Something I remember vividly from my schooling days is sitting in the Wadhurst Hall with my classmates and friends, crowded around a small black and white TV, watching Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon. Witnessing this scientific milestone together, during the foundational years of our education, I like to think set us all on a path of extraordinary possibility.
I was enrolled as a Wadhurst student as a Year 1 in 1964, when Wadhurst was still a Junior School. I had a fantastic experience as a Melbourne Grammar School student, serving as Captain of Cuming House in Wadhurst, then Captain of Bromby when I reached Senior School. In Year 11, I was privileged to play in one of the first Melbourne Grammar Soccer teams.
It was during my time at school that I learned the value of service and leadership, something that put me in good stead for my professional career across health and higher education. I became Head of the Department of Surgery at Monash University and Head of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Monash Health in 2001, and more recently pivoted into academic and clinical roles at the Victorian Heart Hospital located on the Monash University campus.
Attending the 150 years of Melbourne Grammar School v Sydney Grammar School Cricket event earlier this year, I was reminded of the continuing nature of connection many of us have to our schooling days, and the value of celebrating the milestones and traditions that matter to us most. Coming together and connecting over shared experiences, shared goals, and a shared belief in the value of an exceptional, holistic education is a remarkable thing to be able to experience.
What continues to inspire me in my work is a motivation to give back. Having served as President of the Melbourne Grammar School Foundation since 2022, and a member of School Council since 2019, I am proud and honoured to be now stepping into the role of School Council Chair and to be supported by outstanding Council members.
As a Council, we are focused on furthering the important work of Towards 2030, and will continue to work with Philip Grutzner and the School Executive in guiding our community towards achieving the strategic intentions set out in this plan over the next four years. Our School is already well on its way toward delivering the future priorities included in Towards 2030, and I see the role of Council as one of providing continued stability and expert guidance as this work continues.
Of course, I am taking up this new role with a keen sense of the legacy left by our former School Council Chair, Andrew Michelmore AO. Andrew’s own lifelong connection to the School, which spans his time as a student through to the establishment of the Michelmore Family Scholarship, has run parallel to my own. His commitment to Melbourne Grammar continues with his service as Campaign Chair overseeing our new capital campaign The Courage of Ideas. The goals of this campaign have direct links to many of the future priorities we are aiming for in Towards 2030, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside Andrew and Philip over the coming months and years.
Chair of Council
