Our Board of Directors - Public Education Foundation

The Public Education Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors who volunteer their time to ensure good governance and to shape the Foundation’s strategic direction. They are all passionate about public education and committed to improving equity in Australia’s education system.

David Friedlander, Public Education Foundation Director

David Hetherington BA (Hons I), MPA (Distinction)Chair

David Hetherington is the CEO of Impact Investing Australia. He was previously the CEO of the Public Education Foundation and the founding Executive Director of the progressive think tank Per Capita. He has also worked at the UK’s Institute for Public Policy Research and with LEK Consulting in Sydney, Munich and Auckland. David has authored over 100 reports, book chapters and opinion pieces on a wide range of economic and social policy issues. His work has appeared in The Guardian, The Economist, The Sydney Morning Herald, AFR and The Australian, and was a regular commentator on ABC TV’s The Drum. He has a BA with First Class Honours from UNSW and an MPA with Distinction from the London School of Economics, where he won the George W. Jones Prize for Academic Achievement.

David has two children at NSW public high schools.

Chris Ryan Executive Director, Public Education Foundation

Cheryl KennedyDirector & Treasurer

Cheryl is a Chartered Accountant and has been working in the accounting profession for over 15 years. She is currently an audit partner with Deloitte.

Jane Caro, Public Education Foundation Director

Jane Caro AM BADirector

Jane Caro is a Walkley award winning writer, author, lecturer, mentor, social commentator, columnist, workshop facilitator, speaker and award winning advertising writer. She has a BA in English Literature from Macquarie University and has published 12 books.

Jane regularly contributes articles and opinion pieces to a number of publications and appears as panellist and an expert commentator on commercial and public broadcasters.

Ian McGillDirector

Ian McGill is a lawyer and company director. He was a partner of the law firm Allens from 1990 to 2020 where he specialised in corporate governance, media and telecommunications industry transactions, policy and regulation with emphasis on broadband and telecommunications industry regulation, cybersecurity regulation and media law reform. Since retiring from Allens in 2020, Ian has maintained and enhanced his board experience as a non-executive director of a number of for purpose companies in the documentary film, children’s television, marine science, Indigenous issues and children’s health areas. Ian is an advisory board member for the Centre for Media in Transition, Faculty of Law, University of Technology, Sydney. He also mentors chief executives in the not for profit sector, through Kilfinan Australia.

Lila Mularczyk B.ED, Med. OAM JPDirector

Lila Mularczyk has been recognized for her commitment to public education, being honoured with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2017. Lila currently has a portfolio of primarily voluntary work including roles for the NSW Department of Education, projects for UNSW Gonski Institute for Education, National Vice Chair of ACE, lecturing at university, and supervising professional experience (UTS and UNSW). She mentors and coaches colleagues in school including first year teachers. Lila is also a member and/or chair of multiple education advisory boards (State and National), provides Professional Learning via TF CPL, coaches school leaders, collaborates on numerous tertiary research and works freelance on special projects across professional associations and the education community.

Lila was Director of NSW Secondary Education, previously a School Principal (for 15 years), President of NSW Secondary Principal’s Council. Lila worked in schools for 34 years and has received numerous esteemed awards through her career.

Professor Philip Roberts B.Ed, PhDDirector

Professor Philip Roberts is a Professor in Curriculum Inquiry and Rural Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Canberra. He is the research leader of the Rural Education, Curriculum and Communities Research Group in the Centre for Sustainable Communities at the University of Canberra. Philip’s research focuses on the role of knowledge in curriculum, rural knowledges and the sustainability of rural communities. Prior to moving to the university sector 14 years ago Philip was a teacher and school executive in rural and remote schools for 12 years. He has held various positions on NSW curriculum boards, NSW departmental boards, the NSW teacher registration board and the teachers union. In the ACT he is a member of the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies, member of the University of Canberra Academic Board and Chair of the Faculty of Education Board.

Philip has spent his career advocating for and supporting initiatives aimed at enhancing equity for rural, regional and remote communities. Throughout his research career he has been awarded in excess of $6m for research projects with a focus on education and the development of professionals in rural, regional and remote areas and published over 60 academic publications on these topics. He teaches pre-service teachers, and post graduate classes on curriculum development and the preparation of professionals for rural communities.

David Wynne B.Ed, MAICDDirector

David has worked as a teacher and administrator in public education for more than 40 years, teaching in rural and urban schools as well as delivering adult education and training. A former advisor for education programs targeting disadvantaged students he has been active in brokering philanthropic support for public education. He has been a member of the University of Sydney Professional Development Advisory Board for Education. His not-for-profit experience includes a long-term directorship of the Teachers Health Fund. He was also a Director of the Nurses and Midwives Health Fund.

Management Team During Reporting Period

David Riordan, Chief Executive Officer, Public Education Foundation

David Riordan DipTeach, BA, MEd, GradCertMgmtChief Executive Officer

Alison Matheson, BSc (Hons) MProfAcct CPAFinance Manager and Administration Manager, Company Secretary