7 Questions with Christian school leaders

Name: Greg Mattiske

Current title: Principal

Current organization: Suncoast Christian College

Greg is married with 3 adult children and lives on the Sunshine Coast. Growing up in South Australia, he undertook university studies in Adelaide before commencing his career as an English teacher in Launceston. Moving to Queensland, he taught on the Gold Coast before relocating to the Sunshine Coast with his young family. Greg has been at the same school since 1997 and is privileged to now lead the school community.

Name: Akinola Oladipupo

Current title: Head Teacher

Current organisation: Godiya Nursery & Primary School, Katsina State, Nigeria

My name is Akinola Oladipupo,a Nigerian from Yoruba extract. I love reading,writing, footballing, travelling and leadership training. I'm married with two brilliant teenagers.

Name: Kristin Garner

Current title: Program Coordinator - Internships

Current organisation: Columbus State Community College

Currently I am the Program Coordinator assisting with Internships focused in Business, Engineering, and Technology majors at Columbus State Community College. I have been working with the College for 3 years, prior to my work with the College, I was a Career Transition Specialist with JobCorps for 2 years and I was a Youth Service Coordinator for 7 years prior to Job Corps.

I have a deep passion to work with youth and young adults to help them become self-sufficient while achieving their personal goals.

Name: Jeff Allen

Current Title: Principal

Current Organisation: Nambucca Valley Christian Community School

Bio - Mr Jeff Allen was appointed Principal at Nambucca Valley Christian Community School in January 2013 (the foundational Principal for the new High School).. He had previously served as a Primary Teacher at Carinya Christian School in Tamworth and Secondary Teacher at Gunnedah High School January 2004-2008..

Prior to working at Gunnedah High, Jeff was employed by The Hon John Anderson MP as Chief of Staff Electorate 1999-2001 and Assistant Regional Policy Advisor 2001-2003.

In 1998-1999 Jeff was the Residential Services Manager for Challenge Disabilities Services. He was also the youngest ever Shire Councillor elected to the Guyra Shire Council and served the community as a Councillor from 1995-1999.

Jeff was a Vice Chancellor's Scholar for The University of New England in 2020 after completing the Masters of Applied Leadership Positive Education. Other University study has seen Jeff complete a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) - Politics; and a Gradtuate Diploman of Education.

Jeff is currently enrolled in a Doctor of Education at The University of New England.

The NVCCS School Chaplain, Mr Dave Hall, states Jeff is ''a strategic and inclusive leader. Very easy to relate to and accepting of alternate perspectives."

Jeff has been married for 30 years and has three adult children 27, 24 and 21 with two grandchildren aged 5 and 3.

Name: John Engstrom

Current title: Educational Consultant

Current organisation: Engstrom Leadership Consulting

John began his career as a chemistry and physics teacher as well as a coach at the Stony Brook School in New York. After 23 years in the classroom he served as a Head of School in four different schools during the next 29 years of his career. He is currently serving as an educational consultant with Luova Education Group located in Manila, Philippines, providing organizational development and executive coaching.

Name: Warren Melville

Current title: Principal

Current organisation: Dubbo Christian School

Born and raised in New Zealand. Worked in New Zealand secondary schools all over the country in various pastoral care and leadership roles. Moved to Australia in 2003 to take up the role of Deputy Principal at Dubbo Christian School. Fell in love with Christian education and has been Principal of Dubbo Christian School for 12 years.

Name: Mark Wilson

Current title: President

Current organisation: Curvware, Inc.

Mark Wilson is an architect, industrial designer and entrepreneur with 40 years of international experience. He studied in both American and Italian universities. He worked in both countries where he acquired cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary and cross-industry skills a specialist rarely if ever acquires. These skills were developed by applying knowledge of materials and production processes used in furniture, yacht, product and architectural disciplines. He has repeatedly capitalized on this know-how by applying techniques from one field to that of another where these techniques are rarely known or employed.

From the Italian school and his work with Pierluigi Spadolini, Mark learned how to do comprehensive research in an efficient and timely manner. He credits these research skills as the means to develop innovative design solutions yielding important intellectual property. Mark believes anyone who learns this approach will achieve similar results and is a strong advocate of teaching this approach in both the design and business fields. Having the ability to make connections (i.e. cross-culture, cross-disciplinary and cross-industry advantages) results in superior products and buildings with characteristics, features and benefits of increased, and sometime exceptional value.

Investors who recognized this unique skill set have invested in companies founded as a result of products Mark has developed. Mark has raised, capital, organized large collaborative efforts with employees and consultants and has written go-to-market strategies that are as innovative as the products. He is skilled at solving and managing complex problems and processes in order for the vision of the end product or building to be realized.

Fully cognizant of the need to be as competitive as possible in the market place, Mark not only looks at every detail and component of a product to assure its manufacturing is a cost effective as possible, but applies the same “design thinking” regarding the marketing and sales strategies. This assures clients and investors that they are making the best use of funds and that the finished product or building is as competitive as can be.

Name: Jeffrey Joel Darville

Current title: Professor

Current organisation: La Roche College

With 22 years of experience in business and education, Jeffrey Darville is an insightful professor, keynote speaker, and researcher. As a current Professor of Business at La Roche University and formerly MBA Director and Assistant Professor in the College of Business Administration at the American University in the Emirates, Dubai, UAE he taught Marketing, Negotiations, Change Management, and Leadership. While publishing, leading the MBA program and AACSB member accreditation committee efforts Jeff served as a small group leader at Redeemer Church in Dubai. Through collaborative organizational leadership and strategic marketing, Jeff has implemented changes, built programs, orchestrated profitable growth, and improved curriculum. He worked for Verizon, AIG, PPG, Alcoa, Sony, Bayer, and Siemens-Westinghouse. Completing his B.S. in Marketing and Management from Grove City College in 2000, Jeff gained his M.S. in Organizational Leadership from Geneva College in 2008, and his Ph.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership from Gannon University in 2017. Jeff has published his model of Kinetic Leadership and Value-Added Statements. His research interests are in strategic decision-making, rationality/intuition, Top Management Teams, Servant Leadership, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Intercultural communication.

Name: Jacob Noah

Current title: lab scientist student

Current organisation: KCMC

Currently i'm interested in health advocate and health data statistics

Name: Elizabeth (Liz) Hutchison

Current title: Dean of Curriculum and Instruction

Current organisation: International Christian School (ICS), Hong Kong,

Liz has worked in Christian education since 1990, and she is in her 13th year at ICS where she has served in a variety of positions, including Cognitive Coach and Academic Dean. Liz has a Masters in Educational Leadership and she is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Newcastle, Australia. Her research topic is Women Educational Leaders in Christian Schools. She values Christian education, teaching and learning, mentoring, and curriculum development. Liz enjoys fine-tuning systems, and supporting others to see individuals and groups grow.

Name: Victoria Sampi

Current title: Head of Design / Co founder & Director

Current organisation: BBVA in Peru / El Muro - Design School

I've worked more than 10 years in the design and execution of strategies for digital and non digital projects in different organizations, combining activities from areas such as design, research (exploration, user testing, etc.), digital marketing, and content management in coordination with a variety of stakeholders. I'm focused on people's needs and the performance of products and services created to help them solve their problems. I firmly believe that a well-defined and constant collaborative work gets more than effective results.

Name: Paul Gessner

Current title: Head of School

Current organisation: Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School

I have 24 years of experience in the field of secondary education. The first 8 years were in a Milwaukee Public Schools high school classroom as a history and government teacher. Promoted to to Curriculum Generalist and Assistant Principal in the same school, I was on the path to retire from MPS.

After 6.5 years in public school administration, I was approached to assume the Head of School / President position of St. Joan Antida High School, an all-girl Catholic high school serving 98% students in poverty and 90% students of color. 46% of these students were not Catholic.

In 2018, I assumed the position of Head of School at Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School in Athens, Georgia. Being the only Catholic High School in Northeast Georgia, I felt called to take this position and strengthen the school for long term viability.