KEM Board Information
The KEM Board commenced in 2014 and has governance of seven schools which were formally governed by the Brigidine Sisters. Kilbreda College, Killester College, Marian College- Sunshine West, Clonard College, Marian College - Ararat, St Joseph’s College and Kildare College in Adelaide make up the seven schools.
Directors:
Paul Desmond- Chair
Paul Desmond has spent much of his life in Catholic education, having been taught by the Sisters of St Joseph and the Christian Brothers, prior to completing his Teaching degree in 1979. Paul has taught at Mount Lilydale College, St Leo’s College in Box Hill, and the Academy of Mary Immaculate in Fitzroy (where he was also Deputy Principal for six years). In 1995 Paul was appointed Deputy Principal at Padua College in Mornington. In 2005, he took up the role of Principal of St Francis Xavier College in Beaconsfield and Berwick. Under Paul’s leadership, the College expanded to a third campus in Officer. St Francis Xavier College has, at the time, a student population of 2,600 Year 7-12 boys and girls. In 2015, Paul transferred to the Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst as Executive Director of Catholic Education, a role he held for nine years until his retirement at the end of 2023.
Greer Lamaro Haintz - Company Secretary
Greer Lamaro Haintz was educated in the Brigidine Tradition at Clonard College, Geelong, between 1995 and 2000. Greer continued her association with the Brigidines and Kildare Education Ministries, serving as a member of the Clonard College Stewardship Council from 2010-2019. Greer is a Lecturer in Health Sciences, Public Health and Health Promotion at Deakin University. Inspired by the gospel values and the KEM values, her areas of passion in teaching, research and service are in promoting health through social inclusion and equity for marginalised groups.
Marguerite Buckley
Marguerite has enjoyed a long association with Brigidine education, having worked at Marian College West Sunshine, the Brigidine Secondary Schools Council and Kildare Ministries in its early years. She appreciates the opportunities to support the KEM schools through her membership of the Board and values the close association that Board representation gives her with Clonard College.
Marita Wright
Marita Wright is a senior executive with over 20 years’ experience in strategic and operational leadership in the general insurance and legal sectors. Marita has significant expertise in the not-for-profit sector, specialising in governance, risk and compliance solutions for religious-based institutions. Marita lives in Brighton.
Marita joined the Catholic Commission Education of Victoria (CECV) Audit and Risk Committee on the 20.09.2021. Marita is also a member of the DOBCEL Audit and Risk Committee.
Gerard Richard Jones
Richard has recently retired from a career teaching in Victorian secondary Catholic schools for 40 years. Most recently he was employed at Clonard College, Geelong for 25 years as a teacher and as a senior leader with responsibilities such as Curriculum Coordinator, member of Leadership Teams, Assistant Principal and Acting Principal. As a Kildare Education Ministries school, Clonard has given Richard experience of the demands and responsibilities of providing quality education consistent with the values of Kildare Ministries and with the requirements of education regulators like the VQRA. Richard’s experience of working within a KEM school has also provided him with a desire to continue supporting this important work of providing purposeful and visionary education for a diverse range of students, equipping young people with the skills and insights to be successful but, more importantly, to make a difference in the world- a world they need to understand and nurture.
Brian Schumacher
Brian is currently an Education Manager with Catholic Education South Australia. Brian has
• Experience as a Catholic Secondary Principal (Sacred Heart College Middle School, Cabra Dominican College Adelaide and Rostrevor College)
• Strong spirituality and understanding of Catholic Identity and Catholic Education
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Experience in Governance across various bodies, most recently as the EREA Director of Schools (SA, WA, NT)
• Financial oversight and management, risk management and strategic planning expertise.
Anne Walker
Anne Walker is a solicitor, who holds a current practising certificate. After working in private practice in a large city firm for 4 years, Anne changed focus from corporate law to working for the Church at the Catholic Commission for Employment Relations for 12 years resulting in the position of Special Counsel. In 2013, Anne was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese of Broken Bay to which the role of Director, Office of Chancery Services was later added. In October 2016, Anne provided consultancy services in governance and professional standards to varied clientele including the Victorian Commission for Children and Young People. In 2017, Anne was appointed to the role of National Executive Director for Catholic Religious Australia, the national organisation which advocates for the vulnerable as the collective voice of religious and supports religious institutes. Anne is Vice Chair of Trustees at Catholic Healthcare and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Anne is particularly interested in fostering the mission of the Church within its organisations to enable all, including young people, to become the best and happiest people they can be, to serve, to lead and to answer God’s call.
Peta Wragg
Peta Wragg has over forty years’ teaching experience in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary sectors. Initially educated in the Presentation Tradition in the 1960’s at Presentation College Windsor, Peta’s Primary teaching experiences were in Presentation schools. In 1986 Peta commenced her Secondary teaching career at Kilbreda College Mentone, beginning an enduring association with the Brigidines and the Kildare Education Ministries. Between 2008 and 2019 Peta was a Clinical Specialist and a Teaching Fellow in the Master of Teaching Program, MGSE, University of Melbourne. Peta is committed to education being the conduit for justice, inclusivity, respect and freedom.
David Wilkes
David Christopher Wilkes is a Chartered Accountant who has recently retired from his role as the Chief Financial Officer of the Catholic Education Commission Victoria (CECV) after twenty-two years of Catholic education service. He has been a national representative on behalf of the National Catholic Education Commission relating to the Australian Curriculum, Reporting & Assessment Authority and Australian Charities Not-for-profits Commission finance-related committees. He has been a CECV primary and secondary grants funding committee member and executive assistant of audit and risk committees for over twenty years. His three children are or have attended Catholic primary and secondary schools. He is deeply committed to the principles of Catholic social teachings, especially preferential options for the poor and vulnerable.
Directors:
Paul Desmond- Chair
Paul Desmond has spent much of his life in Catholic education, having been taught by the Sisters of St Joseph and the Christian Brothers, prior to completing his Teaching degree in 1979. Paul has taught at Mount Lilydale College, St Leo’s College in Box Hill, and the Academy of Mary Immaculate in Fitzroy (where he was also Deputy Principal for six years). In 1995 Paul was appointed Deputy Principal at Padua College in Mornington. In 2005, he took up the role of Principal of St Francis Xavier College in Beaconsfield and Berwick. Under Paul’s leadership, the College expanded to a third campus in Officer. St Francis Xavier College has, at the time, a student population of 2,600 Year 7-12 boys and girls. In 2015, Paul transferred to the Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst as Executive Director of Catholic Education, a role he held for nine years until his retirement at the end of 2023.
Greer Lamaro Haintz - Company Secretary
Greer Lamaro Haintz was educated in the Brigidine Tradition at Clonard College, Geelong, between 1995 and 2000. Greer continued her association with the Brigidines and Kildare Education Ministries, serving as a member of the Clonard College Stewardship Council from 2010-2019. Greer is a Lecturer in Health Sciences, Public Health and Health Promotion at Deakin University. Inspired by the gospel values and the KEM values, her areas of passion in teaching, research and service are in promoting health through social inclusion and equity for marginalised groups.
Marguerite Buckley
Marguerite has enjoyed a long association with Brigidine education, having worked at Marian College West Sunshine, the Brigidine Secondary Schools Council and Kildare Ministries in its early years. She appreciates the opportunities to support the KEM schools through her membership of the Board and values the close association that Board representation gives her with Clonard College.
Marita Wright
Marita Wright is a senior executive with over 20 years’ experience in strategic and operational leadership in the general insurance and legal sectors. Marita has significant expertise in the not-for-profit sector, specialising in governance, risk and compliance solutions for religious-based institutions. Marita lives in Brighton.
Marita joined the Catholic Commission Education of Victoria (CECV) Audit and Risk Committee on the 20.09.2021. Marita is also a member of the DOBCEL Audit and Risk Committee.
Gerard Richard Jones
Richard has recently retired from a career teaching in Victorian secondary Catholic schools for 40 years. Most recently he was employed at Clonard College, Geelong for 25 years as a teacher and as a senior leader with responsibilities such as Curriculum Coordinator, member of Leadership Teams, Assistant Principal and Acting Principal. As a Kildare Education Ministries school, Clonard has given Richard experience of the demands and responsibilities of providing quality education consistent with the values of Kildare Ministries and with the requirements of education regulators like the VQRA. Richard’s experience of working within a KEM school has also provided him with a desire to continue supporting this important work of providing purposeful and visionary education for a diverse range of students, equipping young people with the skills and insights to be successful but, more importantly, to make a difference in the world- a world they need to understand and nurture.
Brian Schumacher
Brian is currently an Education Manager with Catholic Education South Australia. Brian has
• Experience as a Catholic Secondary Principal (Sacred Heart College Middle School, Cabra Dominican College Adelaide and Rostrevor College)
• Strong spirituality and understanding of Catholic Identity and Catholic Education
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Experience in Governance across various bodies, most recently as the EREA Director of Schools (SA, WA, NT)
• Financial oversight and management, risk management and strategic planning expertise.
Anne Walker
Anne Walker is a solicitor, who holds a current practising certificate. After working in private practice in a large city firm for 4 years, Anne changed focus from corporate law to working for the Church at the Catholic Commission for Employment Relations for 12 years resulting in the position of Special Counsel. In 2013, Anne was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese of Broken Bay to which the role of Director, Office of Chancery Services was later added. In October 2016, Anne provided consultancy services in governance and professional standards to varied clientele including the Victorian Commission for Children and Young People. In 2017, Anne was appointed to the role of National Executive Director for Catholic Religious Australia, the national organisation which advocates for the vulnerable as the collective voice of religious and supports religious institutes. Anne is Vice Chair of Trustees at Catholic Healthcare and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Anne is particularly interested in fostering the mission of the Church within its organisations to enable all, including young people, to become the best and happiest people they can be, to serve, to lead and to answer God’s call.
Peta Wragg
Peta Wragg has over forty years’ teaching experience in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary sectors. Initially educated in the Presentation Tradition in the 1960’s at Presentation College Windsor, Peta’s Primary teaching experiences were in Presentation schools. In 1986 Peta commenced her Secondary teaching career at Kilbreda College Mentone, beginning an enduring association with the Brigidines and the Kildare Education Ministries. Between 2008 and 2019 Peta was a Clinical Specialist and a Teaching Fellow in the Master of Teaching Program, MGSE, University of Melbourne. Peta is committed to education being the conduit for justice, inclusivity, respect and freedom.
David Wilkes
David Christopher Wilkes is a Chartered Accountant who has recently retired from his role as the Chief Financial Officer of the Catholic Education Commission Victoria (CECV) after twenty-two years of Catholic education service. He has been a national representative on behalf of the National Catholic Education Commission relating to the Australian Curriculum, Reporting & Assessment Authority and Australian Charities Not-for-profits Commission finance-related committees. He has been a CECV primary and secondary grants funding committee member and executive assistant of audit and risk committees for over twenty years. His three children are or have attended Catholic primary and secondary schools. He is deeply committed to the principles of Catholic social teachings, especially preferential options for the poor and vulnerable.