Governing Council - Our People.

Our People – Sharing the Journey

The Good Samaritan Education Assembly consists of at least 15 Members who are admitted in accordance with the requirements of its Statutes: one nominated by each of the Bishops of the five dioceses in which Good Samaritan schools are situated; three Good Samaritan Sisters nominated by the Superior; and others as nominated by the Superior. 

From among this group, a minimum of seven Members are elected by their peers to the Governing Council. The Governing Council is authorised to act in the name of Good Samaritan Education. 

Each Good Samaritan Education Member is also a Member of the Company for either one or two Good Samaritan schools and, as such, is involved in the life of the school communities. 

Click on the names below to expand individual bios.

Members of the Governing Council

A retired principal of two GSE schools, St Mary Star of the Sea, Wollongong, and previously at Mater Dei, Camden. With experience across primary, secondary and special education contexts Frank brings a wealth of knowledge and heart for the Good Samaritan Benedictine tradition to his governance role. Frank is the Member Representative of St Scholastica’s College, Glebe.

Former Executive Director of Good Samaritan Education, Leonie, in 2020 was made a Company Member of GSE.  From her unique insights into the workings of GSE to her leadership and consultation for numerous peak bodies in Education Leonie brings with her considerable governance experience. Leonie is the Member Representative of Mater Christi College, Belgrave.

John is a retired solicitor and has been involved in the Diocese of Wollongong for many years, serving for over ten years as Chair of CatholicCare  (formerly Centacare). He was a member of the Good Samaritan Education Council from 2007 until 2012 and a Member of the first GSE Governing Council.  John is the Member Representative of Lourdes Hill College, Hawthorne.

Natasha was educated by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan at St Mary’s College, Wollongong where she now serves as a Company Member. Natasha is currently a Legal and Industrial Officer with Catholic Education Wollongong and has previously held Human Resources,  Policy and Legislative Development positions in Christian organisations and with the Commonwealth Government. She is the Member Representative of Mater Dei School.

Michelle has extensive experience in Internal Audit, Risk and Assurance roles. She is a former Director and past Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee at St Mary’s College Wollongong. Michelle currently works with the Illawarra Retirement Trust as the Manager: Risk. Michelle is Company Member at St Mary’s College, Wollongong, and Mater Dei, Camden. Michelle is the Chair of the GSE Finance Risk and Audit Committee.

Libby is a highly respected education leader who has led strategic thinking, innovation, leadership development and pedagogy at Sydney Catholic Schools. Her roles included principal, Secondary Consultant, and Director of System Performance /School Operations. She has served on school advisory Boards and is currently a Director of Marist Schools Australia. Libby is an oblate at the Abbey in Jamberoo. Libby is the Member Representative at St Pat’s Campbelltown. Libby is currently Chair of the GSE Reconciliation Working Party. 

Ann-Maree has had a long association with the Church and was heavily involved in the Wollongong Diocese in a professional and personal capacity. Ann-Maree has highly developed skills in strategy and policy and has held significant leadership roles within the Diocese of Wollongong Catholic Education Office. She has a deep appreciation of GSE’s charism, having previously served as Chair of the Board of St Patrick’s College, Campbelltown.

Gaynor is an exceptional educational leader who has held a number of governance roles since concluding her Principalship at Siena College, Camberwell, a Catholic secondary school for girls in the Dominican Tradition in Victoria.
Gaynor is a Board Director at Whitefriars College and provides services in education consultancy.

Current
Assembly Members

Elizabeth is a Sister of the Good Samaritan with qualifications in education, canon law and theology. She has filled various roles in the church at national, state and diocesan level in education, administration, governance, ecumenism and canon law. Elizabeth is Chair of Members of St Patrick’s College, Campbelltown and Company Member of St Mary’s College, Wollongong.

Danielle has had extensive experience as Deputy Director of the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC), Executive Director of the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW and is currently Director, Education Policy with Catholic Schools NSW. She is a proud past student of Mount St Benedict College, Pennant Hills where she is now Chair of  Members. Danielle also serves as a Company Member for Stella Maris College.

John was a Catholic secondary principal before undertaking senior roles in Queensland Catholic Education Offices as Assistant to the Director, Area Supervisor for Catholic schools and Manager of Professional Standards and Student Protection. John served for a significant period as a member of the governing body of the Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies. He is the Member Representative of Santa Maria College, Northcote

Veronica has been a Good Samaritan Sister for over 40 years. She has extensive experience in education particularly in the areas of disability and student services and is currently the Professional Standards Adviser for the Sisters of the Good Samaritan and the Vicar for Religious in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Veronica is Chair of Members of Santa Maria College Northcote, and a Company Member of both Mater Christi College, Belgrave and Mater Dei, Camden. 

Moira was educated by Good Samaritan Sisters in Canberra and is the Member Representative of Stella Maris College, Manly. She was a teacher and principal in Canberra before becoming Director of Catholic Education in the Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese (2007-2016). Currently, Moira is also the Chair of AMPJP.

Lana has a background in mission strategy, adult formation and organisational dialogue across industries that span education, commercial business, not-for-profit, government, health and aged care services. As ACBC Plenary Council Facilitator, Lana had a unique lens of the Australian Catholic Church; from this and her many other roles, Lana brings significant depth of knowledge and insight to GSE.

Catherine is a Sister of the Good Samaritan and an experienced teacher and principal. She was Chair of the Good Samaritan Education Council from 2006 until 2012 and has been instrumental in shaping the formation programs within Good Samaritan Education and in nurturing the evolution of GSE.

Ellen is a respected educator of over 20 years experience, teaching senior school both internationally and locally with a focus on English, RE and SOR. Currently the Curriculum Leader – Religious Education at Mt St Michael’s College, Ashgrove, Ellen was also an Associate Lecturer at Australian Catholic University and an Activities Writer, collaborating to develop the new QCE Study of Religion textbook, Religion: Contexts and Expressions. Ellen is currently a PhD candidate, investigating the responses of Catholic secondary schools to gender and sexuality diversity in their communities. 

Caroline has an extensive background in leadership in Catholic Education and Formation. Caroline is a Doctor of Education and has extensive qualifications as a member of numerous boards, working groups and standing committees in the mission sector.

The role of Director in a Good Samaritan College offers an opportunity to work in partnership with others in the ministry of education within the mission of the Church. The Directors ensure that the best possible educational opportunities are offered to students within a faith community. 

While people of goodwill from all walks of life may be appointed as Directors,  the foremost requirement is that each comes with his or her own life experience, knowledge and gifts, and is prepared to share them for the benefit of the school community.  Each Director appointed to a College Board must meet the requirements set out under the Corporations Act 2001 and the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission (ACNC).

Directors should have a sincere desire to grow in closeness to God, to live the Gospel life and to listen to the voice of the Spirit in order to contribute fully to the work of the Board. 

Download Call to Governance

Rosebank College
Five Dock, New South Wales 
Principal: Iris Nastasi

St Scholastica’s College
Glebe Point, New South Wales 
Principal: Laetitia Richmond

Stella Maris College
Manly, New South Wales 
Principal: Sharyn Quirk 

Mount St Benedict College
Pennant Hills, New South Wales 
Principal: Michael Hanratty  

St Mary Star of the Sea
Wollongong, New South Wales 
Principal: Tony Fitzgerald 

St Patrick’s College
Campbelltown, New South Wales 
Principal: Mary Leask

Mater Dei
Camden, New South Wales 
Principal: Jennifer Foldes

Mater Christi College
Belgrave, Victoria 
Principal: Maria Haggett 

Santa Maria College
Northcote, Victoria 
Principal: Joanne Rock

Lourdes Hill College
Hawthorne, Queensland 
Principal: Kay Gleeson

The Good Samaritan Education Services Team provides support for the work and mission of Good Samaritan Education by:

  • providing executive and practical support to the work of the Governing Council and Assembly
  • providing direction and advice to the ten Good Samaritan Education school communities through liaison with Principals and their senior leadership, Business Managers, Boards and Company Members
  • developing and maintaining peer and collaborative networks through liaison with Church education and ministerial bodies

The Good Samaritan Education Services Team work is focused through the lens of the Good Samaritan Benedictine tradition providing formation, advice, resource development and the ongoing development and maintenance of policies and procedures.

E-mail: admin@goodsameducation.org.au