Staff Listing

EXECUTIVE TEAM

PRINCIPAL - DARREN PARKS

Diploma of Teaching
Bachelor of Education
Graduate Diploma of Education
Master of Education
MAICD

Mr Parks commenced as Principal/CEO in January 2025. He has been involved in education for 35 years as a classroom teacher, Sports Coordinator, Head of House, Deputy Head of Boarding, Head of Middle School, Deputy Principal and Principal. This breadth and depth of educational leadership experience allows him to bring a panoramic knowledge of school operations and strategy to the role.

Mr Parks has been successful in growing the enrolments and improving the facilities and academic standards in his previous principalship. He was the first person in his immediate family to gain a tertiary qualification and is committed to the holistic development of the students in his care. Mr Parks has had a long career in single sex and coeducational schools and is looking forward to playing a key role in taking the Hills community into an exciting future. He is vitally interested in sport and the arts and how these two areas of endeavour can contribute to the development of student character through participation and commitment.

The Parks family has a long history in education with his wife Melissa being a primary school teacher and his son an early career teacher. His eldest daughter is an ED nurse and his youngest is studying journalism at university. He is looking forward to getting to know the students, families, and staff and charting the course for the future growth and development of the College.

HEAD OF PRIMARY - MATTHEW NOEL

Bachelor of Education (UNE)
Bachelor of Teaching (UNE)
MACEL

Mr Noel is a highly skilled and effective leader with over 20 years of experience in education. He has worked internationally as well as in co-educational and all-boys schools in New South Wales and Queensland.

Mr Noel has held numerous positions before becoming Head of Primary at Hills International College in 2020, including Leading Teacher and Middle Management posts as well as a variety of classroom teaching roles.

Mr Noel is highly energetic, engaging, and empathetic in his role. He sees a positive connection as a pivotal part of his responsibility and prioritises effective relationship building amongst staff, students, and families within the Primary School. Mr Noel is responsive, sensitive, and timely in his response to concerns and takes great pride in celebrating student success. As the Head of Primary, he is responsible for the operation, development, and organisation of the Primary School under the direction of the College Principal.

Mr Noel is a lifelong learner and is committed to building his professional and leadership abilities. He has led Action Research Groups through ISQ and is a member of IPSHA QLD.

HEAD OF WELLBEING - BEN POPE

Masters of Education (Leadership and Administration)
Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary)
Bachelor of Arts
MACEL

Mr Pope has been a teacher for 25 years, starting his career in Japan. He returned to Australia in 2001, and has worked at Hills International College for most of the years since. Mr Pope has an abiding interest in student and staff Wellbeing, and has a history of leadership in both state and independent school settings, becoming Deputy Principal at Hills in 2008. Since that time, he has served as a Head of Wellbeing, Deputy Principal, and Acting Principal role. Overall, Mr Pope has been at Hills for 20 years, and both his children attended the College.

Mr Pope enjoys Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA), and scale modelling. Mr Pope grew up in the local area, and has a deep connection with the community and lifestyle of Logan and the Scenic Rim.

Mr Pope’s wife, Dr Julia Pope, is the Head of Arts at Hills, and both of his sons work and volunteer at the College as they undertake their own journeys toward graduating as teachers.

Mr Pope’s regular position as Head of Wellbeing is the first of its kind in the College. He was also responsible for navigating the College’s transition to a 1:1 device framework in 2015, and has been instrumental in developing the College’s International Student legislative compliance in 2007. Mr Pope is currently leading the development of our elite Volleyball Academy.

HEAD OF SECONDARY - JULIE-ANNE SKELTON

Bachelor of Education - Secondary
Bachelor of Teaching - Primary
MACEL

Mrs Skelton is a dedicated educator with a passion for fostering academic excellence and personal growth in secondary students. With over forty-two years of experience in the field of both primary and secondary education at a domestic and international level, Mrs Skelton is committed to creating inclusive learning environments where all students can thrive. Her expertise in curriculum development, differentiated instruction, assessment and evaluation, are well noted.

Throughout her career, Mrs Skelton has held various roles in secondary education, including learning environment teacher, faculty head, curriculum coordinator, Principal and Deputy, as well as many roles within the International Baccalaureate in three of the four programs offered. Mrs Skelton brings a wealth of experience to her role as an educational leader in international and domestic settings.

She is a visionary leader with a proven track record of success in navigating the complexities of education within an international context. With extensive experience spanning countries and cultures, Mrs Skelton excels in fostering collaboration, driving innovation and promoting excellence in education on a global scale. Mrs Skelton has worked in diverse environments, including in international schools in both Principal and Deputy Principal roles, on bilingual programs as well as an educational NGO. Her deep understanding of global education trends and her ability to navigate culture is evident in her practice.

With Mrs Skelton's leadership and expertise, the secondary division of the College is poised to provide students with a high-quality education that prepares them for the challenges and opportunities of the future. She is known for her innovative teaching methods across a variety of disciplines and is dedicated to student success.

When Mrs Skelton is not at the College, she enjoys playing a variety of sports, walking, playing musical instruments and being an active family member.

DEPUTY HEAD OF PRIMARY / HEAD OF IB PROGRAMS - STUART ABLITT

Master of Education (Special Education)
Bachelor of Education (Primary and Middle School)
MACEL

Mr Ablitt is an experienced educator and academic leader who currently serves on the College's Executive Leadership Team as Deputy Head of Primary and Head of IB Programs, overseeing the primary teaching and learning program, Primary Years Programme (PYP), and is the Principal’s Delegate for Inclusive Education. With over 13 years of experience in education, he has established himself as a skilled administrator, dedicated teacher, and inspirational leader.

Beginning his career as a primary school teacher, Mr Ablitt developed a passion for working with young learners and helping them acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed. Over time, he has refined his teaching abilities and excelled at designing and implementing engaging and challenging curricula tailored to individual students' needs.

Throughout his professional journey, Mr Ablitt has demonstrated a commitment to ongoing development, actively seeking opportunities to enhance his skills and knowledge. He has participated in and led various Action Research projects through Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ) and is a member of the Australian College of Educational Leaders. In 2023, Mr Ablitt served as Network Chair for the Queensland PYP Network and continues to works closely with member schools to strengthen partnerships and enhance opportunities for professional development between schools.

HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS - VANESSA NEWBERY

Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics
Graduate Certificate of Applied Linguistics
Diploma of Education
Bachelor of Arts
MACEL

Mrs Newbery has been teaching at Hills International College since 2012, and has been Director of Studies in Hills Language College for over eight years. She is now part of the College Executive team in her role as Head of International Programs.

Before joining Hills, Mrs Newbery worked around Australia and overseas in ELICOS, AMEP and LOTE (French) teaching roles. She has travelled extensively through Europe and Asia, enhancing her international understanding and perspective.

Transition and support were her two main objectives when joining Hills Language College, and together with her teachers and the Hills community, she is working towards achieving these goals despite global and local challenges.

Mrs Newbery also facilitates the Hills Homestay Program. She is an active member of the College Wellbeing Team, and coordinates the College's Culture Club.

Mrs Newbery is a certified NEAS Master Practitioner and member of the NEAS High School Preparation Community of Practice. She is involved in state and national networking with other schools to ensure best practice for international students at not only Hills International College, but also Australia.

MANAGEMENT

BUSINESS MANAGER - Bill Truscott

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER - Jodie Gilliam

OPERATIONS MANAGER - Nori Hirayama

ACADEMIC STAFF

PRIMARY TEAM

PREP TEACHERS - Stephanie Johnson, Natalie Weaver and Aimmie Tomlinson

YEAR 1 TEACHERS - Chantelle Thompson, Kristy Parker and Jasmine Boehm 

YEAR 2 TEACHERS - Jodie Salmond, Taleaha Dempsey and Ashley Farrow

YEAR 3 TEACHERS - Samantha Jeppesen, Nardine Roberts and Paula McKenzie 

YEAR 4 TEACHERS - Emily Clark and Jessica Ingham

YEAR 5 TEACHERS - Gabrielle Argent and Laura Tomlin

YEAR 6 TEACHERS - Juliet Waud and Angie Henry 

PRIMARY SPECIALIST TEACHERS - 
Lawrence Gratton (Music)
Ashleigh Landers (Dance)
Caroline Barnard (Art)
Jialin Qu (Chinese)
Rachel Carter (Technology)
Tomoki Kanaya (HPE)
Stephanie West (HPE)
Riley Nicholl (HPE)

SECONDARY TEAM

HEADS OF YEAR 
Grace Ogoti - Years 7 and 8
Amy Lee-Perkins - Years 9 and 10
Joelle Parer - Years 11 and 12

HEADS OF FACULTY
Chris Schultz - Head of Science
Rachael Wilson- Head of Maths
Jacinta Goyne - Head of English
Julia Pope - Head of The Arts
Christopher Borg - Head of Technologies
Scott Whaley - Head of Humanities & Languages
Leah Stone - Head of HPE
Mark Robinson - Head of Sport 

SECONDARY TEACHERS
Allanah Noffke - English and Humanities
Alexandria Salmon - English and Humanities
Angela Gaviglio - Volleyball Coach
Bianca Tyne - English and Humanities
Caroline Barnard - Arts
Grace Dwyer - English and Humanities
John Hallermann - Science
Kai Voigt - Science and HPE
Katherine Wellings - Maths
Krista Klein - Maths and Humanities
Lawrence Gratton - Arts
Tomoki Kanaya - Languages
Melanie Clifton - Arts and English
Rachel Carter - Technologies
Riley Nicholl - HPE
Tomoki Kanaya - HPE and Languages
Valerie Spall - Science and Maths
Yuhua (Cathy) Li - Maths and Languages

HILLS LANGUAGE COLLEGE

HEAD OF LANGUAGE COLLEGE - Vanessa Newbery
ELICOS Teacher - Isla Perrett

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION TEAM

COORDINATOR - Tracy Ashbridge
Sarah Whaley - Teacher
Angie Hall - Teacher
Caragh Rosevear
Charlotte Maskell
Kendall McMillan
Lauren Bull
Leah Florey
Lisa Elvish
Maya Parer
Shannon Franklin
Tilli Coulter
Takeshi Komori

STUDENT SUPPORT / GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR

Mandy Comerford

RESOURCE CENTRE SCHOOL OFFICER

Renee Hansell

ADMINISTRATION STAFF

SCHOOL OFFICER (PARENTS) - Michelle Smith

SCHOOL OFFICER (STUDENTS) - Nicole Schreurs

SCHOOL OFFICER (STUDENTS) - Errin Matthews 

SCHOOL OFFICER (ENROLMENTS & UNIFORM SHOP) - Trish Janetzki

SCHOOL OFFICER (ADMIN ASSISTANT) - Courtney Kert

ACCOUNTS STAFF - Leanne Harvey-Watchman, Brooke Barron, Leah Sutcliffe

COMPLIANCE / HUMAN RESOURCES - Carolyn Tate

MAINTENANCE STAFF

Micah Stone and Ryley Eaton