Meet Our Staff

Our staff at Birranga College are the very heart of everything we do at the college. From teaching and learning to wellbeing and admin support services, every member of our team contributes to creating a safe, welcoming and engaging environment for our students and community.

Karys McEven

Karys McEwen is Birranga's very own shortlist author in the young Readers category, as part of the Children's Book of the Year Awards for her book " The paperbark tree committee".  As our college Librarian she has created a calm, welcoming and inclusive space for our all students to enjoy. Inspired by her passion for children’s literature, Karys is dedicated to helping students discover a love of reading. She enjoys the curiosity and friendliness of Birranga students and is proud to support them as they explore new stories. Outside of school, Karys loves quality time with her friends and family and has hope that the Fremantle Dockers will one day win a premiership.

Mr Daisuke Kawakami

Inspired by his own positive school experiences and a memorable Grade 6 teacher, Mr Kawakami joins us in teaching Japanese and Humanities. He embraces connecting with students from diverse cultural backgrounds, often learning something new from them each and every day. He finds the most rewarding part of his role at Birranga College is watching students grow into mature young adults over their 6-year journey in secondary school. Outside of classroom, he performs traditional Japanese taiko drumming and hopes to establish a student taiko drumming group this year.

Ashley Gillespie

Ashley Gillespie is the lab technician at Birranga College who is passionate about making science fun, engaging, and accessible for all students. She enjoys designing practical experiments that spark curiosity and help students see science in an exciting new light. Ashley is a sports fan supporting both AFL & NBA teams throughout the year. Outside of the lab, she enjoys running, reading and one day hopes to go Island hopping in the Philippines.

Miss Rebecca Taylor

Miss Taylor is a passionate Humanities Teacher and Disability Inclusion Leader at Birranga College who loves working with students for their humour and curiosity about the world. Inspired by her background in politics, Miss Taylor is driven to spark interest in Australian history and government among young people. Outside the classroom, she’s a busy mum of four (and a Golden Retriever!), often found on the sidelines of soccer fields. She dreams of one day living in Denmark to enjoy its history, culture, and pastries.