Hunter Valley Grammar School Limited is a non-profit company committed to best-practice governance principles.
Meet our Board
Michelle McPherson
Michelle was appointed to the Board in 2012. She was Treasurer from 2014 until becoming Chairperson in May 2024. Michelle is the former Chief Financial Officer of IAG (2020 - 2023) and former Chief Financial Officer and Deputy CEO of NIB (2003 - 2020). Michelle is a member of the Council of the University of Newcastle and is a past parent of the school. Both her children are HVGS Endeavour students.
Dr Kenneth Dobler
Dr Kenneth Dobler was appointed to the Board in 2006. He has been serving as Deputy Chairperson since 2007. Dr Dobler is a general practitioner at Maitland Road Surgery in Cessnock. Ken is a past parent.
Mark Williams
Mark joined the Board in 2023 and is the Chief Executive Officer of The Mutual Bank. Mark has also held Executive leadership roles in two of Australia's largest customer-owned banks, including Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer.
Mark lives in Lake Macquarie and has extensive family ties in the Maitland and Hunter Valley region.
Other roles:
Chair of the HVGS Finance Committee
Jodi Stapleton
Jodi was appointed to our Board in 2019. She is the Chief Information and Technology Officer at IBA and has over 20 years’ experience in financial services and information technology in Canada and Australia.
Other roles
Chair of the HVGS Risk and Compliance Committee.
Kristine Littlewood
Kristine has a long history with HVGS. She was one of the original investors and has been involved since the foundation of the School. Kristine was appointed to the Hunter Valley Grammar School Board in 2000 and elected Chairperson in 2005. She is a lawyer with Hallam & Littlewood Lawyers and a past parent and current grandparent of the School. She stepped back from the position of Chair in May 2024.
Other roles:
Member of the Risk and Compliance Committee
Owen Logan
Owen is a Hunter Valley Grammar School Alumni, graduating Year 12 in 2012.
He went on to obtain a double degree in Mechanical Engineering (with Honours) and Economics. Owen is the Origination Manager of Iberdrola Australia, which is part of the Iberdrola International Group, the world's largest producer of wind energy.
Other roles:
Member of the Asset Management Committee
Cain Beckett
Cain is a current parent at HVGS. He studied a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce at UNSW. Cain began his career in the Sydney office of Allens Linklaters, practising as a Mergers & Acquisitions lawyer and a Banking & Finance lawyer and also has experience as in-house legal counsel. Later returning to his native Hunter Valley, Cain is now the Managing Partner of Jurds Real Estate in Wine Country.
Our Directors are volunteers, and I am deeply grateful for their selfless dedication to HVGS. I am incredibly grateful to share the responsibility for the governance of HVGS with Board members who are thoughtful, caring, and collaborative in their decision making.Michelle McPherson HVGS Board Chair
Policies
Policies Related to Enrolment
Policies Related to Student Welfare and Wellbeing
Policies related to Complaint Management
Other Policies
Our Commitment to Child Safety
All children and young people who come to Hunter Valley Grammar School have a right to feel and be safe. We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. We are committed to providing a child safe and child friendly environment, where children and young people are safe and feel safe and are able to actively participate in decisions that affect their lives.
We have a zero tolerance for child abuse and other harm and are committed to acting in students’ best interests and keeping them safe from harm.
The School regards its child safety responsibilities with the utmost importance and is committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure compliance with all relevant child protection laws and regulations and maintaining a child safe culture.
Each member of the School community has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role that they play individually, and collectively, to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all students is at the forefront of all that they do, and every decision that they make.