Following the amalgamation of Moreton Bay College and Moreton Bay Boys' College on 1 July 2011, a new board was appointed for both Colleges. While each school has its own board, the membership of the two boards is identical.

Ms Samantha O'Brien

Chair of the Board

LLB (QUT)

Samantha is a partner at international law firm, DLA Piper. She is a member of the firm’s International Board and leads the insurance sector in Australia. Samantha is a highly respected adviser to local and international clients in the financial services sector, assisting them to navigate the Australian regulatory landscape. Samantha is passionate about the education of generation next, a keen world traveller and a Matildas fan.

Mr Stuart Copeland

Deputy Chair of the Board and Member of the Finance Committee

GAICD

Stuart Copeland joined the Colleges Board in October 2020. He is a member of the Finance Committee.

Stuart is an experienced Non-Executive Director having served on the Board of a Queensland Government Owned Corporation and as Chief Executive Officer in the not for profit sector. 

He has experience in senior Commercial and Corporate Affairs roles in the energy, infrastructure construction, agriculture and university sectors, and is currently a senior manager in an ASX listed integrated energy company. 

Stuart is a former Member of Parliament in the Queensland Legislative Assembly whose portfolio responsibilities included Education, Training, Youth, The Arts, Families, Disabilities, Health, and Justice and Attorney General; and he served extensively on various Parliamentary Committees including the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee and Public Works Committee.

Mr Peter Bickerton

Board Member and Chair of the Property and Infrastructure Committee

BAppSc (Built Env), GradDipArch (QUT), FRAIA.

Peter has been a registered architect for over 40 years and a registered builder for 35 years, most of which have been in the education sector.

In 2019 he retired from the firm he co-founded in 1997 and was invited to join the MBC and MBBC boards. He remains active professionally in consulting and mentoring and has served on numerous NFP boards and committees.

He is keen to support Christian and Community entities fulfill their vital purposes with integrity and sound stewardship.

Mrs Kirsty Elliott

Board Member, Member of the Risk and Governance Committee

BModernAsianStudies; MEcon

Kirsty Elliott has over 25 years professional experience in State agencies with a focus on economic development, project management and governance. She is passionate about education and the potential of schools to equip students for life. Kirsty has two adult sons and has spent many years facilitating junior sport and volunteering with a local cycling club.

Mr Nigel Fairbairn

Board Member and Chair of the Risk and Governance Committee

B.Ed., Grad.Dip.Ed.Admin., M.Ed., M.Ed. (Pol), Grad Cert Inst. Lead., FAIMM MAICD MACE

Independent school teacher between 1981 - 2019, including Principal of four schools in Queensland and New Zealand between 1995 and 2019. 

Extensive Board experience including Member, Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ) Education Committee between 1997 and 2019, Member, Uniting Church Education Commission since 2020, Board member and Deputy Chair Grace College, University of Queensland since 2020, and formerly Board Member since 2017 and Chair since 2020, Prospect Community Services. 

In addition Nigel is an Educational Consultant to anzuk executive. Nigel is married with three children and six grandsons. He worships at Tingalpa Uniting Church.

Mr Reg Gulley

Board Member, Company Secretary and Chair of the Finance Committee

BComm, FCPA, GAICD, GDipSecurities

Reg brings over 25 years’ experience both domestically and internationally in the financial management of complex environments including education and early learning.

Reg is a former Queensland Member of Parliament serving on the Finance and Administration Committee and Select Ethics Committees. Reg’s passion for community service continues and currently serves on the board of a mental health charity focussing on victims of Trauma and Abuse including survivors of Domestic Violence.

Reg was blessed by an upbringing within the Uniting Church and seeks to contribute to the Moreton Bay Colleges with values modelled to him of compassion, integrity and a desire to see church bodies serve their communities in fullness.

Mrs Adele Nisbet

Board Member, Chair of the Education Committee

Grad Dip Mus (T&P); B.A. Mus; LTCL; DipT; AMusA

Adele has a lifetime of professional educational experience in schools and university. She is a musician and retired Qld Conservatorium lecturer, having been a national and international performer, teacher, examiner and leader within the music community.

She continues to serve, in particular as a member of the Uniting Church and is pleased to continue a family connection with the Moreton Bay Colleges.

Mr Rob Ritchie

Board Member and Member of the Property and Infrastructure Committee

B.IT, MBA

Rob is an accomplished senior business leader with over 25 years of experience in Industrial operations and projects. He specialises in establishing reliable and productive project systems for some of the world’s largest industrial construction projects, with extensive experience in the energy, oil and gas and mining sectors.

Mr Kris Isles

Board Member

B.Commerce (Accounting), CA, MAICD

Kris Isles’ career spans 25 years in consulting with significant experience in the education sector, where he has been involved in extensive transformation and other projects across early childhood, schools, vocational education and universities. Kris has also been on the Board of the Queensland Education Leadership Institute (QELi) since 2017. 

Kris brings a broad range of expertise around program and change management blended with a good understanding of financial management and a practical and collaborative approach to making change stick in an organisation.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) and is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.