The national board of Christian Education National Ltd comprises eight members nominated and elected by member associations from around Australia. Elections take place every year at the annual general meeting. Board members serve for a three year term and are eligible to stand for a further two terms.
The board of Christian Education National Ltd is committed to the highest standards of corporate governance in its own deliberations and as a model for boards of member associations. A concise guide to the roles and duties of directors of a charitable public company limited by guarantee is outlined in the resources section of this website.
Board members of Christian Education National schools who have registered for the website may also access the Board Members Handbook in the resources section of this website.
Jack Mechielsen - President, Chairman
Jack Mechielsen has served for 7 years as Chief Executive Officer, Northern Territory Christian Schools Association. Before taking up his present position he was executive director of CPCS for more than thirteen years and prior to this he was principal of Marrara Christian School in Darwin. Between 1973 and 1982 Jack was founding principal of Mt Evelyn Christian School in Victoria. Jack is married to Marlene and has two adult children and two adult children in law. Jack is passionate about applying the Christian faith to teaching, learning care and organisational management.
Ric Petersen - Vice President
Ric has been involved in Christian Education National schools as a teacher and parent for over twenty one years. Both his sons were educated at CEN schools.
He has been the Principal at Calvin Secondary School for the past eleven years. Prior to this he was Dean of Studies at Kingsway Christian College.
He and his wife worship at the Christian Reformed Church Kingston where Ric serves as the Chairman of Elders.
Ric was elected to the Board in 2006 and is currently the Vice President of the CEN Board and is the Chairman of the Council of the National Institute for Christian Education, Chairman of the Association of Independent Schools Tasmania (AIST) School to Work Committee, Chairman of the AIST Education Sub Committee, Chairman of the Tasmanian CEN Principals’ Association, CEN principal delegate on the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority Principals Reference Group and serves on the executive of the CEN State Council of Tasmania.
David Keane - Director
One of the founding board members of Hope Christian School, David has been an integral part of Hope since its inception, in his dual role of Business Manager and Chaplain. He is also the Senior Pastor of Wollondilly Life Church, and the Treasurer of the New South Wales State Executive Committee of CEN. He is passionate about Christian education, and as a parent of three school-aged children, believes that education and training is the biblically-mandated responsibility of parents.
David would love to see our organisation grow and thrive, even in the midst of the current global economic 'doom and gloom', and feels honoured to serve the entire Christian Education National community through his involvement on the National Board.
Yvonne Bradley - Company secretary
Yvonne has been involved in Christian Education since 1983 when she joined the staff of Donvale Christian College. She became Head of the Secondary School in 1986 and was appointed Principal of DCC in 1991. She retired from that position at the end of 2008.
While Principal, Yvonne had responsibility for presenting the annual Developing Leaders Conference on behalf of CEN and she remains a CEN Councillor on the AACS Council.
Married to Gary for 42 years with 2 adult children and 1 grandchild.
Hugh Bryant-Parsons - Director
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Hugh has been married to Marion for over 33 years and they became association members in 1982 prior to the birth of their first child. Their daughters have all attended Plenty Valley Christian College, in Victoria, where Hugh has been a board member of Plenty Valley for about 14 years.
He is an IT Technical Manager, with recent experience as a Senior Project Manager at Hewlett Packard Computers on large and medium technical and business process improvement projects, within an international customer support environment. Hugh believes that our worldview must be shaped by the scriptures and this must impact the life of our associations and school communities.
John de Jong - Treasurer
John has been married to Elly for over 22 years and they have four daughters. He has been passionate about, and involved in, Christian education for over 16 years. He believes God requires us as parents to be actively involved in our children’s education which should be integrated with our Biblical world view, and we should aim to ensure that our children are equipped to live in the world as salt and light for Jesus Christ.
Nick Goiran - Director
Nick and his wife Jody have five children, all of whom have attended the Rehoboth Christian Schools in Western Australia. Nick was a board member (2001 – 2007, 2009 - current) and President (2005 – 2007) of the Association for Christian Education Inc which runs the Rehoboth schools since October 2001. Having been a partner in a law firm and worked in the legal industry for the good part of 10 years, prepared Nick for his current role as a Member of the Legislative Council in the Western Australian Parliament . Nick and his family attend the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Bullcreek and are passionate about Australian parents being genuinely involved in the education of their children and in Australian Christians being awakened and having an active voice in the laws being passed in Australian parliaments
Stewart Miller - Director
Stewart served as Principal, Donvale Christian College 1975 - 1982, Mount Evelyn Christian School as Principal 1982 - 2002 and as CEO 2002 - 2005. Since 'retiring' from full time work he has served short terms as acting Principal at Mid North Christian College (Port Pirie, 2006), Son Centre Christian School (Swan Hill, Vic. 2006) and Carnarvon Christian School (W.A., 2009).
Stewart’s children have been educated in Christian parent controlled schools and he now has grandchildren enrolled.
Anne Baker - Director
Anne is married to Chris and has 2 wonderful children. She became involved in Christian schooling when her eldest began school at Covenant Christian School in Belrose, and Chris and Anne became members of the school association. As well as being very involved in many areas of the school community, Anne became a member of the Covenant Christian School board. Anne is now Chair of the CEN NSW Executive Council.
Anne's family attends All Saint’s Anglican Church in Balgowlah and over the years she has run the Children’s Ministry, helped lead at children’s holiday clubs and camps and been camp mum for the teenage/young adults group at Soul Survivor Youth Conferences.
The national board maintains a number of standing committees:
Representation to Federal Government on behalf of our schools is carried out by the Australian Association of Christian Schools. For more information please go to www.aacs.net.au .