Oga Notable Past Students

St Margaret’s

Notable Past Students

Per Volar Sunata

Contents Elspeth Barker Bronte Barratt OAM Lisa Butler Annabelle Chaplain Keri Craig-Lee Professor Sarah Derrington Phyl Drew Sheena Dyason Prue Galley Rhyll Gardner Sally Kehoe The Reverend Sarah Leisemann Merilyn Luck Doune Macdonald Dame Patricia MacKinnon DBE CBE Dr Alex Markwell The Honourable Justice Michelle May Daphne Mayo MBE Dr Deborah Mills Associate Professor Susan Pendlebury Una Prentice Dr Rosamond Siemon Amanda Stein Geraldine Turner OAM Natalie Wright

02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

The Old Girls’ Association (OGA) is an integral part of the St Margaret’s school community. In 2014, the OGA created a project to recognise past students who have had significant achievement in their careers. The 25 notable past students included in this project have had careers in business, law, health care, the arts, the church, community and sport. The OGA is pleased to launch the project this year and plans to add other notable past students in the future.

Libby Black President OGA 2014

01

Elspeth Barker

B Bus(Advertising & Marketing), Adv Dip Visual Communication

Elspeth Barker is a Charleville girl who boarded at St Margaret’s from 1996-2001. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Advertising and Marketing at QUT and later attended the Design College Australia where she studied Visual Communication (Graphic Design).

A firm believer that rural should not limit opportunities, she decided to bring graphic design to Roma and, in 2008, established Plash Creative – a now successful graphic design and web agency in Roma.

At St Margaret’s 1996-2001

In 2010 Elspeth was the winner of a St Margaret’s Foundation Scholarship which enabled her to study a summer school in web design at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design in the USA, while continuing to run her young business from afar.

As Vice President of The RNA Future Directions Committee and supporter of many local organisations including Commerce Roma and The Roma on Bungil Gallery, Elspeth has also been a founding member of the “Carry the Day Campaign”, designed to inspire women across Australia to be positive towards each other. In 2013 Elspeth spoke via skype at a career mentoring breakfast for Year 12 St Margaret’s girls and hopes to continue providing our school leavers with valuable and honest advice upon starting careers in business and the arts.

Elspeth loves to travel and is passionate about furthering her design skills regardless of her rural location. Her next goal is to undertake a design course at Umea Institute of Design, Sweden.

02

Bronte Barratt OAM Olympian (2008 and 2012)

Bronte graduated from St Margaret’s in 2006. She made her first open Australian swim team in 2005 at the age of 16. Ten years later, Bronte is still competing for Australia at the highest level.

In 2007, she broke the oldest record in swimming for Australian women when she broke Tracey Wickham’s 29 year record in the 400m freestyle. In 2008 at the Beijing Olympic Games she was part of the Women’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay team, winning gold in the final, and breaking the now-previous world record by a full six seconds. In 2009, she received the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to sport as a gold medallist in Beijing.

At the London 2012 Olympics, Bronte added to her medal tally, winning an individual bronze medal in the 200m Freestyle and silver in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay. Most recently at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (2014) Bronte won one gold and two bronze medals.

At St Margaret’s 2002-2006

Bronte is a member of the Australian Swim Team leadership group and an executive committee member of the Australian Swimmers Association. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Medical Imaging at Queensland University of Technology.

Since leaving school, Bronte has continued to be a keen supporter of St Margaret’s and its swimming teams and an inspirational role model as a sportswoman and a leader.

03

Lisa Butler BA (Hons), MOP

Lisa Butler (nee Foley) is the managing director and founder of The Talea Group, and author of best selling business networking book ‘Networking Exposed’. In her everyday work Lisa helps her corporate clients to enhance their business performance and returns by developing their communication capability. She is also a frequent keynote speaker at large conferences and events.

Lisa qualified at Master’s level in Organisational Psychology from The University of Queensland, and has over 25 years experience in learning and development and human resources, spending five years in law firms in Australia and the UK.

At St Margaret’s 1979-1984

As a second generation St Margaret’s girl (mum Denice was a senior in 1954), Lisa is still a passionate supporter and remains connected with St Margaret’s. Her daughter Georgina became a third generation St Margaret’s girl, and Lisa was a Director on the St Margaret’s Foundation Board. Lisa has also spoken at several Old Girls’ Association events.

Lisa now lives in Sydney with her husband Travis and three children.

04

Annabelle Chaplain BA MBA FAICD

Annabelle has been Chair of School Council from 2011-2014 and was the inaugural chair of the St Margaret’s Foundation.

She attended St Margaret’s, with her two sisters, from 1966 to 1974. Her two daughters also attended the School.

An early love of economics at school, and a fascination with business in Asia developed at university, Annabelle studied and worked in Taiwan, and then lived in Hong Kong before moving into an investment banking career of 25 years in Australia.

Annabelle is Chairman of Queensland Airports Ltd, and a nonexecutive director of Downer-Edi Ltd, PanAust Ltd and EFIC, the Australian government’s export credit agency.

Married to Andrew for over three decades, with three adult children and a much cherished grandson, Annabelle continues to be passionate about providing opportunities for young people to thrive, and especially for young women “to fly upwards”.

At St Margaret’s 1966-1974

05

Keri Craig-Lee Keri Craig-Lee (nee Craig) was educated at St Margaret’s from 1970 to 1975. In 1976 she was a Rotary exchange student in the USA and studied fashion design and marketing. Keri returned to Australia and launched the Keri Craig label. She came from a fashion family and quickly succeeded in selling her label nationally and overseas. She opened several Keri Craig boutiques in Brisbane and Sydney.

At St Margaret’s 1970-1975

Her career success is evident in the number of trophies awarded. She was the first winner of the Retailers’ Association of Queensland (RAQ) Fashion Design Awards, the first winner of the RAQ Supreme Award, and the first inductee into the hall of fame in 1987. Keri was the first Queenslander nominated for a FIA Australian Fashion Award and received over 50 awards for excellence over her career. In addition to the fashion industry awards, Keri has also received many other accolades including the Zonta Woman of the Year, Tourism Ambassador for Brisbane and Expo 88’ Ambassador. Keri sat on the FIA (Fashion Industry Australia) Council and the Immigration Board and in the eighties wrote her own fashion column for the Sunday Sun newspaper.

Keri continues her love of the industry with the Keri Craig Emporium in Brisbane offering imported and local brand name fashions, a fashion café and hand chosen home wares and gifts.

Keri married Trevor Lee in 1986. They have two children, son Harrisson (1992) and daughter Cartier (1997). Cartier has attended St Margaret’s since Prep. They also enjoy Trevor’s two sons, Anthony and Michael, and their families.

06

Professor Sarah Derrington BA, LLB(Hons), LLM, PhD

Professor Sarah Derrington (nee Johnstone) is the Dean of the TC Beirne School of Law at The University of Queensland.

Appointed in 2013, Professor Derrington is the first female Dean of the School.

A graduate of The University of Queensland, Professor Derrington commenced legal practice in 1990 when she was admitted to the Queensland Bar. She was an associate to The Honourable Desmond Derrington QC, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland, and the inaugural associate to The Honourable Tony Fitzgerald AC QC, former President of the Queensland Court of Appeal. At the Bar, Professor Derrington practiced in the areas of shipping and maritime law, commercial law, insurance and insolvency law. She is a leader in international arbitration and maritime law, and her research interests lie in the areas of admiralty jurisdiction and practice, the carriage of goods by sea, and marine insurance.

At St Margaret’s 1983-1984

Professor Derrington was appointed a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law in 2009 and of the Nautical Institute in 2013.

She is the Immediate Past President of the Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand and a member of the Board of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and the Australian Maritime College (AMC).

She attended St Margaret’s in her senior years after previously attending St Anne’s School in Townsville, Mentone Girls’ Grammar in Melbourne and St Hilda’s, Southport. She particularly enjoyed German and Ancient History subjects and appreciated the direction given by those teachers and her long association with Sister Chaseley-Anne who had been headmistress at St Anne’s.

07

Phyl Drew (B. 1917 D. 2005)

Phyl Drew was born in Sydney in 1917 and started her long association with St Margaret’s when her family moved to Brisbane when she was 12 years old. At St Margaret’s she was Bede House Captain in 1934.

After completing school, Phyl worked in a variety of industries including fashion retail, tourism and interior decorating.

At St Margaret’s 1931-1934

She joined the OGA after finishing at St Margaret’s and remained an active committee member throughout her life including time as President and Vice President over several years. In 1986 she was made an honorary life member of the OGA. In 2003 she was made the inaugural winner of the Outstanding Contribution to St Margaret’s Award (now known as the Patron of St Margaret’s Award). Phyl was also a member and later an honorary member of School Council and in 2004 was appointed Patron of the St Margaret’s Foundation.

Phyl was a member of several community organisations and an ardent supporter of the Queensland Ballet Company. In 2001, she was awarded the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 Centenary Medal for services to the community and was presented with the Hollingworth Medal for service to St John’s Anglican Cathedral. Phyl utilised her skills in retail with involvement in the Cathedral shop for twenty years and was a keen supporter of raising funds to complete the restoration work at the Cathedral.

Phyl was a true friend, an enthusiastic supporter, a voice of wisdom to call upon, and a forerunner of epitomising the value and importance of volunteering.

08

Sheena Dyason Sheena’s first contact with the School was when her sister began her secondary education at St Margaret’s in 1947. Sheena followed in 1948 and has been associated with the School as a student, physical education teacher and co-ordinator of sport and physical education for 46 years. Sheena also taught at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School, St Peter’s Lutheran College, Loreto College and All Hallows’ School earlier in her career.

Whilst studying at university she was an active participant in a variety of sports and represented The University of Queensland in netball and earned a University Blue. She was also chosen in the Australian University team for three years. Sheena is a qualified judge and coach in tennis, rhythmic and artistic gymnastics, swimming and lifesaving (still water). After many years of involvement with lifesaving in Queensland, she was honoured with a life membership of the Royal Lifesaving Association.

At St Margaret’s 1948-1951

Sheena has been closely associated with the Queensland Girls Secondary School Sports Association (QGSSA) for 46 years and was always an advocate for fair play and the ideals that make up the QGSSA Code of Behaviour. In recognition of her contribution, the QGSSA Percentage Trophy for Swimming was named the QGSSA Sheena Dyason Cup. She was also honoured to have the State Secondary Schools Lifesaving Trophy named after her.

In 2008, Sheena was given the award of Patron of St Margaret’s for her outstanding contribution to the School. After her retirement, she has helped in collating school alumni information.

09

Prue Galley

BPhty(Hons), MEd, Adv Dip Choreology (Clinical)

Prue Galley attended St Margaret’s from kindergarten. Her family had been connected with the School from the early 1900s. In 1961, she was School Captain and the Old Girls’ Prize winner.

Prue graduated with Honours in Physiotherapy from The University of Queensland (UQ) in 1965 then worked as a clinician in Australia and the UK. She later completed a Master’s Degree in Education and an Advanced Diploma in Choreology (Clinical). She was a Lecturer at UQ for many years.

At St Margaret’s 1949-1961

Prue’s vision and advocacy in the 1970s led to the adoption of patient self-referral to physiotherapists. This practice had not been previously allowed. Australia led the world with this change and since then first contact practice for physiotherapy has been adopted in many countries.

The World Confederation for Physical Therapy awarded Prue with its International Service Award (Practice) in 2011. She is an Honoured Member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association and an Honorary Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (London). She is a Dame in the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller.

Prue values her years at St Margaret’s for encouraging independent thinking, compassion, leadership and teamwork.

10

Rhyll Gardner

BCom BEc MAppFin MA ExecMBA(INSEAD) FAIM FFin GAICD

Rhyll Gardner is an accomplished and successful leader in corporate Australia. She is currently Head of Strategy for the BOQ Group and is responsible for driving the strategic direction and outcomes for the bank along with mergers and acquisitions - the most recent of these, a $440m deal to acquire Investec Bank in Australia. She has spent most of her career in banking and has amassed numerous achievements across startup enterprises, turning around problem businesses and building brands.

After completing commerce and economic degrees at The University of Queensland, Rhyll worked for St George Bank for 20 years, growing to undertake numerous executive general management and leadership roles across distribution, marketing, risk and strategy, including running the Queensland operations for St George between 2005 and 2009.

At St Margaret’s 1977-1981

Rhyll completed a Master of Applied Finance at Macquarie University in 1996 and an Executive MBA at INSEAD in 2011. She was awarded the Finsia Prize for Excellence in Financial Services in 2008 and she was a finalist in the Telstra Businesswomen Awards in 2006.

Always a keen supporter of the arts and education, Rhyll has served on the Council of St Margaret’s School, the Development Committee of the Australian Chamber Orchestra and as a director on the boards of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Expressions Dance Company. As an advocate for diversity and inclusion in corporate Australia, she has always sought to support other women in business through encouragement, mentoring and sponsorship.

11

Sally Kehoe

B. Business (Economics), Olympian (2008 & 2012)

Sally Kehoe discovered the sport of rowing in Year 8 at St Margaret’s and, since then, has become one of Australia’s most successful female rowers, competing at both Beijing (2008) and London (2012) Olympic Games. Currently, Sally is continuing to train towards the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, after recently becoming the World Cup Tour Champion in 2014.

At St Margaret’s 1999-2003

Sally’s international rowing career began in Year 12 at St Margaret’s when she represented Australia at the Junior World Championships, winning gold. Since this championship, Sally has continued to move through the ranks of the national team winning her first world championship medal as an 18 year old, an achievement well ahead of her years. Also, during her rowing career, Sally has won a record number of national championships in various boat classes and has represented Queensland at the Interstate National Championships, becoming champion a record-breaking five times.

While rowing full time, Sally has successfully completed an economics degree which has led her to employment with the National Australia Bank at which she was recognised as a top performing employee of NAB Business Banking in 2013. Sally continues to challenge herself in rowing and in the development of her professional career with aspirations to earn her Masters of Business Administration at a leading university after the 2016 Olympic Games. This qualification will enable her to combine the lessons learnt from the high performance sporting arena into the corporate sector.

12

The Reverend Sarah Leisemann BAppSci (QUT), GradDipEd (QUT), BTh (CSU)

The Reverend Sarah Leisemann (nee Plowman) attended St Margaret’s as a boarder after receiving an academic scholarship. A keen member of the boarding house, Sarah received the Anna O’Sullivan Bursary for the highest academic achievement by a boarder on her completion of Year 12 in 1990.

Sarah was influenced deeply by the prayerful life of the Sisters while a member of the St Margaret’s boarding community.

Before entering the ordained ministry, Sarah completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physics) before turning to teaching as her chosen profession, but soon made the move into ministry, prompted by the insistent call of God. After two years working in Youth Ministry, her career path took her to the Gold Coast where school chaplaincy emerged as the right ‘fit’ for her talents. Ordained a priest in the Anglican Church in 2005, Sarah is currently the Chaplain at Cannon Hill Anglican College. She has a great passion for enabling students and staff to engage intelligently with the Christian faith and the Holy Scriptures.

At St Margaret’s 1989-1990

In the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane, Sarah is also the Chair of the Byam Roberts Community of Anglican School Chaplains and a member of the Ministry Education Commission.

Archbishop Aspinall has announced that Sarah is to be installed as an Honorary Canon of St John’s Anglican Cathedral in October 2014. Sarah has worked in four different Anglican Schools and applies her gifts in a way that challenges and engages both the intellect and the spirit.

13

Merilyn Luck

Companion of CQU (2013), Associate of The Trinity College of Music Teachers Diploma, London (1952)

Since leaving school, Merilyn Luck (nee Beak) has made an outstanding contribution to her local community of Rockhampton through her involvement and support of the Arts, the Anglican Church, Central Queensland University and both Grammar Schools.

At St Margaret’s 1949-1951

Merilyn’s involvement with the Rockhampton Art Gallery began in the late 1970s when she was one of the inaugural donors to establish an art collection. Her enthusiastic efforts have contributed to the gallery now having one of regional Queensland’s most significant and valuable art collections. It is worth $14m and houses more than 1400 works, including many notable Australian artists. Merilyn became a Trustee in 1994 and is an astute leader as Chair of the Rockhampton Art Gallery Trust from 2007.

She has been actively involved in the Anglican Church as a Lay Minister, Dean’s Warden and Parish Councillor. Within the Diocese, Merilyn coordinated finance and planning between 1985 to early 2000.

As Director of Central Queensland University’s Foundation in the 1990s, Merilyn played a key role in helping to lay the foundations of the university. The university recognised Merilyn’s contribution by conferring on her the Honorary Award of Companion of the university in 2013. She was also the recipient of the Rockhampton City Council’s Australia Day Cultural Award in 2012.

Merilyn continues to participate in mentoring and judging public speaking and oratory competitions at both The Rockhampton Grammar and Girls’ Grammar Schools.

Three generations of Merilyn’s family have attended St Margaret’s, and she feels that the School’s core values have significantly helped to give her and her family direction for their life journeys.

14

Doune Macdonald

BHMS(Ed),Hons(UQ), PhD(DEAKIN), FNAK, FAIESEP, MAICD

Doune Macdonald is President (Elect) of The University of Queensland’s Academic Board following her position as Head of the School of Human Movement Studies (2004-2013). She completed her undergraduate and honours degrees in Human Movement Studies at UQ before teaching health and physical education in primary and secondary schools in NSW and Queensland, including two years at St Margaret’s.

Joining the academic staff in Human Movement Studies at UQ in 1990, she obtained her PhD through Deakin University and has since researched aspects of health and physical education, children and physical activity from socio-cultural and policy perspectives. In 1998 she won an Australian Award for University Teaching and in 2011 the UQ Vice Chancellor’s Leadership Award. Doune was also Lead Writer for the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education that is due for national release in 2015.

At St Margaret’s 1967-1976

Doune holds a number of leadership roles in international professional and research organisations, research journal editorial boards, national and state advisory panels, and, more locally, university and school directorships. She was honoured to serve on the St Margaret’s School Council (2007-2012) and currently sits on the Board of Brisbane Grammar School.

Doune lives in Brisbane with her husband Steven Leitch and looks forward to her niece attending St Margaret’s in 2016.

15

Dame Patricia MacKinnon DBE CBE (B. 1911 D. 2009)

Dame Patricia Mackinnon (nee Bell) is recognized for her community work and long association with the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne.

At St Margaret’s she excelled in sports being Captain of Netball and received a full pocket for hockey. She was also in the debating and dramatic societies. In 1929 she was School Captain and the Old Girls’ Prize winner and her senior results were the best in her class. She also studied music at school and later returned to St Margaret’s as a part-time music teacher.

At St Margaret’s 1925-1929

In 1948, she became a member of the Committee of Management for the RCH and served in several offices before being elected Vice-President from 1951-1965 and President from 1965-1979, succeeding Dame Elisabeth Murdoch.

In 1968, she became Chairman of the RCH Research Foundation, a position she held until 1986 and from 19511965 served as President of the Auxiliaries. Dame Patricia was also Patron of the RCH Auxillaries from 1983 to 1998 and was a Federal and State Councillor of the Australian Hospitals Association for many years. She is remembered as a loyal friend and a tireless supporter of RCH over many years.

Dame Patricia Mackinnon was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1972 and a Dame of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1977 in recognition of distinguished service to the community and hospital administration.

She married Alistair Mackinnon in 1936 and had two children.

She died in 2009 aged 97.

16

Dr Alex Markwell FACEM MBBS BSC GAICD FAMA

Dr Alex Markwell is an emergency physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) and Greenslopes Private Hospital (GPH). After graduating from St Margaret’s in 1995, she undertook a Bachelor of Science (1998) and then a Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery (2002) at The University of Queensland. She completed her post-graduate specialist training at the RBWH, and was admitted as a Fellow of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine in 2011.

She was elected by her peers to the role of President of the Australian Medical Association Queensland (2012-13) and in 2014 was honoured with a Distinguished Young Alumnus Award by The University of Queensland. She was also admitted to the AMA Roll of Fellows in 2014 in recognition of her contribution to the profession.

Dr Markwell has a strong interest in clinical education and is a Senior Lecturer at The University of Queensland as well as holding teaching appointments at RBWH and GPH. She is also a co-director of emergency medicine training (DEMT) at the RBWH and is an active member of several Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) committees. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course, and has been a director in several not for profit organisations.

At St Margaret’s 1991-1995

17

The Honourable Justice Michelle May BA LLB

Justice Michelle May is a judge of the Family Court of Australia.

Justice May commenced legal practice in 1979 after she was admitted to the Queensland Bar in 1978. She was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1993 - the first female barrister with a predominately family law practice to achieve such a level of seniority. In 1995 she became the first female appointed to Brisbane’s Family Court (and no doubt the first judge appointed with four-year-old triplet daughters).

At St Margaret’s 1966-1972

18

Since 2003, Justice May has been a member of the Appeal Division of that court. The judge is currently the President of the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration and speaks regularly at conferences in Australia and overseas.

Justice May attended St Margaret’s from 1966 until 1972, where her mother had attended and her grandmother had also taught. She excelled at school, recalling that “teachers allowed girls considerable freedom to learn in their own way”.

At the conclusion of her senior studies, the judge was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship for tertiary study, allowing her to undertake an Arts and Law degree at The University of Queensland. Throughout her schooling, Justice May developed close relationships at St Margaret’s and still regularly sees a number of girls, who she went to school with, 40 years later.

Daphne Mayo MBE (B. 1895 D. 1982)

Daphne Mayo has been acknowledged as one of Australia’s most important sculptors. She sculptured in the mediums of stone, clay, plaster, wood and bronze, and later in her life she turned to painting portraits.

After leaving St Margaret’s she attended the Brisbane Technical College. In 1914 she won a travelling scholarship enabling her to pursue her studies at the Royal Academy Sculpture School in London. There she was awarded Silver and Bronze medals and, in 1923, won the Gold Medal and the Edward Stott Travelling Scholarship. Returning to Australia in 1925, she completed her monumental works in Brisbane. Some of her significant larger works include Brisbane’s City Hall’s Tympanum, the Queensland Women’s War Memorial in Anzac Square and the Statue of Major General The Honorable Sir William Glasgow.

Daphne also had many private commissions in Queensland and interstate for portrait busts. From 1940, she established a career as a sculptor in Sydney and in 1960 returned to Brisbane where she remained until her death in 1982.

At St Margaret’s 1907-1908

In 1950 she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to art. Daphne was very committed to the promotion of art in Queensland, becoming the first woman Trustee of the Queensland Art Gallery from 1960 to 1967.

St Margaret’s recognises and honours Daphne Mayo with the biennial MAYO Arts Festival and the Friends of MAYO, a group that raises funds to acquire artworks for the School.

19

Dr Deborah Mills MBBS

Deborah Mills attended St Margaret’s from Year 6. It was a very supportive place for girls to study science (chemistry, biology, physics) and helped her get into medical school. She graduated from The University of Queensland in 1983.

At St Margaret’s 1971-1977

She has been fortunate to be able to combine her passions for travel and medicine and has become an authority on travel medicine in Australia. She is the medical director of two Brisbane clinics under the banner of Dr Deb The Travel Doctor and medical spokesperson for the Travel Medicine Alliance: a group of over 30 travel medicine clinics across Australia. She has published a book, Travelling Well, the ‘must have’ guide to a safe and healthy journey, which is now in its 18th edition with over 185,000 copies in print. In addition, it is available in digital formats such as iBook, and kindle. She has also developed two medical apps for the iPhone; Travel Health (the first of its kind in the world), and Vaccine Record for travellers.

She is a regular on the radio and is published in both the medical and lay press on the subject of travel health, particularly on the subject of rabies. She recently dabbled in film making to produce a quirky YouTube film -Travelling Well - or not? In her spare time, she lobbies about global warming and particularly its effect on the health of the most vulnerable in society.

An enduring gift from her time at St Margaret’s was the friendships made with some of her classmates - which continue today, over 40 years later.

20

Associate Professor Susan Pendlebury MBBS, FRANZCR

Associate Professor Susan Pendlebury (‘78) is the Director of Radiation Oncology on the St Vincent’s Hospital Campus in Sydney. She has an international reputation in her field of breast cancer management. Nationally, she has worked with Cancer Australia and the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre in establishing optimal patterns of care for women with breast cancer.

After graduating from The University of Queensland in 1984, she joined the staff of the Royal Brisbane Hospital where she specialised in radiation oncology. She then completed her training in Sydney before working in the United Kingdom for two years as the Senior Overseas Fellow.

On returning to Australia she established a breast cancer specialty practice at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.

In 2008 she moved her practice to St Vincent’s to cover both the public and private spheres. She has authored many peer reviewed papers and has been a frequent guest speaker at conferences.

At St Margaret’s 1974-1978

In 1993 she married law graduate Philip Barlin and they have two children, George and Catherine. At school she was a keen sportswoman. She was Captain of Tennis in 1978 and represented Queensland in swimming. She continues to play regular tennis and swims almost daily. She recalls her time at school very fondly, particularly the love of reading and literature engendered by wonderful English teachers. Her favourite holidays are hiking with the family.

21

Una Prentice BA, LLB, HonLLD

Una Prentice (nee Bick) when asked why she took up law as a career replied, “It was all owing to the encouragement given to me

by Sister Elizabeth who was Head Mistress when I was at St Margaret’s” (The Link, 1957 p 65). After school, Una commenced an arts degree at The University of Queensland and was one of the first law students to attend the TC Beirne School of Law, founded in 1936.

At St Margaret’s 1927-1931

From these beginnings Una went on to be the first female law graduate of her cohort at The University of Queensland in 1938 and the first female admitted to the Queensland Bar. Later, Una was admitted as a barrister of the High Court of Australia and appeared as the first female Commonwealth prosecutor.

In 1985, Una was honoured by The University of Queensland with the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. Her award recognised her distinguished service to the cause of women, to the legal profession and to The University of Queensland. The Women’s Lawyers Association of Queensland’s annual Una Prentice Awards recognises the achievements of the highest graduating female law student from each law school in Queensland.

Una married barrister Tony Prentice in 1946 and son Roger was born in 1952.

She was a keen supporter of St Margaret’s and was actively involved in the OGA as its Vice President over many years. She was made an Honorary Life Member of the OGA in 1985.

22

Dr Rosamond Siemon BA(Hons), PhD

Dr Rosamond Siemon (nee Nunn) was born in Boonah, Queensland, in 1921 and attended St Margaret’s as a boarder. She is a well-known historian and author who lives in Brisbane. At the age of 77, she combined her passion for history and The University of Queensland (UQ) by publishing the very successful bestseller The Mayne Inheritance, an historical account of Patrick Mayne’s rise to wealth and influence during the 1840s and his family’s legacy to UQ. Rosamond contributed to World War II efforts by joining the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) where she served for two years – being one of the first women to enlist.

While she was working as a broadcaster for the ABC, Sir Zelman Cowan, the appointed Vice Challcellor of The University of Queensland, asked her to join the UQ staff to start the UQ Alumni Association and become involved with past students. Rosamond has remained dedicated to her university alma mater and worked as an alumni officer at the university from 1972 to 1981. She was also an elected member of the Convocation of UQ.

At St Margaret’s 1935-1936

She completed her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in 1989 and her Doctor of Philosophy in 1995.

Her second book released in 2005, The Eccentric Mr Weinholt is a true story tracing the colourful life of a wealthy landowner in Queensland.

Rosamond has continued her support of The University of Queensland through her philanthropic endeavours and by establishing the Dr Rosamond Siemon Postgraduate Renal Research Scholarship.

23

Amanda Stein Amanda Stein is the owner of PandaPearls Australia. She first attended St Margaret’s as a 12-year-old boarder in 1982 when her family were living on Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea. Her mother, Wendy Wippell, and her two sisters and an aunt also attended the school.

At St Margaret’s 1982-1986

After graduating from St Margaret’s, Amanda went to Canada on rotary exchange. With an adventurous spirit combined with a love of travelling, Amanda then worked for Queensland Tourism and enjoyed opportunities in London and Tokyo. In 1991, she applied for and was chosen to participate in a then Goss Government youth delegation to China. This trip opened her eyes to the immense opportunities available to businesses here in Australia. With a love of the pristine unpolluted Pacific and her early introduction of the pearl industry, her eyes widened on this educational tour to advances in perliculture.

This, combined with Amanda’s love of antique jewellery, created a business model, and PandaPearls Australia was born.

Located in Nundah Village, Brisbane, PandaPearls is an emporium of treasures with pearls of every shape, size, colour and lustre, combined with cabinets of enhancers. PandaPearls is most proud however of supporting charities through its sidewalk Sundays and other charity donations for various causes.

Amanda was appointed as the St Margaret’s Patron for 2014-2015 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to St Margaret’s through her generosity and her advocacy role in promoting St Margaret’s to the wider community.

24

Geraldine Turner OAM Geraldine Turner began performing professionally as a child.

She trained in ballet for 10 years and was a member of the Ballet Theatre of Queensland. She received a Diploma of Education after leaving St Margaret’s but never taught, apart from Master Classes in Musical Theatre. She also studied classical singing at the Queensland Conservatorium for five years. In the early 1970s, she began her adult career with the Queensland Theatre Company. She has continued to perform roles in theatre companies and major musical productions throughout her career, as well as television, film, recording and radio.

Geraldine has also performed in operetta and in cabaret, in Australia and in New York, London, Vancouver and Berlin. In the recording world, Geraldine is recognised internationally as a Stephen Sondheim interpreter – being the first artist worldwide to record and release an all-Sondheim album, shortly followed by a second volume.

At St Margaret’s 1964-1967

Geraldine recalls: “St Margaret’s remains a memorable time in my life. The friends I made there are still with me today. I found I excelled in drama and music for my house, Tennyson, and won the Dickens Fellowship Reading Competition for the School each year. I was captain of the debating team to much success.

When I left school, I knew that I could achieve anything, as those values were instilled in me by my wonderful teachers.”

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Natalie Wright

Grad Dip Int Des (with Distinction), B App Sc Blt Env (with Distinction)

Natalie Wright is a lecturer and PhD candidate in the QUT Faculty of Creative Industries, School of Design, with eighteen years experience as an award-winning commercial interior designer, gained in Australia, Japan and the UK.

At St Margaret’s 1982-1986

As a Fellow and former National Director and State Co-President of the Design Institute of Australia, she has been an active voluntary advocate for professional design and design education since 2003, and has represented Australia at International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) General Assemblies. Natalie’s academic research interests, publications and curated events are focused around socially responsible design, community engagement, and design-led innovation approaches in the secondary and tertiary education contexts. Since 2010, when she directed the goDesign travelling design immersion program into six regional Queensland high schools, she has co-developed and facilitated numerous Queensland state and local government-funded, design workshop programs for school teachers and students, and contributed to the delivery of the State Library of Queensland (SLQ) APDL Design Minds website (www.designminds.org.au).

In 2012, Natalie was a finalist for the Queensland Government Smart Design Fellowship Award.

Until July 2016, Natalie will fulfil the role of Manager, SLQ Asia Pacific Design Library (APDL). This physical and digital 21st century library prototype model is a unique shared space for industry, academia and the public to come together in the generation of new knowledge around design in the Asia Pacific.

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Born to Fly Upwards

Tel: +61 7 3862 0765

Email: OGA&Alumni@stmargarets.qld.edu.au These notable past student profiles are also published on the OGA and Alumni page of the School’s website www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School 11 Petrie Street Ascot QLD 4007 Australia Telephone: +61 7 3862 0777 Facsimile: +61 7 3862 0701 mail@stmargarets.qld.edu.au www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au A School of the Society of the Sacred Advent

ABN: 93 492 310 839 CRICOS Code: 00511K