The Board is responsible for the overall management of the School and its assets. It operates under a 'Code of Conduct'. The aims and objectives of the company are outlined in the Articles of Association. Management of the School is delegated to the Principal. The Principal is supported in these duties by several Board committees.
IGS Board Member
Dr Marie Leech, Chair
IGS Board Chair Dr Marie Leech brings to IGS a wealth of experience in social justice and education.
Principal of Sancta Sophia College at the University of Sydney from 2008 until recently, she has also been a member of the Executive of University Colleges Australia (UCA) and Chair of the Mental Wellbeing Committee of Healthy Sydney University.
Dr Leech was appointed to the Federal Government’s Stronger Families and Communities Strategy Partnership. Her voluntary work has included the development of strategies to provide access to education for disadvantaged girls and women.
Dr Leech’s other previous roles include General Manager of Community Services at Mission Australia and Senior Policy Advisor for Uniya, the Jesuit office for social justice research. Prior to that, Dr Leech had taught at Kincoppal Rose Bay and TAFE NSW.
Dr Leech has a PhD in Social Policy from the University of Sydney and a Masters of Science and Society from the University of NSW.
“Education is the scaffolding that allows us to build our lives,” Dr Leech said.
“It provides us with the foundations to form opinions; to build relationships; to have satisfying careers; to handle challenges; to make decisions.
“International Grammar School provides its students wonderful and sound scaffolding to achieve all of the above – but in addition, provides a scaffolding for inspired creativity; and global perspectives.”
IGS Board Member
Jim Meynink, Deputy Chair
Jim Meynink has recently completed a number of assignments with Management consultants Oliver Wyman (formerly Mercer Consulting) in the role as a senior advisor for Australia and New Zealand.
Jim’s career was with Caltex and Chevron in various locations including Asia, USA, Middle East, Africa and Australia.
During his time with Chevron, Jim was selected for Management Consulting training with Mercer Management based in New York. This included intensive skills development in customer research, competitive intelligence, financial analysis and business planning followed by a two year development assignment as Marketing Manager for Emirates Petroleum Company in Dubai and then as Manager Corporate Planning and subsequently National Retail Manager with Caltex Australia.
Jim retired from Chevron as General Manager and Country Chairman of Chevron Philippines and before that as General Manager Africa, Middle East, and Pakistan based in Cape Town. Prior to these assignments, Jim spent four years in Chevron HQ in San Francisco as General Manager in Global Marketing Support.
Jim has held various Board Positions, including Director Vitalgas, Director of Chevron Nigeria, Country Chair Chevron Philippines, and Board Director and VP of Manila International School.
Jim holds a bachelor’s degree BA (Science), a Grad Diploma of Legal Studies and a Masters of Management from Macquarie University.
“As a keen jazz follower and player, I am looking forward to supporting the IGS model around music and language as learning tools to unlock the full potential of IGS students to be prepared for an ever increasing competitive world.
IGS Board Member
Elizabeth Grady
Elizabeth Grady is the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships at Australia for UNHCR, an international aid agency that raises funds to support the humanitarian operations of the United Nations Refugee Agency, and leads all aspects of philanthropy within the organisation.
Prior to joining Australia for UNHCR, Elizabeth was the Development and Donor Relations Officer for Mercy Works, a development organisation with projects in Papua New Guinea, Australia and Timor-Leste. In this role Elizabeth had extensive engagement with a broad range of school communities to implement Mercy Works’ social justice outreach program.
Elizabeth has also worked in the tertiary education sector as Alumni Donor Relations at Sancta Sophia College, within the University of Sydney, with responsibility for alumni relations. Elizabeth has more than 15 years’ experience in government and international development both in Australia and internationally.
IGS Board Member
Lesley Harbon
Lesley Harbon is Professor and Head of School in the School of International Studies and Education at the University of Technology Sydney. She has taught Indonesian and German at primary, secondary and tertiary levels in the Northern Territory, Queensland and rural NSW.
Her career has included pre-service language teacher education at the University of Tasmania and the University of Sydney, and editing Babel, Journal of the Australian Federation of Modern Language Teachers’ Associations, for which she has also served as President.
Lesley has a Masters degree in Education and a PhD, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has previously been on the Board of Scotch Oakburn College in Launceston, Tasmania.
She is a researcher in bilingual education, a field introduced to her by the School’s founder, the late Professor Reg St Leon OAM, and believes that languages and cultures education “can enhance an individual’s intercultural orientation and interpersonal understanding, important competencies for life in an increasingly globalised world”.
“Education can be a passport to the future. At IGS, students are richly equipped to embark on their exciting journeys through life.”
IGS Board Member
Michael Heenan
Michael Heenan (FAIA, GAICD) is CEO + Design Lead and Director of AJC Architects. With over 100 staff based in Chippendale, Sydney, Michael has led the design of a number of the most significant urban transformation and architectural projects in Sydney.
His previous projects have won state, national, and international awards. He is an international speaker and chairs international architectural juries.
“As we enter a time of exponential social and economic change, the value of education has never been higher,” Michael said.
“Embedding adaptability, confidence, and resilience in an institution’s culture, empowers students to thrive in this new and rapidly changing world.”
Michael, Chair of the IGS Building, Finance and Strategy Committee, believes that by valuing design, sustainability and innovation, and creativity, IGS is helping students gain confidence and independence as young adults stepping out into the world.
IGS Board Member
Dyranda Hortle
Dyranda Hortle is a senior marketing and communications executive with a strong commitment to making a difference.
She is currently engaged as General Manager of Marketing and Communications with Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA) where she is working on the transitioning of services to the NDIS marketplace.
Prior to her work with CPA, she worked for Cochlear Limited where she held a number of global and regional roles including Director of Marketing for Asia Pacific and Group Manager Global Communications.
She spent her early career in the arts working for the Arts Council of NSW, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Queensland Theatre Company.
Dyranda remains passionate about the role of the arts in community.
“I am excited about contributing to IGS. The contemporary school curriculum coupled with its secular, international focus is a refreshing context for private school education.”
IGS Board Member
Vince Tropiano
Current IGS parent and member of the IGS Board, Vince is a partner at Grant Thornton, one of the largest international accounting and advisory firms. Specialising in Corporate and International Tax, he is also heavily involved in assisting businesses with their tax risk and governance structures. “Education is obviously a crucial piece of the puzzle in making a better place for all,” Vince said, adding that IGS provides “a fantastic platform” for children’s development.
“Every day since he began in Preschool at IGS, my son has hopped out of bed and been enthusiastic about going to school – to me that speaks volumes!”
Vince believes that the commitment to students at IGS nurtures “confident and articulate members of society” with the unique focus on languages and other skills further encouraging personal and intellectual development.
IGS Board Member
Judith Waldock
Judith is a partner at Moray & Agnew Lawyers in the firm’s specialist catastrophic claims practice group. Judith, who specialises in claims involving complex liability and medical issues, is a Law Society of NSW Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury.
“My first connection with IGS goes back to 1995 when my sister, Kim Waldock, was appointed the Director of Music. I’ve been a member of the IGS Board since 2015. The focus on languages, music and the arts, available in such a supportive, inclusive and secular environment, really sets IGS apart as a unique seat of learning.
“The dedication of the Principal and the staff is an ongoing source of inspiration to me as I continue to learn about how they help every child unlock ways to achieve their dreams, with lived values to help them become thoughtful and respectful citizens in our community.
“Education can be a passport to the future. At IGS, students are richly equipped to embark on their exciting journeys through life.”