School Advisory Council
School Advisory Council Members
John Rudd
Principal
Melissa Wallace assumed the role of Chair at the SMSAC in January 2022, bringing with her eight years of involvement as a parent at St. Margaret's School. With two teenagers who previously attended St Margaret's currently attending high school, and Sullivan enrolled in Year 5, Melissa has been an active volunteer with the Parents and Friends group for many years which facilitated her decision to continue to volunteer in a different capacity in the SMSAC role. Her professional background in corporate environments, with a specific focus on people, governance, risk, compliance, wellbeing and culture, underscores her capacity to contribute effectively to the committee. Melissa's commitment to wellbeing, coupled with her aspiration for children to have enriching primary school experiences within a positive community, reflects her dedication to fostering lasting school and family memories.
Katharine Shanahan was appointed to the SMSAC in January 2022. Katharine’s daughter Georgia is in Year 5, and her older son Patrick is now in Year 12 at St. Bernard’s after many happy years at St. Margaret’s. Katharine is married to Cam, and the family live locally. Katharine works in the financial services and technology industry, as Head of Delivery & Enablement for the Business & Private Bank at one of the Big 4 Banks. She is also passionate about encouraging more girls into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) and this begins at primary school. Being a part of the SMSAC is a great honour and an amazing opportunity to support both St. Margaret’s and the wider parish in their decision-making process.
Tom Hartelt was appointed to the SMSAC in January 2022. Tom’s son Evan is in Year 6, and his older son Nathan is now in Year 10 at Overnewton after completing all of primary school at St. Margaret’s. Tom and his wife Nancy have lived in Maribyrnong for the past 16 Years. Tom is an Engineering Manager and has worked for a number of large companies including Airservices, Epworth, McCain, CSL, and Exxon. He believes education is one of the foundations of a happy and productive life and thinks it is important for parents to be involved in their children’s education and actively participate in the school's activities wherever possible. He was an active member of the Parents and Friends group since his first child started at St. Margret’s; but, now focuses on being a part of the SMSAC which is an honour as well as great opportunity to support St. Margaret’s and the wider community.
Joe Falvo has been a committee member of St. Margaret's SAC team since 2023. Joe is the husband of Tina and father to Alessia, who is in Year 5. Joe works as an Operations Manager for a major global logistics company, and enjoys the challenges of working in such a complex and dynamic industry. Being a part of SAC gives Joe a wonderful opportunity to be involved in the school's decision-making process and pay forward the time and effort that St. Margaret's invests in our children.
Thomas Liew joined SMSAC in January 2025, the same year his son Matthew began Prep. He works in the higher education sector, leading a team of performance business partners who support senior leaders with advice on government funding policies, student number projections, course pricing, market trends and competition. Passionate about giving back to the community, Thomas serves on the CPA Australia Innovation and Technology Committee and is also an alumni career mentor with the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Business and Economics. He is excited about the opportunity to contribute to the St Margaret’s community.
Ramsin Khoshbakht was appointed to the SMSAC in January 2025 when his daughter Gracie started in Prep. He brings over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, with a background in service delivery and client management. Ramsin has worked across a range of corporate environments, leading teams and delivering outcomes in fast-paced, high-performance settings. Ramsin and his wife Kelly feel fortunate to be a part of the St Margaret’s community. Ramsin is passionate about creating a supportive and engaging environment where students can thrive both academically and socially. Being a part of the SMSAC is a meaningful way for him to contribute to the school community and support a positive experience for all families.