Meet Our Staff
Principal - Dr Darcy McCormack - In Residence
Dr Darcy McCormack is the head of St Mary’s. He is responsible for the overall leadership of the College, including the wellbeing of our residents and the management of staff.
Darcy grew up on a farm in rural New Zealand before studying economics and history. He completed BA(Hons) and MCom degrees, then a PhD in economics. Darcy has held academic appointments at Massey University (New Zealand), The University of Melbourne (twice), La Trobe University, and Australian Catholic University (ACU) prior to commencing as Principal of St Mary’s College in January 2015. He has also held visiting appointments in the US, France, England and Scotland. Darcy has taught in both undergraduate (eg BCom, BA, BSc) and graduate (eg MCom, MA, MBA, MSc) programs at each of the above universities and has supervised several doctoral students to successful completions of their PhD theses. He was previously a residential tutor at St Mary’s while undertaking postgraduate studies at the University of Melbourne, and later served on the College Council. Darcy has also been a member of the Senior Common Room of both Trinity College and Newman College, and of Wolfson Hall at the University of Glasgow.
Darcy’s research interests range across workplace behaviour (including bullying and harassment), organisational effectiveness, organisational culture, employee wellness, valuing the human contribution to organisations, and the determinants of learning and teaching outcomes in universities. He has published in leading academic journals and, with over 1,000 citations in international peer-reviewed publications, he maintains an active research profile. He has presented his research at international conferences and seminars in many countries including Norway, Denmark, USA, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Greece and New Zealand. Darcy has been awarded research grants and has undertaken consultancies for organisations in the public and private sectors. He has also had significant leadership roles in universities, such as Chair of the Academic Progress Committee and membership of the Academic Board and the University Promotions Committee. He has served on the governing bodies of a range of organisations. For several years he served as Chair of the Board of Parade College – one of Melbourne’s largest and most highly regarded secondary colleges.
Darcy comments: “When I first came to Melbourne to study, I knew nobody. But I was fortunate to land here at St Mary’s - which in so many ways quickly became my ‘home-away-from-home’. The friendships formed in this unique community have endured over the years; I hope that many students in the future will also find here at St Mary’s their 'home-away-from-home'.”
Email: principal@stmarys.unimelb.edu.au
Dean and Director of Music - Ms Juliarna Clark
Juliarna Clark, our Dean, brings her experience as an academic, a speech pathologist, and a musician to our college. She knows and loves St Mary’s both for the present incarnation of students and staff, as well as from her experience residing here in the 1990s whilst studying for her Bachelor of Music at the University of Melbourne.
Upon graduation, she moved to the UK, working in the historic Bates Collection, in Oxford University’s Faculty of Music. A decade later, she attained her Bachelor of Speech Pathology and worked in the Education Department in a transdisciplinary team of speech pathology, psychology, and social work. Her team supported students in over 30 schools in the Moonee Valley network. Her particular areas of specialisation were complex motor disorders, learning of neurodiverse students, and English as a second language.
Throughout her adult life, she has always maintained a busy performance schedule as a musician, and in 2021, Juliarna completed her Master of Music, with her research being in the contrasting pedagogies of jazz and classical. She attained first class honours in every subject and is presently engaged in further research with the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Melbourne, in addition to being our Dean. In 2022, she presented her original research at Wein University’s prestigious International Congress of Voice Teachers.
Juliarna is approachable, knowledgeable about the process of learning, well versed in university procedures and available to discuss issues of both an academic and pastoral nature with students. On some days, her yellow border collie Honey accompanies her to work and is available to students for pats, walkies and snuggles.
Email: dean@stmarys.unimelb.edu.au
Residential and Wellbeing Co-ordinator – Ms Elizabeth Smart – In Residence
Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Smart is the Residential and Wellbeing Coordinator at St Mary’s, or as shorthand the ‘Night Dean’. On call overnight and on weekends, Liz’s best work is done at dinner chatting with students and checking on their wellbeing.
Liz grew up in the country town of Camperdown in South West Victoria before attending the University of Melbourne where she completed a Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Languages (Spanish). Liz spent two happy (and very busy) years as a student of St Mary’s during her undergraduate studies, the warm and close-knit community provided the perfect support for a move to city.
After her undergraduate studies Liz spent two years living in Spain where she taught English in bilingual primary and secondary schools. A highlight of Liz’s time abroad was walking the Camino Primitivo (the Primitive Way) from Oviedo to Santiago de Compostela.
Upon returning from overseas Liz re-joined the St Mary’s College community as a residential tutor, keen to share the same friendly guidance and support that helped during her time as a student of St Mary’s. Liz studied a Juris Doctor (JD) at Monash University during her three years as a residential tutor at the college.
Liz has since completed her JD, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the Leo Cussen Institute, and is shortly to be admitted as a graduate solicitor. Once admitted, Liz will continue to work in the community legal sector with the aim of contributing to essential access to justice for Victorians unable to afford private legal representation.
In her own time, Liz enjoys reading, crocheting and watching her beloved Collingwood Magpies in the AFL, AFLW and Super Netball championships.
Visiting Scholar - Dr Damian Powell
Dr Damian Powell is an historian and educator. Damian was Principal of Janet Clarke Hall from 2001 to 2022, retiring and moving from Melbourne as his wife took up the Head of Campus role at a secondary school in rural Victoria.
Damian graduated with First Class Honours in history and archaeology from the University of Melbourne, winning the Margaret Kiddle Prize for history, the William Cullican Prize for archaeology, and the Dwight Prize for combined honours, and working on the University's Tell Ahmar Archaeological Expedition in Syria. His doctorate was awarded the E.W. Benham Prize by the University of Adelaide. During his academic career Damian lived and worked in six university colleges in Australia, also lecturing in New Zealand at the University of Canterbury.
Among other positions, Damian served on the Expert Panel for the Australian Human Rights Commission (Broderick) Reviews into the treatment of Women in the Australian Defence Force, as a Director of Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Grammar School, and as a Voting Trustee for the Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC). Formerly a Senior Fellow in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, he speaks and publishes on aspects of Australian and British legal and military history. In 2019 he was a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Tsinghua University in China.
Damian currently serves on the Board of the Australian National Piano Award. In 2023 he was elected a Life Member of University Colleges Australia for services to the university college sector, and a Life Governor of Ballarat Grammar for service to the school.
Visiting Scholar - Professor Anne Steinemann
Anne Steinemann was Professor of Civil Engineering, and Chair of Sustainable Cities, at The University of Melbourne; and Professor of Engineering, and Chair of Sustainable Infrastructure, at James Cook University. She currently serves as an Honorary Professor of Civil Engineering at both universities.
She is internationally recognized for her research in areas of engineering and sustainability, such as healthy buildings and indoor air quality. Professor Steinemann serves as an adviser to governments and industries around the world, and has directed more than $24 million in competitive research funding. Her work has resulted in new federal and state legislation, agency policies and industry practices.
Professor Steinemann has received the highest teaching awards at the college, university, and national levels. She has published over 100 journal articles and textbooks, and is acclaimed as the most highly cited and published scholar in her research domain. In addition to academic recognition, Professor Steinemann’s research has received significant media coverage, spanning more than 2,000 major newspapers, magazines, and broadcast stations across six continents.
Professor Steinemann has previously held positions at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego; University of Washington; and Georgia Institute of Technology. She received her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University.
Throughout her academic career, Professor Steinemann has created, led, and volunteered with Catholic ministries for the homeless, prisoners, student crisis counseling, defense of life, people with disabilities, refugees, faith and reason, and religious education.
Professor Steinemann has a profound interest in supporting students to develop holistically to their full potential and to become responsible, contributing members of society.
Scholar-in-Residence - Associate Professor Patrick Quirk
Dr Quirk is Associate Professor at Australian Catholic University Melbourne Campus. He holds degrees in law and arts from the University of Queensland, as well as a Master of Civil Laws (Magister Legum) from the University of Tübingen, Germany, which he completed by coursework and thesis (in German). He took his Ph.D. from the University of Adelaide, with additional supervision from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Patrick's thesis on "Pathways for Conscience Protection in Law: German, American and Australian Perspectives" was awarded a Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence.
Following graduation, Patrick was admitted to the Queensland Bar and later practised as a solicitor at a large firm in Sydney. Patrick has also taught at Bond University Law School, Ave Maria School of Law and the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C. He teaches and writes on various commercial and civil law areas, including the U.S. Uniform Commercial Code, the law of electronic commerce, and law & religion. He has published, inter alia, in the Australian Law Journal, the German Law Journal, the Fordham International Law Journal, the Tulane Journal of International and Comparative Law, the Journal of International Banking Law, and the International Journal of Law and Information Technology.
Patrick has given presentations in many countries, including Italy, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Germany, the United States, and Poland, as part of CUA's summer program in Krakow. He has taught the US Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), including Revised Article 9 (Secured Transactions) & Articles 3, 4, 4A (Commercial and Payment Systems), International Business Transactions, US Conflict of Laws, US Securities Regulation, and other courses in US law schools.
College Accountant - Kathleen
Kathleen is the College Accountant.
Kathleen has a BBus in Accounting and is a Certified Practising Accountant.
She has extensive experience in managing the College finances and the College budget.
PA to Dr McCormack & College Secretary - Brenda
Brenda is PA to the Principal and also has responsibility for the maintenance and ongoing development of appropriate administrative processes to ensure the smooth running of the office and the college. Brenda manages admissions and enrolments for current and prospective students.
Email: secretary@stmarys.unimelb.edu.au
Accounts & Administration Officer - Joanne
Joanne manages all College payments and accounts and provides administrative support in reception and for the office. Joanne also coordinates external special functions and Alumni events held at St Mary’s College in conjunction with other staff members.
Email: accounts@stmarys.unimelb.edu.au or office@stmarys.unimelb.edu.au
Allan & Maria Myers Academic Centre Director - Kathleen
Kathleen has a BA (Hons) from the University of Melbourne {her thesis was on Aboriginal Health} and an MA (Librarianship) from Monash University. As the Director of the Allan and Maria Myers Academic Centre, Kathleen takes a hands-on role in all aspects of the Centre's operation, including the library and the collections, facility maintenance, coordinating student and staff outreach activities and programs, and developing the strategic vision of the Centre. Kathleen leads a small team of staff and actively participates in the life and activities of both St Mary's and Newman. Previous to becoming Director, Kathleen was the Library Information Specialist at the City of Kingston Library and Education Services; significantly she was previously the Librarian at the Giblin Economics and Commerce Library at the University of Melbourne for almost a decade.
Allan & Maria Myers Academic Centre Librarian - Ellie
Ellie works at the Allan and Maria Myers Academic Centre, an academic facility shared by St Mary’s and Newman. Ellie has a BA in English from the University of Western Australia and a Master of Information Management from Curtin University. Ellie enjoys books, literary studies and writing. She has worked at several different library settings including in TAFE institutions and a corporate law firm. She is happy to assist staff and students with finding the right information resources and getting the best use out of the Academic Centre services and facilities.
St Mary's College Archivist - Geraldine
Geraldine worked at the Allan and Maria Myers Academic Centre, an academic facility shared by St Mary's and Newman, since it opened in 2004. She has qualifications in arts, education and theology and has worked in a variety of settings, including universities, public libraries, museums, schools and special libraries. Geraldine maintains the college's ever-evolving archival collection.
Head Chef - John
John is an outstanding Chef and the great reputation which St Mary's has for good food is largely due to John's influence over many years. John is committed to sourcing high quality, local, seasonal and fresh produce to use in the St Mary's kitchen. His creativity and presentation of food make dining here an experience in itself. John can tailor an menu to suit any event and the results always delight.
Head Chef - Zora
Zora cooks the best cakes and desserts and all of her food is totally amazing. She lights up the kitchen with her smile and sense of humour!
Maintenance - Greg
Greg ensures that everything in the College is in effective and safe working order. He attends to any requests for maintenance as well as proactively planning for the upkeep of our property and grounds, to ensure a positive, beautiful and safe living environment for all residents and staff.
Dining Room Supervisor - Cameron
Cameron oversees the smooth running of the Dining Room and personally attends to the dining requirements of conferences. In addition to this, he is involved in meal preparation and cooking.
Cook - Ed
Ed cooks up a storm in the kitchen and keeps everyone satisfied and happy!
Housekeeping - Jodee
Jodee is a valued member of the Housekeeping team, ensuring that the College is always looking great! Jodee enjoys reading, gardening and sleeping!
Housekeeping - Awel
Awel is a valued member of the Housekeeping team, ensuring that the College is always looking great! Awel loves watching movies and sleeping too -tired from looking after her busy family!
Housekeeping - Karen
Karen is a valued member of the Housekeeping team, ensuring that the College is always looking great! Karen enjoys taking her Grandson to his Rugby training sessions, gardening and walking in nature.
Housekeeping - Mary
Mary is a valued member of the Housekeeping team, ensuring that the College is always looking great! Mary enjoys spending time with her kids and her friends. She enjoys cooking, walking and exercising.