Celebrating Our Past Students
Have you—or someone you know from Coombabah SHS—achieved something special? We're always eager to celebrate the successes of our past students.
Your stories showcase the spirit and pride of our school and inspire current students to aim high and follow their dreams.
If you have an achievement, milestone, or good news story to share, email us anytime at marketing@coombabashs.eq.edu.au. We'll proudly share your story with the wider Coombabah SHS community across our platforms.
Notable Alumni
Sanam Ahmadzada
Graduated 2012
Sanam graduated from University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Biomedical Science and a Master of International Public Health. She's currently a research officer at Policy and Epidemiology Group at Queensland's Centre for Mental Health Research and an adjunct fellow at UQ's School of Public Health. She's also the founder and former President of the Afghan Student's Association, and National Coordinator for Afghan Professionals Australia.
Celeste de Mezieres
Graduated 2013
Celeste works for Boeing Defence Australia as a Graduate Systems Engineer, after studying an Honours of Electronic and Biomedical Engineering at Griffith University.
Danny Pointing
Graduated 2013
Danny studied a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Bond University and a Masters in Public Health at Griffith University. He now works full-time at The iQ Group Global in Sydney, working on the commercialisation and management of early stage life science assets.
Evange Epa
Graduated 2012
Evange was awarded the Gold Coast Young Citizen of the Year in 2013 for his work as Gold Coast City Council Junior Mayor and his addressing of delegates for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. He has worked in banking for the last four years and is currently Bank Manager at St George Pacific Fair, having also studied Architecture at Bond University.
Troy Ruston
Graduated 2007
Troy is a national champion for the U30s age group in Triathlon, and also came 3rd in the Worlds Triathlon held here on the Gold Coast.
Paul Burt
Graduated 1990
Paul began his television career in 1996 as a presenter for Channel 7's Brownie's Coastwatch. In 1997 he moved to Prime/Seven Gold Coast presenting daily boating, fishing and beach reports.
Brendan Piakura
Attended 2015-2018
Brendan began his NRL career with the Brisbane Broncos in 2021 and is now making a strong impact as a starting second-row forward. Known for his high work rate and defensive consistency, he averages solid running metres each game with impressive tackle efficiency. Viewed as a future State of Origin contender, his growing presence continues to strengthen the Broncos' forward pack.
Michael Zavros
Graduated 1991
Michael is a leading Australian artist whose work has been exhibited in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe. In 2012 he was awarded the inaugural Bulgari Art Award, as well as the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize in 2010. He has also won multiple major Australian drawing prizes over the past two decades. In 2013 he was commissioned by the Australian War Memorial to paint a portrait of Victoria Cross winner Ben-Roberts-Smith.
Scott Sattler
Graduated 1989
Scott is a former Australian professional rugby league footballer who played during the 1990s and 2000s. In 2003 he became the second oldest player to be selected for the Queensland State of Origin team. In 2006 he signed on as Football Manager for the Gold Coast Titans and remained in that position until 2008.
Rohan McAdam
Graduated 2011
Rohan graduated from Bond University with a Bachelor of Laws and went on to work as a Senior Associate at Nyst Legal and Wiltshire Family Law. In 2018 he established his own legal practice, McAdam Family Law.
Wade Marks
Graduated 2010
Wade completed a Bachelor of Exercise Science and went on to work in a respiratory sleep lab, before deciding to do a Graduate Diploma of Teaching with a major in Science, Biology and HPE. He now teaches at Pimpama State Primary School.
Wahyu Hasan
Graduated 2002
Wahyu is a lecturer and PhD candidate in Engineering at QUT.
Rafsan Halim
Graduated 2002
Rafsan is an anaesthetist at Western Health, where he's been since 2016, and Multimedia Editor for the Journal of Mobile Technology in Medicine. He studied at Monash University and has previously worked as Retrieval Senior Registrar for CareFlight Group.
Patrick Brown
Graduated 2010
Patrick is now a resident doctor at Gold Coast University Hospital, aiming to specialize in cardiology.
Cameron Brown
Graduated 2010
Cameron is a radiographer at Logan Hospital after graduating with a Bachelor of Medical Imaging at QUT.
Nick Faulkner
Graduated 2003
Nick is a behavioural scientist at Behaviour Works, Monash University, where he leads research focused on building inclusive, healthy, and sustainable societies. His work has helped reduce racism, boost vaccination rates, and improve government processes. Nick's expertise has earned him international recognition, with invitations to present globally and a visiting role at the European University Institute in Florence.
Jye Gray
Attended 2016-2018
Jye is a dynamic fullback for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, known for his speed and agility. After debuting in 2024, he quickly made an impact, earning the club's Rookie of the Year award. Despite his smaller stature, Gray's performances have solidified his role as a key player in the Rabbitohs' lineup.
Bailey Carthouser
Graduated 2016
Bailey is at UQ studying a double degree of Bachelor of Arts majoring in Philosophy and Bachelor of Science majoring in Physics. He wants to pursue a career in academia as a philosopher of physics.
Taine Tuapiki
Graduated 2016
Taine is a versatile NRL player for the New Zealand Warriors, known for his speed, agility, and play making ability. After leaving Coombabah SHS, he had a breakout 2022 Queensland Cup season, winning the Petero Civoniceva Medal and Rookie of the Year. He debuted for the Warriors in 2023 and has since become a key option at fullback and wing, earning a contract through to the end of 2026.