The Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association (PMSA) Board continues to rapidly change the face and professionalism of school governance with the announcement today of two new PMSA Board members – Dr Bridget Cullen and Peter Barker.
Dr Bridget Cullen has been appointed a Board-appointed member and already is a member of the Clayfield College Council while recently-appointed PMSA’s Audit, Finance and Risk Committee member Peter Barker has been appointed to the Board by the Uniting Church of Australia, Queensland Synod.
Dr Cullen is a full-time member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and an Adjunct Professor at the Griffith University Law School and her appointment shows a transition through a number of representative bodies within PMSA schools, on PMSA committees and now to the Board.
PMSA Chair Morgan Parker said Dr Cullen’s knowledge in anti-discrimination, employment, and administrative law will be an asset to the Board and her appointment contemporises the PMSA’s governance.
“Our schools educate some of the finest future citizens of the world and with two all girls’ secondary schools in our PMSA family, Dr Cullen’s appointment reflects the expectations and representation of our school communities,” Mr Parker said.
New Board member Peter Barker is a proud Old Collegian of Brisbane Boys’ College (BBC) and was Vice Captain of his year in 1985.
Now a leading CFO and Company Secretary with Cardno Ltd, Mr Barker is passionate about the important role education creates for young people and believes the PMSA is instrumental in creating a level of humility among the students to reflect the privilege of independent education.
Also a BBC Old Collegian, Mr Parker said Mr Barker’s appointment was representative of the shift towards greater representation on our Board, School Councils and Committees by highly-qualified and passionate former students.
In addition to these Board appointments, newly-appointed member of the PMSA’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Committee and past St Margaret’s principal Dr Vicki Waters has also appointed as a member of the Clayfield College Council.
She replaces retiring Clayfield College Council member Robyn Kronenberg. Also retiring from the Clayfield College Council and the PMSA Board is Helen Murray.
Mr Parker said the Board has recognised the importance and value of education experts in governance.
“Having someone of Vicki’s calibre with local and national independent education experience in our governance ranks demonstrates our commitment to a balance of governance expertise,” Mr Parker said.
The PMSA owns four of Queensland’s most outstanding independent schools – Brisbane Boys’ College, Clayfield College, Somerville House and Sunshine Coast Grammar School.
The PMSA is governed by a Board which comprises up to 13 Board members. Up to five Board members are each appointed by the Presbyterian Church and the Uniting Church and up to three are directly appointed by the PMSA Board.
The appointment of Board member follows a nomination and election process outlined in the PMSA’s Board Charter. The maximum tenure of nine years for Board and School Council members was among the many governance reforms that the PMSA has implemented following the substantial governance review and reform program in 2018.
ENDS
For more information or an interview with Chair Morgan Parker, please contact:
Caroline Thurlow, mobile 0414 565 575, email cthurlow@pmsa-schools.edu.au