School Board

Melissa was appointed as a School Board member by the School Board in 2015 and was elected as Chair from December 2023. She is a parent of three old scholars. Melissa is a chartered professional engineer and sole Director of MFY Pty Ltd (traffic engineers) which she has owned for over 20 years. In 2015 Melissa was awarded the grade of Fellow with 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.

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.

Melissa was appointed to the School Board by the Parents’ and Friends’ Association in 2021 and elected Deputy Chair from May 2024. She is a parent of both a current student and an old scholar. She also chairs the Governance Committee and is a member of both the Risk and Compliance Committee and the Nominations Committee and in addition, is a Parents’ and Friends’ Association Committee member.

Melissa has board and committee experience in governance, healthcare, regulation and technology across a number of current and past roles. These include practitioner regulation and policy, clinical governance at a number of health services, small business groups and grant review. Current roles include the Pharmacy Board of Australia and a Governor of the Wyatt Trust, as well as Director of a boutique IT services firm (for more than 30 years).

She holds a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics), Master of Systems Development and Graduate Certificates in technology, business and health disciplines and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Andreas, a current and past school parent, was appointed to the School Board in May 2019. Having been a member of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee since 2019, Andreas was appointed Committee Chair in May 2022 and continues as Chair of the recently renamed Finance Committee. 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. Peter is also a member of the Governance Committee and Nominations Committee. 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 served on several 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 the Council of International Schools where he has co-chaired school accreditation visits.

Since his ‘retirement’ Peter has spent two years as Principal of the Adelaide International School and had a short stint as Consulting Principal of the Australian Islamic School.

Peter is involved in charitable works for the Mary Potter Hospice through his involvement with the Order of St John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller, Australia.

Keng is a parent of two old scholars and was appointed to the School Board by the Parents’ and Friends’ Association, commencing January 2024. Keng is also a member of the Foundation Board Committee and the Parents’ and Friends Association Committee for whom he is past Treasurer. 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 is the parent of two current Junior School students and an old scholar (1998). She was elected to the School Board in October 2016 by the Pembroke Old Scholars Association. Ali was appointed Chair of the Pembroke Foundation Board in May 2024 and is a member of the Pembroke Old Scholars Association Committee. She has also previously served on 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 holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of South Australia.

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

Eleanor is a parent of an old scholar and was elected to the School Board in May 2024. Having served on the School’s Planning and Properties Committee since 2017, Eleanor now chairs that Committee and was also Treasurer of the Pembroke Drama and Film Forum. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Planning, a Graduate Diploma in Regional and Urban Planning, and is Deputy Chair of the South Australian Heritage Council.

Eleanor is a highly experienced planning professional with over 30 years of experience leading a broad range of planning and sustainability projects for local and state governments as well as private practice. She has held the role of Manager, Urban Planning & Sustainability for the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters since 2004 and is the recipient of multiple planning awards.

Ben is a current parent and was appointed to the School Board in November 2023. Ben is Chair of the Risk and Compliance Committee and sits on the Finance Committee along with the Foundation’s Investment Sub-Committee.

Ben is the Group CFO at Land Services SA and has prior senior executive experience with Macquarie Asset Management specialising in asset finance, M&A and debt markets and prior to that, in Qantas Treasury focussing on fleet financing. He has an Economics degree from the University of Adelaide, is a Chartered Accountant, Fellow of the Financial Services Institute and a graduate 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.