SGSCC Board St George & Sutherland Community College

SGSCC Board

SGSCC Governance Board

SGSCC is committed to best practices in its obligations to Corporate Governance. The SGSCC Board members provide an appropriate mix of skills and experience from a diversity of backgrounds. We are proud to say that all of the College Board members serve SGSCC on a voluntary basis.

Bernadette Mills

  • Ex-Officio/ Secretary/Public Officer
  • CEO

Bernadette has a passion for and recognises the importance of leadership, building relationships, creating networks, staff development, and customer service. With her enquiring mind and curious nature, she researches ways to develop her skills and the skills of others to create resilient people, leaders, and teams.

As the CEO, Bernadette believes her role is to foster a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and continuous improvement culture in the College. To enable it to adapt to changes, respond to opportunities, maximise income generation, and maintain a position at the forefront of Adult Education and training while identifying and managing risk to the College.

Bernadette joined the SGSCC management team in 2011. She has gained unparalleled experience in Adult Education, establishing herself as a respected leader within the College and the wider community.

Her previous roles have provided a broad range of experience that includes;

  • Business and Board Governance
  • Adult Education Management
  • Retail Management
  • Business Development
  • Vocational Management
  • Vocational Training and Assessment
  • International Studies
  • Project Management
  • Tenders and Contracts
  • Community Services
  • Disability Services
  • Human Resources
  • Strategic Planning
  • Budget planning
  • Revenue generation

Bernadette currently sits on the Enough is Enough: Anti Violence Movement Inc Board and has served as a Board Member for the Southern Sydney Business Education Network (SSBEN)

Nola Nutt

  • President – Community Representative
  • Dip. Teach (Dist.) B.Ed.(Credit) Dean’s List ( Uni. of Wollongong)

Nola grew up on a property in the North West Slopes of NSW. This gave her a broad education, useful business skills and strong family and community values.

Her teaching career spanned 40 years: 32 of these in Special Education; and 24 of those years as Principal of Special Schools.

Retired, Nola is involved in community activities with service and welfare organisations, including being a Life Member and Board Member of RecAbility (Parent to Parent Assoc.). Nola is currently the President of the Board of SGSCC, a position and institution she is unashamedly proud of.

Kerry Jefferies

  • Community Representative
  • Diploma in Teaching Dip.Teach 1976
  • Graduate Diploma in Reading Education GDip.Ed 1979
  • Graduate Diploma in Teacher/Librarianship GDip.Teach(Lib)1982

Kerry has more than 30 years of teaching experience including Primary School, Teacher Librarian, Children with Special Needs, Undergraduate students and conducting in-service courses for qualified teachers. For the last 10 years she has been involved in advocating and managing her daughter’s post-school disability program. Kerry currently is a member of SGSCC disability Parent Advisory Committee

Graham Thom

  • Community Representative
  • Master of Education in Adult Education
  • Bachelor of Education in Adult Education (Human Resources Development)
  • BSB51915 Diploma of Leadership and Management
  • TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

Graham entered the Vocational Education and Training sector over twenty-five years ago after leaving the hospitality industry managing country house hotels in England. After delivering hospitality courses he opened a hospitality college in Sydney for indigenous students following which he owner operated his own Registered Training Organisation for twelve years.  

Graham joined SGSCC as a casual trainer delivering courses in training and assessment and then joined the Workskills team as Assistant Manager with responsibility for compliance. He has since worked for UNICEF and is now PCYC Institute State Manager responsible for the management of the RTO. Graham is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Sutherland.  

Rebecca Wood

  • Community Representative
  • Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)

Rebecca has over 22 years of experience in key management and executive roles across a number of industries including local government, retail and property management, and the airline industry with organisations such as Westfield, United Airlines, and Sutherland Shire Council.

Her roles have provided a broad range of experience that includes facility and asset management, event management, management of projects, tenders and contracts, economic development, place management, tourism, sports services, community services, research and policy development, budget planning, and revenue generation. Rebecca also has a keen understanding of the importance of building relationships and networks, workplace health and safety, staff development, and customer service.

Rebecca has also served as a Board Member for Economic Development Australia NSW (EDA NSW), Cronulla Promotions Limited, Shirebiz, Southern Strength Agile Manufacturing Network (SSAMN) and Southern Sydney Business Education Network (SSBEN). Rebecca currently holds the position of Manager Business, Sport, and Community Services with Sutherland Shire Council.

Gary O’Rourke

  • Member Representative

Gary has had extensive experience in the disability and education sectors over a long period of time, during which time he has worked with a wide variety of government and non-government agencies.

He has also had involvement with the Disability Trust and Sylvanvale. Both these services provide support and training for a large number of people with disabilities.

Gary is also involved with NECA (National Electrical Communication Association) and St Vincent de Paul at Como providing community support.

Tash Doherty

  • Nominated Representative
  • Diploma of Community Services 
  • Adv. Diploma of Stage & Screen Acting

Tash is a Youth Worker within the Sutherland Shire (Dharawal Land) and Georges River (Biddegal Land) with a focus on education, employment & training for young people facing disadvantage. She provides case management and employment support for youth facing issues such as; homelessness, substance misuse, mental health concerns, and financial hardship. She has extensive experience working with young people due to her history of teaching drama. 

Tash has an awareness of the barriers young people face in education and is passionate about removing those barriers to support them in accessing inclusive vocational training. She works from a strengths-based approach, always reminding students of their abilities and accomplishments. Tash enjoys seeing all the students who utilise SGSCC as a stepping stone towards an incredibly bright future. Tash is a proud advocate and ally of the LGBTQIA+ community and is motivated to ensure a safe, inclusive, and flexible learning environment for the current and future generations.

Scott Laney

  • Nominated Representative

Scott has nearly 30 years of experience in the aviation sector along with prior service as a NSW police officer. Scott joined SGSCC as a student and then casual trainer, delivering courses in Business, ICT, and First Aid. Scott is a Life Member, Past President, and former Board member of the Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club who he still assists today sitting on a number of committees.

Joanna Mcllveen

  • Member Representative

Joanna has 20 years of experience as a social worker in health, and her specialty is end-of-life and bereavement social work. She is the SESLHD Grief and Bereavement Coordinator, which provides high-level and strategic support to clinicians and services across the local health district, with a primary focus on community engagement, capacity building, and coordination of services. In addition to this, Jo teaches the Health Care and Social Work subject at the University of Wollongong where she is a Ph.D. candidate investigating hospital and community partnerships in caring towards the end of life.

Rachal Allan

  • Member Representative

Rachal is the Community Engagement Lead for Sharks Have Heart. Sharks Have Heart is the Charity arm of the Cronulla Sharks. Rachal is a proud Gamilaraay woman from Tamworth. Rachal has been living and working on Dharawal country for the last 10 years in the lllawarra and South Eastern Sydney region. And, fun fact: Rachal got her first 2 qualifications from Tamworth Community College!