Get to know the Board

St Philip's College is an incorporated as a company and governance is overseen by the College Board. 

Over the next few weeks, we'd like to highlight our current Board of Directors, so parents are familiar with who is charge of the College's Strategic Plan. 

Dr Jessica Johannsen

Board Director

Jess Johannsen (nee Ah Chee) was appointed to St Philip’s College Board in April of this year. Jess was born in Alice Springs, attended St Philip’s College as a student and as a First Nation woman has an intimate and deep knowledge of the social fabric of this town. She completed her secondary education in Sydney and accepted a scholarship to Adelaide University to study medicine and recently graduated as a General Practitioner.  Currently Jess works at Central Australian Aboriginal Congress in Alice Springs as a doctor and on occasions visits remote communities to provide expert medical advice.

Jess is married to local Jordan Johannsen and they are expecting their first child. 

Dr Jessa Rogers

Board Director

Jessa Rogers was appointed to the St Philip’s College Board in August of this year.  Jessa is a Wiradjuri woman who has over fifteen years of teaching experience in secondary schools and tertiary education.  Jessa was awarded her PhD in Indigenous Education with her research specialising in Indigenous Boarding from the ANU.  She has been a Fulbright Scholar (Harvard University), a Churchill Fellow, and was awarded a National NAIDOC Award for her contributions to Indigenous girls’ education. 

Jessa’s research draws attention to the voices of Indigenous students, with a specific focus on Indigenous boarding school experiences in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and mainland USA. Jessa is Managing Director of Baayi Consulting which assists in embedding Indigenous perspectives in curriculum, supporting schools and education providers with Cross-Curriculum Priority: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures and in the past has been heavily involved in Reconciliation Australia’s Schools Program.  Jessa is passionate about Indigenous peoples’ experiences in education, and we welcome Jessa, our most recent asset to the Board.

Jessa lives in Brisbane with her husband who is Maori and who is Vice Warden and Deputy CEO of St John’s College, University of Qld, and their three sons.