Meet our team

Passionate about the education of girls, Vanessa is an accomplished leader who exemplifies a strong role model for women. Beginning her career as a primary educator, Vanessa has held a range of positions in the areas of curriculum and pastoral care, including Curriculum Coordinator, Deputy Head of Junior and Head of Junior School.

She has worked across a number of independent single-sex and co-educational schools including Geelong Grammar School, Matthew Flinders Anglican College, The Scots College, Sydney and St Catherine’s, Sydney as well as experience internationally.

Vanessa believes teachers are a school’s greatest asset and she prioritises teacher development to enhance and strengthen student connection, engagement and ultimately student progress.

As well as being a strong advocate for the education and equality of girls, Vanessa believes in the value of a balanced education which equips girls with the character, intellect and outlook to become independent and responsible women who can positively enrich society, whilst working alongside others in an ever-changing multicultural world.

Vanessa strongly encourages each girl to strive for personal excellence and discover and develop their own talents, whilst valuing the talent of others.

Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Education, Graduate Certificate in Gifted Education and Masters of Leadership.

Natalie is a passionate leader of teaching and learning with many years of experience in leading curriculum and innovative practice across a range of educational settings in South Australia.

At Seymour, she has been instrumental in developing the Senior School Independence model as the Dean of Teaching and Learning (Senior School) which has fostered a tailored and flexible educational experience for every girl.

Natalie holds a Bachelor of Arts with specialisations in Drama and Classical Studies from Adelaide University, a Bachelor of Teaching and a Master of Education from Flinders University. Her Master of Education was in Studies of Asia with a focus on the literature and societies of China, Japan and Indonesia.

She is passionate about supporting staff deliver excellence in their classrooms. Her experience in leading staff professional development and teacher coaching programs is fundamental to her belief that developing the environment for great teaching is at the heart of delivering engaging and innovative learning experiences for all students.

Kate sees educational leadership as a vocation and is highly committed to creating a culture where young women can grow and thrive.

For over a decade, she has held various executive leadership positions across several Independent schools, including Deputy Principal at both Mary Mackillop College (Year 7-12) and St Mark’s College (R-12), as well as Head of Champagnat Campus at Sacred Heart College.

As an educator and leader, student wellbeing and operations have been a part of Kate’s portfolio for over 15 years. Passionate about wellbeing, Kate’s vision for a future focused wellbeing program is one that is student centred, promotes agency, empowers girls to make a difference and to lead with courage and confidence.

Kate holds a Bachelor of Education with specialisations in Health & Physical Education and Nutrition from Flinders University, as well as a graduate certificate in Catholic Education and a Masters of Education (Leadership Stream) from the University of South Australia.

Georgy Jureidini holds a Bachelor of Laws from the ANU and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Flinders and Adelaide University. She is a Seymour Old Collegian (Malycha, ’93), a past parent and has worked at Seymour since 2014. Georgy treasures the traditions of Seymour while honouring its century long commitment to innovation.

Georgy has taught across the Humanities from Year 6 to Year 12, from the Australian Curriculum, SACE and the IB and has held various curriculum leadership roles, including Head of Humanities, Head of GEM and Dean of Academic Administration. She also led Positive Psychology at Seymour and maintains an abiding interest in student wellbeing and pastoral programs. She was a lawyer before starting her second career in education.

Georgy believes in educating the whole girl: body, mind and spirit. Georgy wants every student at Seymour to find her own path, using her unique passions and talents to do so and guided along the way by our dedicated Seymour staff.

Katharyn enthusiastically leads educational excellence and rigour across McGregor Campus for our youngest learners. Her energy, passion and vision for results have been key in the creation of the innovative teaching and learning model for Prep to Year 6 students, which has improved teaching standards, enhanced student engagement and lifted educational outcomes.

Katharyn regularly engages as a literacy education consultant, leading and facilitating professional development across leading independent schools in Australia. She is a regular conference speaker for the Australian Association for the Teaching of English and was a Keynote speaker at the National THRASS Conference in 2019. Katharyn has a First-Class Honours Degree from The University of Sydney and is currently researching for her PhD in the area of language and linguistics. Her work is frequently published in The Educator.

Katharyn received an Excellence in Teaching from the Teachers’ Guild of New South Wales in 2016, as well as a Citation of Excellence and NSW World Teacher’s Day Recognition Award in 2017. Katharyn was named on the 2020 Educator Hotlist as an influencer who is reinventing the educational landscape in Australia.

Katharyn shares a love and commitment to the growth and progression of each child, actioned through the continual learning and improvement of each teacher in her team.

An Old Collegian (Hollidge, ’95), a member of staff and most recently a Seymour parent, Natalie Guthrie is our Director of Finance and Operations, who has proudly been a part of the Seymour community for almost 40 years.

A Bachelor of Commerce graduate from the University of Adelaide and a registered Chartered Accountant, Natalie has a wealth of experience in financial and business management, acquired across a range of industries including agriculture, insurance, and not-for-profit entities. She manages the College’s finances, buildings, and facilities, as well as risk and governance functions.

Passionate about collaborating with other staff and the Seymour community to realise the future vision of the College, Natalie holds the traditions of Seymour College close to her heart.

Sally Penn is the Director of Enrolments and Community Relations and, as an Old Collegian (Marzola, ’86) and current parent, is passionate about Seymour College. As a member of the College Executive, Sally is responsible for enrolments, community relations and fundraising.

Sally works with new families to ensure they have their questions answered and that they feel a part of the College from the moment they walk through the gates. Sally also manages the scholarship program and International student recruitment. It is also through Sally’s work in Community Relations that the connection with the College for current families and Old Collegians becomes stronger and that the College’s philanthropic program prospers.

Holly has been a member of staff at Seymour since 2018. Her marketing and communications career, spanning more than 25 years has seen her develop campaigns for many global and national brands including American Express, Mitsubishi, Curtin University, University of South Australia, Repromed and ResourceCo.

As an Old Collegian (Winnall, ’91), and a current Seymour parent, Holly is particularly passionate about the Seymour College brand and its vision to inspire young women of strength, optimism and justice, confident for the future. Her aspirations and passion for the Seymour brand, coupled with her strategic, customer-focused perspective ensure a very considered approach to the College’s marketing and communications. She works closely with staff to bring the College’s vision to life as well as celebrating the achievements and talents within the College community, across a variety of platforms.

Holly holds a Bachelor of Management (Major in Marketing) from the University of South Australia.