Board

Dr Ricki Jeffery is former Diocesan Director of Centacare, Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton and has held director positions on the boards of Family Relationships Services Australia, Central Queensland Medicare Local, and Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service. She previously held the position of Chair of the Board of Directors of St Ursula’s College Ltd. She currently sits on the Community Services Industry Reform Council and is the Chair on the Community Services Industry Alliance Board. Dr Jeffery brings to the Board a working knowledge of education, primary health and community services delivery in regional areas, with particular expertise in building capacity to meet challenges in a conscious and intentional way for ministries operating in regional Australia.

Mr McCarthy is a nationally-recognised Accredited Specialist in Family Law with over 25 years' experience and brings to Board strong networks throughout the State of Queensland and interstate. He is a Director of Naughton McCarthy Family Lawyers and Mercy Partners representative on the Association of Ministerial Public Juridic Persons (AMPJP). Mr McCarthy also sits on the Board of Brigidine College, Indooroopilly.

Mr Leslie Jones served as a Grant Thornton audit partner from January 1985 to December 2009 where he had wide involvement with not-for-profit organisations. During his time at Grant Thornton, Mr Jones was head of Assurance Services and was the Office Managing Partner for five years. Internationally, Mr Jones was an active member of the international firm’s risk management, client acceptance and audit technology groups. Mr Jones has been a director of various not-for-profit organisations. He is currently a director of Brisbane Housing Company Ltd and is Chair of Mercy Partners Finance Committee and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. As a Grant Thornton audit partner, Mr Jones has contributed to the Professional Education Program for the Australian Institute of Chartered Accountants as both a group leader and a member of the Institute’s Education Committee.

Mercy Partners Stewards appointed Catherine Parker to Mercy Partners Board in September 2020. Ms Parker is a lawyer, and experienced risk management and governance executive. Her desire to make a tangible difference has seen her engage with a number of not-for-profit enterprises including Lourdes Hill College, where she served as a Director and Chair of the Governance and Risk Committee. Ms Parker works with YMCA and has been active in their Youth Parliament program.

Mrs Cheryl Caughley, former Manager of the Archdiocesan Development Fund, completed almost 30 years as an employee of the Archdiocese of Brisbane in 2022. During her career she was involved in partnering with customers within the Archdiocese of Brisbane, as well a number of interstate and national Catholic entities to support their financial goal to sustain their mission.  She was primarily working with Catholic service providers in the areas of Education, Health and Aged Care, Social, Affordable Housing and Social Welfare.

In her career she has held a Board Director role with EREA St James’ College and Chair of the Finance and Risk Committee for over 10 years. She has also served on various Archdiocesan committees and Advisory councils and national committees from time to time. More recently, in 2019, she was appointed as a Director of the Board of Brigidine College Ltd Indooroopilly and serves on the sub- Committees of Finance and Risk, Property and Building and Strategic Planning.

Mrs Caughley is a generalist and brings to Mercy Partners Board her experience working with the existing and emerging PJPs across various industry sectors within the Catholic Church in Australia.

Cath Bartolo AM has worked in community services and education for more than 30 years. As CEO of YFS Ltd, a community service organisation based in Logan (Brisbane).   Cath has led the organisation to support vulnerable and disadvantaged people to build their independence and participation. Cath’s work has included addressing poverty, homelessness, domestic and family violence, child welfare, youth participation, unemployment and financial capacity.

In 2022 Cath was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for her significant service to youth, to social welfare, and to the community of Logan. 

Cath has held Board positions with Queensland Council of Social Service, Edmund Rice Flexi School Advisory Board and Logan Together as well as collaborative community leadership teams including the Logan City of Choice. 

Professor Lee Anne Perry AM is the inaugural Professor of Practice (Educational Leadership and Partnerships) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Prior to commencing in this role in February 2023, Professor Perry was the Executive Director (CEO) of the Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC).

Professor Perry has had a longstanding involvement in school education as a teacher, school and system leader including over twenty-five years as a principal. During that time, Lee Anne held teaching and leadership roles at Mercy, Franciscan and Presentation schools.

Lee Anne has been a member of many state and national associations and committees concerned with school and higher education. She is currently a Director of the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) and an Honorary Professor of the Australian Catholic University.

Professor Perry has been actively involved in many educational reviews including as a panellist for the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools led by David Gonski AC, a member of the STEM Partnership Forum chaired by the Chief Scientist, Professor Alan Finkel AO, and a member of the Queensland Premier’s Anti-Cyberbullying Taskforce.

Lee Anne is a passionate advocate for education from the early years to higher education, including vocational education and is particularly committed to supporting collaboration, partnerships and connections within and between education sectors and systems.