Senior Leadership Team

Sandra PolettoCEO

Biography

Sandra has over 25 years experience working in leadership and management positions in the private tertiary education sector.  She has spent the majority of this time as the CEO at Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors (AIPC) where she has played an instrumental role in the leadership and direction of the Institute in both vocational and higher education. 

With AIPC and Endeavour College both joining the UP Education Group in recent times, Sandra’s role has expanded to include the Chief Executive responsibilities at Endeavour College, and membership of the College Board as a Director.  Sandra holds post graduate qualifications in business management, and her professional interests include organisational sustainability, leadership development, and student experience and satisfaction. 

Sandra continues to enjoy working in the tertiary education sector due to the positive impact of education on personal growth, life circumstances and professional accomplishments experienced by mature-age learners.

Christy CollisProvost

Biography

Professor Christy Collis brings over 30 years of higher education experience to the role of Endeavour’s Provost. Christy’s career focus is “making learning work”: ensuring that higher education works for all students, and that higher education learning connects to employment outcomes.

Christy has a strong track record in higher education leadership. Roles she has held include: acting Director of the USQ Central Learning and Teaching Unit, Associate Director of Academic Development for USQ, Founding Head of Department of Entertainment Industries at QUT, founding Head of QUT’s Creative Industries work-integrated learning program, Director of Research Quality for QUT’s Creative Industries faculty, Provost of ICHM and Provost of the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors. She is a TEQSA Expert.

Christy is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a three-time elected executive member of the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA), the peak body representing higher education research in Australia. She convened the 2023 HERDSA conference of over 700 delegates. She is a member of the Independent Tertiary Educational Council Australia (ITECA) National Policy Committee and its Regulatory Affairs Recognition Task Group.

Deirdre MathiasDirector of Student Operations

Biography

Deirdre has a diverse background across Asia and Australia in operational management, with a focus on strategically building, managing and innovating service structures that add value to the customer and the business through operational integrity.

Deirdre has worked with Endeavour for eight years in a variety of roles, and now sits in a strategic role leading all the service support departments. Across her time at the college she has been particularly focused on re engineering and improving the student experience and student engagement, with a focus on system improvement and delivering a service experience that engages, inspires, and supports the student body.

Anda DaviesHead of Regulation and Accreditation

Biography

Anda has over 25 years of experience in the vocational and higher education sectors, specialising in course development, accreditation, and regulation. She has been instrumental in shaping a wide range of higher education programs across fields such as business, counselling, and natural health. In her current role as Head of Regulation and Accreditation at Endeavour, Anda leads initiatives to ensure the College’s programs meet high-quality standards and align with regulatory requirements.

With postgraduate qualifications in policy analytics, Anda brings a unique perspective to her work, blending strategic thinking with a deep understanding of regulatory frameworks. She is passionate about creating innovative, student-focused courses that make a lasting impact on learners and their communities.

Anda values collaboration, using her experience and expertise to design and refine programs that meet high standards and deliver meaningful outcomes. She remains inspired by the transformative power of education to change lives and contribute to professional and personal growth.

Katrina ArchDirector of Sales, Admissions and Retention

Biography

Katrina is an education admissions leader with executive experience in the Higher Education and Vocational Education Training sector.  Katrina has experience in leading multiple admissions teams across both sectors which is supported by her ability to manage complex tasks, competing deadlines and interacting with a broad range of organisational stakeholders.

Katrina holds tertiary qualifications in Creative Arts and Complementary Medicine.  It is this personal insight into studying Complementary Medicine at Endeavour that gives Katrina the unique ability to understand the journey Endeavour students embark on that authentically put the student first.

Prior to joining Endeavour Katrina working at the Australian Institute of Management – QLD and NT for 12 years in management roles encompassing marketing, sales and events services.

Dr. Lorraine MarshalseyAssociate Professor

Biography

Dr. Lorraine Marshalsey is a strategic leader championing empowerment and excellence in higher education. With over 17 years of experience in higher education across the UK and Australia, she has demonstrated expertise in teaching and learning innovation, curriculum development, and academic leadership. Dr. Marshalsey holds a PhD from The Glasgow School of Art, focusing on communication design education and sensory affect in studio learning spaces. She is an Associate Editor for the Q1 journal, Review of Education - an international peer-reviewed journal for the publication of major and substantial articles of interest to researchers, practitioners and policymakers in education. Her research interests span learning space design, student engagement, and the enhancement of teaching and learning practices. As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), she has made significant contributions to pedagogical advancement and educational leadership. Dr. Marshalsey's work has been recognised through various research grants. She maintains an active research profile with numerous peer-reviewed publications and continues to contribute to the advancement of higher education through her scholarly activities, including publishing her first book on Sensory Affect, Learning Spaces, and Design Education: Strategies for Reflective Teaching and Student Engagement in Higher Education. She is passionate about the physical, social, mental, and cognitive well-being of students and staff in higher education.

Dr. May KocatepeHead of Teaching & Learning

Biography

May Kocatepe has been involved in higher education as an educator and curriculum designer for over 20 years in Australia and overseas. She has designed and delivered teacher training programs and undergraduate academic literacies courses, driving high quality teaching and learning in 21st century higher education. May holds a PhD in TESOL from James Cook University, specialising in international student education, critical literacies and critical discourse analysis.

Prior to joining Endeavor, May held various teaching and managerial roles, including being Academic Language and Learning Coordinator and Program Supervisor. May’s research interests relate to how learning occurs in and out-of-class with particular focus on autonomous learning, information literacy and generative artificial intelligence.