Genazzano FCJ College announces new Principal for 2021

Earlier today, Chair of the Genazzano FCJ College Council, Mr Kevin Frawley, announced Mrs Loretta Wholley as the appointed Principal for Genazzano beginning from January 2021.

Mrs Wholley brings to Genazzano significant experience in educational leadership. She is currently in her eighth year as Principal of Merici College, Canberra and has worked in Catholic education in both Western Australia and the ACT. Prior to leading Merici College, Mrs Wholley was Deputy Principal at Mercedes College, Perth and Santa Maria College, a Perth all-girls’ Catholic boarding school.

Mrs Wholley is the current President of Catholic Secondary Principal’s Association (CaSPA), 2020 Telstra Business Woman of the Year Public Sector finalist, Catholic Education Commission Director and Executive Committee Member for the Canberra/Goulburn Diocese, and is an active member of the Mission and Faith Formation Steering Committee for the Canberra/Goulburn Diocese.

In 2017, Mrs Wholley was awarded the Australian Council for Educational Leadership (ACEL) fellowship award for services and leadership in Catholic education. The Awards recognise outstanding results of individual students and pay tribute to the Principals, teachers and families who play a valuable role in supporting these students during their VCE studies.

Mrs Wholley has a Masters of Educational Leadership, Masters of Religious Education and Bachelors of Education and Arts. She is a fluent speaker of Italian and is looking forward to relocating to Melbourne shortly. Her collaborative leadership and passion for providing a future focused, faith-based education for young women, inspired during her time as a student at St Brigid’s Ladies’ College, Perth is what attracted her to the role at Genazzano.

Her personal educational philosophy is one that aligns closely with that of the College, centring on the development and success of the staff and students within her care, as shared by Mr Frawley from the Genazzano College Council.

“The College Council was impressed with Mrs Wholley’s breadth of experience as a Principal, her Catholic sector leadership experience, her passion for engaging and empowering young people, together with her lived Catholic faith and commitment to embrace the FCJ charism”, he said.

“This makes her an ideal educational leader for Genazzano. We recognise the importance to our College community of the position that Genazzano holds as a leading Catholic girls’ school, and of our responsibility to develop young women, grounded in faith, to reach their full potential, equipped to make a real difference in the lives of others and the broader community”.

Mr Frawley also thanked and acknowledged the work of current Principal, Ms Karen Jebb, for her leadership of the College over the past five years.

“Over that time, Ms Jebb has achieved College Council’s strategic aims of improving the College’s educational and financial performance, having brought these to their strongest position in the last decade”, he said.

“We are grateful that Ms Jebb has provided Genazzano with a strong foundation to grow and further improve under Mrs Wholley’s leadership”.

Genazzano FCJ College is a Catholic Day and Boarding School in Kew offering a co-educational Early Learning Centre and all-girls’ environment from Prep to Year 12. It offers students a rounded education that prepares them to become resilient, adaptable and confident women.