MEET THE TEAM
RISE Coolangatta
MR DAVID GEMMELL
Position: Director of RISE Activities
Teaching Period: Formally 12 years, informally educating for 22 years.
Motivation: Sparking the light bulb momentsbrings me joy every time!
Fun Fact: I have swum in 4 of the 5 Oceans. Just missing the Antarctic.
Favourite RISE Moment: The amazement and positive affirmation from my colleagues around Australia when they hear what we are accomplishing at RISE. I also love hearing the positive comments from Hillcrest senior subject teachers who now teach past RISE students.
Email: dgemmell@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
Head of RISE Academics
MR MATTHEW DAVEY
Position: Head of RISE Academics
Teaching Period: 14 years
Motivation: I love working with young people and I love Maths. Teaching is the perfect blend!
Fun Fact: I’m a Maths teacher, but English was my best subject in school.
Favourite RISE Moment: Snorkelling with turtles.
Email: mdavey@hillcrest.qld.edu
RISE Teacher & Child Safety OfficerMR SHAWN SKINNER
Role: Teacher
Teaching Period: 12 years
Motivation: I always wanted to be a teacher. I knew I wanted to have a little life experience before starting a career in education so I tried banana picking, landscaping, scuba instructing, and tour guide leading. My favorite people to work with have always been teenagers. I appreciate their sense of humor, and they are never boring.
Fun Fact: I'm from the sweetest place on Earth (Hershey, Pennsylvania), and the factory made the whole town smell like chocolate.
Favourite RISE moment: On a rescue board with three of my students behind the break in the Pacific Ocean. I felt that there was no better place for any of us.
Email: sskinner@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
MR JOSH WALKER
RISE Learning Support
Position: Learning Support Teacher
Teaching Period: 22 years
Motivation: I believe the best learning occurs when we are just outside of our comfort zone but the information is not at the too challenging stage.
Fun Fact: I have three girls and all of us have been on the big screen in a movie or tv series.
Favourite RISE Moment: Going to ‘The Tale of the Tides’ with my family and seeing what a great job the students had done on their projects and how well they connected with all of the people who attended.
Email: jwalker@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
English/HASS Teacher
MRS KATIE O’GORMAN
Position: English/HASS Teacher
Teaching Period: 15 years
Motivation: Bit of a cliché - I was lucky to be inspired by an amazing teacher at school and hope that I can make a difference to the students I teach. I am passionate about supporting young people, particularly teenagers struggling with self-confidence and mental health.
Fun Fact: I have jumped out a plane 3 times – once over a glacier, once over the Great Barrier Reef and once through the clouds in the UK.
Favourite RISE Moment: Taking the last Year 9 students snorkelling at Cook Island – bouncing through the waves, getting up close with a humpback whale and seeing the students’ faces when they came face to face with turtles. Magical!
Email: kogorman@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
Science Teacher
MRS JENNIFER LAVIGNE
Position: Science Teacher
Teaching Period: 10 years
Motivation: I love learning – the more I learn the more I am in awe of who God is and what He has created – and I want to inspire young people to love learning too!
Fun Fact: “Drive to Survive” has turned me into a big F1 fan!
Favourite RISE Moment: Watching whales breach on the RP23 snorkelling trip!
Email: jlavigne@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
Math Teacher
MRS HOLLY CONNORS
Position: Math Teacher
Teaching Period: 7 years
Motivation: To empower and mentor students
Fun Fact: I've worked at schools in three different countries.
Favourite RISE Moment: Students getting so excited about catching waves on surf rescue boards.
Email: hconnors@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
HPE Teacher & SRC Coach
MRS LAUREN EDDIE
Role: HPE Teacher & Surf rescue Certificate Trainer
Teaching Period: 15 years
Motivation: I am motivated to teach because I have a desire to help improve the lives of my students and enjoy partnering with them and helping them achieve their goals.
Fun Fact: I entered a couple of triathlons this year to challenge my fitness.
Favourite RISE moment: Run project last year seeing students achieve their goals.
Email: leddie@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
LUMOS English & Humanities Teacher
MRS STEPHANIE RACKEMANN
Position: English and Humanities Teacher: LUMOS
Teaching Period: 21 years
Motivation: I love Middle Schooling philosophy and working with younger teenagers. I’m motivated by the opportunity to support them while they develop their world views as they’re exposed to more complex issues in the curriculum and the world around them.
Fun Fact: I’ve committed to being a more mindful consumer and am not buying any clothing or accessories in 2024. Thank goodness for the RISE uniform!
Favourite RISE Moment: Whenever members of the public stop us to tell us how wonderful our students are or ask about what we’re doing at RISE… which happens quite a lot!
Email: srackemann@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
Math/Science/HPE Teacher & Head of HPE SLC
MR ADAM MARKS
Position: RISE Maths/Science/HPE teacher and
Head of HPE SLC
Teaching Period: 18 years
Motivation: Seeing young people reach their full potential.
Fun Fact: I have lived on 3 different continents.
Favourite RISE Moment: Lunch time Volleyball
Email: amarks@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
English/HASS Teacher
MS MICHELLE GOAN
Name: Michelle Goan
Role: English/HASS Teacher
Teaching Period: 32 years
Motivation: Students lighting up when they succeed and learn new things
Fun Fact: Recently acquired a new Cavoodle puppy!
Favourite RISE moment: Running during Unplugged and enjoying being by the ocean.
Email: mgoan@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
MRS JESSICA JOUBERT
RISE Teacher
Role: RISE Teacher
Teaching Period: 17 Years (2 years in RISE - just 1 day a week)
Motivation: Well 17 years ago - I was just drawn to teaching, I knew that's what I wanted to do all through school - not particularly surprising as I come from a long family line of teachers - But it was a dream when I realised I could combine a teaching degree with some of my passionsso I just love my senior specialist areas (Dance, Media, Film and Television). I really love sharing my passion and enthusiasm particularly for these subjects with students - who also often share those same passions. I really love having the opportunity to have a positive impact in the lives of students and inspire, motivate and guide students to achieving their goals and being positive contributors to society. I get a lot of fulfillment and self satisfaction seeing students succeed, grow and develop into well rounded Individuals.
Fun Fact: I spent my younger years performing as SpongeBob, Blue (from Blues Clues), Jimmy Neutron- just to name a few... and throwing slime on people (that was my actual job)...
Favourite RISE moment: Anytime students are out in the sunshine having fun and bonus points if they are serving the community and helping others...
Email: jjoubert@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
Wellbeing Officer
MR JASON DAWKINS
Position: Wellbeing Officer
How long have you been supporting young people:
I have been working with young people for 8 years.
Youth Pastoring, Youth Residential care, Chaplaincy in state schools and now Wellbeing Officer at Hillcrest for 2 years.
Motivation: I want to lead a generational into moral and ethical transformation. Back to God through the gospel of Jesus and see society “norms” change as a result.
Fun Fact: I have had a pacemaker since I was 3 months old.
Favourite RISE Moment: Spending the day at Fingal Head learning about traditions of First Nations people.
Email: jdawkins@hillcrest.qld.edu.au
MISS FARIDA DUNFORD
RISE Receptionist & Marketer
Position: RISE Receptionist & Marketer
How long have you been supporting young people:
I have been volunteering in various roles involving young people for the last 3 years. Particularly as a Primary and High school leader at my local church.
Motivation: I just finished my undergraduate degree in Creative Industries and Public Relations and I would love to apply my knowledge and skills in the classroom! I have started my Masters in Secondary Education and am so excited to help students discover their full creative potential!
Fun Fact: I lived in Bundaberg and my favourite teacher in High School used to teach at Hillcrest!
Favourite RISE Moment: Running the first RISE Marketing
Elective on Friday afternoons. RISE Students are full of some wonderful (and crazy) ideas!
Email: fdunford@hillcrest.qld.edu.au