Our structure

View the current organisational structure.

Our divisions and Executive Leadership Team

In October 2022, the department underwent an organisational re-alignment to support our strategic direction and drive organisational performance. This re-alignment included changes to divisional structures, functions and governance committees.

Each division is represented on the department’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT), which provides strategic direction and oversight of outcomes, financial performance and good governance of the department.

Michael De'Ath—Director-General

Michael is an accomplished senior executive with over 20 years of public sector leadership, following a successful career as a teacher and school principal. Throughout his career, Michael has delivered outcomes for New Zealand, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland across a variety of portfolios, including education, community services and health.

Sharon Schimming—Associate Director-General, Early Childhood and State Schools

Sharon has more than 30-years’ experience in education and for over 20-years, has held numerous leadership positions, including principal, Regional Director North Queensland and Deputy Director-General of Early Childhood and Educational Improvement division.

Sharon is responsible for leading innovative, statewide systemic reforms in early childhood education and care and state schooling in line with world-leading practice and stakeholder expectations. Sharon works in partnership with internal and external stakeholders to deliver government priorities and outstanding outcomes for children, students and young people from early childhood through to high school.

Stacie Hansel—Deputy Director-General, Schools and Student Support

Stacie is an experienced and effective education leader who has served the Queensland state school system as a teacher, principal and system leader since 1996. Stacie provides visionary, values-based leadership and management to inspire equity, excellence and continuous improvement in education delivery across Queensland.

Stacie leads the Schools and Student Support division, which supports more than 1,260 Queensland state schools, delivering Equity and Excellence to position Queensland state education as a progressive, high-performing system that realises the potential of every student. The division is driven by innovation to embed future-focussed learning and opportunities for students and teachers to connect across Queensland.

Tania Porter—Deputy Director-General, Early Childhood

Tania has a strong background in early childhood education and more than 25-years’ experience in the sector. Tania is responsible for improving educational outcomes by leading policy development and driving key reforms to benefit Queensland children and their families.

Tania leads the Early Childhood division, which supports the delivery of quality early childhood education and care services and provides strategic leadership in the development of policy responses, funding and regulatory frameworks that shape the early childhood education and care sector in Queensland.

Kathleen Forrester—Deputy Director-General, Policy, Performance, International and Intergovernmental

Kathleen is an experienced senior executive with a track record of leading policy, funding reforms and intergovernmental negotiations in education, health and human services. Kathleen has executive experience in the Queensland, New South Wales and Victorian governments, as well as the private sector.

Kathleen leads the Policy, Performance, International and Intergovernmental division, which adopts a strategic approach to policy, intergovernmental relations, performance, legislation, monitoring, reporting and governance functions for early childhood, schooling and racing, at a whole-of-government and national level. The division also regulates services for students in non-state schools, home education and international student programs, and ensures accountable and transparent administration of funding to non-state schools and community organisations.

Phillip Brooks—Deputy Director-General, First Nations Strategy and Partnerships

Phillip has 22-years’ experience in child, youth and family support in Queensland, in roles such as Deputy Director-General, Regional Director, Executive Director and Commissioner at the Queensland Family and Child Commission.

Phillip is a descendant of the Bidjara Tribe (great grandfather), the Kairi Tribe (great grandmother) and the Ducabrook Clan located at Springsure, Central Queensland.

Phillip leads the First Nations Strategy and Partnerships division, which is responsible for leading the work across government and the department to improve educational outcomes for Aboriginal students and Torres Strait Islander students.

Megan Barry—Deputy Director-General, People, Information and Communication Services

Megan's career spans over 20-years in both the private and public sectors in Queensland and Western Australia, in a diverse range of industries including arts, tourism, retail, mining, information and communication technology and energy. Megan is a strong advocate for public purpose work and previously held the role of Deputy Commissioner with the Queensland Public Sector Commission.

Megan leads the People, Information and Communication Services division, which provides leadership and oversight across the department’s human resources, information and technologies, and strategic communications and engagement functions. The division supports the recruitment and retention of a diverse and capable workforce that delivers responsive services and by leveraging technology and innovation to connect all students to world-class digital learning.

Tooey Elliott—Deputy Director-General, Infrastructure Services

Tooey is a senior executive with over 25 years’ experience in the built environment and infrastructure industries delivering government priorities across major capital works, asset management and economic development. Tooey brings a wealth of experience in complex organisations and has undertaken extensive stakeholder management including in the federal, state, territory and local government spheres as well as the private sector.

Tooey leads the Infrastructure Services division, which supports the work of regions, business units and schools by providing fit-for-purpose infrastructure to deliver on the government’s education infrastructure investment to build, maintain, improve and renew our schools and facilities across Queensland.

Peter McKay—Deputy Director-General, Office of Industrial Relations

Peter has over 25-years’ experience in the Queensland Government, leading corporate services, policy, regulatory and service delivery functions across a broad range of departments including health, education, justice, corrective services, employment, training and small business. Peter previously held the role of Deputy Commissioner, Public Sector Commission and recently led the Queensland Government’s response to the Independent Review of Queensland’s State Employment Laws, including the development of a new Public Sector Act.

Peter leads the Office of Industrial Relations division, which is responsible for regulatory frameworks, policy advice and compliance activities for work health and safety, electrical safety, industrial relations and workers’ compensation, to improve the wellbeing of all Queenslanders by making Queensland safer and supporting fair and productive workplaces.

Duncan Anson—Chief Finance Officer and Assistant Director-General, Finance, Procurement and Facilities

Duncan has over 25-years’ experience in the Queensland public sector, is a fellow member of Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) Australia, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting).

Duncan has overall leadership of the department's finance, procurement and facilities strategy, functions and systems. Through his delegated responsibilities under section 77 of the Financial Accountability Act 2009 (Qld), Duncan provides strategic advice to the Director-General on financial resource management, budget management, effectiveness of financial systems, financial risks and sustainability.

More information about our current executives and our organisational structure is available.

Governance committees

In 2022–23, as part of the organisational re-alignment, we reviewed key governance committees to ensure alignment with our strategic direction and legislative requirements. Opportunities were identified to better drive and monitor strategic performance and outcomes and enhance committee operations.

In addition to transitioning the Executive Management Board to ELT, our realignment also resulted in establishment of 2 new strategic governance committees.

• System Implementation, Policy and Performance Committee, which oversees strategic direction and performance for early years and state schooling, prioritising First Nations initiatives and implementation of Equity and Excellence.
• Strategic Education Advisory Committee, which oversees cross-agency initiatives aligned to the strategic directions for early years and state schools.
  

Further information about the department’s governance committees is available at Appendix A. Information on the department’s Audit and Risk Management Committee is available in the governance, risk management and accountability section.