Executive Team

Mitchell Mackay has worked with the WA Department of Education for 35 years and has been the Principal of John Curtin College of the Arts for the past 12 years. During this time he has acted as Assistant Regional Executive Director (2015) and Director of the School Improvement and Support Unit (2017). Previous to this he was Principal of Rossmoyne Senior High School and Leeming Senior High School, Manager of Operations of the Fremantle-Peel District Office, and has been a Deputy Principal, Head of Learning Area Mathematics, Year Coordinator and teacher of Mathematics.

In 2007 Mitchell helped transform John Curtin College of the Arts into the only fully selective arts college in Western Australia. In 2009 the college was one of the first 34 public schools to be selected to become one of the State’s first Independent Public Schools.  He has presented at many forums both in WA and in other states for principals and colleagues on leadership, Independent Public Schools and change management.

He was recognised as runner up Principal of the Year in the 2011 Western Australian Education Awards and in 2012 he won an Australian Council for Educational Leaders Certificate of Excellence in educational leadership. In 2016 he was selected to travel to Harvard University, USA to complete the Principal’s Fellowship Program in Educational Leadership.

He has a Masters of Education in Educational Management and Administration and a Bachelor of Education in Mathematics and Science.

Travis Vladich is Deputy Principal, Dean of the Arts at John Curtin. He is an advocate of the Arts and for gifted and talented education.

He started his teaching career in a remote Kimberly community in 1993 before returning to Perth to teach in his field of Drama. Travis has had vast leadership experiences with the School Curriculum and Standards Authority and the Department of Education through his roles in Students Services, Curriculum and Assessment and as a Head of Learning Area.

In his current role he works with the philosophy of student engagement and achievement through innovation and creativity.

Georgina has been Deputy Principal at John Curtin College of the Arts since 2007. Her role focuses on curriculum development and improvement across the college with specific emphases on the Academic Excellence Program and Vocational Education and Training. With the advent of the Australian Curriculum and the 2012 release of the Federal Government’s White Paper Australia in the Asian Century, she has been actively involved in encouraging and supporting teaching staff to work on ways to include a more Asian focus into their teaching and learning programs.

Prior to her role as Deputy she was Manager of Student Services at the college. She spent 10 years in Wheatbelt schools as the Head of Learning Area in Humanities and her teaching background is in geography and social studies.

Wayne Sibson is Deputy Principal – Staffing.

Kevin Griffiths is Deputy Principal – Operations. His portfolio includes uniforms, transition, parent nights, immunisations, OLNA and NAPLAN testing, exam support, and local enrolments.

Gavin Bradshaw is Head of Students Services for students in Years 10 to 12.

Melissa Prince is the Head of Student Services for students in Years 7 to 9 and assists with Year 12.