Fiona McAuliffe

Principal

Fiona McAuliffe started her career in education as a Mathematics teacher and has experienced a number of management roles across a variety of areas including Head of Senior Years, Director of Studies, IB Diploma Programme Coordinator and Head of Mathematics. Having extensive experience in implementing and maintaining International Baccalaureate frameworks, she has spent many years as a curriculum expert in South Australia. During this time, Mrs McAuliffe worked with the SACE Board, the Mathematics Association of SA, the SA Government International Student Advisory Group for the Minister and as Chair of the Independent Schools of SA Secondary Curriculum Reference Group. Curriculum delivery, especially the IB curriculum has been a large part of her professional career, demonstrating a passion for inspiring learners of all ages.

Maria Denholm

Deputy Principal - Primary Years

Maria Denholm joined Good News Lutheran College as a classroom teacher with over 30 years of teaching experience in Lutheran Schools across South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. She completed a Graduate Diploma in Theology and is a passionate advocate for teaching Christian Studies through a Lutheran lens. Sharing her faith with others and guiding students to learn more about God's love and forgiveness is a highlight of her career. Maria has held many leadership positions and has completed the Leadership Development Programme through Lutheran Education Australia resulting in a Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership. Completing a Graduate Certificate in Mathematics led her to become an advocate for teaching Mathematics in a way that is accessible to all students and results in understanding, not just memorisation. From this, she has led professional development courses with teachers in Australia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Recently, she guided the staff of Good News through the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme verification process. Maria encourages staff and students to have voice, choice and ownership for their teaching and learning so that self-efficacy is fostered, the relationship between teacher and students is seen as a partnership and this then influences the degree of ownership and impact they have in their lives. Providing opportunities to further develop connections with parents and the wider community is an ongoing goal for Maria in her role as Deputy Principal - Primary Years.

Joanne Wegener 

Deputy Principal - Secondary Years

Prior to joining Good News Lutheran College in 2023, Joanne Wegener worked in several Lutheran colleges in South Australia as a Pastoral Care and Curriculum Leader. In these roles, she established and maintained high standards and respectful learning relationships between students and teachers.

Ms Wegener began her career teaching Geography. Her passion for Geography has seen her lead the Geography Teachers' Association of South Australia for five years as President. During this time, she promoted the teaching of Geography in the Australian Curriculum and led numerous workshops for teachers which encouraged the development of fieldwork skills and the use of spatial technology. Ms Wegener has been a Lead Practitioner of Geography for the SACE Board for a number of years, contributing to curriculum development and assessment. Ms Wegener recently completed a Master's in Educational Leadership, during which time her enthusiasm for leading quality teaching and learning from a well-being perspective was enhanced. She has a deep desire to help Secondary Year students forge their future pathways and achieve their individual measure of success through learner agency.

Mikaella Nelson

Head of Campus - Mambourin

Mikaella Nelson brings over 15 years of dedicated experience within the Lutheran education system, having worked across primary school settings in both the Northern Territory and Victoria. Throughout her career, she has held various leadership positions, demonstrating her dedication to creating effective learning communities. Mikaella possesses a wealth of knowledge in inquiry learning and the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP). Her teaching approaches are grounded in student-centred and inquiry-based approaches, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and active participation. This allows students to delve into their learning and develop their own understanding of the world.

Mikaella’s educational philosophy centres on ensuring that all learners have access to enriching and high-quality learning experiences. She believes in nurturing each student’s God-given talents so they can serve others. Her goal is to create an inclusive environment where a diverse array of students can thrive through personalised learning in modern educational spaces.

Outside the classroom, Mikaella enjoys supporting her children at sporting events and can often be found on the netball court. She, along with her husband Lance and their children Gretta and Percy, are excited to contribute to and grow within the vibrant Mambourin community.

Tracy Williams

Head of Learning P-12

Tracy Williams is a dedicated and passionate educator with a Bachelor of Arts and a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Melbourne. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Japanese, as well as conversant in basic Spanish and Polish, Tracy also holds a Masters of Applied Linguistics from Monash University, underscoring her commitment to internationalism and her love of language and literacy. Her international perspective has been enriched by teaching experiences overseas in Japan and Poland. Before her leadership role at GNLC, Tracy held a range of roles including Year 9 Coordinator and English Learning Area Coordinator, and through the pedagogical leadership of the English department the College saw a significant improvement in the academic results of our VCE students. As Head of Learning, Tracy is enthusiastic about developing robust learning programs across our College, dedicated to unlocking the full potential of every student.

Anthony Vassallo   

Business Manager

Anthony Vassallo has a broad background in Business, Information Technology, and Education. He has worked in various countries, including Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and Germany. He holds a Master of Management from the University of London, is a Fellow of the British Computer Society and Australian Institute of Managers and Leaders, as well as a Sloan Fellow of London Business School. 

After 20 years in International Banking, he pursued his passion for teaching. He has written and conducted numerous training courses on international banking operations, volunteered as a Cub Scout leader, and provided standardized test preparation training and dance classes. He is now the Business Manager at Good News Lutheran College, where he combines his Business skills and passion for education. 

Melissa Furtado

Head of People and Culture

Melissa Furtado serves as the Head of People and Culture at Good News Lutheran College. Melissa has over 15 years of diverse Human Resources experience and has had exposure to the areas of Child Protection, Banking and Finance. Before joining Good News Lutheran College, she worked as the Manager of People and Culture in an Asset Management firm and a large Not-for-Profit organisation. Melissa also has overseas experience working in Human Resources in India for a large MNC bank.

Melissa is passionate about the Human Resources function and believes in leading with empathy. Melissa also believes in creating and sustaining an environment in the organisation where staff and the organisation can reach their fullest potential. Melissa is a lifelong learner and has completed her Bachelor of Finance Management and a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources. She is currently pursuing a Certified HR Practitioner (CPHR) accreditation course through the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI).

Wayne Gehling

Head of Marketing and Community Partnerships

Wayne Gehling joined the GNLC Leadership team in 2023 with over 20 years of experience in Lutheran Schools. He provides GNLC with vast knowledge in the areas of community engagement, marketing, enrolments, communications, social media, media relations and fundraising. As Head of the Community Development team, he provides leadership on community engagement and fostering mutually beneficial life-long relationships in the community while enhancing the brand and raising the profile of GNLC in the western suburbs of Melbourne.