LPA Membership Stories

Eloise Beveridge

Principal of Immanuel Lutheran College
Buderim, Queensland

I have been fortunate to have served Lutheran Schools across the three districts since joining St Martin’s Lutheran College, Mount Gambier in 2000. There are days where I jokingly refer to it as being in ‘the wrong place at the wrong time’ but, in reality, I know it was the complete opposite, which led to my appointment as Deputy Principal in 2002. A Queensland girl, I returned home in 2005 and served as Head of Junior School at Faith Lutheran College Redlands until my family and I headed south for our ‘desert change’ to Mildura in Victoria in 2019 as Principal at Trinity Lutheran College.

In that time, I have met the most amazing colleagues, many of whom I now call friends. I still look back on my first National Lutheran Principal Conference that I attended as an Acting Principal with a smile. Here I was, worried that I didn’t "belong", and yet I couldn’t have been further from the truth! LPA has provided an opportunity for me to learn and grow in my professional skills, it has connected me with peers, and provided me with the chance to be inspired and encouraged by those around me. The learnings and professional development are invaluable, but more than that, the connections are lifelong.

When I reflect on my journey in Lutheran Education, it is the amazing leaders and colleagues around me with whom I have been able to learn from and they have played such an important role in who I am as a leader.  I am not a person who specifically had a goal to be a principal, it just seemed that each new door that has opened in my life has taken me a step closer to where I am today.

Planned or not, one thing that I know for sure, is that I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Angela Branford

Principal of Calvary Lutheran Primary School
Morphett Vale, South Australia

Calvary Lutheran Primary School in Morphett Vale is my second principal position in the Lutheran System. Prior to commencing at Calvary, I was head of Junior School at Unity College, Murray Bridge for 6 years, Principal at Vineyard Lutheran School in Clare for almost 4 years and Head of Primary at Living waters Lutheran College in WA for a term before being seconded to Clare.

Overall, I have experienced 21 of my 28 years in education as a school leader in some capacity. I entered leadership quite early, I was 30yrs old, and this was both a blessing and a challenge.  I had a Junior Primary and Music background and no real intentions of seeking out leadership roles as I was content working alongside my classroom teaching peers and spending my days with small people!

20+ years down the road I still miss my classroom teaching days, and whilst I have opportunity to be in classes, it’s not the same as when you have your ‘own’ class. I am grateful for the opportunities the leadership roles I’ve held have provided me, and I have had the chance to learn and grow alongside some remarkable educators and leaders.

Having the opportunity to be a member of LPA has provided me with strong collegial supports, professional learning opportunities with amazing speakers and experts in the field of education.

Jill Lange Mohr

Head of College at Geelong Lutheran College
Geelong, Victoria

Jill Lange Mohr began her career as a teacher at Grace Lutheran College, Rothwell in Queensland. Her teaching areas have included Secondary Arts, Speech and Drama, and Geography. After 7 years of teaching in a range of schools including Nightcliff High School in Darwin and Downlands College in Toowoomba, she moved into the corporate sector in private Tertiary education, specifically in Marketing, Public Relations and as a Principal.

Jill was the recipient of the 2001 Queensland Telstra ‘Businesswoman of the Year’ award for the Private and Corporate sector and later completed her MBA in 2012. In 2007, she re-joined the Primary and Secondary education sector as the Founder Principal of St Peters Lutheran College, Springfield. 

Jill has many years of experience contributing to organisational development at board level, including 10 years on the LLL Board. She joined Geelong Lutheran College in July 2018 as Head of College and has relished the opportunity to steer the College community into a period of significant development. 

She was honoured to be awarded the OAM in the 2020 Australia Day Honours List for her contribution to education. Jill became a member of LPA in 2008 and shares the value LPA has provided to her leadership journey. 

Kelvin Grivell

Principal of Encounter Lutheran College
Victor Harbour, South Australia

Having served as Principal in two Lutheran schools (Our Saviour, Aberfoyle Park 2007-2011 and Encounter, Victor Harbor 2012-current) over 14 years, enough water has passed under the bridge for me to now reflect upon the journey and the significant events, milestones and people which have shaped my leadership.

Without question, it has been the collegial connections within LPA that have been central to me being able to survive and thrive as a Lutheran Principal. Sharing professional dialogue and personal insights amongst leaders, many of whom have become friends, have sustained and inspired me to continue serving in the unique and precious context of Lutheran schools.

When we meet at a National Conference every two years the professional learning and authentic connections are so valuable. They serve to provide me with challenges for the months ahead as I seek to instigate change and improvement in my own community. I still recall the immense value of being part of a Resilience Institute workshop at Palm Cove in 2016, where some valuable wellbeing advice helped to reframe how I lead and live, both professionally and personally.

Kelvin was appointed as an LPA Director at the 2023 LPA AGM and currently serves on the LPA Board.