The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) is governed by a seven member board that includes nominees from each of the three schooling sectors and four Ministerial nominees selected on the basis of expertise relevant to the functions of the Authority.
Professor Doune Macdonald (Acting Chair)
BHMS(Ed)(Hons), PhD, FNAK, FAIESEP, GAICD
Nominee of the Minister having relevant corporate, governance or financial qualifications or experience
Doune Macdonald holds a Professor Emerita position at The University of Queensland and a Visiting Professorship at The University of Sydney. Until recently, Professor Macdonald held the roles of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) and interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at The University of Queensland where she was responsible for preserving the University's commitment to high quality teaching and learning, promoting a culture of excellence across the student experience, leading initiatives aimed at student success and retention, and assuring quality standards. She was also instrumental in creating the Education Brief for Brisbane South State Secondary College.
Following an early career teaching health and physical education in New South Wales and Queensland, Doune returned to The University of Queensland as a lecturer in 1990 and in 1998 won an Australian Award for University Teaching. She served as Head of the School of Human Movement Studies from 2004–2013. During this period, Doune sat on various committees for the Board of Secondary School Studies and Queensland School Curriculum Council.
Doune has published 14 books and more than 200 book chapters and research papers in curriculum, assessment, policy and equity, and has undertaken curriculum evaluations for state and national initiatives. This experience informed her role as the Lead Writer for the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education.
Doune is an International Fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK), USA, a Fellow of the Association Internationale des Ecoles Superieures d'Education Physique (AIESEP), and a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). She has extensive Board and Chair experience including the Brisbane Grammar School, Grace College, the State Ministerial Advisory Committee on Women and Girls in Sport and Recreation, UQ Sport Ltd, and the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research.
Mr Allan Blagaich
Nominee of the Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC)
Allan Blagaich was appointed as Executive Director, Queensland Catholic Education Commission in June 2023 and commenced in the role in September 2023. Prior to this appointment, Allan was the Executive Director of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, Western Australia (WA) (2011–2023). In this role he worked closely with the Association of Independent Schools Western Australia, Catholic Education Western Australia and the Department of Education Western Australia.
Prior to 2011, Allan held the roles of Executive Director, Statewide Planning and Delivery (2010–2011) and Executive Director, Metropolitan Schools (2008–2009) at the Department of Education WA. Allan was a principal of a senior secondary school in WA (2002–2008) and Deputy Principal in three senior secondary rural, outer metropolitan and metropolitan schools.
Allan has served as chair of the Australasian Curriculum Assessment and Certification Authorities (ACACA) in 2012 and 2013 and as chair of the Australasian Curriculum Assessment and Certification Authorities Vocational Education and Training Committee (2011–2023). He was a board member of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) representing WA. Allan was a foundation director of the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) and served as the West Australian jurisdictional nominee for three years. He was one of the three writers charged with developing the Australian Professional Standard for Principals.
In 2006, Allan was awarded Rotary Principal of the Year and was subsequently awarded a Churchill Fellowship to investigate how systems support schools facing challenging circumstances. He undertook his fellowship in 2008 studying education systems in Chicago, Boston, New York, Toronto, England and Scotland.
Allan is a council member of the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) Western Australia and is currently serving as Club President.
Mr Christopher Mountford
Nominee of Independent Schools Queensland
Christopher Mountford was appointed the Chief Executive Officer for Independent Schools Queensland in June 2021. Previously, he held the position of Queensland Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia. He has specific expertise in the areas of policy, government advocacy and commercial activities.
Christopher has more than two decades of experience in member-based advocacy organisations and government relations. Importantly, he also has an exceptional understanding of government regulation and has been influential on numerous state and local government advisory boards.
Christopher holds a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) and a Bachelor of Economics and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). He is also a volunteer Parent Ambassador for Act for Kids; an Australian charity focused on treating and preventing child abuse.
Ms Stacie Hansel
Nominee of the chief executive of the Department of Education
Stacie Hansel is the Deputy Director-General, Schools and Student Support, within the Queensland Department of Education.
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. Her extensive career has taken her from the gold fields of Charters Towers to the cane fields of Bundaberg as a teacher, head of school, deputy principal and principal of both primary and secondary schools. She has worked with school communities across Queensland in urban, rural and remote locations to achieve increased alignment between policy, curriculum and pedagogy responsive to the context of each school and community.
As an experienced educator, mentor and policy developer, Stacie is known for the passion, expertise and insight she extends to understanding the implications of system reform. She brings to her role an appreciation of the real difference that teachers and school leaders can make in the lives of Queensland's greatest resource: our young learners. She is committed to working collaboratively to support educators in discovering what works in each school to bring out the best in our students and assure their success in the long term.
Ms Cresta Richardson
Nominee of the Minister having the qualifications, experience or standing the Minister considers relevant to the functions of the Authority
Cresta Richardson is the President of the Queensland Teachers' Union, which has more than 47,000 teacher and principal members in Queensland state schools and TAFE institutes. She commenced this role in 2021, after serving as Vice-President since 2019.
Cresta is an experienced educator and has worked in teaching and leadership roles in Queensland primary and secondary schools on the Sunshine Coast, Caboolture and Emerald. Cresta has served as Curriculum Adviser, Support Teacher Literacy and Numeracy, Deputy Principal, Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher Assessor. Cresta was also a member of the Board of the Queensland College of Teachers.
Mr Terence (Terry) Burke
Nominee of the Minister having the qualifications, experience or standing the Minister considers relevant to the functions of the Authority
Terry Burke had an early career as a secondary teacher and administrator. He has been the Branch Secretary of the Independent Education Union (Queensland and Northern Territory Branch) for over 25 years. In this role, he has overall responsibility for budgeting, expense management, governance, implementation of strategic planning and reporting to members and the regulator.
Terry is an experienced director with current positions on superannuation and private health boards. He has extensive knowledge and practice of corporate governance, risk identification and management and due diligence.
Terry holds a Master of Educational Administration (University of Queensland), a Bachelor of Education (James Cook University), a Graduate Diploma in Education – Religious Education (Australian Catholic University), a Certificate in Governance for Not-for-Profits (Governance Institute of Australia), a Certificate in Finance (University of New South Wales) and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
- Last updated:
- 9 June 2025
