1. Name and are you an Adelaide person and care to share anything about your family?

Dennis Mulherin. I was born and raised in Brisbane and have spent all but a year of my life there. I am married to Julie and have two adult children – my daughter, Rebecca, who is returning from two years in South Korea in coming weeks, and a son, Thomas, who is an engineer based in Brisbane.

2. Where were you before this and what persuaded you to join Concordia College? 

For the last six years I have been the Executive Director of Lutheran Education Queensland, supporting a system of 26 schools and 47 ELCs across the state of Queensland and northern NSW. The job was highly satisfying, supporting the Principals and Governing Bodies of all the schools, but it was unrelenting. I have come to Concordia for a rest… only joking. I was ready for a new challenge and excited by the opportunity to work in a new state, at a highly regarded school, supporting staff to deliver quality learning and care to its students.

3. Three words to describe you. 

Passionate. Authentic. Committed.

4. What is your motivation or inspiration as Principal of the Middle and Senior School? 

I have already seen the quality of young educational leaders at the school. I am motivated to support their continued growth.

5. You have just had a few weeks in the role – what has impressed you thus far and what goals are in the pipeline? 

I am impressed by the foundations that are already in place. The staff team are committed and passionate. The students are focused on their learning. The overarching goal is to ensure every individual, staff or student, achieves and sees growth throughout 2022.

6. If you had a superpower, what would it be? 

What would I like it to be? I would love the ability to slow down time. This would give me more hours in a day to achieve what I want to achieve and would allow the time to ensure decisions that are made are done so with the thinking necessary. Decisions on the run in a busy schedule are rarely in the best interest of the school.

7. Who would you invite to a dinner party of six guests and why? Alternatively, tell us something you might like to share that we could not possibly know? 

Pre-COVID, I had visited over 50 countries. I love travel for the opportunities it provides to step in the shoes of others. Having said that, if I only had five invites to a dinner party, I would invite my wife Julie because she is the extrovert and would connect with all the other guests. The other four invites would be offered to family and friends. I am not necessarily impressed by celebrity, and I never get enough time to share with those I love.