VIC CSA/CEN Principals' Meeting

Christine Lucas, Head of School Services, ISV

Christine is an experienced educational leader across schools, school services and operations, governance and compliance, school leadership development, teacher quality initiatives including as the lead Commonwealth Director in the establishment of AITSL, initial teacher education, school improvement, and policy development at Commonwealth and territory levels, as well as national initiatives in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education.

She has extensive experience in sector wide consultations at a national, jurisdictional, and local levels, plus a long term office holder and member of a CEN school board, principal at a CSA school, and over 7 years as a member-elected executive in an education union. Christine has worked in Disability Services during the roll out of the NDIS and in Domestic & Family Violence policy and programs.

Her current role at ISV is Head of School Services, leading Employment Relations, the BGA team, School Improvement, Principal Ambassadors, and the Direct School Advisory team covering VET in schools, Child Safe matters, compliance, student services and Commonwealth special funding projects.

She and her family have attended Berwick Anglican Church since their arrival in Melbourne, Christmas 2019.

Rachel Holthouse, Chief Executive Officer, ISV

Ms Holthouse has more than 20 years’ experience in education, including senior appointments at RMIT University and the University of Melbourne. Her work has included a particular focus on providing pathways for students into higher education. She has a record of successful advocacy and engagement with governments, ministers and senior officials. Her communications and cross-cultural skills will be invaluable to ISV, given the diversity of the communities served by the growing Independent school sector. Her academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts, a Diploma of Education, and a Master of Applied Linguistics.

Rev Dr Shannon Hood, Executive Director of Wellbeing Services , Empatia

Rev Dr Shannon Hood is the Executive Director of Wellbeing Services for Empatia.  He the Dean of Counselling at Perth Bible College and has a small private practice.  He is a level 4 ACA Clinical Counsellor & Supervisor, a Clinical member of the Christian Counselling Association of Australia and an ordained Anglican Deacon.  Shannon read theology for 12 months at the University of Cambridge as part of his Bachelor of Theology and holds Masters Degrees in Commerce (Uni SA), Education (Monash) and Counselling (Uni of Divinity).  In 2019 he presented a summary of his PhD thesis on the use of Spiritual and Religious Interventions by Professional Counsellors at University of Oxford.  He lives in Melbourne with his wife, 4 children and Pepper the Labrador.

Dr Rachel Carling, Executive Officer - Government Relations and Advocacy, CSA

Dr Rachel Carling is our new Executive Officer - Government Relations and Advocacy and she will be working alongside Mark Spencer, Director of Public Policy, to provide even greater advocacy support at the state and federal levels.

Rachel has exceptional credentials, having served as a Member of the Victorian Legislative Council. In this capacity, she demonstrated an incredible ability to advocate for a range of issues and policy positions. Since that time, she has worked as the CEO of Right to Life NSW (Foundation for Human Development) before returning to the disability sector to work in research and advocacy.

Rachel also holds a PhD in social policy from James Cook University and has published in the area of disability. Accordingly, she will bring a breadth of insights and skills across a range of issues important to CSA members.