More about Elsie

Leading a school is a privilege unlike any other. It is filled with joy, connection, growth and deep purpose.

My leadership style has always centred on relationships, with respect, kindness, communication and genuine connection at the core. Whether leading a school, a team or colleagues, I brought a head and heart approach grounded in empathy, care, conviction and passion.

I didn't always get it right, but I owned it when I got it wrong, and most importantly, learned from those experiences.

I loved being a primary school principal. For all its complexity, pressure and responsibility, I also experienced the deep privilege of leading communities, supporting staff and helping children flourish.

Always driven by the question, “How much better if?”, I was willing to challenge the status quo in pursuit of better outcomes for kids, staff and school communities.

Living and working across regional, remote and metropolitan Western Australia, from the Pilbara to the Goldfields and the Southwest, I understand firsthand both the joys and challenges of diverse communities, leadership complexity and raising a family whilst building a career.

Across more than 30 years in education, I have led schools and systems through challenge, change and growth; from established schools and experienced teams to the career highlight of opening a brand-new school where culture, connection and community were built from the soil of former farmland.

I understand both the privilege and the weight of leadership, with the importance of creating space for leaders to reflect, grow and thrive sustainably.