Helen was appointed Financial Administrator for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn in April 2011 by then Archbishop Mark Coleridge. She grew up on a sheep and wheat farm in Murtoa, Victoria with 5 siblings. Educated at Mary’s Mount (now Loreto College) Ballarat, and gaining a Business degree at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Helen worked as a Financial Accountant in Melbourne in start up and advertising agencies, before spending 3 years in Philadelphia USA. Arriving back in Australia, her family moved to Canberra where she worked for 12 years in a not-for-profit environment organisation ending her time there as the National CFO for Greening Australia. Helen is a member of the Certified Practising Accountants and is also involved in many Boards and local organisations.
Monsignor John was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn in 1978. After appointments to Queanbeyan and then Goulburn as Assistant Priest, he undertook canon law studies in Ottawa, Canada before working in the Marriage Tribunal while assisting in the Waramanga parish. His next appointment was as Parish Priest of the then baby-boomer parish of Calwell for 13 years. Appointments as Administrator of the Cathedral parish, Vicar General, Archdiocesan Administrator and Vicar for Education followed. In 2018 he was appointed Parish Priest of Transfiguration Parish, North Woden. On 1 June he was appointed Vicar for Social Services and Welfare, and hence his appointment to the Board as Archbishop Christopher’s representative.
Des Clear is a Chartered Accountant with over 40 years experience in professional practice including establishing and operating his own Business and Financial Services firm and serving as the CEO managing a successful multidiscipline practice. Des has extensive experience in business analysis, financial reviews, and leadership within senior management teams. His expertise has been enriched by collaborating with a diverse array of businesses and industries, enabling him to make meaningful contributions to a variety of commercial and corporate boards together with a range of professional and specialist committees. Since retiring from business ownership in 2020, Des has operated in an advisory capacity on project-based consultancy assignments with his work including business development, mentoring, financial reviews, and business analysis projects. Away from professional activities, Des enjoys the opportunity to travel when possible.
With a legacy spanning over forty years as a Sister of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, Mary Ellen O'Donoghue rsj is a beacon of dedicated service. Mary has held prominent leadership roles within the Congregation in education and other ministries, followed by subsequent appointments on Boards and related committees. Currently a Member of the Congregational Leadership Team for the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, North Sydney, Mary Ellen's commitment to the Congregation's mission is unwavering. She previously served as the Regional Leader for the Sisters of Saint Joseph (NSW) and held the position of Chief Executive Officer of Good Grief Ltd, a ministry of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Beyond her leadership roles, Mary has a Master of Educational Leadership, a Bachelor of Theology, and a Diploma in Teaching. Her memberships include the Australian Institute of Company Directors, showcasing her commitment to effective governance.
Helen Pappas has extensive experience in development and implementation of strategy and policy in a human services context including early intervention and prevention, early childhood education and care, as well as child protection and youth justice. Helen has extensive knowledge in program delivery, partnerships, people and culture as well as experience of government processes, governance, policy and accountability frameworks. Helen is currently the Lecturer in Charge for Social Work in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Unit at the Australian Catholic University where she teaches the Master of Social Work program. Helen is also the Regional Director of Mission as Calvary Health Care ACT, where she is responsible for staff wellbeing, values and culture across the organisation, focusing on ensuring strategies that contribute to staff wellbeing are in place including critical incident debriefing, resilience training and ethical decision making.
Susan commenced her professional life in Perth, Western Australia as a high school teacher in the Catholic system. Following the completion of a Masters in Religious Education at Loyola University Chicago, Susan worked as a Senior Education Consultant at the Catholic Education Office in Perth, then moving to Canberra in 1993. Susan has worked in executive mission leadership roles over the past two decades. She has designed and implemented innovative mission focused initiatives at a national level. She led a strategy to engage Australian health, aged care and social services organisations in a range of collaborative leadership formation initiatives. Susan has a keen interest in issues that contribute to social inequality and entrenched disadvantage. She has been a board member for Meaningful Ageing Australia, is currently a director of Campfire in the Heart, located in Alice Springs, and is an active member of Canberra’s refugee support and advocacy network. Susan is married with three adult children.
With a career spanning 35 years in Government, Kathy brings a wealth of experience in public policy to the Board. She came to Canberra in 1987 as a Graduate Economist with the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and subsequently worked in a range of Departments, primarily on microeconomic reform initiatives. In 2001 she joined the ACT Government where she built her career. As a Branch Manager in Treasury, Kathy led teams providing economic analysis and advice to Cabinet, developing policy and implementing new initiatives. Her diverse experience includes affordable housing, land development, taxation reform, concessions, energy, water and competition policy, as well as advising on most major project proposals. More recently her focus was on Housing and her team played an instrumental role in securing Commonwealth funding for a range of affordable and social housing initiatives, working in close collaboration with colleagues across the ACT Government, developers and the Community Housing sector. Now retired from the public sector, Kathy is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has recently completed their Company Director Course. She enjoys travel, movies and concerts and is also a registered marriage celebrant.
Ben is a highly experienced senior executive in aged care, with a strong background in both operational leadership and clinical governance. A registered nurse by training, Ben is deeply committed to delivering safe, high-quality care, especially to those who are often overlooked or underserved. His passion for equitable healthcare drives his work every day. Outside of his professional life, Ben enjoys time with his wife, their three children and their dog Neville.
Anne is a Registered Psychologist with over 20 years’ experience in the social services sector, and has held the position of Chief Executive Officer of CatholicCare Canberra & Goulburn since 2014. Anne commenced her career working in homelessness services, and has overseen youth, employment, mental health and disability & aged care services during her time with CatholicCare. Anne has held various Board positions including being the President of ATODA (Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drug Association of the ACT), and is currently on the Catholic Social Services Australia NSW/ACT Branch Committee. Anne holds post tertiary qualifications in Psychology, Leadership and Adult Mental Health, and recently completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) course. She is currently completing her MBA, and is a passionate supporter of the Canberra Raiders.
Lisa is the Deputy CEO of Marymead CatholicCare Canberra & Goulburn and brings over 20 years’ experience in the social services sector. Lisa commenced her career working with, training and managing a team of volunteers across NSW, and then moved into supporting homeless youth across the ACT. From there, Lisa progressed into management roles in the youth, mental health and homelessness programs, and completed tertiary education in the Social Sciences. Lisa currently oversees both direct service delivery and corporate areas within Marymead CatholicCare. Lisa has held various Board positions across the ACT and has recently completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) course. She is blessed to be a mother of four and is passionate about providing effective and quality services to those in need in the community.
