7 Questions with Leaders in the Education Sector

Name: Alex Zequeira

Current title: Headmaster

Current organisation: Saint John's High School

Alex Zequeira was appointed the 18th Headmaster at Saint John's High School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts in July of 2016. After graduating from the College of the Holy Cross in 1994 with a BA in history, Alex began his teaching career at Kingswood-Oxford School in West Hartford, CT where he served as teacher, coach, and advisor as we as the Assistant Director of Admissions, the 8th-grade class dean. In 2003, he was called to serve as the founding principal of the Nativity School of Worcester, MA. In 2004, he returned to his native Miami to his alma mater Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, where he served as a teacher and coach, and the Executive Director of the school's Alumni Association from 2005 to 2008. In 2008, Alex joined the Wooster School community in Danbury, CT as the Dean of Upper School, teaching Spanish, European, and Latin American History, and coaching basketball and softball. In 2011, he rejoined the Nativity School of Worcester community as its 3rd President (Head of School). In May of 2016, Alex earned a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the Lynch School of Education at Boston College.
Alex recently served as the chair of the Board of Directors of the national NativityMiguel Coalition of Schools and as a Board Member for the United Way of Central Massachusetts. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Quinsigamond Community College, on the Board of Advisors of the Latino Education Institute at Worcester State University, the Worcester Education Collaborative, and is a Corporator for the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, where he also serves as an advisor to the Nonprofit Support Center.
Alex lives in Worcester with his wife Jessika, and their three children.

Name: Ben Waldram

Current title: Headteacher

Current organisation: Lowdham CofE Primary

Husband. Father. Head. Forgiven.

Born and raised in Derby but moved to the metropolis of Nottingham.

Name: Karen Spiller

Current title: Principal

Current organisation: John Paul College

School Leader for 22 years in independent schools in Queensland. Current Chair of Independent Schools Queensland and past national chair doe the Association of Heads on Independent Schools and the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia. Current member of both the Independent Schools Australia and Yalari Boards.
Recognized with a Churchill Fellowship in 2011 and an Order of Australia (OAM) in 2

Name: Vijay Manuel

Current title: Head of Schools

Current organisation: MEI Schools

Vijay was born in India in 1973 as the fourth and youngest child of Reverend & Mrs. David and Stella Manuel. His family moved to Three Hills, Alberta in 1977 and eventually settled in Abbotsford, B.C. In 1980 where Vijay graduated from the Mennonite Educational Institute in 1991. Vijay was active in sports (basketball, volleyball), music (trumpet, voice), and leadership (student body president). After completing his bachelor's degree and teaching certification in 1996 at Simon Fraser University, Vijay began teaching in the Abbotsford school district.
In 2003, Vijay completed his masters degree in Educational Leadership with a focus on Administration through San Diego State University and went on to serve as the vice principal at Robert Bateman Secondary, W.J. Mouat Secondary, and Abbotsford's Integrated Arts School before being awarded a principalship at Abbotsford Traditional Middle School.
Vijay accepted a position at MEI Schools as the Head of Schools effective February 2016 which involves leading all aspects of the organization including the learning experience from preschool to graduation. He has also helped establish Character Abbotsford and currently serves as the Board Chair. This organization has been formally recognized for their work in the Canadian Senate and British Columbia Parliament. Vijay has been recognized twice as one of Abbotsford's Most Influential People.
Vijay and his wife Sarah have been married for 21 years and have four children ages 18, 16, 10, and 6.

Name: Brian Fahey

Current title: Head of School

Current organisation: West Chester Friends School

I was a classroom teacher and coach for 30 years. I taught in lower, middle, and upper school. Although I loved classroom teaching I pursued my current job in order to challenge myself and to find a new adventure. This is my seventh year as a head of school.

Name: Brad Kershner

Current title: Head of Early School

Current organisation: Carolina Friends School

Brad Kershner is a school leader and independent scholar, and the author of Understanding Educational Complexity: Integrating Practices and Perspectives for 21st Century Leadership.
His research, teaching, and writing cover a wide range of interdependent topics, including education, leadership, parenting, race, technology, metamodernism, integral theory, meditation, complexity, and developmental psychology. Some of his public lectures are available on YouTube (search: Dr. Brad Kershner). You can learn more about his work and access recordings of his guided meditations at www.patreon.com/bradkershner.

Name: Paul Browning

Current title: Headmaster

Current organisation: St Paul's School

Dr Paul Browning (PhD, MEdAdmin (Hons), BEd, DipTeach) has been a Headmaster at two large independent schools in Australia for 23 years.
Paul’s expertise is leadership and school culture. He believes that trust is the fundamental resource for successful leadership and a healthy school culture. His PhD research into the practices that engender trust was nominated for an outstanding thesis award and won an Executive Dean’s commendation from Queensland University of Technology. He is the author of “Compelling Leadership: The importance of trust and how to get it”
(Apple iBooks). “Compelling Leadership should be pinned to every CEO's Desk”
(David Price OBE),
“Rarely does a book about leadership come along that is practical and inspiring. Compelling Leadership has both of these”
(Professor Alma Harris).
The work on leadership led Paul to be invited by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK's Sutton Trust to speak at a 2014 global summit of educational leaders in Washington DC. Attendants at the summit endorsed his work, rating it as a powerful and practical method to improve school culture and teacher performance.
Paul has published numerous journal articles and is a peer reviewer for research articles on leadership for the International Journal of Leadership in Education. He is a sort after speaker at conferences, both nationally and internationally, and has led workshops on leadership for over 4000 school leaders and CEOs. In 2017 St Paul's School was listed amongst the Top 40 most innovative schools in Australia, and Paul was listed in the Top 50 most influential people in education. In 2018 St Paul's was recognised by one of Cambridge University's peak bodies as one of the top 100 most innovative learning organisations in the world and at the inaugural Australian Education Awards Paul was awarded best non-government school principal and the school won three awards: best innovation in curriculum, best professional development program, and best strategic plan. In 2019 St Paul's School was awarded Australian School of the Year and Paul was awarded the QACEL Miller-Grassie Award for outstanding educational leadership and his contribution to research. Paul's latest book, "Principled: 10 leadership practices for building trust" is written for leaders from all spheres. “A timely and important book for all those who seek to lead in the shadow of past wrongs”
(Tim Costello AO),
Principled is available from all good bookstores.

Name: Terry Broberg

Current title: Global Children’s Ministry Coordinator

Current organisation: Walk Thru the Bible

I grew up in an educator’s home and school was deeply integrated into my view of life. I have worked as a teacher and principal for over 38 years primarily in the private Christian school sector. Recently accepted my new position with a world wide ministry where I will help promote Bible literacy throughout the world.

Name: Carla Whelan

Current title: Executive Director of Primary Education at Marches Academy Trust

Current organisation: MMAT

I have been in education for over 26 years, working from London to Plymouth and now reside in Shropshire. From working across the sector in both primary and secondary I’ve gained a huge insight into the journey of learning for a pupil from age 2 through to 16. I’m privileged to work with incredible staff who go above and beyond for every individual and to me providing the foundation of learning that ensures a child has the skill set to regulate, process information, articulate and contribute to the world is key. To support learners to become happy, energised by learning and a mindset that drives an ambition to reach their potential (to which is on their terms) is truly a fabulous role to be in.