Our Board

Liesl Centenera was appointed as a Director of the CACGEL Board in March 2024. She was appointed Deputy Chair of the Board from 1 July 2026 and currently serves in that role. Since graduating from the AICD Company Directors Course in 2016, Liesl has held numerous Board and Committee positions, including Chair of the Professional Standards Advisory Panel to the Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn (advising on child protection), Chair of the Territory Records Advisory Committee, and Deputy Chair of ACT Leave, which administers the Territory’s portable long service leave schemes. Audit and risk has been a particular focus, with lengthy tenures as Chair of the Audit Committee for ACT Leave and as a member of the Audit Committee overseeing ACT Public Service environment and planning functions. She currently serves as Chair of the Canberra International Music Festival.

Before focusing on Board and Committee roles, Liesl held senior positions in the Commonwealth and ACT public services and the United Kingdom non-government sector, specialising in governance, policy and industrial relations legislation, and worked as a consultant advising private, government and community sector clients on leadership, human resources and procedural fairness. She holds degrees in economics and law, and is admitted to practise in the ACT Supreme Court and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Graham Pollard was appointed as a Director of the CACGEL Board in May 2024. Graham is an experienced and well-respected educational leader with over 30 years in Catholic education. He retired as Principal of St Matthew’s Primary School, Page in December 2023, having been in that role since 2018. His leadership experience includes prior Principal roles at Good Shepherd Primary School, Amaroo; St John Vianney’s School, Waramanga; and St Thomas More’s School, Campbell; as well as senior positions at the National Catholic Education Commission and Catholic Education.

Graham holds a Master of Educational Leadership, a Graduate Diploma in Education (Religious) and a Bachelor of Education. He is committed to continuous professional development, with recent focus on mental health, school improvement and student wellbeing, and has been consistently recognised for his visionary leadership and commitment to creating positive educational environments. Graham is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Elizabeth O’Carrigan was appointed as a Director of the CACGEL Board in April 2026. She is a passionate and highly experienced educator whose career has encompassed leadership roles as a teacher, principal and director of education across metropolitan and rural communities. Elizabeth is committed to improving student outcomes and supporting the development of future educational leaders through coaching and mentoring. She currently chairs the NSW Education Standards Authority’s Registration and Accreditation Committee, a subcommittee of the NSW Education Standards Authority NESA Board. Her previous governance experience includes service as a member of the inaugural Redfern Jarjum College Council, Chair of the Board of St Patrick’s College, Strathfield, and a Board member of St Clare’s College, Waverley. She holds a Bachelor of Education, a Master of Educational Administration, a Master of Arts in Theology, a Master of Educational System Leadership and a Graduate Certificate in Gifted Education. Elizabeth is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators and a Fellow of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders.

Patricia Cowling was appointed as a Director of the CACGEL Board in June 2025. Patricia is an accomplished leader in Catholic education with over 30 years of experience. She holds degrees in Arts, Theology and Education, as well as an Executive MBA, and has served as Principal for 20 years in Victorian Catholic schools, including 15 years as Principal of Genazzano FCJ College, Kew. She is also a Non-Executive Director of the Victorian Catholic Education Authority and was the inaugural Board Chair of Catholic Education Sandhurst Ltd from 2021 to 2024.

Patricia has also worked as an educational consultant across Victorian Catholic schools and served on the Review Team for Melbourne Archdiocesan Catholic Schools. Her expertise encompasses educational leadership, curriculum development, school governance and strategic management. She holds a National Fellowship with the Australian Council for Educational Leadership and Chartered Fellowship and a Life Membership with the Principals’ Association of Victorian Catholic Secondary Schools. Patricia is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Patrick McArdle was appointed as a Director of the CACGEL Board in March 2024 and served as the inaugural Chair from May 2024 until 30 June 2026. From 1 July 2026, he has continued to serve on the Board as a Director. Patrick brings over 30 years of educational expertise, including 25 years at Australian Catholic University (ACU) and prior experience in schools. He has expertise in moral and practical theology, canon law, education and pastoral care, with a doctorate focusing on personhood and relationships in healthcare ethics. At ACU, he served as Campus Dean (Canberra, 2009-2022), receiving teaching innovation grants and an Excellence in Teaching Award. His leadership roles included Head of School and Director of the Catholic Identity and Mission Institute.

Patrick has authored three books on healthcare, pastoral care and disability in a Christian context, alongside numerous academic publications. Within the Archdiocese, he has served on multiple commissions and was appointed Chancellor in 2021 and Vicar for Education in 2023. Patrick is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Helen Delahunty was appointed as a Director of the CACGEL Board in March 2024. Helen brings over 30 years of financial leadership experience to the role. A Certified Practising Accountant, she previously served as National Chief Financial Officer at Greening Australia Ltd, managing complex multi-entity financial operations. She currently serves on several prominent boards, including Catholic Healthcare Ltd and Australian Catholic Redress Ltd. Her expertise spans financial management, governance and leadership in both the Catholic and non-profit sectors. Helen is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Mary Dorrian was appointed as a Director of the CACGEL Board in September 2024. Ms Dorrian brings over 45 years of distinguished service in education, spanning both the public and Catholic sectors. Following her early career with the NSW Department of Education as a Literacy and Special Education consultant, she joined the Catholic Education Office, Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn in 2001. She served as Principal of St Monica’s Primary School, Evatt, before becoming Head of Education and Religious Education Services (2003–2015), providing oversight across 56 schools. Her credentials include a Master of Education and a Graduate Certificate of Religious Education. She has contributed to education through lecturing at Australian Catholic University (2016-2022) and serving on Daramalan College’s Board (2016-2020). A dedicated member of St Gregory’s Parish since 1981, Mary combines deep educational expertise with a lifelong commitment to Catholic faith and community service. Mary is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Tim Elliott was appointed Deputy Executive Director – School Operations in February 2026. He has dedicated more than 40 years to Catholic education, building a lifelong career marked by service, leadership and a deep commitment to the formation and flourishing of young people.

His extensive experience spans teaching and leadership in both small rural communities and large metropolitan school settings across NSW and the ACT. This breadth of experience has given Tim a strong understanding of the diverse contexts, opportunities and challenges that shape Catholic schools and their communities.

As a Principal, Tim led St Bede’s Braidwood, St Anthony’s Wanniassa and Holy Spirit Nicholls, bringing a strong focus to faith formation, quality teaching and learning, staff development, community engagement and the wellbeing of students and families. He is recognised for his collaborative and practical approach to leadership, his capacity to build positive relationships, and his commitment to supporting schools to be welcoming, inclusive and purposeful communities of learning.

Tim holds a Master of Education Leadership and has continued to contribute to Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn through senior leadership roles in the Archdiocesan Schools Office. In this work, he brings together his school-based experience, strategic insight and strong commitment to Catholic mission to support principals, school leaders and communities. Across his career, Tim has remained focused on strengthening Catholic education so that schools continue to provide rich, faith-filled and contemporary learning environments for every student.

Sarah Meier was appointed Deputy Executive Director – Governance and Strategy in February 2026 and has served as Company Secretary of Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Education Limited (CACGEL) since March 2024. She leads the organisation’s governance, legal, risk, compliance, policy and strategy functions, providing strategic advice and support to the Board, Executive Director and Executive Leadership Team. Sarah also oversees Board governance, executive performance and accountability frameworks, corporate reporting and the arrangements that support effective organisational leadership and decision-making.

As Company Secretary, Sarah supports the effective operation of the Board and its advisory committees, promotes high standards of governance and helps to ensure that CACGEL meets its legal and regulatory obligations.

Sarah played a leading role in CACGEL’s incorporation, guiding the transition to the new corporate entity and helping to establish its constitutional and governance framework. Since incorporation, she has led system-wide governance reviews and the development of enterprise risk management and compliance assurance frameworks. Sarah continues to lead the System Sustainability Project, which is focused on strengthening organisational accountability, strategic oversight and the long-term sustainability of Catholic education across the Archdiocese.

Sarah holds a Bachelor of Commerce, a Juris Doctor, a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and a Master of Laws and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Thomas Begeng was appointed Deputy Executive Director – Corporate Services in April 2026. In this role, he oversees the Corporate Services Directorate, including Finance and Infrastructure, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and People and Culture.

Thomas brings extensive executive leadership experience across the education, government, health, high-technology and manufacturing sectors. He has held senior C-suite executive and executive positions with responsibility for finance, infrastructure, ICT, people and culture, governance, and risk management within large and complex organisations.

Prior to joining CACGEL, Thomas served as Executive Director Corporate Services at the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and Lifeline Australia. Earlier roles included Chief Operating Officer at HealthShare NSW and Chief Financial Officer at Medibank Health Solutions.

Thomas holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from the University of Western Sydney and is recognised for his strategic leadership, operational expertise, and commitment to organisational excellence.

Cameron Johns was appointed Deputy Executive Director – Faith in Learning in July 2026. In this role, he leads the Faith in Learning Directorate, which includes the Catholic Identity Team and a broad portfolio dedicated to advancing faith formation, educational excellence, and student learning outcomes across the Archdiocese.

Cameron brings more than 33 years of experience in education, including 26 years with Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn and 14 years as a Principal. Prior to his current appointment, he served as Principal of Sts Peter and Paul Primary School, Garran, from 2020. Earlier leadership positions included Principal of St Thomas Aquinas Primary School, Charnwood (2013-2019), Assistant Principal at Holy Spirit Primary School, Nicholls (2010-2012), and Assistant Principal at St Thomas the Apostle Primary School, Kambah (2006-2009).

A highly respected educational leader, Cameron is recognised for his strong leadership capability, intellectual and theological rigour, creativity, and deep understanding of curriculum and pedagogy. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a commitment to fostering faith-filled learning environments and supporting excellence in teaching, learning, and student wellbeing.

Cameron holds a Bachelor of Teaching from Australian Catholic University, a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of South Australia, and a Master of Arts (Theology) from Australian Catholic University.

His extensive experience, commitment to Catholic education, and passion for faith formation continue to strengthen learning communities across the Archdiocese.