7 Questions with Christian school leaders
Read insights and thoughts on leadership from Christian school leaders around the world.
Thank you to the amazing leaders of Christian schools who have answered our 7 questions so far, we hope you find their answers helpful for you in your leadership journey!
7 Questions with Brendan Wood
Name: Brendan Wood
Current title: Marketing & Community Relations Manager
Current organisation: Green Point Christian College
Initially training and working in Fisheries Research Brendan retrained as a Baptist Minister and has served for over a decade in two Churches. In between this parish ministry Brendan moved into marketing and business development roles at both a state and national level. The most challenging of these was heading up the Marketing Department for BaptistCare NSW & ACT in which time he led the rebrand for the organisation. Brendan's latest role with Green Point Christian College sees him leading a small team focused on Enrolments and Communications, in particular social media.
7 Questions with John Grant
Name: John Grant
Current title: Secondary Principal
Current organisation: Washington School
John Grant is a husband to his high school sweetheart. Together they have three children. He is the Secondary Principal at Washington School. John holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from Crichton College, a Master of Arts from Reformed Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Memphis.
7 Questions with Luiz Laffey
Name: Luiz Laffey
Current title: International Languages Manager
Current organisation: VidAngel Studios
Luiz Laffey is Brazilian actor with over 20 years of experience in soap operas, dubbing, voice over, TV commercials, and feature films.
Also a DJ, radio-host, and announcer, he has over 30 years of experience, being worked in major studios and radio stations in Brazil. As you can imagine, he simply loves the arts!
As the Brazilian voice for more than 150 different characters, from Inside Out to Star Wars, versatility defines Luiz Laffey... and the list is growing now that he just started dubbing in English too!
Doing voice-over, he brought life to many products, services, audio books, and much more.
In front of the cameras or on a stage, his charisma, personality, and passion stand out. His motto is "do what you love, love what you do".
Luiz Laffey is truly passionate for the magic of acting, the magic of telling a story bringing feelings and emotions to life.
Paraphrasing William Shakespeare in As You Like It:
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one [person] in [its] time plays many parts” As Luiz Laffey used to say "everybody is born as actors, playing all the time. No wonder we do “play” on stage, after all, this is a natural part of ourselves.
Unfortunately, some people forget the best part of life and let the problems, challenges, sufferings, and all those turns overcome, instead learn from them."
He also likes to mention the young author Charlotte Erikson, “...this is for us. This is for us who sing, write, dance, act, study, run and love and this is for doing it even if no one will ever know because the beauty is in the act of doing it. Not what it can lead to.
Don’t try to present your art by making other people read or hear or see or touch it; make them feel it. Wear your art like your heart on your sleeve and keep it alive by making people feel a little better. Feel a little lighter. Create art in order for yourself to become yourself and let your very existence be your song, your poem, your story.
Let your very identity be your book.
Let the way people say your name sounds like the sweetest melody.
So go create. Take photographs in the wood, run alone in the rain and sing your heart out high up on a mountain where no one will ever hear and your very existence will be the most hypnotizing scar. Make your life be your art and you will never be forgotten.”
His invitation is to join (and enjoy) together on this wonderful journey of acting!
7 Questions with Pauline Phoon
Name: Pauline Phoon
Current title: Founder
Current organisation: SOOS OIO LLP and COMEBACK PTE LTD
Pauline Phoon is the founder of COMEBACK PTE LTD and SOOS OIO LLP, both are social enterprises.
SOOS OIO LLP seeks to develop youth holistically through communities in our fast-evolving world. While SOOS OIO is gaining momentum in building communities among the gamers, the need for a deeper program for youths who have lost life balance in games became apparent. Deeply concerned about this rising trend, COMEBACK is conceptualised with the support of friends and partners, including gamers who caught her heart and passion.
Pauline Phoon has been in the forefront of youth culture from a decade ago in Monsoon Productions Pte Ltd and Soulmanna Live Pte Ltd by first introducing the YouTube wave from the States into Asia Pacific, working with first generation Asian American YouTubers like David Choi, Ryan Higa, Wong Fu Productions, etc.
Changes are inevitable and they come on us like swift waves. We might be swept off the surfboard at some point, but we can always get back up and try again. The key is to ride these waves and enjoy the surf.
Pauline co-authored an ebook titled “Understanding Games and Gamers” with Ruth Lim that is available for free download.
7 Questions with Garrett Trott
Name: Garrett Trott
Current title: University Librarian
Current organisation: Corban University
My name is Garrett Trott. I am a husband, a father of three kids (David - 14, Robert - 12, and Margaret - 10). I work at Corban University Library as a University Librarian. Corban University is a small Christian institution of higher education located in Salem, Oregon. I enjoy writing and reading, and subsequently, I serve as Editor-in-Chief of two journals: Theological Librarianship and The Christian Librarian.
7 Questions with Anita Monro
Name: Anita Monro
Current title: Principal
Current organisation: Grace College - Tertiary student residence, UQ St Lucia
Anita Monro is an ordained Minister of the Word of The Uniting Church in Australia. She has lived and worked in the Synods of Qld and NSW/Act. Christian formation is her passion. This passion has informed her work in congregations, theological colleges, the Uniting Church's National Working Groups on Doctrine and Liturgy, and now Grace College, a tertiary student residence for women located on the St Lucia campus of The University of Queensland. Grace College is an independently incorporated organisation with links to the Uniting Church, the Presbyterian Church and UQ. Its vocation is to provide a safe, inclusive, nurturing home, built on Christian foundations, supporting holistic growth and empowerment for female tertiary students, enriching their paths to academic success and their lives as contributors to the global community. When Anita is not living at Grace College, she and her husband live in Mapleton in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast in Qld. Russell has been her partner in life and ministry for over 30 years and is now retired, growing veggies and working on some Qld Synod Committees.
7 Questions with Dan Nester
Name: Dan Nester
Current title: Founder & President
Current organisation: The Mustard Seed Education Foundation
I went to Catholic schools my whole life. My wife and I committed early in our marriage to send our kids to Catholic schools. After working in the corporate world for 13 years, I started my own company, Polaris Logistics Group, in 2013. The success of the company allowed my wife, Tammi, and I to found The Mustard Seed in 2018.
7 Questions with Mickey Addison
Name: Mickey Addison
Current title: Author & Consultant
Current organisation: Lead High Performance
Mickey is an expert in leadership and organizational change. During his 30 year US Air Force career Mickey commanded thousands of Airmen, managed portfolios worth billions of dollars, and worked with military, civil, and industry officials around the world. Mickey now works with clients around the country to improve performance and help organizational transformation. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the Eisenhower School at National Defense University in Washington DC. Mickey is the author of eight books, including Leading Leaders: Inspiring, Empowering, and Motivating Teams, Mickey’s Rules for Leaders, and The Five Be’s: A Straightforward Guide to Life.
7 Questions with Ricardo Lozano
Name: Ricardo Lozano
Current title: Director of Graduate Studies in Education and Humanities
Current organisation: University of Monterrey
Ricardo Lozano, M.Ed., Ph.D., is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a Doctorate in educational administration and of Concordia University Texas with a Masters in curriculum development and instruction. Dr. Lozano is an accomplished researcher and pedagogue with experience in all levels of education ranging from lower-secondary to graduate-level, and with noteworthy international experience. His experiences include holding professorships in the United States, Mexico, and Turkey, as well as the directorship of graduate studies in education and humanities at University of Monterrey. His research and teaching thus focus on educational leadership, comparative/international education, and teacher preparation programs internationally.