement and attendance (onsite and virtual) increased enrolments and pathway expansion improved staff efficiency and reduced administrative workload post-school outcomes, including NCAA athlete placements parent satisfaction and NPS cost-effectiveness and long-term scalability Looking ahead, future initiatives will focus on scalable solutions that improve learning outcomes and increase flexibility for families, including the proposed split-shift schooling model and more hybrid learning pathways into senior years. Hillcrest is deepening its commitment to future-focused Christian education. The college is expanding its virtual learning community, refining personalised pathways, and integrating advanced analytics and AI-assisted learning. New pathways for elite student athletes, including proposed partnerships and facilities such as the Firth Park Sports and Performance Centre at Firth Park, will further extend this impact. There is also the launch of the Village Yard Christian School – a dynamic, purpose-built environment for collaboration, creativity, wellbeing and outdoor learning – which will provide a tangible symbol of Hillcrest’s vision of creating environments that encourage connection, innovation and a sense of belonging.

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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Benefits

Compensation

Culture

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Innovation

Reputation

Sustainable programs

Overall

Learning is at the heart of the Kingswood experience. The school’s comprehensive Careers Program plays a vital role in supporting students’ personal growth and guiding them through their educational journey and beyond. Kingswood College is committed to developing confident, courageous and resilient individuals who are well-prepared to thrive in an ever-changing world. A rich co-curricular offering including sport, the arts, clubs and innovative experiences encourages students to discover and pursue their passions. Set on a picturesque 20-acre campus that blends heritage architecture with modern facilities, Kingswood College is a vibrant, rigorous learning environment. Its passionate staff and active alumni community are a testament to the school’s enduring legacy and ongoing commitment to excellence.