Leadership

The College has a close and cooperative leadership style in which staff and students work with an eye to the common good, supported by the College Council and our distinguished Fellows

The Principal is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the College in all its aspects.

Dr Damian Powell

graduated with First Class Honours in history and archaeology from the University of Melbourne, winning the Margaret Kiddle Prize for history, the William Cullican Prize for archaeology, and the Dwight Prize for combined honours, and working on the University's Tell Ahmar Archaeological Expedition in Syria. His doctorate was awarded the E.W. Benham Prize by the University of Adelaide. During his academic career Dr Powell has lived and worked in six university colleges in Australia, also lecturing in New Zealand at the University of Canterbury.

Among other positions, Dr Powell served on the Expert Panel for the Human Rights Commission review of Women in the Australian Defence Force, as a Director of Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Grammar School, and as a Voting Trustee for the Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC). A Senior Fellow in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, he speaks and publishes on aspects of Australian and British legal and military history.

Some selected writings:

The Australian Defence Force Academy “Skype sex scandal”: lessons on leadership and ethics*

2016 Anzac Day Chapel Service Address, at the Chapel of Trinity College and Janet Clarke

The Dean and Deputy Principal works closely with the Principal to provide leadership in all areas of College life. As the senior staff member living on site, she is particularly responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the College in this respect, leading the residential tutor team and overseeing pastoral well-being within the College.

Ms Margie Welsford

Ms Margie Welsford served previously as Warden of Whitley College for twelve years and Chair of the Melbourne Heads of Colleges from 2015 to 2016. A Registered Psychologist, she has extensive leadership and pastoral expertise, including through previous work as a school pyschologist.

Ms Welsford lives at Janet Clarke Hall with her husband, Reverend Nathan Nettleton, their daughter Acacia who is a student at the University of Melbourne and two dogs, Dusty and Delta. Ms Welsford enjoys walking, running, singing and reading.

The Director of Studies is responsible for the academic programmes of the College, and works closely with the Vice-Principal on matters of academic and pastoral well-being.

Mrs. Donna Davies

holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Science from RMIT University, and has held a range of senior positions in the secondary school sector, including Senior School curriculum coordinator at Methodist Ladies' College, Kew. Mrs Davies has lectured at RMIT and Monash Universities and Strode College in the United Kingdom. She has residential experience in boarding schools, including the Millfield School, the largest co-educational boarding school in the United Kingdom.

Mrs Davies also works for the International Baccalaureate Organisation as a reviewer and author of the Sports and Exercise Health Science international curriculum. She is the co-author of two secondary school text books, Jump Start 7 and 8 and Jump Start 9 and 10 (2007, 2011, 2014) published by Cambridge Press. Mrs Davies plays competition tennis and enjoys walking and supporting intercollegiate sport.

The Bursar is responsible to the Principal for the financial well being of College, and works closely with Council and Principal to regulate financial policies.

Ms Jennifer Smith

is a Fellow of the CPA Australia, a member of Governance Institute Australia, holds a Bachelor of Business from Swinburne University and post graduate qualifications in finance and accounting from Monash University. Jennifer has over 25 years experience working in ASX and not for profit entities. She has held senior finance roles in the media, commodity trading and transport and logistics sectors prior to moving to the not for profit sector to focus on financial sustainability, risk management and governance in independent schools.

She has worked as a Company Secretary and Treasurer in a paid and volunteer capacity, is a participant in the Mentor the Treasurer program with ProBono Australia and a regular presenter for Governance Institute.

The Director of Development works closely with the Principal and members of the Advancement Committee and is responsible for the College’s fund-raising program.

Ms Shelley Roberts

graduated with Honours in English Language and Literature from the University of Melbourne in 1974. The following year she moved to the UK where she obtained a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of London and taught English for two years at a school in Surrey.

A move into book publishing in London preceded a return to Australia and a long career in the world of books, encompassing senior communications and marketing roles in publishing, book-selling and libraries. An alumna of Janet Clarke Hall, Shelley treasures her memories of College days and welcomes the opportunity to re-engage with JCH in this development role. She can be contacted at development@jch.unimelb.edu.au or by phone on 03 9349 7180.

The Bookkeeper is responsible for the College payroll, and daily financial transactions and accounting.

Ms Mari Nicholls

Holds a diploma in Accounting from the South Australian Institute of Technology and has extensive experience in accounting and bookkeeping. Mari worked in various accountancy practices and in private practice before coming to JCH.

The Office Manager is responsible for the day-to-day running of the office, acts as the Principal's PA, the Admissions Secretary and handles all conference requirements.

Ms Carolyn Stewart's

Business qualifications include a Certificate of Business Studies in Accounting and a Graduate Certificate of Business in Project Management from Swinburne University of Technology. Carolyn has extensive financial and administrative experience in commercial environments.

The Librarian is responsible for the management and expansion of the college library as well as the preservation of the college's archival collection.

Ms. Jennifer Martin

Holds a BA in Psychology and Sociology from the University of NSW, an MA in Sociology from the University of NSW, a Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Management from the University of Canberra and a Graduate Diploma in Educational Psychology from Monash University. Jennifer is currently undertaking her PhD at Monash University. Jennifer also has many years of library and management experience in both the TAFE and tertiary education sectors.

The I.T. Coordinator is responsible for the administration of the Network & Computer facilities.

Mr Amrick Singh

Mr Amrick Singh holds a Bachelor of Computer Science from the University of Melbourne (Parkville) and has been working as an IT consultant in Melbourne for ten years across a broad range of roles and industries ranging from corporate clients such as UXC (Australia’s largest IT services provider) to smaller, boutique companies such as the Original PC Doctor and more recently educational institutions such as the Australian School of Performing Arts.

Amrick is a keen basketball player and has been playing since a young age. He has played at both junior and senior club levels and is currently playing in the Melbourne Eastern Basketball Association. In his spare time he enjoys furthering his basketball skills and general athleticism on the court or in the gym, as well as indulging in computer gaming and staying up-to-date with the latest technological trends.

The Facilities Manager is responsible for the efficient operation of the College buildings and grounds as a prestigious student accommodation community. The role includes management of the daily in-house and contractor-provided services as well as the supervision of building and renovation projects.

Mr Bruce Stewart

began his career in food service and hospitality management which progressed into multi-service delivery and project management. Bruce has held senior positions with major service providers including SHRM, Compass Group, Tempo and Eastern Healthcare Network.

Most recent assignments include management of projects for Fortesque Metals Group in the Pilbara, Australian Defence Force in East Timor and United Nations in Afghanistan.

Chartwells Catering is responsible, through a contract with the college, for the management of the kitchen, and the provision of nutritious food to the college. Constructive comments and feedback on food are welcomed through the College's Food Consultative Committee, chaired by the Deputy-Principal.

Mr Dilli Bhandari

is the Catering Chef Manager at Janet Clarke Hall. Dilli originates from Nepal, and moved to Melbourne in 2007. In his homeland, he is a well-known lyricist in the Nepali language. Dilli is a keen traveller, and in his down-time loves to relax with music and movies. Dilli has worked with Compass Group for the last five years and is excited to share his passion for food with the JCH community.

Student Leadership

Members of the College's Junior Common Room elect a Student Club Executive annually to provide leadership within the Student Club. Its office bearers hold responsibility for social, sporting, and cultural activities within the Student Club, working with the College to provide the best possible experience.

The Student Club President (Senior Student) Ms Thenu Herath

is charged with leadership of the Student Club, works closely with the Principal to ensure the wellbeing of the Student Club and the College, and represents the Club at intercollegiate student bodies.

The Student Club Vice-President Mr Zach Dettmann

is deputy to the President, and supports the President in the smooth running of the Club, including through close engagement with the Principal and Vice-Principal.

The Student Club Treasurer Ms Cyrielle Yu

is responsible for the financial wellbeing of the Club and its legal representative as an incorporated body, maintaining the accounts and overseeing income and expenditure in accordance with government regulations.

The Student Club Secretary Ms Marize Smith

is responsible for the administration of the Club including through its Calendar and minutes of meetings. A legal representative of the Club, the Secretary provides a key point of record and communication with the Student body.

The Student Club General Representative Ms Emily Zhao

provides a vital link between the student body and the College in all matters relating to food service and preparation, working closely with the Vice-Principal including in relation to the College Workscheme programme.

The Student Club Arts and Cultural Representative Ms Naomi Parris-Piper

is responsible for promoting the cultural life of the Student Club, including through participation in the Intercollegiate Arts and Cultural Council.

The Student Club Male Sports Representative Mr William Bonwick

oversees the sporting life of the Club in close collaboration with the Male 'Sports Rep', promoting women's sport (social and competitive) within and beyond the Intercollegiate Sports Council.

The Student Club Female Sports Representative Ms Carol Isaac

oversees the sporting life of the Club in close collaboration with the Female 'Sports Rep', promoting men's sport (social and competitive) within and beyond the Intercollegiate Sports Council.

Resident Tutors

Resident Tutors serve in the College as teachers in their specialised areas, and mentors for students. They also share in offering pastoral care to students.

Mr Michael Stuiber

Teaching areas: Physics

Michael studied physics at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg in Germany and the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. He came to Australia to start his PhD in Physics at the University of Melbourne in September 2013 and is about to submit his thesis. Previously h e was a residential tutor at Whitley College for three years. His research is about low dimensional quantum systems for quantum computation applications.

Dr Mayuri Wijayasundara

Teaching areas: Business, Engineering

Mayuri was born in Sri Lanka and moved to Australia in 2012. She completed her undergraduate studies in chemical and process engineering and studied management accountancy to become a chartered management accountant later. She was working as a business professional in Sri Lanka and overseas with a multi-national company, and has got a diverse business experience embracing business planning, business process reengineering and project management functions. Leaving her career at senior management level, she joined the University of Melbourne in 2012 to pursue doctoral studies.

As a sustainability enthusiast, Mayuri’s research interests are the applications of industrial ecology and sustainable business practices and models. She wishes to contribute to drive these initiatives in the industry with her expertise.

Ms Emily Delahunty

Teaching areas: English Literature, Philosophy, Sociology

Emily attended Loreto College Ballarat before relocating to Melbourne for her Bachelor of Arts, throughout which she was a resident of St. Mary’s College.

A first-class honours Executive Master of Arts graduate of the University of Melbourne, Emily is passionate about the importance of education as a tool for personal, social and economic development.

Most recently, Emily spent a year working in the Individual Needs department of a large private secondary school, becoming involved in project-based mentoring and resource development. She is currently undertaking the Master of Teaching (Secondary) in English and Humanities. Emily also has an extensive volunteer history across disability support, emergency response and community development programs both locally and interstate.

Mr James Carey

Teaching areas: History, Media and Communications

James holds an Bachelor of Arts (Hons) with a double major in History an Media Studies/Communications from Monash University.

Following his undergraduate degree, he gained experience in education management and professional tutoring at tertiary institutions. He is now completing a Masters of International Relations at the University of Melbourne, where is President of the Melbourne Postgraduate International Relations Organisation (MPIRO). He is a Risk Insights Analyst for Canberra-based online publication Foreign Brief, and has just begun an editorial position at the Australian Institute of International Affairs' (AIIA) student publication, Quarterly Access. He also has experience in NGOs, helping Syrian refugees in Greece for an extended period.

Ms Katherine Fitzgerald

Teaching areas: Mathematics, Psychology

Katherine completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in Psychology and Advanced Mathematics at Macquarie University, graduating with acceptance into the Golden Key International Honour Society.

During this degree Katherine spent most of her spare time volunteering for a range of not-for-profit organisations, strengthening her motivation to empower and educate today’s youth. After moving to Melbourne to pursue a career in teaching, she worked as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tutor within the Australian Catholic University’s Indigenous Higher Education Unit (Jim-baa-yer), while undertaking a Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary). Katherine has since been employed as a Mathematics Teacher at Methodist Ladies college, focusing on increasing student engagement levels in Mathematics classes through Project and Service based learning.

A fully registered teacher with the Victorian Institute of Teaching, Katherine aims to deepen her understanding of the relationship between student wellbeing and academic success. As such, she is currently completing a Masters of Counselling at Monash University.

In her spare time, Katherine enjoys maintaining her own health and fitness, regular participating in group fitness classes at the gym and obtaining qualifications as a Les Mills Body Pump Instructor and Yin Yoga Teacher.

Ms Natalia Evertsz

Teaching areas: Human Nutrition, Scientific Writing

Natalia Evertsz completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in French, at the University of Melbourne in 2012. Keen to pursue her interest in public health, she went on to complete a Graduate Certificate in Human Nutrition at Deakin University in 2014. Her graduate studies sparked a passion for clinical medicine alongside public health, and she returned to the University of Melbourne to complete a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Immunology, which she completed in 2017. She is currently completing the Doctor of Medicine.

Alongside her studies, Natalia also worked has a Research Assistant for the Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity, investigating the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s orthopaedic surgery infection prevention program. She also completed an internship at the Nossal Institute for Global Health, assisting with the development of an ethical framework for community engagement in setting priorities in international research. Natalia is also a qualified personal trainer and is the fitness coach for the Victorian Young Dressage Squad.

Mr Jack Tan

Teaching areas: English Literature, Creative Writing, Essay Writing

Jack has degrees in English Literature and Linguistics from the University of Melbourne and the National University of Singapore. He has lived and worked in the Melbourne Colleges since 2009, including as Resident Tutor at JCH (2010- 2015) and Dean of Studies at Whitley College (2015-2017). Jack is currently completing a Master of Teaching (Secondary) at the University of Melbourne.

Jack has given research presentations at the Universities of Melbourne, Queensland and Western Australia, and was previously Faculty of Arts’ graduate student representative at the Dickens Project at UC Santa Cruz and UCLA. In 2017, Jack was an invited speaker at the Dickens Fellowship (Melbourne).

Prior to his arrival in Melbourne, Jack worked as a piano teacher as well as a classroom teacher in Singapore and Shanghai. He holds a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (LRSM) with distinction in piano performance.

Mr David Chan

Teaching areas: Commerce

David completed a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne in 2010, and resided at Janet Clarke Hall briefly in his first year of study. Upon completing a Master of Professional Accounting at Monash University in 2011, David relocated to Canberra to work on the Australian Federal Budget with the Australian government.

David returned to Melbourne to commence a career in corporate tax. He is qualified as a chartered accountant and is currently working at a global accounting firm. David has volunteered as a mentor to refugee youth, as well as for various organisations in Vietnam.

Council

Council

Janet Clarke Hall is governed by a Council, to which the Principal reports on the day-to-day running of the College. Council is chaired by Adjunct Professor Clare Pullar, with distinguished representatives (many of them old members of the College) drawn from among the professions. The President of the Student Club (the Student Club Executive office bearers are listed below), and a member elected annually from the student club, serve as Council observers.

Chair of Council

Adjunct Professor Clare Pullar

Deputy Chair

Mr Paul Turner

Chair of Finance and Investment Committee

Mr Anthony Wood

Mr Stephen Higgs

Mr Alex Murphy

Ms Jenny Ross

Professor Susan Sawyer

Ms Anne Shea

Professor Julie Willis

Principal

Dr Damian Powell

Company Secretary

Ms Jennifer Smith

Student Observers

Ms Thenu Herath

Mr Shaveen Gammage

Fellows

In addition to its Council, the College has a President, a Visitor, and a number of elected Fellows. The Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, the Most Reverend Philip Freier, is the President of Janet Clarke Hall. The College Visitor (patron in chief), Professsor Peter Doherty AC was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1996 and was Australian of the Year in 1997. Election as a Fellow of the College is the highest honour which the College can bestow, and our current Fellows are among our most distinguished alumna - among them Professsor Elizabeth Blackburn who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2009, Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors, a former head of CSIRO and Lieutenant Governor, and internationally famous writers, scientists, doctors and educators.

President of Janet Clarke Hall

The Most Reverend Dr Philip Freier

College Visitor

Professor Peter Doherty AC

Fellows

Dr Valerie Asche AM

Professor Elizabeth Blackburn AC

Dr Fiona Caro

Professor Adrienne Clarke AC

Mrs Jaanette Enden

Dr Helen Garner

Professor Mary Hiscock

Ms Penelope Lewisohn

Professor Lynne Reid

Dr Fay Marles AM

Professor Cheryl Saunders AO

Mr Timothy Thwaites

Professor Gillian Triggs

Professor Sally Walker AM

Professor Alexandra Walsham CBE

Professor Judith Whitworth AC

Leadership

The Principal is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the College in all its aspects.

Some selected writings:

The Director of Studies is responsible for the academic programmes of the College, and works closely with the Vice-Principal on matters of academic and pastoral well-being.

The Bursar is responsible to the Principal for the financial well being of College, and works closely with Council and Principal to regulate financial policies.

The Director of Development works closely with the Principal and members of the Advancement Committee and is responsible for the College’s fund-raising program.

The Bookkeeper is responsible for the College payroll, and daily financial transactions and accounting.

The Office Manager is responsible for the day-to-day running of the office, acts as the Principal's PA, the Admissions Secretary and handles all conference requirements.

The Librarian is responsible for the management and expansion of the college library as well as the preservation of the college's archival collection.

The I.T. Coordinator is responsible for the administration of the Network & Computer facilities.

The Facilities Manager is responsible for the efficient operation of the College buildings and grounds as a prestigious student accommodation community. The role includes management of the daily in-house and contractor-provided services as well as the supervision of building and renovation projects.

Chartwells Catering is responsible, through a contract with the college, for the management of the kitchen, and the provision of nutritious food to the college. Constructive comments and feedback on food are welcomed through the College's Food Consultative Committee, chaired by the Deputy-Principal.

Student Leadership

Resident Tutors

Council

Fellows

Quick links

Apply now

Scholarships & Fees

JCH Life

Facilities

Future Students

Life at JCH

Community