Appointed to School Council 2018

Mrs Debbie Buckley is a St Hilda’s Old Girl, who attended the School for 11 years before a career in nursing and general practice management. She married Mr John Buckley at St Hilda’s School Chapel in 1985 and has four children, the girls attending St Hilda’s and the boys TSS. After working in General Practice for 25 years, Debbie now has her own businesses Your Life My Time and Downsized Living where she supports professional women and manages the relocation of elderly retirees.

Debbie was involved with the Old Girls' Association as Vice President and then President for 10 years, retiring in 2015. Debbie is a passionate St Hilda’s Old Girl and has been honoured to serve on the School Council since 2018.

Appointed to School Council 2022

Mrs Samantha Macdonald is a St Hilda's Old Girl and is currently the Program Manager for Scheduled Care and Contracts for the Division of Surgery and Critical Care at Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, where her role involves providing strategic, managerial and analytical support to the General Manager of the division across various health agendas, including the Clinical Subcontracting (Outsourcing) program for the health service, elective surgery waitlist management and project management.

Samantha earned her degrees in Commerce (Accounting) and Property and Sustainable Development (Property Valuation) from Bond University and worked initially as a Senior Accountant at KPMG prior to moving towards financial and data analyst roles in both the private and public healthcare sectors in Queensland.

In addition to her day job, Samantha is a keen artist and illustrator and started her small business ‘Samantha Hogan Illustration’ in 2020 to honour her creative passions. Choosing to use predominantly pencils and pigmented inks, her style is a contemporary blend between fashion and realism with a fun and flirty energy becoming a central theme of her work. She aims to capture special moments in life via bespoke commission-based artworks for individuals, commercial partnerships, and live event illustrations. Samantha is inspired by bold, creative individuals, fashion, travel and current affairs.

Appointed to School Council 2023

Mrs Margaret Grummitt is a retired Police Senior Sergeant having spent 30 years mainly stationed on the Gold Coast. Her career was spent serving in PCYC, Juvenile Aid areas and Crime Prevention ending up as the Domestic Violence Prosecutor at Southport. She was St Hilda’s and TSS’s Adopt a Cop for many years.

Margaret served 12 years in the Gold Coast City Council as a Councillor then in retirement was appointed the QLD Consul General for the Philippines, a voluntary position she held for 6 years. Margaret comes with a wealth of experience in community engagement both as a police officer and as a city councillor.

She has held the position of President of Parkwood Rotary twice and represented Australian Rotary studying juvenile crime trends in both Illinois and Scotland and has been awarded with two Paul Harris Fellowships.

Margaret is a keen sportswoman gaining a Gold Medal in NSW Masters Games in the woman’s quad rowing and was also awarded medals in netball and yachting. She is Patron of the Labrador Community Garden, Men’s Shed Labrador and is currently the President of the Labrador Senior Citizens Centre.

Appointed to School Council 2024

After graduating from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Economics and graduate experience in local government, Reverend John Dougherty moved to the community sector as the General Manager for Rosies Friends on the Street.

This experience in Christ-centred leadership affirmed his calling into ordained ministry. John completed his Bachelor of Education and worked as a high school teacher for a number of years whilst continuing his formation towards Anglican Ordination and completing a Bachelor of Theology.

Since ordination in 2012, John has worked in rural and regional communities as both Curate and Priest in Charge. In 2017 John became Priest in Charge of Gold Coast North Anglican Church - a diverse church with three large worship centres and multiple ministries to the community.

In 2022, John was appointed Chaplain of The Southport School (TSS), a role that marries his vocation, education experience and connection to the bush. John has been married to Felicity since 2002, and together they have five children.

Appointed to School Council 2024

Mrs Wendy Henning is a St Hilda’s Old Girl and lives with her husband Andrew and their four daughters at ‘Merchison Park’, a beef cattle property in the Teelba area near Glenmorgan. Her children were educated at the local stand-alone primary school, Teelba State School before boarding at St Hilda’s School for their secondary schooling. Wendy’s youngest daughter, Jane, graduated in 2024.

Wendy works in partnership with Andrew in all aspects of their beef breeding business which also encompasses an off-farm enterprise, ensuring that there is diversity through seasons and economic challenges that an industry such as agriculture faces. Wendy is passionate about the future of a diverse agricultural industry and ensuring their business is equipped to continue.

Education for her four daughters has been a strong driving force in all decisions for her family, with the children not to be disadvantaged due to geography. Wendy became a member of the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA) in 2000 and has held the position of Secretary for the branch and has also been on the convening committees for ICPA conferences. A deep-seated passion and belief that all children, regardless of how they learn, deserve an equitable education, saw Wendy join State Council in 2015. She led the Specific Needs Portfolio for many years before also leading Curriculum and then Boarding Schools and Hostels.

Wendy was elected Vice-President in 2018 and held the position until 2023 when she was elected President. Wendy was also a councillor on the ICPA Australia Council for 2021 – 2024, holding the portfolios of Curriculum and Boarding Schools, Hostels and Second Homes. Volunteering has allowed Wendy the opportunity to broaden her skills, knowledge and focuses whilst living in a rural locality and balancing running a business with a growing family.

Mrs Virginia Warner was appointed the 12^th Principal of St Hilda’s School in 2024.

Virginia is an executive leader committed to human flourishing and transforming schools by building cultures that acknowledge the individual and celebrate the power of community.

Each chapter of Virginia’s career has been grounded in the expression of an authentic faith and the beliefs that high levels of care inspire hope and agency, and that the science of wellbeing and excellence in academic learning go hand in hand. A long-term resident of the Gold Coast, Virginia has extensive experience working in Anglican Schools across the Coast and in wider Queensland.

Encouraging high performance, a shared vision and collective purpose, Virginia’s strengths-based approach to leading empowers others while encouraging curiosity and a mindset that approaches challenges and opportunities with confidence and courage knowing that not even the sky is the limit.

Virginia is innovative and future-focused in her approach to ensuring young people achieve excellence in academic learning and so much more! After all, it is our young people that hold the hopes and ambitions of a flourishing future for us all.

Mrs Danielle Wruck was appointed Director of Business and Operations at St Hilda’s School in 2024.

Danielle is a financial, strategic, and operational professional with over 20 years of experience. She has excelled in senior executive management roles and served as a non-executive board member and committee chair. Danielle holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honours, a Bachelor of Business with Distinction, is a Certified Practising Accountant with Fellow status, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

In her previous role, Danielle played a pivotal role in transforming systems and building a global company as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Intogreat Solutions, a virtual staffing and consulting services organisation. Prior to this, she spent eleven years at ANZ Bank, where she held several senior roles and was a key driver of digital technology and performance transformations.

Danielle has a strong track record in governance within the not-for-profit sector. Her involvement with the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) and Little Athletics Victoria showcases her dedication to community service and her embodiment of the school values and motto, Non Nobis Solum – Not for Ourselves Alone. Her passion for supporting young people to thrive is evident in her impactful work with these organisations.

Danielle is a proud St Hilda’s parent of two daughters, Milly (Year 9) and Nina (Year 7).