Meet the Siena College Board

College Governance

Australian Values and Democratic Principles

Siena College supports and promotes the principles and practice of Australian democracy in its programs and teaching. This includes a commitment to:

Elected Government
The rule of law
Equal rights for all before the law
Freedom of religion
Freedom of speech and association
The values of openness and tolerance

The Siena College Board supports the College, promoting the wellbeing and learning of all students and providing an environment in which the College continues to flourish. The Board has a strong commitment to preserving and fostering the Catholic identity and the Dominican charism upon which the College was founded. The Directors of the Board are accountable for the sound governance of the College. They provide strategic direction and contribute legal, financial and other professional expertise to the governance of the College.

The Siena College Board is assisted by four advisory committees which support the Siena College Board in its governance role: the Finance Committee, the Strategic Property Committee, the Policy Committee and the Risk Management Committee.

Introducing the Siena College Board

Judith Potter (Board Chair)
Qualifications: B.A., Grad Dip Ed; Grad Dip Ed Admin, M.Ed. FACEL (Vic)

Judith is an alumna of the College with almost 42 years experience as an educator in Catholic, government and independent and Catholic schools. She was most recently Principal of Loreto College Ballarat for almost fifteen years, retiring in 2020. For over fifteen years, she has been a member of The Invergowrie Foundation (TIF) Finance and Risk Committee and Council. The core of the foundation is supporting the advancement of girls education across Victoria.

Vanessa Barcellona (Deputy Chair)
Qualifications: B.A (Professional Communication), MBA (Exec), GAICD

Vanessa joined the Siena College Board in July 2018 and has served as a member of the Finance Committee since 2017. Vanessa was the President of the Alumnae Association from 2014 to 2015. Vanessa has over eighteen years of experience in management and strategy roles in professional services, technology and financial services across Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific. Vanessa is an alumna of Siena College (Class of 2001).

Damian Giannangelo
Qualifications: B.Bus, Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment

Damian joined the Siena College Board in December 2017 and has served as a member of the Siena College Finance Committee since 2012. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry covering banking, financial services, life insurance and superannuation with specific areas of expertise in project management, risk and compliance management and retail and commercial banking. Damian’s eldest daughter Bella Giannangelo (Class of 2017) attended Siena College. Damian’s daughter, Mia, is a current student at Siena College.

Michael Kral
Qualifications: B.A, DipEd

Michael joined the Siena College Board in May 2019 and has served as a member of the Siena College Risk Management Committee since 2014. He has over twenty years of experience in the telecommunications, print/digital marketing and education sectors covering risk management, business continuity, strategic/operational planning and execution, governance, process/business management and change management. Michael's eldest daughter, Eliza, graduated from Siena College in 2019 and Hannah is currently in Year 12.

Elizabeth Hanney (Principal and CEO)
Qualifications: M.Ed, M.Couns, B.Th, DipEd, FACE

Elizabeth commenced as Principal of Siena College in 2020. As Principal, Elizabeth carries out the decisions made by the Board and is responsible to the Board for the educational policy of the College and its execution, internal administration and management of the College in harmony with the values expressed in the Constitution. Elizabeth is a member of the Board Executive and on the Finance, Building and Grounds, Risk Management and Policy Committees.

Tony Grant (Company Secretary)
Qualifications: B.Bus.Man; Grad.Cert.Ed.Law; GAICD; MBA (Exec)

Tony is the Director of Business Services at Siena College since 2016 and is on the Finance and Building and Grounds Committees. Tony has twenty years of experience in the education sector.

Sr Judith Lawson OP
Qualifications: B.Ed, M.Ed

Judith joined the congregation of the Dominican Sisters in 1963. She has many years of teaching and administration experience in primary and secondary schools in NSW and Queensland. She served as Principal of two primary schools before undertaking studies at Boston College USA. From 1982 until 1987, she was Religious Education Coordinator at Santa Sabina College in Sydney. From 1987 until 2007, she served as Principal of Santa Sabina College. After a sabbatical in 2008, she was elected as Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Eastern Australia and the Solomon Islands. Judith served in that role for eight years.

George Sfetsos
Qualifications: B.Bus (Accounting), CPA

George has been a member of the Siena College Board since January 2020 and has served on the Finance Committee since 2013. George has worked in senior roles within manufacturing, construction and media businesses over the last twenty years and has been Chief Executive Officer at Universal Corporation since August 2017. George’s eldest daughter Jade graduated from Siena in 2018 and his youngest daughter, Brooke, in 2021.

Laura McRae (Class of 2001)

Qualifications: BA; LLB (Hons)

Laura was appointed to the Board in September 2021. Laura has practiced in construction law in both private practice and in house for over fourteen years. Laura is an alumna of Siena College (Class of 2001).

Philip Grant

Qualifications: BA; LLB; LLM, Graduate Certificate in Organisational Dynamics

Philip joined the Siena College Board in January 2022 and has been a member of the Siena College Policy Committee since 2019. For the last twelve years, he has been employed at RMIT University, involved in the research and innovation field. Philip also has over twenty years experience in legal/corporate roles in public sector organisations. Philip's wife Therese Gilligan is an alumna of the College. In 2022, Philip and Therese cofounded 4Cats Art Education, which continues to publish art education resource material for VCE students and teachers. Philip's daughters, Chloe and Jorgie, are current students at Siena College.

Siena College Organisational Structure