Governance Information

Board

In late 2009, Mount Barker Waldorf School ratified a new Constitution and appointed a new nine-member Board as part of a broad renewal process underway across the school’s administration.

The appointment marked the end of an era at MBWS, which has been administered by a College of Teachers since it was founded in 1979. The College has been solely responsible for the school’s governance, management and educational administration.

The new Constitution and Board provided a foundation for a new beginning at the school and signalled a significant shift in the way the school is governed and managed.

School community members have played a key role in the design of the new Constitution and were closely advised by external consultants with expertise in school governance, Waldorf Education and financial management.

The Board is responsible for strategy formulation, policy making and compliance with requirements imposed by Commonwealth and State authorities. It also ensures the school is well run in the interests of all stakeholders.

Each board member has been selected from a large number of nominations from across the school community and beyond. The current board members are: Roger Quigley, Brent Danks, Chris Cocks, Kevin Watkins, Richard Sproull, Heg Wirthensohn and Liz Reilly.

The makeup of the board represents a strong blend of skills including financial management, the governance of Waldorf and mainstream educational institutions, strategic planning and marketing, communications and stakeholder engagement.

Board Members

To serve until the 2013 AGM

Heg Wirthensohn – Heg is Manager, Strategic Property & Facilities Management, for Adelaide City Council with a focus on the provision of property and facilities management of Council properties in the inner city. An architect by profession, his previous work in public/social housing has involved collaboration with town planners and experience in human resource management and project management. His children attend the primary school and secondary school. Heg has been a Board member since September 2009.

To serve until the 2014 AGM

Brent Danks – Brent has extensive corporate experience in property development and institutional property and portfolio management and investment in both the public and private sectors. He was SA Manager of National Mutual Property Services, SA President of the Building Owners and Managers Association and General Manager Property Services for the State Government’s Land Management Corporation. Now retired, his children attended the School.

Liz Reilly – Liz works as a palliative care nurse and has been involved in the establishment of two land-based communities, one in Ireland and one in South Australia. Her four children have been educated at Steiner schools in New South Wales and South Australia, and her youngest is currently in Class 12. She has a deep interest in Steiner education, having moved from New South Wales so her children could attend the Mt Barker School. Liz filled a casual vacancy on the Board in 2010.

Kevin Watkins – Kevin was the owner and director of the SA Health Education Centre, a registered RTO, until late 2008, and is now Director of Operations, SA, for Endeavour College of Natural Health. He is a member of a national board and has had extensive experience in curriculum development, business planning, budgets, human resource management, compliance and committee work. His two children are in the primary school.

To serve until the 2015 AGM

Roger Quigley – Roger is an accountant with degrees in Computer Studies and Accounting and postgraduate qualifications in management. He is also a certified Information Systems Auditor and expects to qualify as a CPA this year. He has worked for NAB and KPMG in the private sector and is currently National Manager, Finance and Information Technology, in the Office of Transport Security, Department of Transport and Regional Services. Roger chairs the Board and has been a Board member since September 2009. His two children are in the primary school.

Richard Sproull – Richard is Account Director for Michels Warren, a prominent Adelaide public relations firm, and manages corporate accounts for private sector and government clients across stakeholder engagement, crisis management, media management and marketing. Before joining Michels Warren he worked for 17 years as a reporter, bureau chief and editor for The Australian newspaper in various cities. His two children attend the primary school. Richard has been a Board member since September 2009.