Meet the Team

Colin Axup

President

Having completed a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) and a Diploma of Education at Monash University and then a Graduate Diploma Strategic Studies at the Australian National University, Colin began his teaching career at Melbourne High School in 1992. His subjects included history, politics and international relations. Over the next 19 years Colin held various leadership positions, including house master, rowing master, coordinator of history, sailing and water polo. As a leading teacher he was a year level coordinator, student leadership coordinator and registrar.

In 1991, Colin was commissioned into the Australian Army Reserves and in 1994, he was appointed Commanding Officer of the Melbourne High School Cadet Unit. He held this position for 17 years until his resignation at the end of 2010. In 2001, Colin joined the newly formed national headquarters of the Australian Army Cadets and served for the next 10 years culminating in his appointment as Deputy Commander of the Australian Army Cadets from 2007 to 2010 in the rank of Colonel (AAC).

In 2011, Colin was appointed to Williamstown High School as Assistant Principal and in 2013 he was appointed Principal of Stawell Secondary College in the Grampians region of Victoria. In 2013, Colin completed a Master of School Leadership at the University of Melbourne. Then in 2015, Colin was appointed Principal of Suzanne Cory High School which is located in the western Melbourne suburb of Werribee. The school is one of Victoria’s four select entry high schools.

Colin commenced in the position President of the Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals (VASSP) in March 2021.

Vicki Forbes

Executive Officer

In 2017, following a term as Deputy President of the VASSP and President of the VASSP Eastern Metropolitan Regional Group, Vicki was appointed to the role of Executive Officer. Prior to taking up this position, Vicki was the Principal of Brentwood Secondary College in Glen Waverley for 17 years. During this period, Vicki spent a year on secondment as the Regional Network Leader for Waverley. Vicki’s Principal appointment followed five years as Assistant Principal at McKinnon Secondary College and a range of school leadership positions at Richmond Secondary College, Reservoir High School and Newborough High School in Gippsland. Vicki’s teaching subjects included health education, human development and psychology.

Vicki holds a Higher Diploma of Teaching Secondary, a Bachelor of Education, a Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies and in 2004, she completed a Master of Educational Management at the University of Melbourne.

In 2006, Vicki was awarded a scholarship by the Department of Education to attend a leadership course at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In 2007, she was the first recipient of the Eastern Metropolitan Region Outstanding Secondary Principal Award. Vicki was awarded a Victorian fellowship with the Australian Council for Educational Leaders in 2008 an in 2014, she was awarded a national fellowship. Vicki is also the recipient of a Centenary Medal for service to education.