The ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ Board is currently made up of 10 members who are responsible for the overall strategic direction of the school. The Board̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ major responsibilities include oversight of the School̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ Mission and Values, Master Plan and Strategic Plan.
The Board also has responsibilities with regard to financial oversight of the school, especially in relation to the fee structure and the expansion of school buildings and facilities.
The composition of the Board is broad with a range of professional skills represented by its members.
Mr David Jemmett is the current Board Chair at ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ, a position he has held since November 2018. With a degree in Agricultural Science and an executive MBA, he has over 20 years of professional experience in commodities trading, business, and agriculture. Currently, David is the Chief Operating Officer at Southern Stockfeeds, where he oversees the daily operations of the manufacturing business and implementation of strategic initiatives.
David has been a Girton Board member since 2017, drawn by his passion for community involvement and volunteerism. As a father of two children at Girton, he was eager to contribute his diverse skill set and experience to the Board. His primary motivation was to help shape the School’s strategic direction, governance, and financial management. As a member of various Board sub-committees, David has been instrumental in providing unique perspectives and insights to support the School’s mission of providing high-quality education to its students.
Carolyn Starr is the Deputy Co-Chair of the ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ Board, as well as a member of the Principal̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ Employment, Performance and Remuneration Committee and the Governance, Risk, Compliance and Strategy Committee.
With a long association with the School, having attended Girton College herself and both of her children currently enrolled in Senior School, she has a deep appreciation for the School’s commitment to providing exceptional education.
As a solicitor with over 24 years of experience in both the private and state sectors, Carolyn brings her diverse range of legal skills to the Board. Currently, she is employed by the State Government as a solicitor, where she has been involved in the implementation of state-wide legal projects.
Carolyn joined the Board to contribute to the School and the local community. She is passionate about quality education and believes that every student deserves access to a well-rounded education that prepares them for the challenges of the future. She is committed to contributing to the Board’s efforts to ensure that ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ provides the highest quality education possible.
Ms Fleur Jackson brings a wealth of legal expertise and experience to the ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ Board. As one of the two Board Deputy Chairs, she plays a key role in providing oversight and guidance to the School. Fleur’s connection to Girton runs deep, as both of her children attend the School and she is a former student herself.
With a BA LLB degree and a GAICD, Fleur is a Law Institute of Victoria Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law. She currently holds the position of Senior Legal Counsel Work and Road Claims Victoria at Slater & Gordon Lawyers. Fleur is also a non-executive director of CVGT and sits on the Audit & Risk and People & Culture Sub-committees.
Her decision to join the Girton Board was motivated by a desire to give back to the community and contribute to the ongoing success of the School.
Mr Andrew Hosking is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over two decades of experience in financial management and analysis. As a member of the Girton Board, he holds two roles, Chair of the Finance Committee, and Chair of Campus Development and Major Projects Committee.
With a passion for Bendigo, Andrew believes that access to quality education is essential for the city’s growth and prosperity, which Girton can provide by attracting and retaining some of the best educators in Bendigo.
Andrew’s financial background and experience can assist ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ in achieving its goals by making meaningful contributions to the financial management of the School, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to achieve the School’s objectives. Andrew is currently Head of Finance/CFO at the Portable Long Service Authority in Bendigo, where he oversees all aspects of financial management.
Mr Raphael Krelle is a Board Director of ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ, serving on the Campus Development and Major Projects Sub-committee and the Finance Sub-committee. He is a town planner with qualifications in business and has worked in various private and local government roles across Victoria. Raph operates a town planning consulting business in Bendigo, where he has gained extensive experience in planning and development in rural and regional areas. Through his work, he has developed a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing regional communities, and he is committed to leveraging this expertise to support the School’s mission and objectives.
Raph’s motivation for joining the ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ Board was driven by his desire to contribute to the School’s future and help shape its ongoing success. He has a deep appreciation for the outstanding education that Girton provides to its students and believes that it plays a critical role in shaping the future of the community. Raph is particularly excited about the opportunity to contribute to the School’s Master Plan process and work with the School’s executive leadership team to shape future changes and improvements.
Ms Robyn Lindsay is a Board Director and Chair of the Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Strategy Sub-committee at ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ, joining the Board in mid-2020. Robyn has two sons, one of whom finished Year 12 at ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ in 2021 and one in Year 12 this year.
As the CEO at Echuca Regional Health, Robyn is responsible for overseeing provision of healthcare to a diverse community. She has extensive experience in operational and strategic risk management in large organisations, as well as a deep understanding of the importance of strategic planning, financial management, and risk assessment.
Robyn’s motivation for joining the Girton Board was driven by her desire to give back to the community and be involved in an organisation that aligned with her core beliefs, particularly that education, health, and business all play an important role in the development of healthy and prosperous young people.
Mr Luxman Dua is a recent addition to the ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ Board of Directors, where he brings his expertise in finance, technology, and risk management. His family moved to Bendigo from overseas in 2021, and his daughter is currently in Year 5 at Girton.
Luxman is a highly qualified professional with over 25 years of experience in cybersecurity, IT risk, and business resilience. He is currently Head of Cybersecurity at Coliban Water, where he advises the executive leadership team and the Board on emerging cyber threats and countermeasures.
Luxman is a strong advocate for academic excellence and is passionate about creating an environment that drives students towards academic success. He believes Bendigo Region needs more entrepreneurs, more professionals, more leaders to achieve and sustain long-term economic prosperity and that all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, the School, and the Board, have a social obligation to create a pool of world-class local talent.
As a member of the Girton Board, Luxman aims to contribute positively to the Board’s strategy and advocate academic excellence for the School’s students.
Jarrah O’Shea has been a Board Director of ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ since 2021. He is a member of the Finance Sub-Committee.
Jarrah is an executive with Coliban Water where he leads the Strategy Division. His role includes responsibility for pricing, climate action, energy, water resources and data science.
As an economist by trade, Jarrah understands the value of evidence-based decision making. Combined with a CPA, Jarrah seeks to ensure Board decisions are both financially sound and in the best interests of the school’s students.
Jarrah is a parent of current students, and when not busy at Coliban Water or ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ, he can be found at Epsom Soccer Club volunteering, coaching or attending committee meetings.
Elizabeth joined the ̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ Board in April 2023 and is a member of the Risk and Compliance and Campus Development Committees.
Elizabeth is an engineer with postgraduate qualifications in management and boasts extensive experience across both private and public infrastructure sectors.  Her expertise spans strategic planning, design, operation and asset management. Elizabeth holds the positions of Commercial Manager at Grainlogic, commencing the role in 2023. In this role she provides leadership in governance, risk management and strategy implementation.
As a Girton parent, Elizabeth maintains a strong connection to the school and its cornerstone values of People, Character and Learning.
Elizabeth̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ decision to join the Girton Board was driven by her motivation to contribute to the execution of the Strategic Plan and to drive an outstanding future for the school and its community.
The Board is assisted and supported with the discharge of its statutory and good governance duties and responsibilities by a Company Secretary.
Mr Eddie Gibbons is the School̨ž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ Company Secretary appointed in November 2021.
Eddięž³UUÁÄÌìÊÒ professional career has spanned operational and strategic governance advisory, corporate services and executive roles within the government sector, public agencies and the for-purpose sector.
A deep understanding and insights into the educational environment of independent schools is gained from experiences as alumni presidency, school council/board membership (including sub-committee chair) as well as stakeholder or company membership roles.
These qualifications and experience are complemented by commercial and entrepreneurial acumen demonstrated in the founding and ownership of various Victorian regionally-based SMEs.