The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) is governed by a seven-member board that includes nominees from each of the three schooling sectors and four Ministerial nominees selected on the basis of expertise relevant to the functions of the Authority.
Emeritus Professor Carol Nicoll PSM (Chair)
BA LLB DipEd MEdAdmin UQ PhD UBC
Nominee of the Minister having the qualifications, experience or standing the Minister considers relevant to the functions of the Authority, and appointed as chair of the Authority
PSM (Chair)
Carol Nicoll is an Emeritus Professor at the Queensland University of Technology.
As former Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Carol was responsible for the management and leadership of one of Australia's largest Faculties of Education and one of Queensland's largest providers of graduate teachers.
Carol's early career was as a Queensland secondary school teacher and head of an English department. She served in a variety of roles in several of the QCAA's predecessor bodies. During the 1990s, she was a panellist, an accredited marker and then Chief Marker for the Writing Task of the Queensland Core Skills Test for the Board of Senior Secondary School Studies. She worked as a senior research officer at the Tertiary Entrance Procedures Authority. During this time, Carol worked at QUT and The University of Queensland as an academic focused on teaching and learning in higher education.
Carol joined the Commonwealth public service in 1999 and held numerous senior executive positions in the Federal Department of Education — head of the team that developed the 2003 higher education reform package; Minister‑Counsellor for Education, Science and Training, Australian Embassy, Brussels; Group Manager of the Industry Skills Development Group; Group Manager of National Education System Group and National Coordinator of the Building the Education Revolution program.
Carol was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (2010–2011) and the inaugural Chief Commissioner and CEO of the national regulator for Australian higher education, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (2011–2014). Carol has served on the School Councils of Kedron State High School and Corinda State High School. She was awarded a Public Service Medal on Australia Day 2004 for outstanding public service.
Mr Michael De'Ath
The chief executive of the Department of Education
Michael De'Ath was appointed the Director-General of the Department of Education in December 2021.
Michael has extensive experience in education, community services and health and more than 20 years public sector leadership experience across Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand. He has led complex organisational transformations in the public sector and has driven a range of significant policy and system reforms across the education, community services and health sectors.
He has served as a teacher, school principal, Regional Director, Deputy Secretary and Director-General, including more than 10 years as a principal across several schools.
Michael holds a Masters in Educational Administration (First Class Hons), an Executive Masters in Public Administration through the Australia New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG), a Bachelor of Education and a Diploma of Teaching.
Mr Allan Blagaich
Nominee of the Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC)
Allan Blagaich was appointed as Executive Director, Queensland Catholic Education Commission in June 2023 and commenced in the role in September 2023. Prior to this appointment, Allan was the Executive Director of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, Western Australia (WA) (2011–2023). In this role he worked closely with the Association of Independent Schools Western Australia, Catholic Education Western Australia and the Department of Education Western Australia.
Prior to 2011, Allan held the roles of Executive Director, Statewide Planning and Delivery (2010–2011) and Executive Director, Metropolitan Schools (2008–2009) at the Department of Education WA. Allan was a principal of a senior secondary school in WA (2002–2008) and Deputy Principal in three senior secondary rural, outer metropolitan and metropolitan schools.
Allan has served as chair of the Australasian Curriculum Assessment and Certification Authorities (ACACA) in 2012 and 2013 and as chair of the Australasian Curriculum Assessment and Certification Authorities Vocational Education and Training Committee (2011–2023). He was a board member of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) representing WA. Allan was a foundation director of the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) and served as the West Australian jurisdictional nominee for three years. He was one of the three writers charged with developing the Australian Professional Standard for Principals.
In 2006, Allan was awarded Rotary Principal of the Year and was subsequently awarded a Churchill Fellowship to investigate how systems support schools facing challenging circumstances. He undertook his fellowship in 2008 studying education systems in Chicago, Boston, New York, Toronto, England and Scotland.
Allan is a council member of the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) Western Australia and is currently serving as Club President.
Mr Christopher Mountford
Nominee of Independent Schools Queensland
Christopher Mountford was appointed the Chief Executive Officer for Independent Schools Queensland in June 2021. Previously, he held the position of Queensland Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia. He has specific expertise in the areas of policy, government advocacy and commercial activities.
Christopher has more than two decades of experience in member-based advocacy organisations and government relations. Importantly, he also has an exceptional understanding of government regulation and has been influential on numerous state and local government advisory boards.
Christopher holds a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) and a Bachelor of Economics and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). He is also a volunteer Parent Ambassador for Act for Kids; an Australian charity focused on treating and preventing child abuse.
Professor Doune Macdonald
BHMS(Ed)(Hons), PhD, FNAK, FAIESEP, GAICD
Nominee of the Minister having relevant corporate, governance or financial qualifications or experience
As Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at The University of Queensland (UQ), Professor Macdonald is responsible for preserving the University's commitment to high quality learning and teaching; promoting a culture of excellence across the student experience; leading initiatives aimed at student success and retention, and integration of services for students; and quality standards.
Following an early career teaching health and physical education in New South Wales and Queensland, Doune returned to UQ as a lecturer in 1990 and in 1998 won an Australian Award for University Teaching. She served as Head of School of Human Movement Studies from 2004–2013. During this period, Doune sat on various Health and Physical Education committees for the Board of Secondary School Studies.
Doune has published 14 books and more than 200 book chapters and research papers in curriculum, policy and equity and has undertaken curriculum evaluations for state and national initiatives. This culminated in her role as the Lead Writer for the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education.
Doune is an International Fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology, USA, a Fellow and Board Member of the Association Internationale des Ecoles Superieures d'Education Physique (AIESEP), a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and serves as a trustee of the Brisbane Grammar School and sits on Grace College Council. Doune also chairs the State Ministerial Advisory Committee on Women and Girls in Sport and Recreation and sits on the Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research Advisory Group. She has previously held directorships with UQ Sport Ltd and St Margaret's School.
Mr Terence (Terry) Burke
Nominee of the Minister having the qualifications, experience or standing the Minister considers relevant to the functions of the Authority
Terry Burke had an early career as a secondary teacher and administrator. He has been the Branch Secretary of the Independent Education Union (Queensland and Northern Territory Branch) for over 25 years. In this role, he has overall responsibility for budgeting, expense management, governance, implementation of strategic planning and reporting to members and the regulator.
Terry is an experienced director with current positions on superannuation and private health boards. He has extensive knowledge and practice of corporate governance, risk identification and management and due diligence.
Terry holds a Master of Educational Administration (University of Queensland), a Bachelor of Education (James Cook University), a Graduate Diploma in Education – Religious Education (Australian Catholic University), a Certificate in Governance for Not-for-Profits (Governance Institute of Australia), a Certificate in Finance (University of New South Wales) and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Ms Cresta Richardson
Nominee of the Minister having the qualifications, experience or standing the Minister considers relevant to the functions of the Authority
Cresta Richardson is the President of the Queensland Teachers' Union, which has more than 47,000 teacher and principal members in Queensland state schools and TAFE institutes. She commenced this role in 2021, after serving as Vice-President since 2019.
Cresta is an experienced educator and has worked in teaching and leadership roles in Queensland primary and secondary schools on the Sunshine Coast, Caboolture and Emerald. Cresta has served as Curriculum Adviser, Support Teacher Literacy and Numeracy, Deputy Principal, Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher Assessor. Cresta was also a member of the Board of the Queensland College of Teachers.
- Last updated:
- 6 October 2023
