School Board

Melissa was appointed as a School Board member by the School Board, in 2015. She is a parent of one current student and two old scholars. Melissa is a chartered professional engineer and a registered professional engineer in Queensland, Director of MFY Pty Ltd (traffic engineers) and an accredited road safety auditor. In 2015 Melissa was awarded the grade of Fellow with the Institution of Engineers Australia and is a member of the Australian Institute of Traffic Planners and Managers, the Urban Development Institute of Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Melissa is a Foundation Guardian and Chair of the Board Planning & Properties Committee. In 2010 she was the Telstra South Australian Business Woman of the Year and went on to win the National Award for the Business Owner Category. Melissa is also Chair of the Young Adelaide Voices Board and has previously held positions on the Lincoln College Council and a sub-committee of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation Board.

Cathy was elected to the School Board by the then Trustees in 2016 and was re-elected at both the 2018 and 2021 Annual General Meetings. She is a parent of two old scholars and is a Foundation Fellow, Deputy Chair of the School Board and Chair of the Board Governance Committee.

Cathy is a corporate lawyer and company secretary. Her career spans partnerships with private law firms and in house counsel roles in the ASX listed and private company sectors, and she is currently Joint Company Secretary at ASX listed AdBri Ltd. Cathy also serves on the board of The Burnside War Memorial Hospital Inc. and on industry management and advisory committees. Cathy is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Melissa is a parent of two current students, a Foundation Fellow, and was appointed to the Board in 2021 by the Parents’ and Friends’ Association. She is also a member of the Board Governance and Finance, Risk and Audit Committees, and the Parents’ and Friends’ Association Committee. She has board and committee experience in governance, healthcare, regulation, and innovation. Melissa works with others towards better, safer, person-centred care. Additionally, she is the director of her family company, a boutique services firm.

Melissa has undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in Mathematics, Systems Development, Business Management, Medical and Health Leadership, Health Service Safety and Quality, is a certified health informatician and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors course.

Andreas, a current and past school parent, was appointed to the Board in 2019 and is a Foundation Member. Having been a member of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee since 2019, Andreas was appointed Committee Chair in May 2022. Following a successful executive career, concluding with an eight year term as the CEO of Wine Australia, Andreas now holds a range of non-executive director and Chair roles across a broad range of sectors and is a consultant with KMPG.

He holds a Master of Laws from the Australian National University and Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) from Flinders University and is admitted to practice in South Australia. He has also completed a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment from the Securities Institute of Australia and the Authentic Leadership Program at Harvard University. He is also a Graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course.

Peter is an elected Board member who commenced on the School Board in January 2020. During his career Peter served as Principal of three Catholic co-educational schools, most recently for 15 years at Mercedes College until his retirement in July 2019. Peter has also served on a number of Catholic Education SA and SACE committees with a focus on finance and governance. In the role of Principal Consultant for Catholic Education SA, Peter worked with and supported 25 metropolitan and rural Catholic secondary, combined and standalone primary schools.

Peter is a past member of the International Baccalaureate Organisation and also the Council of International Schools where he has co-chaired school accreditation visits.

Keng is a parent of two current students, Treasurer of the Parents’ and Friends’ Association and was appointed to the Board in November 2023 by the Parents’ and Friends’ Association. Keng holds an undergraduate degree in Economics and Accounting, postgraduate degrees in Management and Change Management, and an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management. He has spent the majority of his career managing ICT and is now director of the family dental business.

Keng’s board and committee experience includes roles on boards of various private charities focused on childhood poverty relief, as well as Linden Park Primary School and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Ali was appointed to the School Board in 2016 by the Pembroke Old Scholars Association. She is an old scholar ('98) and a current parent. Ali is a member of the Pembroke Old Scholars Association Committee and a past member of OzHarvest's SA Advisory Committee.

Ali is an authorised Marriage Celebrant and has previously worked as a business operations director; public relations, marketing and digital media consultant, as well as a journalist. Ali has tertiary qualifications in journalism and communications.

Andrew is a current school parent and was appointed to the Pembroke School Board in November 2023. Andrew is also a member of the Governance Committee.

Andrew is a lawyer practising in commercial and business law, taxation and revenue law, corporate governance, corporate structuring and banking. He is the principal of his own law firm and acts primarily for a small number of large family-owned private businesses and family offices.

Andrew holds Master of Laws (Commercial) and Bachelor of Arts (Jurisprudence) degrees from the University of Adelaide and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of South Australia. He is also a Chartered Tax Adviser (The Tax Institute). Andrew is a director and chair of several private family philanthropic foundations.

Julia is parent of two old scholars and was appointed to the Pembroke School Board in 2018. She joined the Foundation Board in 2016 and succeeded David Minns as Chair of the Foundation in 2020. She is also a Foundation Member. Julia holds an MBA and is a Graduate and Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is the Chief Executive Officer of JM Philanthropy and Grant Toolbox. She has also served on the boards of several not-for-profit organisations.

Ben is a current parent and was appointed by the Pembroke School Board in November 2023 to fill a casual vacancy. Ben is also a Pembroke Foundation Member and joined the Foundation Board in August 2023.

Ben has senior executive experience, most recently with Macquarie Asset Management specialising in asset finance, M&A and debt markets, and prior to that at Qantas where he had responsibilities in the treasury team for aircraft fleet financings. He has an Economics degree from the University of Adelaide, is a Chartered Accountant, Fellow of the Financial Services Institute and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Ben has prior experience as Governor and Chair of Finance and Investment at St Peter’s College in Adelaide, along with other corporate directorships.

Mark commenced as Pembroke Principal in July 2022. In accordance with the School Constitution he is an ex officio non-voting Board Member. Mark is also a member of the four Board appointed committees.

Mark is an experienced educational leader, with undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in English, History, Communications and Educational Leadership. Most recently, Mark was Senior Deputy Principal at Wenona School in North Sydney where he worked closely with the Principal and School Board of Governors on all matters of school leadership and management, with particular emphasis on leading the innovative staff culture of learning.

Throughout Mark’s extensive career he has held many leadership roles across diverse areas such as Student Wellbeing, Professional Learning and Teaching and Learning. He is thoroughly committed to developing a school culture that values relationships and fosters personal excellence through continual improvement within a respectful and caring community.

Mark is passionate about all things Pembroke and is looking forward to advancing the School into the future, and co-designing strategy that supports Pembroke being at the forefront of education and one of Australia’s leading independent schools.

Wendy commenced at Pembroke in 2000. Wendy manages the School’s finance, business, administration, risk and governance functions, is Secretary to the School Board, a member of the four Board appointed committees and a Foundation Fellow.

Prior to joining Pembroke Wendy worked across manufacturing, banking, finance, housing and multimedia. She has qualifications in economics, finance, investment, management, governance and superannuation. She is currently a Trustee Director of NGS Superannuation, a member of the AISSA Finance Committee and Chair of Kathleen Lumley College Inc. Wendy is a Justice of the Peace (SA) and a fellow of CPA Australia, Australian Institute of Company Directors and Governance Institute.