The School Board
President – CHERRIE WILSON
Cherrie and her family relocated from Sydney in 2018 so that her 2 children could attend SVSS and become part of the community. Cherrie has more than 25 years of experience in the not-for-profit environmental charity sector leading governance, finance, IT, people and culture, legal, risk and compliance management.
She believes that the most critical asset for not-for-profit organisations is their people and throughout her career has sought to engage the people she is working with to drive development initiatives positively impacting financial sustainability, governance, cultural and organisational development.
Cherrie has been a member of the Board since March 2022 and during this time has actively contributed to support open and transparent governance, continuous improvement of the school governance and operations and planning for the growth of the school.
She is committed to continue to contribute her skills and experience to support the school in its development ensuring that the values underpinning the Steiner education are upheld. board_president@samfordsteiner.qld.edu.au
Board Treasurer – Julia Abramova
Julia and her family joined the SVSS community in 2023.
Julia is a CPA qualified accountant with over 15 years of experience. She worked in various industries, mostly in corporate environment but also has experience in a non-for-profit sector. Currently Julia works as a Financial Controller at an ASX listed company and her skill set includes financial management, reporting, strategic planning and financial analysis.
Julia sees becoming a Board member as a great opportunity to contribute to the school growth with her professional skills and experience.
Non-Executive Member – Lynda James
Lynda is a CPA and finance professional with experience in publicly listed, private and government organisations. She has not for profit experience and focuses on great financial and resource outcomes and financial sustainability for all involved. She has been part of the SVSS community since 2011 and joined the Board to contribute to the community that has been part of her family’s education and lives for many years. Lynda has two children at the school.
She hopes to contribute during this period of massive transformation currently occurring at SVSS as double-streaming is now a large focus for growth while enhancing the mission of providing a living education for social renewal.
Non-Executive Member – Michael Ryan
Michael is an independent environmental consultant who applies behavioural sciences to shape technical specialists into high performing teams with a shared goal. He is a father of two children who have attended the school and is passionate about spiritual development.
Michael has good communication skills, both written and verbal, and has used these skills in negotiations and conflict resolution across all levels of government and non-government organizations. Michael is keen to assist in the long-term strategic development of the school.
Non-Executive Member – Miranda Tester
Miranda is an experienced leader, with over 17 years experience in the real estate sector, overseeing the strategic management and development of real estate assets. In her current role as Investment General Manager, Miranda leads a team of investment management professionals across a portfolio of mixed-use assets and land holdings. Throughout her career, Miranda has developed strong financial, analytical and communication skills and expertise in stakeholder management and negotiation.
Miranda is a mum of two girls who attend the Samford Valley Steiner School, and lives in Samford Valley with her husband and two children. Miranda is passionate about the nurturing and holistic environment that SVSS provides for its students and hopes to be a positive influence in the school as it grows and aims to deliver on the school’s masterplan.
Non-Executive Member – Ivan Woodcock
Ivan and his family joined the SVSS community in 2016 with his youngest child being in the first double streaming class. His eldest joined class 4 the following year. Ivan’s wife joined the kindergarten staff in 2019 and is currently a teaching assistant in class 5 to complete the family scene.
Ivan is a seasoned engineering and project manager and brings with him a wide range of skills to the Board level to help steer the school through the planning and construction works ahead. Ivan has been a self-employed project manager for the past 15 years working with many mining and construction companies through these years to deliver projects.
