Senior leadership team

  • Ben Skeen

    Ben Skeen

    Headmaster

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    Ben Skeen

    Ben Skeen

    Headmaster

    Ben joined St Paul's as Headmaster in May 2021 from Auckland Grammar School.

    Educated at St Peter's College in Auckland, Ben graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in HR and Economics and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in NZ History with a minor in Political Studies along with a graduate diploma in teaching from the University of Auckland.

    He held a variety of leadership and management positions at Auckland Grammar including Associate Headmaster, Associate Dean, Dean, Assistant Boarding Housemaster and Master in Charge of Student Leadership Programmes. He was awarded a Woolf Fisher Fellowship for excellence in education and leadership.

    In 2009, he initiated and led a flagship programme - a month-long biennial service programme for Auckland Grammar students. He was a teacher of history and social studies, Master in Charge of rugby for five years and Assistant Coach of Auckland Grammar First XV rugby team for eight seasons.

    Outside of work, Ben was contracted to NZ Rugby’s high-performance match official squad where for 12 of his 15 years with the squad he provided refereeing services to World Rugby. After officiating 70 test matches and travelling the world numerous times, Ben retired from refereeing at the end of 2019.

    Ben is married to Hayley, who is a primary school teacher, and they have two daughters Grace and Zara, and son Harrison.

    Contact:
    Tel: +64 7 957 8899 ext 8830

  • Craig Hardman

    Craig Hardman

    Associate Headmaster – School Operations

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    Craig Hardman

    Craig Hardman

    Associate Headmaster – School Operations

    Before taking up the role of Associate Headmaster - School Operations, Craig held the role as Deputy Headmaster - Pastoral Care and was the Head of Physical Education at St Paul’s. He has also been the Housemaster in charge of Williams House. He joined the school after completing a conjoint degree in teaching and sports and leisure.

    Teaching aside, Craig is also an experienced coach, he has coached at various levels from school through to Waikato and Midlands Hockey. Since his arrival, he has coached the 1st XI hockey team, culminating in the team becoming national secondary school champions in the Rankin Cup and being named the secondary schools’ ‘team of the year at the Brian Perry Waikato Regional Sports Awards.

    Craig has developed and implemented various school initiatives such as the Xccellerator programme for junior high performance sportsmen and the Character Education programme, a drive to introduce character development into the curriculum. He also forged a partnership with the regional Midlands Hockey organisation and helped establish a Collegians' Hockey Club to enable past students and members of the community to play hockey through the school.

    Significant awards:
    ISNZ Honours Award for service to students and sport (2018)

    Contact:
    Tel: +64 7 957 8899 ext 8848
    Email: c.hardman@stpauls.school.nz

  • Theresa Miller

    Theresa Miller

    Associate Headmaster – Student Wellbeing

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    Theresa Miller

    Theresa Miller

    Associate Headmaster – Student Wellbeing

    Theresa joins St Paul's from Waikato Diocesan School for Girls where she has been the Deputy Principal for five years, holding several senior portfolios over that time, including overseeing the senior school, boarding, and school-wide pastoral care.

    Theresa’s experience gained across fifteen years of educating and leading at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls has included managing and leading the wellness centre, peer support initiatives, student prefects, and school academia.

    Theresa will provide St Paul’s with a wealth of experience as she leads our School’s newly aligned Student Wellbeing focused portfolio. She will have responsibilities for integrating the School’s student wellbeing strategy, policies, and initiatives, alongside managing pastoral support and discipline structures within the day school. Theresa will also oversee the International Department and will lead the School’s important and continual Child Protection focus.

    Theresa completed a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at the University of Waikato, was employed at Deloittes, and then admitted to the bar, before undertaking her Post Graduate Diploma in Secondary School Teaching at the Auckland College of Education.

    Theresa is a familiar face to many long-serving staff around the St Paul’s Hamilton campus, having previously held a teaching position with us in mathematics and accounting between 2003-2007. Theresa is married to Hayden and they have three sons, Brooklyn, Dominic, and Maxwell.

    Contact:
    Email: t.miller@stpauls.school.nz

  • Helen Bradford

    Helen Bradford

    Deputy Headmaster – Academic Systems

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    Helen Bradford

    Helen Bradford

    Deputy Headmaster – Academic Systems

    Originally from Hastings, Helen has a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Mathematics from Massey University. She completed her Diploma in Teaching at Christchurch Teachers College and more recently completed her Masters of Educational Leadership with first class honours from the University of Waikato.

    Helen came to St Paul’s in 2008 from Fairfield College where she taught Mathematics for 25 years. She held various roles during this time as Dean, Assistant Head of Mathematics, Head Timetabler and Principal's Nominee. Returning to the Mathematics classroom as a full time teacher initially Helen acknowledges how important communication and relationships are to good classroom practice.

    At St Paul’s Helen took on the role as Teacher in Charge of Netball organising tours to Australia and within New Zealand to compete in our Trans Tasman Tournament.

    An important part of her role is to ensure that the young men and women transition easily into St Paul’s and that they are set up to enjoy every success and opportunity available to them.

    Contact:
    Tel: +64 7 957 8899 ext 8869
    Email: h.bradford@stpauls.school.nz

  • Jeremy Coley

    Jeremy Coley

    Deputy Headmaster - Curriculum and Assessment

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    Jeremy Coley

    Jeremy Coley

    Deputy Headmaster - Curriculum and Assessment

    Since coming to St Paul’s as an English teacher in 2006, Jeremy has moved his way up to Head of the English Department (a role he held for ten years), Leader of Curriculum (overseeing English, languages, media studies and ESOL), Director of Teaching and Learning and now to his current role of Deputy Headmaster in charge of Academics.

    Originally from New Plymouth, Jeremy has a Bachelor of Arts in History and English from the University of Waikato. Passionate about literature and writing, Jeremy initially thought he would pursue a career in journalism, however a change of path led him to complete a teaching diploma at Massey University followed by a teaching position at his former school of New Plymouth Boys’ High School. He went on to spend some time living abroad, working at Hampstead School in London as well as travelling to various places including India, Sri Lanka, Asia and Europe, before returning to New Zealand and settling in Hamilton.

    Since joining St Paul’s, Jeremy has been involved in major school-wide initiatives, including the earlier introduction of iPads into the junior school and ‘Write that Essay’ – a web-based writing programme which has been successful in raising the standard of student writing. He has been involved in basketball which is a passion of his, having previously been an assistant coach and coach of the Premier Basketball team and now he is involved with the Junior Premier side.

    Jeremy firmly believes that St Paul's Collegiate is a special place for learning. Teachers go above and beyond but firmly encourage a heuristic learning experience for their charges. Students are encouraged to strive for their very best and there is a wonderful sense that maximising potential is the norm. He encourages students to challenge themselves to 'master their minutes' at school and enjoy the wonderful holistic opportunities that St Paul's offers but above all strive for academic achievement. This is a non-negotiable factor of this special character school.

    Contact:
    Tel: +64 7 957 8899 ext 8858 Email: j.coley@stpauls.school.nz

  • Josh Hay

    Josh Hay

    Deputy Headmaster - Co-curricular

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    Josh Hay

    Josh Hay

    Deputy Headmaster - Co-curricular

    Josh has an extensive background in secondary school sport and education and is an able practitioner.

    Josh previously spent 13 years at Hamilton Boys’ High School holding a variety of positions including senior teacher, hostel master, First XV Coach, year level Dean and director of sport. He then took a break of two years to take on the role of Account Manager for The Lion Foundation, before being drawn back to the area he is immensely passionate about – secondary school sports and developing the whole student athlete.

    Josh has a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science (Coaching and Sport Psychology) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary). He has a strong coaching background in rugby, having coached teams such as New Zealand Secondary Schools, Waikato Development and Under 20 teams, as well as coaching experience in Japan and Wales.

    Josh’s position at St Paul’s is to oversee the promotion and support of sporting opportunities that maximise the personal and collective growth and development of skills and opportunities of as many St Paul's coaches and sports men and women as possible.

    Contact:
    Tel: +64 7 957 8899 ext 8737 Email: j.hay@stpauls.school.nz

  • Reverend Peter Rickman

    Reverend Peter Rickman

    Chaplain

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    Reverend Peter Rickman

    Reverend Peter Rickman

    Chaplain

    Peter has 20 years of impressive and varied experience in the Anglican Church of New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the USA. He has worked as a community and youth worker, counsellor, teacher, prison and school chaplain, vicar and, prior to returning to St Paul’s, he was Dean of the Waikato Cathedral Church of St Peter. Peter was St Paul’s Chaplain for four years, from 2001 to 2004, before he returned to Parish Ministry in the United Kingdom.

    In his role as Waikato Cathedral Dean, he had extensive management and leadership experience, working with over 200 volunteers and 10 employees, assisting the homeless and mentally ill, providing outreach services programme for youth, the elderly and the vulnerable, while overseeing the Cathedral – a church that plays a central role in the life of the Anglican Church in the Waikato.

    Outside the church, as a first aid instructor, Peter has had experience as a community ambulance first responder, is an active leader in Hamilton Sea Scouts as an instructor in kayaking and sailing and is a qualified PADI scuba dive instructor. Articulate and engaging, Peter relates comfortably and easily to young people and has strong pastoral care and guidance skills.

    Contact:
    Tel: +64 7 957 8899 ext 8842
    Email: revpeter@stpauls.school.nz

  • Kathryn Conaghan

    Kathryn Conaghan

    Head of HR and Health & Safety

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    Kathryn Conaghan

    Kathryn Conaghan

    Head of HR and Health & Safety

    Kathryn comes from a background in Human Resource Management in the private sector and has been an integral part of St Paul's Collegiate School since 2015.

    Kathryn is a people person. She carefully coordinates the recruitment of staff while creating a positive environment within the staff community.

    As a highly competent Head of HR and Health & Safety, Kathryn is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team.

    Contact:
    Tel: +64 7 957 8899 Email: k.conaghan@stpauls.school.nz

  • Peter Welham

    Peter Welham

    Business Manager

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    Peter Welham

    Peter Welham

    Business Manager

    Peter is a Chartered Accountant with an honours degree in accounting and has worked in a number accounting and auditing practices including Ernst and Young in Auckland and Christchurch.

    Since then he has been employed in finance and business manager roles in a variety of commercial enterprises including AMI Insurance and Fairfax where he managed the finance functions of both the Christchurch Press and Timaru Herald newspapers.

    Peter was the Business Manager at St Margaret’s College in Christchurch and helped manage the school through the earthquake crisis and subsequent rebuild. Prior to moving to Hamilton and St Paul's Collegiate School in 2012, Peter was the manager of the College of Science at the University of Canterbury.

    Contact:
    Tel: +64 7 957 8899 ext 8827
    Email: p.welham@stpauls.school.nz

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