Introduction

I have worked for Education Queensland for 30 years, and in that time, I have been principal of both primary and secondary schools. In 2001, I trained as an Executive Coach, and established both a private practice as well as working with school principals in Education Queensland. I have represented Australia in the World Championships of Public Speaking six times through the Toastmasters Organisation, and have presented numerous keynotes, and workshops at conferences at the local, state, national and international level.  I have also lead Hopewell Hospice as CEO.

Qualifications

Master of Educational Administration (Griffith University)

Graduate Diploma of Educational Administration (Griffith University)

Bachelor of Education- Teaching – (Griffith University)

Diploma of Teaching (Brisbane College of Advanced Education)

Leadership in Action – Mt Eliza Business School – Monash University

Advanced Toastmaster –Silver (Toastmasters International)

Trained Coach – 2001

Employment History

1975 – 1981     Teacher – Education Queensland

1981 –  2009    Principal  of various state schools in Queensland

2005 – 2006     Chief Coach – Toastmasters International: District 69

PRINCIPAL

In my 26 years as principal, I have

  • Lead four different  primary schools and one secondary school
  • Been innovative and responsive in my leadership
  • Employed highly effective interpersonal and communication skills
  • Linked passion for my chosen profession and wisdom in guiding each unique organisation to meet the needs of the students
  • Consciously developed parallel leadership
  • Effectively managed each organisation in times of significant change and uncertainty
  • Created learning communities
  • Demonstrated resilience and persistence having defined preferred futures for each school
  • Consciously created coaching climates and/or structures in my schools (since 2001).

Executive Coach

Since training as an Executive Coach in 2001, I have

  • Successfully coached numerous principals on professional goals
  • Provided training to school principals to develop their coaching capacity. This training:
    • Develops knowledge and understanding of coaching
    • Provides skill development in coaching, and
    • Involves coaching principal participants on professional goals
  • Written articles on Coaching in Schools
  • Analysed departmental initiatives in the context of coaching linking:
    •  the development of performance to the coaching process, and
    • The professional Standards for Teachers and coaching
  • Coached school leaders in the context of developing performance
  • Coached pubic servants within the Department of Education on career goals
  • Coached successfully numerous private clients including a CEO of an International Franchise company
  • Provided coaching training to private organisations, including a private grammar school
  • Delivered presentations on Developing a Coaching School
  • Provided coaching training to the Professional Development Branch – Department of Education Training and the Arts
  • Coached successfully Executive Committee of Community based organisation
  • Written and produced articles, workbooks on coaching

 TRAINER/PRESENTER

Presented workshops/keynotes/lectures on various educational topics.

  • Equity and Excellence in Education International Conference –Toronto Canada August 1994.
    • “Queensland Australia Policy and Practices – Inclusion”
    • “Perspectives on Inclusion – The Regular School Option”
    • “Maximising Outcomes in an Inclusive School by Changing the Role of the Learning Support Teacher”
    • “Trust and Loyalty – Key Components in Context of Change”.
  • Annual Conference of the English Teachers Association of Queensland – Brisbane 1993: Keynote “Trust and Loyalty –Key Components in Context of Change”.
  • Queensland Administrators’ Conferences in 1994/95/96/97/98/99. (Various Leadership Topics).
  • Two full conferences for Supply Teachers – Brisbane 1992.Various Topics on Pedagogy and Curriculum.
  • National Conference Guidance and Counsellors: Melbourne 1991. “Education in the Future”.
  • Sunshine Coast Regional Parents Conference: 1992 Queensland
    • “Working Together to Manage Children’s Behaviour”
    • “Managing Better Meetings”
    • “Parent Participation in Schools”.
  • “School Advisory Council Workshop”: Sunshine Coast 1992.
  • Consultancy for other School Communities on the “Introduction of School Advisory Councils”:  Sunshine Coast 1992.
  • National Australian Reading Association Ltd –  “Trust and Loyalty”. Queensland 1993.
  • Combined Associations’ International Conference – Brisbane 1993. “Learning Difficult Students in a Positive School Environment”.
  • Early Childhood Conference – A Foundation for Life Long Learning:  Brisbane 1993. “The Educational Provision for Students with Disabilities – The Regular School Option” .
  • University Southern Queensland – Special Education Conference: June 1992. “Inclusion in the Regular School”.
  • Delivered numerous additional papers on educational topics to teachers, and school leaders.
  • Delivered a program on public speaking for Public Servants – 2007.
  • Trained the CEO of International franchise company on the art of public speaking – 2005
  • Trained speakers for competition speaking – 2007.

SPEAKER

  • World Champion of Public Speaking 2009 (Conneticut USA)
  • Competed in the World Championships of Public Speaking: 2001 Anaheim USA, 2007 Phoenix
  • Successfully competed in the International Toastmasters’ Public Speaking Competitions
    • 1996 – St Louis – USA
    • 1999 – Chicago – USA
    • 2006 – Washington – USA, and
    • 2007 – 3rd in the World Championships of Public Speaking – Phoenix –USA
  • Led a ‘Hypothetical’ on Education Change for State Deputy Principal Conference (1999)
  • Gourmet Cookware –
  • Frontline
  • Queensland Government -Annual Disabiltiy Awards 2008
  • Corporate Express
  • Dubai Men’s Collegeing Wheelies
  • Spinal Association
  • Qatar Toastmasters

SPEAKING COACH

Mark has supported many competitors, leaders and individuals on their speaking journey by providing one on one coaching in teh art and science of speaking. He has also supported groups in the same journey including, Indigenous Young Leaders, High schools and corporations.

Published

  1. Word’sWorth Nov 1993 Vol 26. No. 4. “Trust and Loyalty – Key Components in Context of Change”.
  2. “Perspectives on Inclusion – The Regular School Option”: (Kit for Schools) 1994
  3. The Practising Administrator (Official Journal of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders): “Diversity for Diversity”. 2006
  4. Voice of the Bonsai- Conversations on Leadership (Fontaine 2014)
  5. The Last Trip – A play on the art of dying well. 2019
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