About Kambala

Located in Sydney’s Rose Bay, Kambala is a vibrant, independent day and boarding school for girls up to 18 years.

We offer a choice of learning pathways. Girls can achieve the IB Diploma or the NSW HSC. Kambala inspires academic excellence, with the School consistently ranking among the top non-selective girls’ schools in Sydney.

At Kambala, each girl is recognised as an individual and valued for her unique qualities and talents — the whole girl.

HISTORY

Inspired learning. Empowering young women of integrity.

Since our pioneering days in the late 1800s, the Kambala community has shared a common goal: to educate ‘the whole girl’.

Kambala began as a humble class of 12 girls, taught in a terrace house in Woollahra by Miss Louisa Gurney, the daughter of an English clergyman. Louisa was later joined by Mademoiselle Augustine Soubeiran who became Co-Principal. The School moved in 1891 to a larger property in Bellevue Hill called ‘Kambala’.

In 1913, with an enrolment of nearly 50, the School moved again to its current site, on New South Head Road in Rose Bay. The School operated within the Tivoli townhouse, the home of Captain William Dumaresq. Tivoli has undergone several extensions and restorations; today, it remains the home to Kambala’s boarders in Years 7 to 9, who enjoy some of the best harbour views Sydney has to offer.

In 1926, Kambala became a Church of England Foundation School with an independent council.

Kambala has strengthened its reputation for academic excellence and the education of the whole girl through continually evolving teaching and learning practices, improving facilities and expanding the opportunities provided to students.

PAST PRINCIPALS

Louisa Gurney (1887–1914)
Augustine Soubeiran (1891–1914)
Minnie Roseby and Clara Roseby (1914–1927)
Flora Stewart (1927–1932)
Fifi Hawthorne (1933–1966)
Joyce Gibbons (1966–1984)
Barbara Monk (1984–1987)
Peter Moxham (1988–1999)
Roderick West (1999)
Margaret White (2000–2013)
Debra Kelliher (2014–2017)
Shane Hogan (2017–present)

OUR PRINCIPAL

Shane Hogan

Mr Shane Hogan, a highly experienced and respected educator and leader, was officially appointed as Principal of Kambala in October 2017 after serving as Acting Principal for six months.

Shane is a former Principal of St Ignatius’ College, Riverview (2002–2013) and has previously filled a similar role as Acting Principal for St Vincent’s College (2014), a boarding and day school for girls in Potts Point. He joined us from The Scots College where he had been the Director of School Improvement for the previous two years.

Shane is passionate about educating the whole girl and providing a happy and safe environment for students, staff and the broader community.

“Children need to be happy to learn, so the school environment must be one that focuses on the welfare and happiness of its students. I believe that schools must be places that not only challenge students academically and spiritually, but places where students feel safe, comfortable, cared for and accepted.

“For students to enjoy school, staff also need to feel appreciated and valued. Central to my educational philosophy is a genuine commitment to the wellbeing of all staff and students.”

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Michael Nicholls, BA, BCom, LLB, GDipLegPract, ACA ,CPA

Business Manager

Katherine Mar, BA, GradDipEd, DipEdStud

Head of Senior School

Katherine is responsible to the Principal and oversees the wellbeing, attendance and academic care of all students from Year 7 to Year 12 and the efficient functioning of relevant staff.

Stuart Coppin, MEd, BBehavSc, GradDipSocSc, GradDipEd

Head of Junior School

Stuart is responsible for the wellbeing, attendance and academic care of all students from Early Learning (Hampshire House) to Year 6 and the efficient functioning of relevant staff.

Danielle Kassoua, BBus(HRM&IR)

Human Resources Manager

Danielle is responsible to the Principal for the management of the overall Human Resources function at the School. She works closely with staff and other business units to promote Kambala as an employer of choice in order to attract and retain high quality staff.

Tamara Lang, BPsych(Hons), MPsych(Clin)(Hons), DPhil

Head of Strategy and Counselling

Tamara is responsible for providing proactive leadership in the design, implementation and overall coordination of effective practices and programs that will aid the School in delivering its Strategic Plan. In addition, Tamara is responsible for managing the School Counselling staff and processes.

SCHOOL COUNCIL

Ainslie van Onselen , LLB, GradDipAppFin, M AppFin, GAICD

President, appointed 2018, current parent

Ainslie van Onselen has served on several boards including Child Australia, as deputy chair of the WA Insurance Commission, chair of the Migration Institute of Australia and is currently a Commissioner on NSW Legal Aid and serves on the boards of RAMS Financial Group Pty Ltd and Beem It (Digital Wallets Pty Ltd). Prior to her career in banking Ainslie was a litigation partner and on the Legal Practice Board of WA. Ainslie has two daughters at Kambala and lives locally having grown up in regional Australia.

Catherine Happ, BBus, BMus, MIR

Vice President, appointed 2017, current parent

Catherine has worked as a ministerial adviser to senior government officials and has been a respected Investment Adviser at JB Were for the past 21 years where she is currently an Executive Director. Catherine is also a Board member for The Butterfly Foundation, which provides support for those with eating disorders.

Natalie Faulkner, FCA, CFE, MFin, BCom

Appointed 2019, Treasurer, Old Girl

Natalie has 20 years’ experience working in professional services as a forensic accountant in London, Sydney and Perth, assisting clients in misconduct prevention, detection and response and regulatory investigations and remediation. She is currently a partner at KPMG and is KPMG’s Global Head of Banking Fraud risk. Natalie was on the Board of Mosman Park Primary School in Perth and is a Kambala Old Girl.

Andrew McGill, BCom, LLB, FFin

Appointed 2014, Chairman of the Foundation, current parent

Andrew is a former Managing Director and CEO of Treasury Group Limited, an international funds management business. Currently he serves as Non-Executive Chairman of PM Capital Global Opportunities Fund Limited and Non-Executive Director of PM Capital Asian Opportunities Fund Limited – both listed investment companies. Previously in his career, Andrew worked primarily in private equity but also in investment banking and management consulting. He is an active member of North Bondi Surf Lifesaving Club where he is also involved in coaching junior athletes.

Dr Giselle Gerber, MBBS(Medal,Hons1), BSc(Med), FRACP, FRCPA

Appointed 2018, Archbishop nominee, Old Girl, current parent

Giselle was educated at Kambala and the University of NSW, graduating in Medicine with the University Medal. She currently works as a Consultant Haematologist at Prince of Wales Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, and is responsible for clinical care, laboratory oversight, junior doctor supervision and training. She also chairs a working party for NSW Health Pathology. Giselle established the HOW Collaborative (Haematology in Obstetric and Women’s Health) – a national multidisciplinary collaboration that focuses on research, education and advocacy for women with Haematological disorders, especially in pregnancy. Giselle and her husband have three daughters and a son, and are active members at St Luke’s Anglican Church, Clovelly.

Matt Carolan, BAppSci(Bld)

Appointed 2018, current parent

Matt has 34 years’ experience in the property development and construction industry in Australia. For the past six years he has been the Projects Director and National Head of Development and Executive Director of Urbanest Australia, a purpose-built student accommodation developer and operator. Previously, he held Directorship roles in privately owned Construction and Property Development companies for 24 years, since 1989. Matt has a strong interest in supporting Women in Sport, Design and the Property Industry.

Graham Humphrey, BArch, PostGradDipUrRePl, ARAIA

Appointed 2018

Graham has had a long career in Architecture, Interior Design and Planning. For 20 years he was the Sydney Director of an International Design practice with upwards of 200 employees and, since buying out the Sydney Practice in 1997, had been the Managing Director. He is now a Consulting Director of his firm. He is a member of the Assessment Panel for Woollahra Council IHAPS Board. He is an Examiner at the Board of Architects, a Member of the Building and House Committees at RSGC, and is the Honorary architect for St Michaels Church, Vaucluse.

Jane Robinson, DipTeach, DipTheol, GradDipEd, GradCertSpEd

Appointed 2018, Old Girl, former parent, former staff member

Educated at Kambala and Sydney University (STC), Jane taught at Kambala in the Junior School and then, following her husband’s career, taught in North Western Sydney and then the British School of Brussels, Belgium. Jane’s particular focus was in Special Education, working as an education consultant for Lifestart in Sydney before teaching in Canberra at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. She has four adult children and three grandchildren.

Sophie Bartho

Appointed 2017, current parent

Sophie is a current parent with three daughters in the Senior School. She works in brand strategy and communications, advising CEO’s, Chairpersons and Boards on their communications, reputational risk, change and crisis management. Sophie leads brand and marketing strategy and management across business services and consumer product categories including customer acquisition and retention. Previously, Sophie built and ran her own full-service marketing and communications agency for 17 years, working with well-known brands and corporations such as Coca-Cola, Campbell's, Arnott’s, Johnnie Walker, Baileys, Unilever, Allied Domecq, SC Johnson, Nestlé, Westpac, AMP Capital and ANZ.

Dr Prudence Gibson, PhD

Appointed 2016, Old Girl, current parent

Prudence is author of two academic books, she has published over 300 essays for major newspapers and journals and is regularly invited to speak at literary events. She has acted as liaison/programmer on the UNSW/Sydney Writers Festival partnership 2014 and is a member of the editorial advisory board of the academic journal, Evental Aesthetics. She teaches Creative Writing and Advanced Media at UNSW.

Emily Smith, BCom

Appointed 2011, Old Girl, KOGU nominee

Educated at Kambala and the University of New South Wales. Following a degree course in Commerce, she undertook programs at Georgetown University and Trinity College at Oxford University. Emily worked as an associate equities analyst at Salomon Smith Barney before moving to Deutsche Bank 10 years ago where she currently is Senior Equities Analyst and Director.

Alix Rimington, BA(MedCom)

Appointed 2019, Old Girl, KOGU nominee

Alix has 20 years’ experience working with some of Australia’s leading corporations. She is currently Head of Disruptive Innovation and New Ventures and Co-Founder of Amatil X at Coca-Cola Amatil. Prior roles at Amatil include Group Leadership Team Executive and General Manager of Public Affairs and Communications for the Australian Beverages business. Alix spent 10 years at Telstra in senior corporate affairs roles and was Communications Director at B20 Australia (the business group advising the G20 on policy) during Australia’s G20 host year.

Emanuel Confos, BA, Dip Law, LLM

Appointed 2016, current parent

Emanuel is a partner with the global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright in their construction and major projects group. Prior to joining Norton Rose Fulbright, he was a partner at Gilbert + Tobin. Emanuel commenced his legal practice in 1998 and is a member of the Law Society of New South Wales and the Society of Construction Law Australia.

STRATEGIC PLAN

It is an exciting time in Kambala’s 131-year history and Kambala’s Strategic Plan 2019-2023 will lead us over the next five years and build on the ambitions and direction of our heritage.

At Kambala we nurture and challenge every girl to realise her full potential. We do this by focusing on four strategic pillars:

Academic excellence
Care
Community
Sense of place.

Our Strategy is underpinned by our core values and an evolved vision and mission, which best represents Kambala’s heritage and future.

LEARN MORE

An independent girls school