Committee

Lauren Sewell (2008)

President

Lauren (2008) works at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on international development policy. Prior to joining DFAT, she spent several years in other Australian Public Service departments focusing on energy, resources, and agriculture.

She received a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Canberra in 2012 and a Master of Environmental and Resource Economics from the Australian National University’s Crawford School of Public Policy in 2019. During her undergraduate degree, Lauren went on student exchange for a semester to Canada’s Brock University in St Catharines, Ontario.

At CGGS, Lauren was Deakin House captain and enjoyed participating in a variety of sports and extra-curricular activities.

On weekends, Lauren can be found at the cinema with tickets to the latest foreign language film, a glass of bubbly and a choc top. She resides in Canberra.

Jane Sutherland (2008)

Vice-President

Clare Lindley (Sutherland, 2012)

Secretary

Clare works for Downer Defence as a Business and Process Improvement Analyst. Before undertaking her current role with Downer, Clare worked as part of the Downer Defence bid team. Through an interesting twist of events which saw her going from Marketing Professional to Admin Assistant to Bids, Clare thinks she has found her calling, for now.

Clare has a Bachelor of Commerce in Banking and Financial Institutions/Bachelor of Communications in Public Relations from the University of Canberra in 2018. She enjoyed her time at CGGS especially all the opportunities that were presented.

When not working, Clare can be found either on the ski slopes or on the beach with her husband and family.

Gail Tregear (1957)

Acting Treasurer

Gail was only at Grammar for 5 years in Primary School as her father was posted overseas and she was sent to an English boarding school. Starting the new school half way through first term of year 7 – Gail had to jump a year and a half to get in. Remedial teaching didn’t exist – Gail’s first classes in Latin and French were outside with one of her classmates going through the text books pointing out declensions and conjugations “and you learn them”. So she did and she survived.

Gail returned to Australia with fluent French (which has stayed with her) and subsequently dropped out of University here to go to University in Florence where she added Italian language, literature, music, art history etc. Gail did a variety of jobs in a variety of countries and acquired Spanish and a bit of Japanese, all of which help in her current job as a journalist covering International Horse Racing.

Philippa Bassili (Crowther, 2012)

Philippa Bassili works in Consulting at EY Sydney. Prior to joining EY, she worked at Newgate Communications, in a promotional capacity with the Canberra Times and undertook internships with a federal senator (Australian National Internship Program) and in the Australian International and Community Relations section of Australian Parliament.

Philippa completed a Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of International Relations at the Australian National University. During her degree, she undertook a summer course at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Keen to continue studying, she is now completing a Diploma of Sustainable Living through the University of Tasmania.

Philippa graduated from CGGS in 2012 as School Vice-Captain. Throughout her time in both primary and senior school, she enjoyed participating in a variety of sports (such as hockey, athletics, dragon boating and swimming), music, debating and taught swimming. She loved being part of Waverley and Chisholm houses.

Gemma Butler (2012)

Margaret Cornwell OAM (Archer, 1951)

Margaret was born in Canberra in 1934 and began at Canberra Girls' Grammar in 1938, graduating in 1951 before moving to Invergowrie in Melbourne for two years undertaking a Domestic Science course.

After a brief stint in Canberra in the public service, Margaret travelled overseas to the United Kingdom in 1956 and again in 1960 when she worked at the Cordon Bleu, London and married Tony Lewis (1961-69). Together they returned to Australia and had two daughters, Jane (1981) and Megan (1985). Widowed in 1969, Margaret later married Greg Cornwell in 1979.

Following Tony's death in 1971 I became involved in the Old Grammarians'
Association, where I have retained membership in various positions ever since.

Suchara Fernando (2012)

Sanchia Glaskin (Starke, 1965)

A self-confessed headache for her teachers, Sanchia loved school. Leaving in 1965, she went to The College of Art in the Hague, Netherlands and completed a fine art diploma course.

Sanchia was married in 1970 and widowed in 2012.

Her working life back in Australia was primarily in retail with her own retail shop in Manuka for many years.

Volunteer work includes the Snowy Hydro Helicopter Service and the Children's Medical Research Institute.

As an Australian representative on the International Game Fishing Association Committee and Secretary of Canberra Game Fishing Club, Sanchia has served on a number of Government working bodies dealing with environmental issues and resource sharing.

As President of the Grammarians Association from 2014 – 2021, Sanchia enjoyed her involvement with the School and working with committee and staff members.

Liz Mulcahy (McPherson, 1981)

Sophia Notaras (Cassidy, 1961)

Leith Schmidt (Johnson, 1981)

Emily Sturgess (2012)

Sally Wagnon (Maidens, 1991)