College Leadership Team
Principal, Mr Graham Leddie
Principal, Graham Leddie
BA GradDipEd MEDL MRE MACE
Graham Leddie was appointed Principal of Waverley College in January 2017, bringing a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to boys’ education. He is passionate about fostering environments where young men thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. His philosophy emphasizes the critical role of high-quality teaching and the importance of student wellbeing in achieving positive learning outcomes.
“Waverley College is at the forefront of Catholic education in Australia, with a clear strategic direction to innovate in learning, student formation, and wellbeing programs,” Mr. Leddie shares. “Our mission is to support boys in flourishing across their spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional, cultural, and physical dimensions. I am excited to lead the College as it continues to shape young men who are reflective, engaged learners and committed lifelong contributors to their communities.”
Before joining Waverley College, Mr. Leddie held senior leadership roles at St Joseph’s Nudgee College in Queensland, an Edmund Rice school affiliated with the GPS Association. As Deputy Principal, Dean of Administration, and Dean of Teaching and Learning, he spearheaded initiatives that elevated academic excellence and operational efficiency. Earlier in his career, he honed his teaching and leadership skills at The Rockhampton Grammar School and SCECGS Redlands.
Mr. Leddie’s own education reflects his dedication to lifelong learning. He attended Sydney Grammar School and holds dual master’s degrees: a Master of Educational Leadership and a Master of Religious Education, earned through the Australian Catholic University and Boston College. Most recently, he completed the prestigious Business Executive Program at Stanford Business School, focusing on innovative practices, strategic leadership, managing bias in decision-making, and crisis management.
Mr. Leddie is married and has two children. He is a passionate supporter of the arts, an avid sports enthusiast, and a lover of outdoor adventures. His deep appreciation for nature has inspired him to embark on expeditions to some of the world’s most renowned peaks and regions, including Aconcagua, Kota Kinabalu, Kilimanjaro, Torres del Paine NP, and Everest Base Camp. These experiences exemplify his commitment to resilience, exploration, and the ongoing pursuit of personal growth.
Deputy Principal – Students, Ms Gabrielle Smith
Deputy Principal – Students, Gabrielle Smith
BEd MEd
Gabrielle joined Waverley College in 2018 as Director of the Junior School bringing considerable expertise in the delivery of innovative and challenging pedagogy.
Prior to her appointment at Waverley College, Gabrielle was Acting Head of Junior School – Loreto Kirribilli, where she taught and worked for 12 years. Her previous roles included Head of Curriculum, Religious Education Coordinator and Assistant Head of Junior School. Prior to Loreto Kirribilli, Gabrielle worked at St Scholastica’s College Glebe, and Stonar School, Bath, England.
Gabrielle holds a Master of Education and Bachelor of Education and was recently awarded a National Excellence in School Leadership Initiative Scholarship.
Gabrielle is passionate about delivering an education that equips the students in her care with the skills to thrive in the world they will enter at the completion of school. The world is changing at a rapid rate, and students need to be able to critically think, communicate, collaborate and create to keep up. She believes in the importance of driving school-wide pedagogy that supports this through the explicit teaching of these domains.
Three key focus areas Gabrielle has been working on in her role as Acting Deputy Principal (Teaching and Learning) include Collaborative Learning Spaces, the Learning Walk Program and Deep Learning.
Gabrielle has spoken of some of her other highlights since beginning at Waverley – her launching of the new Learning Hub in the Junior School; developing a Lunchtime Talks initiative where inspiring members of our community are invited in to share their career journey; developing STEM Club, Innovation Club and Sustainability Club, and spearheading the future ‘Wingara’ project – the 5,000m2 of bushland behind the Junior School.
Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning, Ms Lynsey Porter
Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning, Lynsey Porter
BA (Hons) PGCE English
Lynsey Porter is the Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning at Waverley College, where she has dedicated her 24 years in education in both the UK and Australia to fostering academic excellence and innovative teaching practices. During her tenure, Lynsey has served as Head of English for eight years and Director of Curriculum for five years, making a lasting impact on the College’s approach to teaching and learning. She has also contributed to teacher education, delivering English teaching methods to undergraduates at Southern Cross University.
Lynsey graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English Language and Literature from the University of Liverpool in the UK. She went on to complete her Postgraduate Certificate in Secondary Education at the University of Manchester, further solidifying her foundation as an educator. In 2022, Lynsey completed her Graduate Certificate in Education at the Australian Catholic University with a focus on Highly Accomplished and Lead teaching practices. She also commenced a Masters in Educational Leadership in 2023 which she aims to complete by 2026. With 15 years of experience as an HSC teacher, marker and judge marker across all English courses, Lynsey is highly regarded for her expertise in English curriculum and pedagogy.
A passionate advocate for raising standards of literacy and numeracy across the curriculum, Lynsey is committed to equipping students with essential skills, particularly the six global competencies including character, creativity, critical thinking, citizenship, communication and collaboration. She describes herself as a lifelong learner, constantly seeking opportunities to reimagine education to meet the evolving needs of students and society.
Lynsey is also deeply invested in mentoring educators at all stages of their careers, recognising this as essential for shaping the future of education. For her, the most rewarding moments in teaching come when students gain the confidence to work independently, trust in their own abilities, and take ownership of their learning journey.
Her dedication to student growth, teacher development, and educational innovation defines her approach as a leader in teaching and learning.
Director of the Junior School, Ms Alanna James
Director of Junior School, Alanna James
BEd in Special Education
With over 15 years of experience in the Independent School sector, Alanna James is a dedicated educator, passionate about fostering student well-being and academic excellence. She is committed to implementing evidence-based practices in teaching and learning, student wellbeing, and providing positive opportunities for community engagement.
With a Bachelor of Education in Special Education and experience across diverse educational roles, Alanna is passionate about curriculum development, strategic planning, and leadership mentoring. She has held positions such as Acting Deputy Principal, Head of Primary, and Team Leader, successfully implementing initiatives to enhance academic outcomes, professional development, and school community involvement. Alanna is excited to collaborate and build strong connections with students, parents and staff to create safe and supportive learning environments for all boys.
Director of Co-curricular, Mr Stephen O’Donnell
Director of Co-curricular, Stephen O’Donnell
MEd (Educational Leadership), BEd Human Movement and Health Education
Stephen O’Donnell brings 23 years of teaching experience across a variety of schools in Sydney and the UK. A proud Old Boy of Waverley College (Class of 1990), his return to the College as a member of the teaching staff was a deeply significant milestone. Stephen holds a Master of Educational Leadership from Edith Cowan University, a Bachelor of Education in Human Movement and Health Education from the University of Sydney, and a Certificate in Religious Education. He is also a qualified trainer and assessor in advanced first aid, holding certifications as a St John First Aid Bronze Examiner, RLSSA Bronze Examiner, and SLS Bronze Medallion recipient.
Stephen’s career is distinguished by his dedication to both academics and co-curricular activities. Memorable highlights include leading Waverley College to the 2017 dual Football and Rugby CAS Premiership, serving as the CAS U16 Rugby coach for 10 seasons, and acting as Honorary Secretary of the Australian Schools Rugby Union. He has also organized and participated in international tours to New Zealand, Japan, and South Africa, enriching the sporting and cultural experiences of his students.
A committed community member, Stephen was awarded life membership to Coogee Minnows Surf Life Saving Club after 11 years of training young people in beach safety. His son graduated from Waverley College in 2021, and his daughter completed her education at St Clare’s College, Waverley, in 2024.
Stephen’s passions include teaching PDHPE to the boys of Waverley College and promoting a holistic approach to education that incorporates both sporting and cultural opportunities for all students. Beyond his professional life, he enjoys surf lifesaving, cooking, and engaging in all forms of sport and exercise. His commitment to fostering a strong co-curricular program reflects his belief in the value of developing well-rounded individuals.
Director of Curriculum, Ms Martina Cooper
Director of Curriculum, Martina Cooper
BA (Hons) Mathematics and Geography
Martina Cooper is the Acting Director of Curriculum at Waverley College. She has been a curriculum leader for over 20 years including nine years as Head of Religion at Waverley College. Martina graduated from University College Cork in Ireland attaining a Bachelor of Arts, with honours, in Geography and Mathematics. She then embarked on a range of postgraduate study, including diplomas in Education, Catechetics and TESOL. Martina has a range of expertise in the delivery of curriculum from Mathematics to Literacy, Geography and Religion. Prior to commencing at Waverley College in 2015, she was Director of Religion and previously Mathematics Coordinator at St Clare’s College, Waverley. Martina has significant experience as a HSC marker, ultimately a Senior Marker and then the Supervisor of Marking for Studies of Religion (2019-23).
Martina is passionate about providing a holistic education for boys in the EREA context. Having grown up in Waterford, Ireland, she feels a sense of responsibility to ensure that the legacy of Blessed Edmund Rice lives on at Waverley College. To this end, Martina always strives to foster and develop interfaith dialogue opportunities for staff and students. Her educational philosophy is based around a liberating education that develops and nurtures globally-minded citizens. Martina pinpoints a number of highlights in her teaching career, in particular the joy, affirmation and excitement in enabling students to achieve First in State ranks for Studies of Religion: SOR I at St Clare’s College and SOR II at Waverley College.
Martina’s other passions include food and travel but she finds it difficult to pinpoint the best place she has been, citing amazing adventures in countries like China, India, Israel, Jordan, Kenya and many in Europe too.
Director of Identity and Global Advocacy, Ms Suzanne Walsh
Director of Identity and Global Advocacy
BEd, MEd
Sue has been teaching for 30 years and during this time has held a wide range of Pastoral Leadership positions in different Catholic schools throughout Australia and the USA. She has taught at St Joseph’s Regional and Mackillop Senior College in Port Macquarie, St Ignatius’ College Riverview and St Louis University High School, in St Louis, Missouri. She has recently joined the Waverley College leadership team after three years at The Cardoner Project – a Jesuit youth ministry offering service experiences to students post-school.
Sue has a Bachelor of Education from the University of Sydney and a Masters in Educational Leadership from the Australian Catholic University. In addition to this, she also holds a Diploma in Catechetics from the Thomas Aquinas Academy.
Sue is an enthusiastic Business Studies, Commerce, Geography and RE Teacher and throughout her teaching career, one of her most memorable teaching moments was working with students on a camp for children with disabilities, and seeing the smiles on the students’ faces as they interacted with the “big guys” and noting that the senior students were even more thrilled.
Director of ICT, Campus & Innovation, Mr Simon Potter
Director of ICT, Campus & Innovation, Simon Potter
Originally from the eastern part of England and having graduated from Queen Mary’s College, Basingstoke in Geology and Geography, Simon began his IT career working in a UK government department providing support on network infrastructure. He then certified as a Novell Master Engineer and moved on to a Post Graduate Legal College initially providing Level 3 support and then subsequently moving into a Team Leader role within the same organisation.
He emigrated to Australia with his Australian wife in September 2005 and commenced work at Waverley College as the sole IT Support person in November that year. Since those early days, he is now the proud father of three children and has progressed from IT Manager into his current role of Director of ICT, Campus and Innovation. Throughout his early career, he developed a strong customer service ethic and a passion for supporting technology in the Education space. He is most proud of the development of the IT Support structures that have matured at Waverley and which provide excellent support to all members of the Waverley community.
Business Manager, Mr Andre Airola
Business Manager, Andre Airola
Andre Airola is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with over 20 years of experience in financial management, including a decade in public accounting and professional services. He has built a distinguished career across Australia and Brazil, bringing deep expertise in audit, assurance, and operational finance across diverse industries such as education, financial services, and healthcare.
Recognised for his strategic approach to financial planning and governance, Andre brings a solid foundation in compliance, risk management, and business operations.
In April 2025, he was appointed Business Manager at Waverley College, joining from St Catherine’s School, Sydney where he led cross-functional teams and drove significant improvements in financial processes, systems integration, and operational efficiency. Andre’s commitment to innovation and continuous improvement has consistently delivered results, aligning financial strategy with institutional goals.
Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Andre has successfully navigated roles in both international and local contexts, applying a collaborative leadership style grounded in integrity and accountability. Passionate about the transformative power of education, he is dedicated to supporting Waverley College’s mission through sound financial stewardship and active community engagement.
Andre looks forward to contributing to the College’s sustainable growth and working closely with staff, students, and families.
