Leadership Team
Mr CJ Healey
CJ Healey has been Principal of Long Bay College since 2017, bringing extensive experience in secondary education leadership across the United Kingdom, the United States and New Zealand. Originally trained as a Physical Education teacher, he progressed through a range of senior leadership roles in large Auckland schools before taking up his current position.
CJ leads Long Bay College with a clear focus on academic excellence, strong school culture, and continuous improvement. Under his leadership, the College has achieved significant gains in student achievement, with academic outcomes reaching record levels. He has guided the development of a coherent strategic direction for the school, strengthened teaching and learning practices, and overseen substantial redevelopment of the College’s learning environments.
He is committed to ensuring that every young person is supported to achieve at the highest level, and to creating a school where high expectations are matched by strong relationships and a culture of care.
Outside school, CJ values time with his family and maintains a strong interest in sport, particularly football and cricket.
Mr James Heneghan
James Heneghan is Associate Principal at Long Bay College, with responsibility for curriculum and innovation. He began his career as a Science teacher in 2003 and has held senior leadership roles as a professional learning leader, Head of Faculty, and Assistant Principal in high-performing North Shore schools.
At Long Bay College, James has led the development of Tino Akoranga, the College’s teaching and learning framework, establishing a consistent, evidence-informed approach across classrooms. This also includes Mahi Tahi, a structured lesson observation programme through which teachers collaborate to strengthen their practice. He leads the Year 12 pastoral team, supporting students and families at an important stage of schooling.
Beyond the College, James is the lead organiser of researchED New Zealand, a conference bringing together teachers and researchers to share evidence-based approaches to learning. This reflects a career-long belief that strong teaching is grounded in both research and classroom experience.
Outside school, James lives rurally north of Puhoi with his family and an array of pets.
Mrs Sarah Bicknell
Sarah Bicknell is Deputy Principal at Long Bay College and an experienced member of the Senior Leadership Team. She holds responsibility for Year 10 students, human resources, and the coordination of a wide range of school events.
Sarah plays a central role in welcoming new students and their families, overseeing the enrolment process and supporting a smooth, positive transition into the College. She is committed to building strong partnerships with the community, and coordinates Whānau Hui to engage meaningfully with Māori and Pasifika whānau in support of student success. She has also led the development and strengthening of the College’s House system, which builds a sense of belonging, school spirit, and student leadership across the school.
With a background as a professional artist, Sarah brings a combination of creativity and practical leadership to her role. She has over a decade of teaching experience within the Visual Arts Faculty, specialising in sculpture and painting.
Sarah lives locally and is an active, well-known member of the Long Bay College community.
Mrs Liese Strong
Liese Strong (pronounced Leeza) is Deputy Principal at Long Bay College, responsible for Year 11 students. She joined the College in 2015 as a teacher of Art and Design and led the Visual Arts Faculty as Head of Faculty for ten years, gaining extensive experience in creative education and curriculum leadership before moving into the Senior Leadership Team.
As Deputy Principal, Liese holds portfolios across extracurricular activities, school tone, and staffing logistics. She is committed to building strong relationships with students and supporting each of them to achieve their personal best.
Her background in the visual arts informs a creative, practical approach to leadership. She is known for finding workable solutions to complex problems and for treating challenges as opportunities for growth.
Outside school, Liese lives locally with her husband and their two sons, both alumni of Long Bay College, along with their two ragdoll cats. She enjoys mountain biking and family holidays exploring New Zealand and overseas.
Mr Mike Lewis
Mike Lewis is Deputy Principal at Long Bay College, leading the pastoral care portfolio with a focus on student wellbeing, engagement, and attendance. He began his career as a Technology teacher and progressed through roles as Dean, Head of Technology Faculty, and Deputy Principal. He brings a background in Engineering and Digital Technology to his leadership.
Mike’s work centres on building consistent, school-wide pastoral systems, including the development of Atawhai, the College’s pastoral framework. He uses data-informed approaches to monitor attendance, engagement, and wellbeing so that students receive timely, targeted support, and works closely with students, whānau, and staff to ensure every learner is supported academically and personally.
He is also committed to developing leadership capability in others. Mike empowers staff to lead within pastoral systems and gives students real responsibility and a genuine voice in school life. His approach rests on the belief that strong relationships, high expectations, and evidence-informed practice together create the conditions for success.
Outside school, Mike enjoys DIY projects and taking his family camping.
Miss Lauren Wing
Lauren Wing is Deputy Principal at Long Bay College, with a responsibility for teaching and learning, scholarship and extension pathways, teacher trainees, and beginning teachers.
Her work includes helping staff develop as teachers and as leaders, and supporting research-based practice and its application. She has also contributed to the development of Tino Akoranga, the College’s approach to teaching and learning, and Mahi Tahi, its trust-based approach to lesson observation.
In her role overseeing scholarship and extension pathways, Lauren works with students pursuing the highest secondary school achievements available to NCEA students, the NZQA Scholarship awards. Lauren also oversees the Aspiring Scholars Program for Years 9 and 10, supporting students to prepare themselves for the highest levels of academic success in the senior school.
Before joining the Senior Leadership Team, Lauren was the Head of Social Science at Long Bay College, as well as holding a range of professional learning related roles both at Long Bay, and elsewhere.
Mrs Jayne Jones
Jayne Jones is Assistant Principal (International) at Long Bay College, overseeing the College’s international student programme. Originally trained as a teacher of French and German, she has teaching experience across England, France, Germany, Japan, and New Zealand, and holds a background in counselling.
Jayne leads a broad portfolio spanning international recruitment, partnerships with education agents, and family engagement across Asia, Europe, and Latin America. She brings a culturally responsive approach to this work, with a particular focus on ensuring international students develop a genuine sense of belonging and confidence within the school community.
Her classroom practice centres on English for Academic Purposes, supporting multilingual learners to meet the academic demands of secondary schooling in New Zealand. Across both her leadership and teaching roles, she is committed to giving international students access to the full breadth of school life, inside the classroom and beyond it.
Outside school, Jayne enjoys rural life with her family, and her interests include gardening, cycling, Pilates, and salsa dancing.
Mrs Jac Beasleigh
Jac Beasleigh is Assistant Principal at Long Bay College and has been a member of the school community since 2007. A Physics teacher with over 20 years of classroom experience, she has contributed extensively to both classroom practice and whole-school leadership throughout her time at the College.
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Jac holds a portfolio that encompasses assessment, academic tracking, timetabling, and the coordination of whole-school systems and processes. In her capacity as Principal’s Nominee, she works closely with NZQA to oversee the delivery and integrity of national qualifications and assessment procedures. She brings a strong organisational capability and a data-informed approach to this work, supporting staff and students to achieve consistently high standards across the school.
Alongside her leadership responsibilities, Jac remains committed to teaching Physics, sharing her enthusiasm for the subject and encouraging students to develop curiosity about the physical world.
Outside school, Jac lives on Auckland’s North Shore with her family and their cat, Boris, and enjoys travelling during the school holidays.
Mr Richard Beechey
Richard Beechey has been Business Manager at Long Bay College since October 2020, bringing extensive experience from running a successful Auckland-based business. He leads the school’s administration team with a focus on systems, efficiency, and operational performance.
His portfolio spans finance, property, compliance, and strategic planning, supporting the effective running of all aspects of school life. Richard has a strong background in school governance, having previously served as a Board of Trustees member at Long Bay College, Northcross Intermediate, and Glamorgan Primary. This experience gives him a broad understanding of how schools function at both a strategic and operational level.
He sees his role as enabling staff to do their best work through well-run systems and strong organisational support. Richard is committed to ensuring the College operates efficiently and effectively in a way that directly serves students, staff, and the wider school community.
Richard lives locally and has had children attend Long Bay College, giving him a personal connection to the school that informs his approach to the role.