College Leadership Team

Sammantha Da Luz emigrated to Australia at the age of 16 from England. She completed her Senior Secondary studies in WA and went on to become a Secondary teacher in the areas of English and Performing Arts in Perth and later on, Aboriginal Education Specialist Teacher, Head of English, Middle School Team Leader, Deputy Principal and TAFE lecturer within the Department of Education and Training for 20 years in country WA. Sammantha then joined Catholic Education WA in the capacity of Head of Middle School, Religious Education Coordinator K-12 and Acting Principal for 12 years.

Sammantha is married with one daughter and after a period of discernment, moved to Perth with her family in 2022 to take on the Principalship of IHC, which she feels she was called to do. Amongst her work at IHC, her other great passion is her role as Secretary General of the International Community of the Divine Saviour (ICDS) based in Rome and the Vice-Coordinator of the ICDS, Australian Unit: an ecclesial movement with canonical standing more commonly known as the Lay Salvatorians.

Mrs Da Luz is excited to be leading the college community into a new era of building development and new pathways for our students. As per the example of Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve, her prayer is for our words to build unity and our actions to inspire hope amongst others.

Sangeeta Pudhota – Bursar 

Tamara Carpenter – Registrar and Assistant to the Principal

As a girl, Tamara dreamed of being many things – once even telling TV presenter Anne Conti, in an interview on her current affairs program, “I want to be a hairdresser!” Through her schooling at Burrendah Primary School, and Penrhos College she encountered many inspirational teachers, which lead her to commence her Bachelor of Education (Secondary), majoring in Home Economics and Physical Education. To supplement her busy sporting and social life, she secured herself a part-time job as a teller for Challenge Bank – setting her on a very different career trajectory. 

Working and travelling her way around WA for Challenge and Westpac Bank, she has lived in Margaret River, Karratha and Kalgoorlie, gaining experience in areas from Customer Service, Human Resources, Finance and Regional Management. However, when the time to came to settle down with a family, the promise of a country lifestyle closer to Perth led her to Lower Chittering – a place to call home for the last 18 years.

Tamara has two daughters currently attending secondary school at Immaculate Heart, students since Kindergarten. She is a parent, past Parents and Friends Association president, and long-time staff member – driving the school buses, manning the Reception desk, and now fulfilling the role of Registrar and Personal Assistant to the Principal.  Working at IHC is the perfect combination of her studies and experience, and she enjoys forming relationships with the families and celebrating students’ individual achievements in their educational journey.  You’ll find her dressed in blue on weekends cheering on the IHC Community Netball Club!

Paul Kelly – Deputy Principal – Faith and Pastoral Care

Paul Kelly hails from Scotland, where he worked as a Dispensing Optician before emigrating to Western Australia in 1997 with his wife Tracy. They have 4 children. Paul attended Notre Dame University in Fremantle before qualifying as a teacher. He holds a Masters of Religious Education. Paul worked as the Head of Religious Education at Aquinas College for 23 years prior to joining Immaculate Heart College in 2023 as Head of Theology, Faith and Liturgy.

Paul’s love for the Catholic Faith motivated him to become a teacher. His attraction to IHC is due to its authentic Catholic ethos, its strong community feel and its semi-rural setting. Other unique features of the College that impressed Paul include: the school liturgy held in the beautiful Divine Mercy church, the Latin and Greek programs and the strong tradition of music and singing.

In Paul’s view, the benefits of a faith-based education cannot be underestimated. A school such as IHC presents the beauty of the Catholic religious tradition. It holds staff and students to the high values of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as enunciated by official Catholic teaching. The focus is on teaching the whole person: spiritually, intellectually, physically and emotionally. The end point is to have employable students graduating from IHC who exhibit the virtues and aim to be saints by living a sacramental life.

Paul’s teaching philosophy hinges on positive relationships: with parents as primary educators of their own children; with students as they grow into young adults; and with fellow staff as co-workers in the educational enterprise. Paul takes any opportunity to encourage students to be responsible for their own learning.

Tracey Crisp – Head of Secondary

Bianca McLaughlin – Head of Primary

From a young age, Bianca always knew she wanted to be a teacher, influenced by her role as the nurturing older sibling. She attended Catholic schools for both her primary and secondary years, where she gained a deep appreciation for the sense of belonging and community that comes with a Catholic education. Over the past nine years at IHC, Bianca has developed a passion for creating a fun, inclusive, and supportive learning environment. She holds high expectations for herself and her students, ensuring every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Bianca leads by example, demonstrating her passion and enthusiasm for teaching and learning, because in her heart she knows that “One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world”… and she wakes up every morning striving to do just that.

Mireinne Cumbo – Early Years Learning Coordinator and Inclusive Education Coordinator (K-12)

Originally from Malta, Mireinne migrated to Australia with her husband, and together they have three daughters born in Perth, Western Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood from Edith Cowan University. Before joining Immaculate Heart College, Mireinne dedicated 10 years to working with children with special needs across Western Australia. Prior to that, she served as a Learning Support Educator in Malta. Mireinne is deeply passionate about working with children in their early years, recognising the profound impact these formative years have on a child’s development. She believes in the power of early education to shape a child’s future and is committed to creating inclusive learning environments where every child feels valued and supported. Mireinne is dedicated to fostering strong partnerships with families and educators to ensure that all children, regardless of their abilities, have the opportunity to thrive.

Adriane Markham – Pastoral Care and Student Well-being Coordinator

Adriane Markham is a Western Australian native who recently relocated back to WA after teaching and acting in the position of Mission and Identity Program Leader in the Toowoomba Diocese (Qld) for the past two years. Prior to that, Adriane was employed at John Paul College in Kalgoorlie, in the role of Liturgy and Faith Formation Coordinator. Her major areas of teaching are Psychology, HASS and Religion, with additional experience teaching English, Literacy, Food Technology and sport. Adriane has a Master of Education (Religious Education) from the University of Notre Dame, and additional degrees in Psychology, Cultural Anthropology and Forensic Science. Currently, Adriane is undertaking a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Notre Dame.

Adriane enjoys cooking, photography and travel, and loves to spend time with her two grown sons. She is passionate about well-being for students and staff and is very excited to undertake this new role at IHC.

Natasha Shuker

Literacy Coordinator (K-6)

Sara Searle

VET and Workplace Coordinator