Principal:
Janelle Newman
Meet our dynamic and dedicated leader, Janelle, the driving force behind MacKillop Catholic College’s future growth and success. With an impressive thirty-seven years of experience in education, Janelle started her career as a Secondary Math and Science Teacher, working in various high schools around Cairns. She has risen through the ranks, holding various teaching and leadership roles in both Primary and Secondary years. Janelle has a wealth of knowledge and expertise to ensure that our College remains a top-tier Catholic learning environment for all our students.
As the visionary leader of MacKillop Catholic College, Janelle’s ultimate goal is to steer the College towards continued growth and consolidation. She oversees the smooth functioning of the College, managing everything from timetables and staffing to finances and enrolments. Janelle is also responsible for maintaining compliance with education laws, acts, and funding requirements, ensuring that our College meets and exceeds all expectations.
Passion is at the core of Janelle’s educational philosophy. She gains immense joy from witnessing children become excited and engaged in their learning, fostering an environment where students interact confidently and respectfully with their peers. Always curious about the intricacies of education, Janelle constantly seeks to deepen her understanding of learning, making her an invaluable asset to the College community.
Beyond her professional life, Janelle indulges in various creative pursuits. Quilting, embroidery, camping, and gardening provide a much-needed balance to her busy schedule. This multifaceted individual holds an impressive academic background, including a Master of Education majoring in Curriculum and Leadership, a Bachelor of Education with a major in Literacy, a Diploma of Teaching with a focus on Maths and Physics, a Graduate Certificate in Religious Education, and a Certificate IV in Theology.
Janelle embodies the essence of a passionate and experienced leader, committed to creating a vibrant and nurturing educational environment for all students at MacKillop Catholic College. With her visionary approach and diverse skill set, Janelle is poised to lead the College towards a future filled with boundless opportunities for growth and excellence.
Deputy Principal – Head of Primary:
Caitlin O’Meara
Caitlin is a foundation staff member of the College and is fortunate to be a part of the ongoing narrative of MacKillop. She stands proudly as a member of our community throughout our journey. She is honoured to serve our College, and in particular, our Primary school community.
Early childhood is one of Caitlin’s passions. She was a Prep teacher for several years of her career before she moved into Diversity and Inclusion. Caitlin commenced her journey at MacKillop as one of the foundation Prep teachers, and now, for the past two and half years, is the Leader – Diversity and Inclusion.
Caitlin’s goal is to build partnerships with our families to develop the moral, educational and faith formation of our young people by helping to provide rigorous, high-quality education, where students are challenged to grow academically, emotionally and spiritually.
As we grow positive relationships with students, families and staff, we offer an inclusive learning environment where students are given opportunities to holistically grow into their most authentic self through a catholic lens, they are then provided with the right tools to reach their full potential and feel success.
Caitlin holds a degree in Bachelor of Education Primary and is two subjects away from completing a Master of Education – Inclusive Practices, both are through the Australian Catholic University (ACU). She has worked for a decade in Catholic education, in both Cairns Catholic Diocese and Brisbane Catholic Diocese.
Deputy Principal – Head of Secondary:
Melissa Headridge
Melissa Headridge is the Deputy Principal – Head of Secondary at MacKillop. Melissa brings more than 25 years experience in teaching and education leadership, in a range of curriculum and pastoral roles at schools across the Cairns Diocese and overseas.
To ensure successful educational and wellbeing outcomes for all students, Melissa believes that building collaborative relationships between parents, the community and school is essential.
Melissa came to MacKillop Catholic College from St Mary’s Catholic College where she was the Pastoral Leader.
Melissa’s extensive experience supports her role at MacKillop, in which she contributes to student learning, leadership and management of the College.
Deputy Principal – Identity and Outreach:
Anna Harris
Anna Harris is our Deputy Principal – Identity and Outreach. Anna comes from a strong faith background and has worked in Catholic Education in the Cairns Diocese for the past 15 years. She has held various pastoral, wellbeing, and curriculum-based roles in middle and senior leadership.
Anna came to MacKillop Catholic College from St Andrew’s Catholic College, where she held the position of Assistant Principal – Religious Education in the Middle Years. Anna brings a wealth of knowledge in pastoral and diverse learning practice and programming, and Religious Education. Given her previous experiences, Anna understand the benefits of Catholic, Prep to Year 12 Colleges and is committed to assisting MacKillop Catholic College to grow to its full potential.
Anna is particularly passionate about upskilling young people with the tools to navigate childhood, adolescence and beyond – and creating safe, supportive, and accommodating environments that allow students to truly flourish.
Assistant Principal – Administration (Acting):
Wayne Duda
Wayne is a committed and seasoned member of the MacKillop community. He has a deep commitment to student success, and a passion for fostering a collaborative and inclusive school community. He excited about the opportunity to contribute to our College’s mission of nurturing the whole child—academically, socially, and spiritually.
Wayne’s diverse experience includes roles such as Student Engagement Teacher at Woree State Primary School, where he managed complex and at-risk students and led initiatives like Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL). His qualifications include a Bachelor of Education (Primary) from the University of Southern Queensland, and he is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Religious Education from Australian Catholic University.
Wayne is looking forward to taking on more responsibilities and working alongside a talented Senior Leadership team that he can learn from, while continuing to build a positive and effective learning environment.
Assistant Principal – Students (Acting):
David Christopher
David was born in Cairns and spent his early years on Thursday Island, returning to Cairns during school terms for his secondary education. His family has deep roots in the Torres Strait, with his mother’s family operating several businesses in the area.
David has been an educator for 26 years. In 2005, he expanded his experience by teaching in London, UK, before returning to Australia to work in the Catholic Diocese of Cairns. Over the past 19 years, he has held a range of curriculum and pastoral leadership roles, most recently serving as Vocational Education and Training & Year 12 Pastoral Coordinator and RTO Manager.
He holds a Bachelor of Education from Queensland University of Technology, along with Certificate IV in Fitness and Certificate IV in Training & Assessment.
David has taken on the role of Assistant Principal – Students at MacKillop Catholic College, driven by his passion for student development and his desire to make a meaningful impact. He values the strong sense of community at MacKillop and looks forward to contributing to the school’s culture and student success.
Outside of education, David is a passionate North Queensland Cowboys supporter and enjoys swimming, tennis, rugby, and reef fishing.
Business Manager:
Joanne O’Brien
Joanne has been an accountant for over 25 years, and is a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA).
She is a trained tax specialist with over 15 year experience, before taking up an opportunity with Catholic Education Cairns.
Over the past 7 years Joanne has been working as a support accountant for our head office, and is well accustomed to school and college processes.
She more recently helped with the migration over to our new finance system D365, and trained many other Business Managers and Finance Assistants in the product.
Joanne has 2 teenage children who attend one our Colleges, and she loves the values and inspiration our Catholic College provide our children.
