The names faces running Queensland’s elite school boards, councils
The high-profile board members and school councils of 12 of the state’s most elite private schools are made up by hospital executives, heads of universities, a former LNP candidate and international business leaders, it can be revealed.
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A political candidate, lawyers, hospital executives, university heads and leaders of ASX-listed companies are among the make-up of Queensland’s elite school boards and councils.
The Courier-Mail has taken a look at who the state’s top private school board members are and what their qualifications are.
The schools range from Sunshine Coast Grammar School to The Southport School and 10 in Brisbane.
Some of the typical roles decided at boardroom level include a school’s strategic direction, headmaster appointments, its missions and values, and reviewing governance policies.
According to Independent Schools Australia, school boards or councils are responsible for ensuring their schools meet high standards.
ISA says the leader of an independent school is accountable to the board or council for the day-to-day running and educational programs of the school, including how strategic directions and ethos of the school are applied.
Brisbane Grammar School – board of trustees
Grammar’s board of trustees governs the school’s management and growth where its members work on a volunteer basis.
Chair John Humphrey
A commercial lawyer with more than 30 years’ experience who was a senior partner at leading firm King and Wood Mallesons where he specialised in mergers and acquisitions. Mr Humphrey was the executive dean of law for the Queensland University of Technology from 2013 to 2019. He graduated from Grammar in 1971.
Deputy chair – Warren Traves
A BGS old boy who became deputy chairman in 2020. Mr Traves is a civil engineer who has been with professional services firm GHD for the past 30 years. He is also a past director of Seqwater and has been involved with several water-based centres.
Stephen Bizzell
A highly experienced senior executive, company director and corporate advisor who has run 16 stock exchange listed companies including Arrow Energy, Stanmore Coal, Bow Energy and Maas Group Holdings. Mr Bizzell is a former director of Queensland Treasury Corporation and is a member of the Queensland Advisory Board for Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Dr Angela Ryan
A past parent and general practitioner with more than 25 years in medicine, Dr Ryan has also served on the Australian Medical Association’s Queensland branch council. Dr Ryan is a clinical lecturer at the University of Queensland’s medical school for the past three years.
Prof Doune Macdonald
Professor Macdonald currently serves as the University of Queensland’s pro-vice chancellor of teaching. She is on the board of the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority and is on the centre for the Youth Substance Abuse Research Advisory Group.
Megan Corfield
A strategic business woman whose had an executive roles at Shell Energy who has also served on the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, Tourism and Events Queensland and Urbis boards. Ms Corfield is a board member of Unitywater, Altogether Group and Infrasol.
Claire Blake
Former parent and the chief financial officer of QIC Limited with more than 30 years of experience within the company. She is a fellow of CPA Australia, the Financial Services Institute of Australia and Chartered Accountants Australia.
Mark Corgat
A chartered accountant whose career in finance spanned tenures at KPMG, Ernst and Young, Jupiters Limited and Holcim Limited. Mr Corgat is the board’s chief financial officer.
Anglican Church Grammar School Council
Churchie is managed by a school council whose powers and responsibilities are determined by a constitution approved by the Anglican Schools Commission. It’s governing body is Diocesan Council.
Chairman Daniel O’Connor OAM
Mr O’Connor is the vice president of the Industrial Court of Queensland and the chief executive of the Bar Association of Queensland. He’s been a member of the Council of the Royal National Association for the past two decades and been involved in charitable organisations including the Salvation Army. He was awarded an Order of Australia medal for his services to the law and community in 2019.
Deputy Chairman Brady Downes
A Churchie graduate from Magnus House who is a former president of Old Boys Association committee. He is also the managing director of Look Education.
Annemaree Carroll
Ms Carroll is Professor in the School of Education at The University of Queensland and Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of the Humanities and Social Sciences. She is a chief investigator and co-ordinator of Translational Outcomes within the Australian Research Council Special Research Initiative, Science of Learning Research Centre.
Russell McCart
A former Churchie student who is one of the founders of Meridien, which evolved into residential developer Pacifica. Mr McCart is a previous commodore of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and has served on the board of Brothers Rugby Club.
David Kelly
A man with substantial international board and committee level experience for private and publicly listed companies in Australia, Canada, Philippines, Colombia and Singapore. Mr Kelly’s three sons attend Churchie.
Constantine Castrisos
Mr Castrisos is the school’s nominee to the Old Boys Association and its former president. He is a partner with legal firm H Drakos and Company where he works. He also chaired the Industry Action Agenda from 2005-2008.
Russell Smith
He’s a current partner of Global Infrastructure Partners who led the company’s acquisition of Pacific National. He’s a board member of Port of Melbourne and the Board of Directors of Peel Ports in the United Kingdom.
Michael C Williams
He’s been the director of a chartered accounting practice for the past 30 years and is a former Churchie boarder and parent.
Reverend Dr Ceridwen Wynne
Dr Wynne has a doctorate in biochemistry and has worked as a research scientist who was ordained as a priest in Brisbane in 2009. She is also a sessional lecturer in Theology at Charles Sturt University, specialising in the field of Sacramental Theology.
Dr Alan Campbell
Dr Campbell was appointed Churchie’s eighth headmaster in 2014 and is a director on the Board of Independent Schools' Queensland. He is also a director of College Council of St John’s College within The University of Queensland.
Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association Board
The Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association owns Somerville House, Brisbane Boys’ College, Clayfield College and Sunshine Coast Grammar School.
Chair Peter Barker
Mr Parker is a senior finance executive with more than 30 years’ experience with multinational companies including his most recent appointment as CFO of Cardno Limited. He is a BBC old boy and was vice-captain in 1985.
Margaret Berry
The current principal at Robertson State School who has more than three decades in education. She is a member of the Queensland State Primary Principals Association.
Diane Bukowski
The founder of Eezirent and co-owner of C1 Realty who has been an Australian Institute of Company Directors since 2013. Ms Bukowski is the board director and chair of Loreto College.
Deputy chair Wayne Knapp
He’s a retired police inspector who has 20 years’ experience at boardroom level including at Wesley Hospital Townsville and the Presbyterian Church Property Board. Mr Knapp is a member of Sunshine Coast Grammar School Council.
Jane Madden
She’s a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers whose clients include ASX-listed companies and not-for-profit entities. She is a former adjunct professor of University of Queensland’s law school.
Dr Adam McIntosh
Dr McIntosh is the association director of Mission for UnitingCare Queensland and has been on the PMSA board since 2021.
Chris Wright
An entrepreneur, investor and mentor with a personal interest in education. Mr Wright is the principal of CPSZ Consulting and the chief executive of Tutis Compliance Solutions.
Brisbane Boys’ College school council
BBC’s school council is delegated the responsibility to govern and administer the performance of the school.
Chairman Don O’Rorke
A high profile property developer, investor and member of Surfing Australia who is the chief executive officer of Consolidated Properties Group. He has extensive board experience in not-for-profit and organisations.
Sarah Cox
She’s the director of Cracow Station and has a career that spans rural journalism, public relations and agribusiness management. She is also the president of not-for-profile Dawson Valley ICPA Branch.
Vaughan Henry
The founder of Vario Capital has more than 35 years in the financial services industry having held positions at local and international institutions HSBC, Queensland Treasury, GoldmanSachs, JBWeres and Certitude Global.
Hamish Turner OAM
Mr Turner worked for Australian Tourism for more than 25 years and was a key advisor for the delivery of venues and operations for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. He’s the chairman of Wyaga Investments and a BBQ old boy.
Graham Legerton
An education design specialist with award-winning expertise and a principal of the Hayball Brisbane studio. His past school projects include the Somerville House library, Brisbane State High redevelopment and Loreto College masterplan. He recently planned a new school site on the Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba.
Andre Casson
The College’s 10th headmaster when he joined this year who was previously the head of Australian International School in Singapore where he oversaw the growth of the high performing institution.
Sunshine Coast Grammar School Council
Grammar’s school council is delegated the responsibility to govern and administer the performance of the school.
Chairman Ken Watson
A retired Air Force vice marshal and principal advisor of KNW Consulting. Mr Watson is an Australian Institute of Company Directors graduate and attended the Harvard Business School.
John Hall
The Chairman of Pelican Waters Probus Club and a board member of Caloundra’s Bendigo Bank and Visit Sunshine Coast. Mr Hall has more than 30 years’ experience with listed and unlisted companies.
Dr Sue Nightingale
Dr Nightingale was responsible for the oversight of paediatric mental health and trauma response for the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. She is an executive director of clinical governance at the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service.
Bruce Swan
A chartered accountant with a wealth of experience across companies, body corporate and charities throughout the region. He’s been on the Grammar council since 2017.
Emeritus Professor Jennifer Radbourne
A retired academic who held management positions at QUT and Deakin University. She is a member of the Sunshine Coast Arts Advisory Board.
PSMA board members Chris Wright and Wayne Knapp are on the council
Clayfield College Council Members
Clayfield College Council objectives are to provide leadership and good governance of the school to achieve its vision and mission.
Chair Catherine O’Sullivan
A chief executive and board director with more than three decades experience where she has managed $110m budgets. Ms O’Sullivan is the chair of the selection committee for the Queensland Telstra Business Women of the year and small business awards and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Craig Clulow
A senior property development executive with international experience throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia. Mr Clulow is a former vice president of development with Dubai’s Hashoo Group and an executive of capital projects for Grindrod.
Gemma Alker
Ms Alker is the centre manager of QUT’s Centre of Future Enterprise, responsible for leading digital innovation within the university’s business school. She is on the Queensland Opera Committee and is an advisory member for the South Bank Development Plan.
James Sutherland
Mr Sutherland has forged a career in travel and aviation and achieved key milestones in Flight Centre Travel Group’s distribution strategy. He also implemented a low cost carrier strategy for the group.
Steve Wilkins
Mr Wilkins is the general manager of Aminya Pastoral which runs nine properties across central Queensland and down to Glen Innes in northern NSW.
Principal Dr Andrew Cousins
Dr Cousins was appointed Clayfield’s seventh principal in January 2020, He was deputy principal of the Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Perth and a dean at Somerset College on the Gold Coast.
Somerville House School Council
The Somerville House School Council is a subcommittee of the PMSA Board and provides strategic advice to the principal and the PMSA Board regarding the governance and performance of the school.
Chair Fiona Gaske
An elected school councillor from 2012 who was appointed chair last year. Ms Gaske is also the chair of Regional Development Australia Darling Downs, the former deputy mayor of Balonne Shire Council and contested the seat of Pumicestone in 2020.
Tracey McFarland
A chief experience officer with Goodstart Early Learning who has 30 years’ experience in strategic marketing management. She was a Somerville House graduate of 1990 and a current parent.
Matthew Miller
A senior Brisbane property executive and general manager Queensland at Dexus. He is considered an industry leader of the property industry and a current parent.
Trisha Squires
A former Young Australian of the Year in 2006 for her work in the aftermath of the Boxing Day Tsunami and the founder of Reach Broadbridge Fund. She is the head of AFL Queensland.
PSMA board member Margaret Berry is the deputy chair
Brisbane Girls Grammar board of trustees
Grammar’s board of trustees is it’s governing body, accountable to its community of stakeholders for the good governance of the school.
Chair Julie McKay
A former Young Australian of the year and a current partner of PriceWaterhouseCoopers and an advisor to the chief of the Australian Defence Force. Ms McKay was the executive director of the Australian National Committee for UN Women for a decade as is a past student of the school.
Deputy chair Kerryn Newton
Ms Newton is the chief executive officer of national board consulting firm Directors Australia and has more than 25 years’ legal, management and commercial experience. She is also a non-executive director for Energy Queensland.
Sophie Moore
The chief financial officer of Eagers Automotive Limited who has 25 years’ experience as a chartered accountant. Ms Moore has previously held positives at Flight Centre and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
Tony Young
Mr Young is a business services partner with BDO, one of the largest industry firms in the state. He’s been a chartered accountant for more than 30 years.
Prof Adam Shoemakers
He’s one of Australia’s leading researchers in Indigenous literature and culture who is the current vice chancellor of Victoria University. Prof Shoemakers has held senior leadership roles at Southern Cross University, Griffith University, Monash University and the Australian National University.
Andrew King
Mr King has worked in corporate property and funds management for more than 35 years giving him international industry relationships. He’s held several positions on advisory boards and committees in all levels of government.
Prof James Nicklin
Prof Nicklin is the director of gynaecologic oncology at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and is a visiting medical officer at Wesley Hospital. He has previously served as chairman of the Australian Society of Gynaecologic Oncologists.
Diana Lohrisch
A past student and head girl in 1989, Ms Lohrisch has been a corporate and commercial partner at leading independent law firm McCullough Robertson for more than 15 years.
The Southport School Council
The school council is delegated certain governance functions by the Diocesan Council.
Chair Fraser Perrin
A former Queensland Rugby Union representative and graduated from Southport in 1984 after being school captain and 1XV captain. Mr Perrin is a qualified solicitor who has been the school chairman for more than a decade.
Andrew Hawkins
He was the school’s first old boy to become headmaster in 2021 after rising through the ranks at Southport.
Chief financial officer Adam Twemlow
Mr Twemlow is a partner at KPMG and has significant experience with mining and exploration companies, and at the Royal Bank of Scotland. Some of his current and previous clients include Cockatoo Coal, Planet Gas Limited, Biotron Limited and Virotec Limited.
Greg Rix
A current parent and old boy who is the joint-managing director of Rix Developments. He has served on several business advisory boards, including Gold Coast Indy Business Board, Southport Gold Club Financial Board and Gold Coast TAFE. He is a former president of the Australian Small Business Association.
Dr Andrew Paxton-Hall
A qualified pilot who was based at Charters Towers as a flying veterinary surgeon. Mr Paxton-Hall has held several positions with the Australian Veterinary Association and is a current TSS parent.
Leith McColl
A cattle and sheep station manager who has years of overseas living experience in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Kenya with her family. Ms McColl’s three sons have attended the school from 2005 to current.
Nathan Quartermaine
An urban developer who has worked for Burling Brown and Partners, and in Asia, Vancouver, Seattle, Chicago and Victoria. He has a master’s degree in urban development.
Dr Christine Mirakian
A career health worker who has a keen interest in women’s and sexual health. Dr Mirakian was accepted as a clinical forensic medicine fellow at the Royal College of Pathologists in 2015 and continues to work in general practise at Currumbin.
Bentleigh Latimer
The current director of LF Hooker Southport and former owner of a multimillion dollar agricultural enterprise. Mr Latimer’s father went to TSS and so does his own son.
Chief financial officer Ross Cardiff
An accountant and former Royal Australian Navy officer from Brisbane who was appointed at Southport in 2009. Mr Cardiff has been a consultative committee member of Unisuper and a trustee of the Catholic Superannuation and Retirement Fund.
Stuartholme School board
The school board consists of nine directors, who are responsible for the company.
Chair Helen Spain
The principal of Helen Spain Legal and Strategy which has a focus on small to medium business, family enterprise, industry groups and not-for-profit community groups. Her daughters attend Stuartholme as boarders.
Deputy chair Andrea Hetherington
A special counsel in the commercial division of McInnes Wilson Lawyers, Ms Hetherington was also admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2012. She is a Stuartholme alumni and board member since 2018/
Sr Kathleen Muirhead
A former teacher and vice principal of the Duchesne College at the University of Queensland who has had two stints on the board of Stuartholme. Sr Kathleen is also a member of the Provincial Council of the Society of Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Dr Kerry Manton
A course co-ordinator of biomedical science at the Queensland University of Technology, Dr Manton has a Masters in Education and a mother of teenage boys. Dr Manton obtained her PhD in cancer cell biology from the QIMR Berghofer.
Stephen Brown
Dr Brown is the managing director of global consulting company The Brown Collective where he is an internationally renowned leader in the field. He has been a director for the past two years.
Dr Helen Madden
She’s a medical practitioner with more than 40 years’ experience in clinical medicine and public health in Australia and overseas. Both her daughters and granddaughters are past or present Stuartholme students.
Brendan Delahunty
The development manager for one of the world’s largest real estate investment managers, ESR Australia, and has worked in commercial property for nearly 20 years. Mr Delahunty has been the chair of Queensland Property Council’s Industrial Committee since 2021.
Gregory Johnson
A retired banking executive who worked at Macquarie and National Australia banks. Mr Johnson has been a board member of at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Foundation, Operation Smile Australia and This Story Australia.
Ben Woodbridge
A partner of PriceWaterhouseCoopers who has worked in New York, Melbourne and Brisbane and a board member of Stuartholme since 2021.
St Margaret’s School Council
St Margaret‘s School council provides the school with vision, strategic guidance, resources and finance for operations and development.
Chair Debbie Smith
A managing partner for PricewaterhouseCooper Brisbane who is responsible for more than 850 staff and for setting the strategic direction.
Deputy chair Vincent Cosgrove
Mr Cosgrove is the general manager of people and external affairs at Hastings Deering Group and has led senior leadership roles with BHP Billiton and Royal Dutch Shell in Australia, the United Kingdom and Singapore.
Jodi Phillips
Ms Phillips is a former parent and Australian Army officer of 17-years who worked in the Middle East. She is an associate director of the University of Queensland.
Zoe Connolly
A former St Margaret’s student who worked as a solicitor before turning to the not-for-profit sector. Ms Connolly worked for the Brisbane Writers Festival, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and Queensland Ballet, before becoming the director of development at Queensland Theatre.
Callum Bothwell
A current parent and managing director of property and infrastructure firm Nauta which operates throughout Asia Pacific.
Lisa Worner
A chartered accountant who graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She’s the school’s chair of finance and risk management.
George Piggott
Mr Piggott is the general counsel and secretary of Wilmar Sugar Australia and is responsible for its operations in Australia and New Zealand. He brings extensive international legal and commercial experience to the school council.
Claire Fidler
A former St Margaret’s student who is an executive director and secretary of ASX-listed entity National Storage REIT. She is also the company’s head of legal and governance.
Reverend Jan Crombie
The priest of Kenmore-Brookfield Anglican Parish who has been ordained for 20 years.
Roger Traves
A Queen’s counsel who has a broadbased practice centred on commercial law. Mr Traves is recognised in Doyle Guide for practice areas including commercial law, insurance law and dispute resolution, among others.
St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School council
The school council is the official body overseeing the growth and development of the school.
Chair Stephen Green
A past parent and chair of building and grounds committee and a member of finance, audit and risk management committee. Mr Green is also the director of the Society of the Sacred Advent Trustee.
Reverend Michael Stalley
Director of the school council and a member of Joint Ethos Committee. Rev Stalley is the rector of Chelmer Graceville Anglican Church and the area dean of Brisbane South West.
Scott Douglas
Mr Douglas is the school’s chair of its finance, audit and risk management committee. Mr Douglas is an executive general manager at Brisbane Airport and a current parent.
Dr Chelsea Ho
A past student who graduated as school dux in 2014 who is a director of the school council.
Rachael Cronin
A vice-president for external relations and tenures management at Arrow Energy and member of the school’s finance, audit and risk management committee.
Reece Walker
Chair of partners at McCullough Robertson Lawyers and a current parent.
Simon Petie
The director of Escalate Consulting and current parent.
Reverend Canon Dr Marian Free
Canon of St John’s Cathedral.
Toni Riordan
Ms Riordan is St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School principal and director of the school foundation.
Nudgee College school advisory council
Nudgee College listed its school advisory council as the following people: Damien Price, Scott Thompson, Carmel Nugent, Mick McGown, Rachel Fojtik, Mark Reppel, Angela Winton, Michael Senior and Matt Baxby.
Gregory Terrace school advisory council
The Terrace council works in partnership with the principal in order to undertake a range of delegated responsibilities aimed at providing optimum learning outcomes for all students attending the college.
St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace listed its school advisory council as the following people: Peter Shields, Amelia Robinson, Heidi Cooper, Matthew FitzGerald, Simon Keyser, Fiona Lillicrap, Bernadette McIntyre, Brendan Rehbein, Darren Weir and Damian Wright.
Neither All Hallows’ School or St Peter’s Lutheran College had their respectively board or council members listed publicly.
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