Welcome to Kildare Ministries

Catherine Jackson

Trustee

Catherine is the Director of Leopard Tree Consulting, specialising in the design and facilitation of professional learning programmes to develop, enhance and promote the work of leaders. Catherine’s professional experience in the education sector spans early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary education in three states of Australia, as well as consultancy experience in Australia and internationally. She has rich professional experience in system leadership roles in Queensland, New South Wales and Victorian schooling systems. In these contexts, she has served as Teacher, Education Officer, Principal, District Supervisor, System Head of Curriculum and Director of School Services with Brisbane Catholic Education. Catherine’s passion is developing the next generation of leaders and her work spans leadership coaching, leadership team development and facilitation of professional learning. Catherine holds a Diploma of Teaching, Bachelor of Education, Graduate Certificate in Religious Education, Master of Leadership and has undertaken post-graduate study in theology at Boston College, USA. Catherine is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is married to Liam, has two adult children and spends her out of work time between homes in Brisbane and Maleny. She is very much enjoying her current portfolio career which enables her to contribute in different ways including not-for-profit Boards and community and Church organisations.

Denis Fitzgerald

Trustee

For 12 years until October 2019 Denis was Executive Director of Catholic Social Services Victoria, an umbrella body for 50 Catholic agencies, including the Brigidine Asylum Seeker Project and Wellsprings for Women, two of the ministries of Kildare Ministries.  In that role Denis was active in public policy advocacy in many areas, including criminal justice, human rights, Government budget priorities, child and family wellbeing and refugee support.  He also led reflection on mission and its practical implications in Catholic social services providers and parishes, and was the convenor of a series of conferences and books in this area.  Under Denis’ leadership, Catholic Social Services Victoria was active within the Church in promoting an awareness of family violence and constructive responses, and in seeking a just and compassionate response to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, including best practice preventative measures.

Denis’ earlier careers were as an Australian diplomat, which included three years as Australian High Commissioner to Nauru; and senior executive roles with the Victorian Government, in the areas of taxation and consumer protection.  He has qualifications in philosophy, business, public policy and theology.

Denis is currently engaged in a range of governance roles and in direct service provision, all related to those on the margins of society and to the mission of the Church to be ‘for the poor’.  These roles include being a board member at Corpus Christi Community Greenvale, a member of the Finance Advisory Committee with the Missionary Sisters of Service, a volunteer in prison chaplaincy, and involvement in parish ministries providing support for people seeking asylum and for boarding house residents in inner-Melbourne suburbs.

Renee Oberin

Acting KM Mission Leader

It is with great pleasure that we welcome Renee Oberin as Acting Mission Leader for the first six months next year.  Renee is known to many of us as the Acting Faith and Mission Leader for St Joseph’s in Echuca. Renee  is married to Dean and has lived in Echuca for 20 years. They have three daughters; Mia, Tori and Cleo. Mia has just finished Year 12, Tori is entering Year 12 and Cleo is entering Year 10. As was flagged with Principals and Leaders in November, Renee was already joining KM as a Project Officer to imbed the Living Justice Charter in our ministries.  We see this as an extension to this work.

Congratulations Renee and thank you St Joseph’s for lending her to us.  We hope your time with KM will be a rewarding one.