College Governance
Dr Grant Watson
(EdD. MA (Admin). BEd. DipT. Cert CS.)
Board Chairman
Dr Grant Watson has been involved in education for over 45 years, many of these as a school or regional administrator both in Australia and overseas. He has taught in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. He completed full time work in 2017 retiring as the General Manager and Company Secretary of the Queensland Independent Schools Block Grant Authority where he had worked for 14 years.Grant then setup a consulting company called GwConsulting. The company specialised in school facility planning, school governance, administration efficiency and the submission of capital grant applications.
Mr Mike Millard
BEd. DipT (Secondary)
Education & Pastoral Care Committee
Mr Mike Millard states that school governance, school management and supporting school leadership are his interests and strengths. Mike is currently working as a consultant specialising in school governance and compliance, Block Grant applications, policy and leadership reviews. During the past 10 years he has served in a range of governance roles including: chairing the board of an indigenous boarding school in Townsville for 3 years; serving on the boards of The Lakes College (chair from 2011-2013) and Moreton Bay College (2008-2013) and most recently (2019) he has been appointed to the board of Kimberley College.
Mr Rob Fuller
(B. Bus. Business Management & HR Management)
Finance Committee Chair
Rob has been involved with private schools for forty years. He was the Business Manager at Kings Christian College for nine years and the Executive Officer of the Independent Schools of Queensland Block Grant Authority for fourteen years. Rob is involved with numerous school boards and been a management consultant for independent schools of twelve years. Rob was involved with starting two schools; Kings Christian College and Emmanuel College. He has served for twenty years on the board of the Queensland Independent Education and Care Super Fund (QIEC).
Mr Steve Croft
(B.Ec., Dip. Ed.)
Property Committee Chair
Steve is semi-retired after completing forty-one years in school education, the last eighteen as Principal of three Independent Schools in Queensland. He is a Director of the Board at Rivermount College and a panel member of the Capital Assistance Assessment Committee for the Queensland Catholic Education Commission. In addition Steve undertakes School Reviews for Independent Schools Queensland.
Mr Peter Hollett
Audit & Risk Committee Chair
Mr Peter Hollett has a background in financial management of Australian companies. In 1979 Peter took that experience into the financial and educational management of independent schools. Peter has been a founding member and served on the Board of several schools across the sector including John Paul College and since 2004 on the Board of Saint Stephens College serving as Chairman for 9 years. Peter has his own consultancy practice advising many schools in educational and financial management for over 40 years.
Mr Don Thams
(B Com, FCPA)
Business Manager & Company Secretary
Don’s first 20 years in the workforce were across government audit (Qld) and general management / finance roles in personnel (Qld) and motor sport (Tas). Don’s 2nd 20 years have been in the education sector, as Business Manager / Board Secretary at St Hilda’s School (13 yrs) and Ipswich Girls Grammar School (7yrs) . Don served as Queensland Chairman for both the American Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Personnel Consultants, Qld, prior to 1990 and from 2009 to 2017 as a Board Member at the Australian Industry Trade College, Robina. Don is currently a Board Member at Kimberley College, Carbrook. After a gap retirement year during 2018, in Tasmania, Don is the Business Manager / Company Secretary at Hills College.
Mr Nori Hirayama
(B. Bus)
Operations Manager & Hills Educational Foundation Nominee
Nori is a founding director and member of Hills International College Ltd. He is one of the former directors of Hills Educational Foundation Ltd, the entity which previously operated Hills College. Nori has been involved with school business operations of for over 20 years, and was appointed Operations Manager of Hills International College Ltd in January 2021.
Mr Kevin Lynch
(B. Sc. Dip Ed, M Ed)
Hills International College Principal & CEO
Kevin was appointed Hills College Principal in May 2010, and then Chief Executive Officer when Hills International College Ltd took governance of the College in January 2020. Kevin has worked in Middle and Senior Leadership positions at Shore School in Sydney, and at All Saints Anglican School on the Gold Coast. Prior to his appointment at Hills College, Kevin was Director of Studies at Saint Stephen’s College, Coomera.