Our Staff

Katherine’s previous roles in leadership and education include leading the Religious Education faculty and Faith in Service program at Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview. She has built many partnerships with Aboriginal communities through the Faith in Service immersion program and has a deep personal commitment to Aboriginal communities and the work of reconciliation.
Prior to her work in education, Katherine was a founding member and Program Director of the Matesabroad Foundation, an organisation created to support the education of children living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.


Having spent 8 years working with New Australian families from immigrant and refugee backgrounds Chris developed a keen interest in Indigenous history and culture and a strong desire to work with First Australian families. He strongly believes in collaborative practices and approaches in education and building community connections in support of students and their families.
Chris feels privileged to join the Redfern Jarjum College community and looks forward to learning with and learning from our kids, families and community.

Tina worked for many years at Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview, where she was a Homeroom teacher and taught a variety of subjects in years 5, 6 and 7. As well as being a Homeroom teacher she has coached many sport teams over the years including Rugby and Basketball. She enjoys all sports but has a particular love for netball.
Tina is looking forward to teaching at Jarjum and getting to know the students and their families.

All Jesuit Schools aim at helping others. Marianne has spent the last twenty years encouraging her students to take up this challenge. Now it is her turn to live out this mission and use her teaching expertise to teach the students at Jarjum and challenge them to find ways that they can help others.
Marianne hopes to develop a love of learning and bring out the best in her students. She also hopes to develop the students’ ability to work with others, build resilience and confidence in themselves.
Marianne is excited to be joining the Jarjum Team and getting to know the staff, students and their families.






Michelle has a special interest in the education of Indigenous children and believes that all Australian children should be immersed in Indigenous culture so that they can grow up with an awareness of, and respect for, these ancient cultures. Hopefully, we can then begin to right the wrongs of the early settlers.
Michelle is married with 3 children.



Redfern Jarjum College provides breakfast, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea every school day from a kitchen manned by volunteers. Gayl plans the menu, ensuring the recommended daily intakes are met each day, shops for ingredients and writes the roster for the kitchen. The classrooms too have volunteers working one on one with students either in literacy, numeracy or science. Sometimes these volunteers are just buddies, there to listen, share stories or play games. It is a part of Gayl’s role to allocate volunteers to classrooms and she’s always on the look out for the best match.
Gayl provides emotional support for the children of Jarjum. She is a keeper of secrets, treasures and has a magic room that can usually meet most requests of the children. Gayl also makes them brush their teeth. She loves her job.




Redfern Jarjum College in 2019. On
my first day, I was nervous but I was
encouraged by Fr Brian McCoy, the former
provincial of the Jesuits, who has walked
and worked with indigenous people in
the desert over a period spanning three
decades.
He said that indigenous Australians are
more interested in building authentic
relationships rather than receiving
“services”. They will only warm to you if
they know you are a person of your word.
I have done that: I turn up every Tuesday,
rain or shine.
I have learnt that the kids at Jarjum, like
any other kids, love stories and I enjoy
telling them stories from the bible to which
they can relate. St Augustine suggested
centuries ago “to delight, to instruct, and to
persuade” and that is what I strive to do.



studied engineering and worked as a
machine setter and shift supervisor. In
1987 he migrated to Australia with his
young family. Since then he has worked
in a variety of jobs including shipping
container repairs and surveyor, warehouse
and production coordinator and has had
his own businesses. For the past fifteen
years he has operated a painting and
handyman service. Sash has been with us
at Jarjum College for 6 years.

Our Volunteers and Relief staff – Volunteer


I come in on Tuesdays to cook and the role is perfect for me. I enjoy working with children and also enjoy the challenge of preparing tasty and nutritious meals from whatever is available. It is also a lot of fun!
It is very satisfying to see the children arrive at school and start the day with a healthy breakfast. The kitchen is a focal point of the school and I like chatting to the staff and children when they stop at the door to say hello.
It is extremely rewarding to watch the children develop and grow in confidence and I always look forward to my Tuesdays at Jarjum.

I then heard about Redfern Jarjum College from communities across Sydney. I was privileged to be accepted as a volunteer here and I have found it to be a unique school which prioritises education, cultural enrichment and pastoral care equally. The work of Jarjum is a true representation of “love and faith in action”.
I have seen the dedication and commitment of extraordinary staff and I have been inspired by the students – who are intelligent, resilient and courageous. With the encouragement of the staff and community, and through their own hard work, these students have flourished. I feel very honoured to be considered as part of the Jarjum family.

I am loving assisting the wonderful Gayle and other volunteers on a Wednesday. The kitchen not only produces healthy meals that are made with love every school day,
it also serves as a place for the students to visit if they are feeling overwhelmed or overjoyed about something they have achieved that day.
Each week I see the support the Jarjum community offer to the students and their families. It is a very special school.




I am a mother of 3 grown boys who also enjoy my cooking.
I like playing golf, swimming, skiing and going on treks in my spare time .