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Board members are nominated by the Education Minister. They are then appointed by the Governor in Executive Council. The Board is composed of people with relevant skills and experience. This includes the fields of early childhood education and care and school education. The Board is accountable to the Education Minister.
board-charter-final.pdf (236.57 KB)Board members
Term ends: 30 June 2021
Ann Doolette, Presiding Member
MEd, GDipEd, BA
Ann is an education consultant specialising in the development and implementation of quality-assurance systems and qualification standards, advising governments and government agencies in Australia and overseas.
Currently she is Deputy Presiding Member of the SACE Board, a board director of the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council and Chair of the Accreditation Standards Review Taskforce of the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications.
Her professional experience spans higher education, vocational education and school education. Ann was the executive head of the Australian Qualifications Framework Council from 2008 until 2013. She was the principal architect of the Australian Qualifications Framework 2011 and 2013 editions; and, during this time, she led both the review and implementation of the revised AQF.
Prior to this, Ann was a senior executive in the South Australian Government, responsible for the quality assurance of vocational education and non-university higher education. During this decade, she played a significant role in shaping national tertiary education policy and served on and supported national committees in the sector at the highest levels.
She has held senior teaching and policy positions in tertiary education.
Term ends: 30 June 2021
Carolyn Grantskalns, Deputy Presiding Member
BA, GDipTeach
Carolyn is Chief Executive of the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia. She began her teaching career in what was then known as the Education Department of South Australia and moved to the Independent sector in 1988.
In 1990 Carolyn was appointed principal of Wilderness School, a position she held until 2006. During that time she was variously chair of the Industrial Relations Committee of AISSA, president of AISSA, and a member of the boards of a tertiary residential college (St Ann’s), the teacher credit union (then known as SATISFAC) and the National Council of Independent Schools of Australia.
In 2006 Carolyn took up the position of principal of Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School in Essendon, Victoria. In addition to that role, she also held the positions of chair of the Victorian branch of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA) and membership of the AHISA Board, treasurer of Girls Sport Victoria and board member of the Centre for Strategic Education.
Term ends: 28 February 2023
Dr Caroline Croser-Barlow
PhD (Politics), MA (Defense Studies), BA
Caroline is currently the Executive Director, Early Years and Child Development at the Department for Education.
Her previous roles include project director, Year 7 into High School; group executive director, people and performance at the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR); and roles in Department of the Premier and Cabinet (SA) and Department of Defence.
Caroline has worked across a number of elements of public sector governance. She has also served on a range of boards, including the State Procurement Board and the Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board.
Term ends: 28 February 2023
Trevor Fletcher
BEd, DipTeach (Primary)
Trevor has extensive experience in educational leadership, having held senior departmental positions in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. This included six years as the deputy director general, schools for the NSW Education Department, where he had the lead responsibility for 2240 schools.
He served two federal education ministers as a member of the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) and as a director on the Board of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). Trevor has been a board member for the Australian College of Educators, the NSW Board of Studies and the SACE Board in South Australia. He also chaired the Board of the Geelong Science and Technology centre.
Trevor’s international experience includes working as the director responsible for School Improvement in Abu Dhabi, completing the Senior Managers in Government course at Harvard University and teaching for a year in London.
Trevor recently retired as the proud principal of Eastern Fleurieu R-12 School, where the enrolment increased from 970 when he began in 2012 to over 1600 students when he left there after a six-year tenure.
In a previous life, Trevor played AFL football for Carlton and was on the coaching staff for the Western Bulldogs for eight years.
Term ends: 28 February 2023
Greg Hayes
BA, GDipBusAdmin, CA, MAICD
Greg is a non-executive director and serves on boards, mainly in a financial and governance oversight role. He was deputy chairman of the Repatriation General Hospital.
As a previous board and finance member of a senior school, Greg has been exposed to the questions and decisions faced within the education sector.
Greg is a former partner of a large international chartered accounting firm. There he was responsible for dealing with clients in a consultative and hands-on manner to extract the best possible outcomes for their goals and aspirations. He was also responsible for the ITC operations of the firm and extended that knowledge into client activities.
Term ends: 30 June 2021
Neil Mc Goran
DEd, MEd
Neil is Director of Catholic Education South Australia with responsibility for 103 Catholic schools, comprising 46 000 students and 6000 staff across metropolitan and regional South Australia.
As an educator, he is interested in the needs of young people in the 21st century, in the context of an evolving, globally-focused and digital world.
Neil was previously chief executive of the SACE Board of South Australia, from 2013 to 2017, where he was instrumental in leading a program of transformational change.
Neil has over 25 years’ experience in education in roles including teacher, principal, senior administration and management.
Term ends: 28 February 2023
Noel Mifsud
MEd (Admin), GDipEd, BEd, DipTeach, DipTrain&AssessSys
Noel Mifsud has served in education for over 35 years, including 16 years as principal in R-12 schools in South Australia and the Northern Territory. He has also served as a reservist captain in the Army Education Corps and was the wintering station leader for Casey Station in Antarctica.
He has lectured on Australian Education and conducted workshops for teachers, parents, principals and boards nationally and internationally.
His areas of expertise include: Aboriginal education, Asia literacy, crisis management, educational building design and strategic planning.
Noel has served on numerous state and national boards. He is currently national board member of the Order of Malta.
He was a former member of the Multicultural Education Commission, chair of the Edmund Rice Principal’s Association and SA Catholic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Committee. In 2019 he chaired the SA/NT Learning Environments Australasia building awards.
He is currently a senior education and business consultant/coach working with businesses and schools across Adelaide.
Term ends: 28 February 2023
Mandy Richardson
MEd, BA (Journ), BEd (Primary), DipTeach
Mandy has been involved in the out-of-school-hours-care (OSHC) sector in South Australia for 25 years and is a passionate advocate for OSHC. She has been Director at St Pius X Catholic School OSHC since its inception in 1991 and is currently Chairperson for the OSHC Association in South Australia.
Mandy is also a National Outside School Hours Services Association representative and facilitates professional development for the sector in partnership with the Gowrie Training Centre. She has also worked as a project officer for the South Australian Department for Education and Child Development, as a moderator and advisory committee member for the National Childcare Accreditation Council and also as a private consultant.
Term ends: 30 June 2021
Lynda Secombe
MEd (Lead & Mgt), GDipEd (Lang & Lit Ed), GDipEd (Theol), DipTeach (Primary)
Lynda is a Senior Educational Consultant at the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA). She has more than 25 years' educational experience within the SA Independent sector as a teacher, principal and in key advisory positions at the AISSA
She believes in, and is committed to, the provision of quality learning opportunities that will enable all children to fully participate as 21st century citizens. As an accredited coach, Lynda currently applies her knowledge of improvement, innovation and change when working with school leadership in a range of school communities across SA.
She is thoroughly conversant with the national education agenda and current policy issues, including registration, compliance and accountability requirements for schools and early childhood settings. Lynda has a keen research interest in supporting school improvement through strength-based approaches to develop instructional and pedagogical leadership across all levels of a learning organisation.
Term ends: 28 February 2023
Dr Peta Smith
PhD (American Studies)
Peta has worked in the public service for 10 years. Her experience includes work in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and Attorney-General’s Department, and she has worked in the Education portfolio since 2016.
Peta leads the Department for Education’s division which supports strategic policy development, international engagement, communications and intergovernmental relations.
She has previously worked for statutory officers in social policy and has taught in American politics at Flinders University. She has served on not-for-profit boards, including as the president of Shine SA and president of the Welfare Rights Centre (SA).
Term ends: 20 January 2024
Anna Standish
BEc, CA, Dip Montessori Studies (Early Childhood)
Anna Standish is the co-founder and director of Montessori House. This operates three early learning centres in metropolitan Adelaide based on the philosophy and curriculum developed by educational pioneer Maria Montessori.
Anna has been involved in the development of Montessori early learning centres for the past 13 years. She has a proven track record in establishing authentic environments that provide high-quality learning and developmental outcomes for children. She has extensive knowledge of the National Quality Framework and its application in early childhood settings.
Anna has also served as executive member and treasurer of the Australian Childcare Alliance, SA branch for the past six years. This organisation works to advocate for and support private childcare operators across administrative, operational, regulatory and legal matters.
Previously Anna worked as a chartered accountant with KPMG in the area of audit and advisory in a career that spanned 16 years both in Australia and Eastern Europe.
Term ends: 28 February 2023
Christos Tsonis
BLaw, BIntSt, GDipCorp
Christos Tsonis is the founder and director of CXT Legal. This is a dynamic legal consultancy team servicing the local and national market in fixed-price transactions, advice and commercial law solutions.
Christos has established a strong track record in mergers and acquisitions, capital raisings and corporate governance. He also specialises in financial services law. Financial services licensing, banking and finance, registered and unregistered managed investment schemes, disclosure statements and securities industry issues all form part of his expertise.
He was listed in the 2019 and 2020 editions of Doyle’s Guide, an online listing of leading and recommended South Australian Commercial Lawyers. In 2019, Christos also led the CXT Legal team to be recognised as one of South Australia’s fastest growing businesses by revenue when it was placed in the top 25 of the BDO/Brand SA Fast Movers Program.
Christos also has served on a number of boards (including as chair of a state school governing council), pursuing ambitious reform agendas (including private companies and not-for-profits/associations).
Current board appointments include Cottage Homes Incorporated and South Australian-based private diversified investment company TYP Strategies Pty Limited.