The Common Good Project Advisory Board
The members of the Advisory Board of the Common Good Project at the University of Divinity’s Common are seasoned leaders from across all aspects of academia, industry and public life. They include:
Professor James McLaren BA(Hons), MA, DPhil (Oxon)
Professor James McLaren is the second Vice-Chancellor of the University of Divinity.
Professor McLaren undertook a BA at the University of Melbourne, studying in the Department of History and the Department of Middle Eastern Studies, graduating with Combined Honours in 1983. He then completed a Master of Arts by Research in 1985, also from the University of Melbourne. From there he went to the United Kingdom to undertake a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford.
The Vice-Chancellor’s full University of Divinity profile is available here.
Professor Meghan Cassidy-Welch FAHA, FRHistS, BA(Hons), MA, PhD
Prof. Megan Cassidy-Welch FAHA FRHistS is the Dean of Research Strategy at the University of Divinity.
She leads the University’s development and delivery of its research strategy, leads the administration of internal research support and the implementation of the University’s research budget, leads the development and maintenance of the University’s research culture, including mentoring and other support. Megan’s area of research is the cultural and social history of the Middle Ages and her research has contributed to the history of the crusades, memory and history, and medieval Cistercian monastic life.
Professor Cassidy-Welch’s full University of Divinity profile is available here.
Dr Stephen Duckett AM BEc, MHA, PhD, DBA, DSc (UNSW)
Dr Stephen Duckett has held senior health care leadership positions in Australia and Canada, with a reputation for creativity, evidence-based innovation and reform in areas as diverse as hospital funding (introduction of activity-based funding for hospitals) and quality (new systems of measurement and accountability for safety of hospital care).
Dr Duckett has previously served as the Secretary of the Australian Department of Health, the President and CEO of Alberta Health Services, the Dean of Health Sciences and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) at La Trobe University, the Chair of the Board of Alfred Health and Director of the Health Program at the Grattan Institute.
Dr Duckett’s full Linkedin profile is available here.
Professor Albert Haddad BSc(Hons), GradDipHEd, MEd, DEd
Professor Albert Haddad has over 20 years experience in leadership roles in higher education, theology, and ministry and holds the degree of Doctor of Education from the University of Melbourne.
Professor Haddad’s full University of Divinity profile is available here.
Mrs Roza Lozusic BA LLB
Roza is an executive leader with 30+ years of expertise in legislative, regulatory, and policy domains, across government, the private sector, and peak bodies.
Specialising in financial services, Roza possess a 360-degree understanding of the roles of stakeholders and their voices across these spheres, combined with technical regulatory and policymaking knowledge. She delivers effective and considered national outcomes in financial services. She drives accomplishments through people.
Roza is a Catholic mother of 3 adult children who is very active in her local parish and community.
Mrs Lozusic’s Linkedin profile is available here.
Professor Katharine Massam ASDA, BA(Hons), DipEd, PhD
Professor Katharine Massam is the Chair of the Academic Board of the University of Divinity.
Professor Massam is a historian of religion, with particular interests in cultural and theological understandings of prayer and work. Her most recent book A Bridge Between: Spanish Benedictine Missionary Women in Australia (ANU Press, 2020) is recognised as a ‘model of how religious history, in its broader bearings, can be written’. It was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Award in Australian History in 2021.
Professor Massam’s full University of Divinity profile is available here.
Mr Tony Nicholson
Tony Nicholson previously served for 13 years as the Executive Director of the Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL).
Tony began his career as a young social worker in the early 1980s. His work in the homelessness sector has been extensive. Notably he chaired the Rudd Government’s White Paper on homelessness and was one of two Deputy Commissioners appointed to the Victorian Government’s Royal Commission into Family Violence. In 2017, at the request of the Victorian Government, he led the development of a long-term strategy to reduce the incidence of rough sleeping.
Rev Associate Professor Frank Rees BA(Hons), MA, BD(Hons), MTheol, PhD, DipEd, CertGIA
Frank Rees taught Systematic Theology at Whitley College, within the University of Divinity, between 1991 and 2016. His research interests included contextual theologies in Australia and other Asian societies, as well as interfaces between theology and art. More recently he was Chair of the University’s Academic Board. He was Co-Chair of a dialogue between the Baptist World Alliance and the Pontifical Commission for the Promotion of Christian Unity, focussed on ‘a common witness’.
Associate Professor Rees’ full University of Divinity profile is available here.
Mr Sebastian Reinehr BA JD (Melb)
Sebastian Reinehr is Policy Director at the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA). He has extensive public policy experience, having previously served as Policy Director at the Australian Finance Industry Association. Before moving into advocacy, he was an Adviser and Senior Adviser to the Opposition Leader and senior Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet Ministers for almost a decade.
His passion for public policy was inspired by his faith and his longtime connection to the Jesuits, through Xavier College and Newman College at the University of Melbourne, from which he holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and a Juris Doctor law degree. He continues to tutor in Politics and International Studies and Law there.
Mr Reinehr’s full Linkedin profile is available here.
Mr Francis Sullivan AO BA DipEd
Francis John Sullivan AO is a teacher, administrator, and leader in health care organisations, who was CEO of the Catholic Church in Australia’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council, in addition to being the previous Secretary-General of the Australian Medical Association). He was the CEO of Catholic Health Australia from 1994 to 2008. In 2020, Mr Sullivan was honoured for his services to the community as an Officer of the Order of Australia (A0).
Mr Sullivan’s full profile is available here.
Dr Janet Turpie-Johnstone PhD (ANU)
Aunty Janet Turpie-Johnstone is a distinguished First Nations’ artist, scholar and Elder.
She is a proud Gundit-jamara woman and has been a Researcher and Academic at the Australian Catholic University (ACU) since 2012. She is also a member of the board of local Aboriginal community organisations.
Dr Turpie-Johnstone’s full Linkedin profile is available here.
Associate Professor Robyn Whitaker BSc, BD (Hons), MTheol, PhD
Robyn is Director of The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy and Associate Professor, New Testament, at Pilgrim Theological College, the University of Divinity. She publishes in the areas of apocalypticism, Revelation, the synoptic Gospels, and the visual exegesis of the Bible. In addition to her scholarly work, Robyn regularly writes popular articles on the use of the Bible in contemporary discourse. Her most recent book is Even the Devil Quotes Scripture: Reading the Bible on Its Own Terms.
Associate Professor Whitaker’s full University of Divinity profile is available here.
Naomi Wolfe
Naomi Wolfe is Dean of Learning and Teaching for the University of Divinity. She is trawlwoolway Aboriginal woman of Jewish German and Irish heritage who lives and works on Wurundjeri Country (Melbourne, Australia). She is a historian and theologian whose teaching and research focus on Indigenous and Ancient histories. Naomi currently teaches at Australian Catholic University and serves as an adjunct at St Mark’s National Theological Centre in Canberra. She was previously Academic Coordinator of the Jim-baa-yer Indigenous Higher Education Unit at ACU and is a founding staff member of the School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Divinity. Naomi is also a member of NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community.
Naomi Wolfe’s full University of Divinity profile is available here.
Common Good Project Research Team
Dr Paul Smyth BA(Hons I), PhD (UNSW)
Dr Paul Smyth is the former Professor of Social Policy at the University of Melbourne, and General Manager of the Research & Policy Centre at the Brotherhood of St Laurence, Fitzroy, Australia.
This joint position involved establishing the Master of Social Policy program at the University while leading the Brotherhood’s research and the development of policy around partnership solutions to Australia’s social problems.
Dr Smyth’s full profile is available here.
Fr Dr Bruce Duncan BEc(Hons), PhD (UNSW)
Ordained as a Redemptorist in 1971, Bruce studied economics and politics at the University of Sydney. From 1986 he taught social justice studies at Yarra Theological Union and was involved with the ecumenical network Social Policy Connections from 2005-2022. For ten years he worked part-time with Catholic Social Services Victoria, and currently assists with the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry, His main interests are in Catholic social thinking and critiques of globalisation.
Fr Duncan PhD’s full University of Divinity profile is available here.