Council Members

Chancellor
Chair, Executive Committee
Chair, Remuneration Committee

Mr John Hood FAICD was appointed to the role of Chancellor on 1 October 2023. He is a Flinders University alumnus (BEc 1984 GradDipAcc 1985) and chartered accountant. He has a long history of engagement with Flinders and has served two terms on the governing Council (2004-2010; 2017-present).

John is currently Director of his chartered accounting and advisory firm Humanee, which he founded in 2014 to provide strategic business, taxation and financial advice. He is also owner and Director of Intersect, a collaborative workspace for like-minded business members to work and network; and Chair of Gannon Lifestyle Communities and Sensei Productivity.

Previously, he worked with PriceWaterhouseCoopers for 11 years, before being appointed Managing Partner and CEO of accounting firm mhm, prior to its merger with Deloitte in 2010. He has also served in governance roles with Port Adelaide Football Club, Foodbank SA, Guildhouse, Seymour College Foundation, Sturt Lions Football Club and Cumberland United Women’s Football Club.  

In 2007, John was presented with a Flinders University Alumni Award for his significant contributions to the University and to business in South Australia.

President & Vice-Chancellor
Executive Committee
Finance & Investment Committee

Observer:
Audit & Risk Committee

Professor Colin J Stirling brings extensive experience in research, teaching and management to Flinders University as President and Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Stirling’s career provides a strong foundation for his ambitions for the University. Born and educated in Scotland he gained a BSc in Biological Sciences at the University of Edinburgh followed by a PhD in genetics from Glasgow University.

Professor Stirling was then awarded a NATO Research Fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley before joining the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom where he was appointed Professor of Genetics in 1998. During his time at Manchester he was awarded a number of prestigious prizes and awards including the Jenner Research Fellowship from the Lister Institute of Preventative Medicine, a Wolfson Research Fellowship from the Royal Society, the Balfour Prize from the Genetics Society and the Fleming Award from the Society for General Microbiology. He was appointed Education Dean in the Faculty of Life Sciences at Manchester in 2001, then Associate Vice-President eLearning in 2007 and Vice-President for Teaching and Learning in 2008.

In 2011, Professor Stirling was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic at Curtin University, in Western Australia where he was later appointed Provost and Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

Throughout his academic career, Professor Stirling has established a record of leadership, innovation and successful change management in Higher Education.

Deputy Chancellor
Executive Committee

Douglas Gautier AM is CEO & Artistic Director of Adelaide Festival Centre. Since 2006, Douglas has delivered a program-led strategy to grow audiences and position Adelaide Festival Centre as a hub for Asian-Australian cultural engagement. South Australia’s principal arts venue hosts more than one million people each year.

Douglas came to Adelaide Festival Centre after leading one of the world’s great arts festivals as Director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival. He was formerly part of the leadership team of Newscorp’s Asian STAR TV network, Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and currently Chair’s the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres.

Douglas was a key driver in the successful bid for Adelaide’s accreditation as a UNESCO Creative City for Music and led the initiative for the rebuilding of Her Majesty’s Theatre. In 2016, Douglas was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the arts and the community.

Douglas joined Flinders University Council in 2012.

Finance & Investment Committee

Matt completed a Bachelor of Economics at Flinders University before a 20-year career in South Australia's public sector.  Commencing in analytical and policy roles he served in central as well as line agencies holding Executive positions across economic, social and environmental portfolios, including in Cabinet Office and as Executive Director of State's Social Inclusion Unit, Executive Director of Trade, International Education and Immigration and Group Executive Director in the Department for Environment and Water.  Matt also served for four years as Deputy Agent General in London where he was responsible for the South Australian Government's British and European objectives, principally investment and trade related.

Matt moved to the private sector in 2019 and is reviving the iconic South Australian food business, Ditters.

He is currently a Director of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and a member of the ASO's Finance and Risk Committee.  He is also currently Deputy Chair of Walford Anglican School for Girls.

Matt joined Flinders University Council in 2024

Lucinda Hewitson is an industry leader in Diversity and Inclusion. As an Organisational Psychologist with over 20 years' experience, Lucinda works with organisations and industry bodies in Australia and overseas.

Since establishing her business in 2013, Lucinda has advised global mining companies, federal and state government agencies, utilities, the insurance sector, and international consulting firms on improving diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Lucinda was formerly the Head of HR: Recruitment, Resourcing and Diversity & Inclusion at BAE Systems Australia where she worked for 15 years. Lucinda was a finalist in the 2013 AHRI Diversity Awards and a Telstra Business Women's Award finalist in 2015 and 2020.

As an AHPRA Board-Approved Supervisor, Lucinda has supported Masters students become registered psychologists throughout her professional career. She has held advisory roles with the University of Adelaide and was the inaugural Chair of Spence Club Inc.

Lucinda was appointed to Flinders University Council in 2024.

Audit & Risk Committee

Clare Mockler is an experienced public sector executive leader with a demonstrated track record of providing decisive and insightful leadership to the development and implementation of strategy, policy and major infrastructure projects.

Originally from the UK and with a legal background, Clare holds a Masters degree in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University.

Clare previously led the City of Adelaide, having driven business transformation and policy reform across the organisation in multiple senor roles.

She is currently the Acting Director at the South Australian Museum.

Finance & Investment Committee

Damien Walker was appointed the Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in the Queensland Government in late 2024.  Most recently Damien was the former Chief Executive of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in South Australia, a role held since April 2022.

He is a proud South Australian, who returned to the South Australian Public Sector following nearly 12 years in Queensland. Damien is an experienced executive who has broad background in strategic planning, industry development and public policy.

He was formerly Director-General of the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, in the Queensland Government. In his various Director-General roles, he drove economic growth and job creation and successfully led Queensland's delivery of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Immediately prior to returning to South Australia, he led the Queensland Government’s flood recovery efforts.

His background also includes senior executive roles in the South Australian Government in infrastructure planning and delivery, investment facilitation, contract management and reform implementation, including working on the construction of the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, the Glenside campus redevelopment and the SAHMRI building.

Damien has also served on a number of boards in the areas of economic development, trade and investment.

Above all, Damien is passionate about gender equity in the workplace and the prevention of domestic and family violence. He is also driven to deliver initiatives to create opportunities for First Nations people.

Damien holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Planning, and further academic qualifications in property and planning.

Executive Committee

Brenda has extensive experience as a Board Director and held several senior executive and CEO roles in the health sector.

She was appointed as the first female to the role of Lieutenant Governor of South Australia on the 15th August 2014 and served in this role for nearly 8 years.

While CEO at Cancer Council SA, Brenda was appointed by the Health Minister as the inaugural Chairman of the Cancer Clinical Network (2008-2010) and worked with a number of key individuals during this period to produce the first Statewide Cancer Control Plan for SA.

She has volunteered her time to mentor senior executives for the Australian College of Health Service Management mentoring program and the College of Nursing Australia.

Brenda also has a passion for the Arts in particular opera. She served as a volunteer board Director on the Opera SA Board from 2017 - 2020.

In the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours Brenda was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service and volunteering to Health and the Arts.

Brenda joined Flinders University Council in 2015.

Executive Committee

Sharon Wilson has more than 34 years’ experience in defence, including leadership roles in strategy, business development, innovation, project management, procurement, estimating, supply chain and Industrial Strategy.

Sharon is the Chair of the DefenceSA Defence Innovation Partnership board.

Sharon joined Flinders University Council in 2019.

Chair, Academic Senate
Executive Committee

Professor Christopher Kee is the Chair of Flinders University Academic Senate (2021-2023). He is a professor of law and the Dean (Education) in the College of Business, Government and Law. He joined Flinders University in 2018 from the University of Aberdeen, where he was Dean of Post Graduate Taught Studies for the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Business. Before that he worked at the University of Basel and Deakin University.

Chris has particular expertise in the field of international arbitration and has published widely on the topic. As a representative of APRAG (Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group) he participated in the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules revision process from 2007 to their completion in 2010. Christopher served on the ACICA (Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration) Rules Drafting committee, and is a past Co-Chair of AFIA (Asia Pacific Forum for International Arbitration).

Chris is also a Director of the prestigious Willem C Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot.

Associate Professor Amanda Muller is the Academic Staff Elected Council Member 2025 - 2026, having first been elected in 2018.

She has been at Flinders for 25 years and has served as a previous student member on Council, as well as on governance bodies including Senate, Resources Sub-Committee, Research Advisory Committee, and numerous school- and course-based committees.

She is a recognised TEQSA expert member in International Education, and a Australian Research Council Assessor.

Her research focuses on public health, assistance dogs, nursing, CALD populations, and language testing.

Kate Walsh is the Professional Staff Elected Council Member 2025 - 2026, having first been elected in 2021.

Kate Walsh is an experienced educator and as Senior Coordinator, Student Representation and Partnerships, advocates strongly for the role of professional staff as the connection between management, academics, and students.  She is an advocate in social justice, inclusivity and partnership, and passionate about the tertiary sector and the vital role of public institutions.

Kate brings years of experience working at Flinders and in the broader community, to listen, reflect, and constructively question.

She is an advocate in social justice, inclusivity and partnership, and passionate about the tertiary sector and the vital role of public institutions. She joined Council in 2021 as the Professional Staff Member.

Chair, Audit & Risk Committee

Kim Cheater is a former Managing Partner of PwC and led their Governance and Risk Consulting practice in Adelaide for over 20 years, and their reconciliation initiatives for over 10 years.

He is an experienced Board Director, holding board roles with Australian Unity, RAA, RAA Insurance, SARAH Group, Alwyndor Aged Care and ReturntoWorkSA.  He is also the independent Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee for Minda Inc.

Kim is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.  He was recognised as a Distinguished Alumnus by Flinders University for his contribution to business and reconciliation. 

Kim joined the Council in 2023.

Leanne Liddle is an Arrernte woman from central Australia and has deep connections to both the South Australian and Northern Territory communities. Leanne has academic qualifications in Environmental Science, Law and Management, but she believes her most important knowledge has come from her grandmother and great-grandmother who taught her about traditional land management skills, particularly with the use of fire.

Leanne was the first Aboriginal police woman in South Australia, and Australia and has dedicated her career to principles of equity and social justice, working across environmental and Aboriginal land management and Aboriginal justice policy. 

She is currently the Executive Director Cultural Reform Northern Territory Police and a board member of the NT/SA Royal Flying Doctors. She is currently the Director of Aboriginal Justice in the Northern Territory's Attorney-General's Department, and Deputy Chair of the Menzies School of Health Research.

She was the 2022 Northern Territory Australian of the Year , and is a Distinguished Alumnus of Flinders University.

Leanne joined the Council in 2023

Benjamin Grillett is the Undergraduate Student Elected Member for 2024 to 2025. 

Ben is committed to advocating for students amidst cost-of-living pressures, and for student welfare.

Ben is a trade union official and studying a Bachelor of Law and Legal Practice at Flinders University.

Ben also serves on the Flinders University Student Association as Education officer, and to the National Union of Students as the Vice-President of the South Australian Branch.

Abhishek Jain is the Postgraduate Student Elected Member for 2024-2025.

Abhishek was born and raised in India, and is currently studying Information Technology, and has a passion for management and leadership.

Abhishek is committed to volunteering and the power of community engagement.

In his spare time he volunteers for an NGO to give back to the community.