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

“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”

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)

BRETT BASTOW, IQUMULATE PREMIUM FUNDINGs

Leadership

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

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

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

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

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

Hayley Burgess, ANZ Bank New Zealand

“We’ve invested heavily in resourcing and process improvements to reduce friction and speed up approvals”

Hayley Burgess, ANZ Bank New Zealand

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

Sheldon College continues to lead the way in educational innovation, embodying its culture of Love, Laughter, and Learning through a future-focused approach that blends academic excellence with authentic, technology-rich learning experiences. Across 2024 and 2025, the college has strengthened its position as a leader in integrating artificial intelligence, digital pedagogy and immersive technologies into meaningful classroom practice from Kindergarten to Year 12. A defining achievement has been the development and implementation of a whole-college AI strategy, guided by the AI Implementation Framework and supported by the AI Champions Team. This initiative has established a clear and ethical vision for the use of artificial intelligence in education, ensuring that technology enhances rather than replaces deep thinking and creativity. The college’s comprehensive AI policy provides guidance on: academic integrity responsible use student wellbeing While the newly developed AI Hub on the Learning Management System offers staff: curated tools exemplars professional learning resources Teachers are increasingly confident in applying AI to lesson design, feedback and assessment, with recent data showing that 70% of staff are now beyond the initial exploration stage and actively embedding AI in their teaching. These advances are underpinned by the college’s commitment to professional growth through its micro-credentialling program, which enables staff to continually upskill in Apple, Adobe, SMART and Microsoft platforms, as well as AI-specific tools. Innovation is also deeply embedded within the Junior College through a structured Innovation Project Program from Prep to Year 6. This program provides students with age-appropriate opportunities to explore creativity, critical thinking and digital problem-solving in authentic contexts. The 2025 iteration sees: Prep students animating their own drawings using AI software Year 2 students designing and scanning robotic models using the Revolution Lightboard Year 3 students refining AI-generated 3D landscapes through prompt engineering Year 6 students producing immersive 360-degree disaster reports in the Mixed Reality Lab These projects culminate in showcases where families can experience the creativity and skill development of their children firsthand. Across the college, innovation is anchored in evidence-based pedagogy. The Growth Learning Cycle (GLC), launched in 2025, builds teacher expertise through targeted reflection and collaboration aligned with the college’s IMPACT Teaching and Learning Framework. Meanwhile, digital mapping of the Australian Curriculum across the Schoolbox LMS provides teachers and leaders with clear visibility of coverage and coherence, ensuring consistency and accountability across all year levels. The impact of these initiatives is visible in the college’s outstanding academic results and high levels of student engagement. In 2024, Sheldon College achieved a highest ATAR of 99.70, with 43% of students scoring above 90 and a median ATAR of 88 – evidence that innovation and academic rigour go hand in hand. Engagement surveys also show a steady increase in students reporting they are “always engaged” in lessons, reflecting the success of dynamic, technology-enabled learning. Principal Kate Mortimer affirms, “At Sheldon College, innovation is purposeful. It’s about equipping our students and teachers with the confidence, creativity and critical thinking skills they need to thrive in a world shaped by rapid technological change.”

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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Resourcing has been treated as a deliberate lever for growth. ANZ has expanded assessor teams, trained them to combine technical expertise with empathy, and equipped them with the market knowledge to make faster, more reliable decisions. Advisers depend on turnaround times that meet client expectations. “We’ve invested heavily in resourcing and process improvements to reduce friction and speed up approvals,” says Hayley Burgess, ANZ head of mortgage adviser distribution. “We also maintain open lines of communication with advisers so they know what to expect and can plan accordingly.” People development follows the same philosophy. New hires are chosen for both skill and attitude, and training goes beyond technical proficiency. Programs cover credit assessment, economic literacy and client engagement, with equal weight on empathy and communication. Advisers often work with clients under stress, and ANZ expects its people to balance expertise with human understanding.