Catholic Community Fund Advisory Board - Catholic Community Fund

Catholic Community Fund Advisory Board Members

Bishop Michael Kennedy – Presider

Bishop Michael Kennedy was installed as the ninth Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle on Friday 17 March 2023 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton.Following his education in Wagga Wagga by the Christian Brothers, Bishop Michael Kennedy undertook a Diploma of Education at the Sydney Catholic College of Education and taught for several years at Xavier Catholic College in Albury.

In 1992 he commenced seminary studies at Vianney College in rural New South Wales and, in 1994, he continued his academic studies at the Urban College of Propaganda Fide in Rome, attaining a Licentiate in Sacred Theology and also then a Diploma in Mariology from the Marianum Pontifical School.

Ordained a priest in 1999, he held various positions in the Diocese of Wagga Wagga including as Assistant Priest and Parish Priest, Rector of Saint Francis’ Residential College at Charles Sturt University, Lecturer in Moral Theology, Mariology and Church History at Vianney College, Diocesan Director of Vocations, Member of Diocesan Council of Priests and College of Consultors, Diocesan Catholic Schools Commission member and Vicar Forane.

Bishop Michael Kennedy most recently served as the tenth Bishop of Armidale from February 2012 to March 2023. Additionally, in November 2012 he was appointed the Apostolic Administrator of the Wilcannia Forbes Diocese, a position he held until July 2014. He has served on various Bishops Commissions and Councils and is currently a member of the Bishops Commission.

Brett Gleeson – Chair of Diocesan Advisory Board

Brett managed radio stations in Lismore and Newcastle over a 10 year period at the start of his career. He moved into the adult education sector and served as Executive Director of WEA Hunter for 10 years. In 2002 Brett started Gleeson Consulting Services, specialising in strategic positioning and planning, governance training, project and event management and grants and sponsorship. In 2010 Brett became General Manager, Business Growth Centre, a business start-up incubator and training centre. In 2017 he was appointed General Manager, Newcastle Show Association and in 2019 Manager of Maitland Show Association.

Brett has served on numerous boards including state government, national and state peak organisations, registered club, agricultural show associations and local not-for-profit organisations.

Brett was appointed to the Diocesan Advisory Board in February 2022.

Graduate Australian Institute of Company Directors, Bachelor of Business (Management & Accounting), Diploma of Management – Human Resources, Diploma of Governance.

Anna Starrett – Chair of Diocesan Audit and Risk Committee

Anna has 30 years’ experience in finance and operations with a career spanning from chartered accounting firms to commercial roles across mining, industrial, manufacturing and energy sectors. Anna is currently CFO at MGA Thermal
Pty Ltd, a green-tech manufacturing business.

Anna previously served as a Director for WEA Hunter for over 15 years.

Anna was appointed to the Diocesan Advisory Board in February 2022 and as Chair of the Diocesan Audit and Risk Committee in July 2022.

Bachelor of Commerce, Certificate in Human Resources, Chartered Accountant, GAICD.

Greg Meagher

Greg has 17 years’ experience in Catholic education holding leadership roles in four secondary schools in NSW in the areas of curriculum, student wellbeing and administration. Greg’s love of sport saw him spend 15 years in organised sport holding senior leadership roles with Surf Life Saving Australia, Rugby Australia and seven years as Chief Executive Officer of Athletics NSW.

Greg has strong governance and commercial capabilities with experience and success in a wide range of business functions in the education, sporting and volunteer not-for-profit sectors.

Greg was appointed as a member of the Diocesan Advisory Board in February 2022.

Masters Of Educational Leadership – ACU, Bachelor of Educations – ACU, Diploma of Teaching – CCES, Foundations of Directorship Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Martien Kroeze – Kloosterziel

Martien is a founding partner at Impology. Working as one of the company’s principal consultants he leads fundamental system transitions for National and regional department of healthcare, and he assist clients in developing and executing business strategies to create and optimise value drivers. Martien is a board member of the Dutch Perinatal Healthcare Federation where his external focus is on improving the national management, coordination and financing of perinatal healthcare and his internal focus is to strengthen the board’s business management and governance.

Martien is an expert in building and leading organizational teams across improvement programs.

Martien served on the Diocesan Finance Council. He was appointed to the Diocesan Advisory Board in February 2022.

Ing. Food technology, Ing. Industrial Business Administration, MBA Erasmus University

Gregory Skinner

Greg worked in engineering and management roles with Ausgrid for over 38 years. He currently works as an Electrical Engineer with Leading Edge Data Centres, with a team of technology specialists embarking on an Australian-first, to deliver much-needed connectivity and IT services to all Australian regions.

Greg has been an advisory board member of the CatholicCare Social Services Advisory Board since it formed in 2015.

Greg served on the CatholicCare Advisory Board. He was appointed to the Diocesan Advisory Board in February 2022.

Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) – Electrical, Master of Business Administration, Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning. Post nominals: BE(Hons), MBA, Grad Dip Fin Plan, FIEAust, CPEng, NER, APEC Engineer, IntPE(Aus).

Father Greg Barker

Fr Greg is a Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, appointed by Bishop Michael Kennedy in June 2023. He is a Trustee of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and a member of the College of Consultors, the group of priests who have a canonical role in the governance of the Diocese.

Fr Greg served as Diocesan Administrator following the death of Bishop William Wright in November 2021 to the appointment of Bishop Michael Kennedy in March 2023. He is a Director of Hunter Community Housing Ltd, a Tier 2 registered community housing provider offering secure and affordable housing to people in need in our community.

Fr Greg serves in the role of Parish Priest of Boolaroo, Warners Bay, and Booragul parishes. He has been a priest for nearly 30 years serving across several diocese as a Parish Priest and as full time Military Chaplain with the RAAF which included time in Iraq. He has worked on a number of national committees with the Church and worked as a member of a mental health team in the Northern Territory for Defence.

Fr Greg was appointed to the Diocesan Advisory Board in July 2023.

Bachelor of Theology.

Sean Scanlon

Sean is the Chief Executive Officer of the Diocese and has been the Diocesan Financial Administrator since 2010. Sean has over 25 years of financial, management and legal experience including 10 years’ experience in investment banking across Australia, Tokyo, London and Moscow.

Sean is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, Fellow of the College of Law, Lawyer on the Record – Member of the Law Society of NSW, Admitted to Supreme Court of NSW and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Bachelor of Commerce, Diploma of Law, Graduate Certificate of Legal Practice, Master of Laws (Applied Law), Master of Property, Bachelor of Construction Management (Hons Class 1), Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.