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 - Dr Bronwyn Lowe

Dr Bronwyn Lowe is the Dean of the College. In her role as Dean, Bronwyn is responsible for the personal and academic wellbeing of the students of the College. She creates, evaluates and improves the academic tutorial program each semester and supports the academic and residential tutors to reflect on and evaluate their contribution to our high-quality learning environment. She also works with individual students on issues of wellbeing, academic support and employability. Senior student mentors are available to support the individual wellbeing needs of the students of the College; mentors encourage all students to thrive in our environment, with Bronwyn’s support.

Bronwyn has a PhD in Australian History from the University of Melbourne, as well as qualifications in Counselling and Youth Work. Bronwyn has worked with young people throughout her career, including lecturing and tutoring in the Arts Faculty at the University of Melbourne. Bronwyn is passionate about helping students develop both emotionally and academically. In her spare time she loves reading, cooking and yoga.

Email: dean@stmarys.unimelb.edu.au

Pastoral and Residential Co-ordinator – Ms Danusia Kaska – In Residence

Ms Danusia Kaska graduated with a BSc (Hons) and then worked for Victoria Police as a Forensic Scientist for 14 years as a Biological and DNA expert, including presenting as an expert witness in Courts of Law. Danusia has been volunteering with the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVDP) since she was 17; in addition to her science degree, Danusia has qualifications in Community Services and Theology. Danusia has held leadership roles on the SVDP National Council of Australia and been involved in overseas development for over 15 years. In addition to her role at St Mary’s, Danusia currently works at Xavier College as the Xavier Social Justice Network Coordinator. Danusia is passionate about the development and formation of young people through a holistic educational experience, including supporting their spiritual journey, learning about social justice issues, and engaging in volunteer service.

In her role as the Pastoral and Residential Coordinator, Danusia supports the spiritual formation of students and assists with pastoral care. Through the offering of opportunities to volunteer in community services to support vulnerable people, students can grow and extend themselves, deepen their values and learn new skills which will help to prepare them for their future lives and prospects. St Mary’s College is a place where students build strong relationships: with each other, their community, with God, and with those they serve in volunteering. St Mary’s College provides students with a holistic experience, where students can explore all aspects of their lives so that it is enriching, life-giving and positive, whilst striving for excellence in academic achievement.

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.

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.

Director of Music - Ms Juliarna Clark

Juliarna Clark, a former student of St Mary's College, is a professional musician with a passion for both performing and directing choirs. Her experience in directing ensembles includes 10 years as a conductor with The Australian Girls Choir, 2 years directing a small a cappella ensemble in Oxfordshire, UK, as well as various choral ensembles at Yarra Valley Grammar School and Eltham College of Education. Her knowledge of choral repertoire is thorough, having performed as a young girl in The Australian Girls Choir (she was the recipient of the June Bronhill Scholarship Award), as well as many adult choirs over the years: St Michael’s, Northgate, Oxford, (chorister and cantor); Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Chorus; Choral Institute of Melbourne, (soloist for a tour of Italy); Excelsis (a Catholic choir in Melbourne); St Patrick’s Cathedral Singers, (chorister and cantor); St Francis’ Cathedral, Adelaide (cantor); St Kevin’s Parish (cantor); and Bristol Cathedral Choir (chorister and soloist).

Juliarna has had a lifelong interest in voice, and several years after completing her Bachelor of Music, she undertook further study and is now also a qualified Speech Pathologist. Her working life is a balance of jazz performing (locally and internationally), classical choral singing, conducting and individual voice lessons. She credits the years spent developing musical (and people) skills at St Mary’s as the most supportive start to a professional musical career possible.

Juliarna’s current role at St Mary’s College is Director of Music, with a focus on ensuring the college’s talented musical students, of which there are many, are given the opportunity to develop and deliver liturgical music of the highest possible standard. Benefits for the college include an enhanced spiritual and cultural life; benefits for individuals involved include skill acquisition in a nurturing environment, friendship, and the sheer joy of singing together in a high quality and purposeful ensemble.

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. She is also the Alumnist, working to build and maintain our relationship with Alumni and producing the bi-annual magazine, Verity.
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 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.

Allan & Maria Myers Academic Centre Librarian & Archivist - Geraldine

Geraldine has 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. She is always available to assist students with using the Academic Centre and its resources and to teach them how to search for information using the University Library’s databases. She enjoys purchasing books for the general collection and responding to student requests for texts, novels and non-fiction.

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.