AFFLIP BOARD 2025

AFFLIP’s focus is on learning, and so its various programs involve fundraising to contribute physical facilities and learning resources for schools, promoting learning in and through the outdoor environment, providing scholarships for students from impoverished backgrounds, initiating activities which promote the health and nutrition of students, twinning Filipino public schools with public schools in South Australia, and supporting the professional development of teachers in such areas as literacy and numeracy.

Responsibilities include:

accountability – making sure AFFLIP meets its obligations, manages its finances and operates transparently
strategy – setting long-term goals and making sure it pursues its charitable purposes
resourcing – securing funding and other resources to support the work of AFFLIP
advocacy – representing AFFLIP to the community and to its members and stakeholders
monitoring – making sure AFFLIP is run as required under its governing document and the law.

MEET AFFLIP'S PATRONS AND BOARD MEMBERS

HON. GREG CRAFTER AO

Patron from February 2012

Hon. Greg Crafter AO had a distinguished career as a Member of the SA Parliament during which time he held four major ministerial portfolios, including that of Education and Children’s Services (1985-1992). Greg is a highly respected educator nationally and internationally and a former President of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (Geneva).

EMERITUS PROFESSOR ALAN REID AM

Co-founder, Founding Chair and Board member Feb 2012 – Dec 2017, Patron from May 2019

Emeritus Professor Alan Reid AM was previously professor at the University of SA. He publishes widely and has been inﬂuential in education policy development at both state and national levels. Alan’s outstanding contributions to Australian education have been recognized through a number of awards, including being made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2012, and being a ﬁnalist for South Australian of the Year (2017).

DR YVONNE ZEEGERS

AFFLIP Chairperson

Schools Learning Network and RESI Co-coordinator
Elected to the Board Dec 2018

Dr. Yvonne Zeegers is currently an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of South Australia. Yvonne’s main research interest is science education, and in pedagogical practices that include inquiry-based learning. She was Aus-Aid’s Pre-service Adviser in Regions 11, 12 and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao in the Southern Philippines from 2004-2007. She has been a Project Officer for the South Australian Education Department and a Primary school teacher. She is a member of the SA Science Teachers’ Association (SASTA) and a Board member of Educators SA (Council of Education Associations SA). Yvonne is currently the Coordinator of AFFLIP's Schools Learning Net (SLN), and co-coordinator of RESI.

ALASTAIR DOUGLAS

AFFLIP Immediate past Chairperson

Co-founder, Founding Deputy Chair

Elected to the Board Feb 2012

Alastair Douglas, past AFFLIP Chairperson was previously a principal in the Department of Education and Children’s Services in South Australia and has worked extensively as a consultant in education internationally over the last 20 years, including the Philippines and Mindanao in particular. In 2017 he was awarded a Certificate of Recognition by the Philippine Ambassador to Australia as a 70th Anniversary Awardee for Community Service.

STEVE SOUTHWOOD

AFFLIP Treasurer
Finance Portfolio
Elected to the Board December 2020

Steve Southwood has been Company director of a Retail Rural Supplies business located at Maitland S.A. for over 50 years. He has been an outstanding contributor to the local community through his leadership of a wide variety of sporting, professional and service, clubs and organisations. He is a life Member of Apex and a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. Steve has visited Davao City and hosted a number of Filipino study tour delegates to S.A. over the years.

ROD FAGG

AFFLIP Secretary

Elected to the Board Dec 2024

Rod Fagg has previously been a High School Mathematics teacher with the Department of Education and private schools. He has taught in South Australia, International School Manila, and held leadership positions as High School Assistant Principal and then High School Principal at the International School of Beijing.

MIRIAM COCKING

Liaison with the Filipino Community & Events Portfolios
Elected to the Board July 2013

Miriam Cocking is currently employed with Catalyst Foundation as Access and Equity Oﬃcer. She has been a very eﬀective leader and advocate within and for the Filipino community in South Australia and beyond for many years. In 2017 she was awarded a certificate of recognition by the Philippine Ambassador to Australia as a 70th Anniversary Awardee for Community Service.

JEANETTE EMERY

Professional Development in literacy, and Schools Learning Network Portfolios
Elected to the Board Dec 2019

Jeannette Emery has recently joined the AFFLIP Board and brings specialist knowledge and contemporary experience in English language and Literacy. She is currently a deputy principal within the SA Department for Education.

BRUCE WHITE

Research, Evaluation and Strategic Innovation Portfolio
Elected to the Board Dec 2020

Bruce White was previously a lecturer in Mathematics and Science Education at the University of South Australia. He has been involved in education and evaluation projects at a state, national and international level. He has experience working overseas in Papua New Guinea and the Philippines and collaborates with international scholars on projects in Italy and the US.

PAT MALONEY

Learning through the Outdoor Environment Portfolio
Elected to the Board Dec 2013

Pat Maloney was previously a school principal with the Department of Education and Children’s Services and President of the South Australian Area School Leaders Association. Pat was a winner of Principals Australia John Laing Award for services to professional development to school leaders and he has been a member of several inﬂuential DECD committees.

LOCH MITCHELL AM

Scholarships Portfolio

Elected to the Board Dec 2020

Loch Mitchell AM is a retired Royal Australian Air Force Education Officer with more than 40 years of experience in military education, training and personnel management. His roles included teaching, training management and design, training trainers as well as Command and management of several major Air force training units. He was particularly influential in the professional military education of airmen and officers, with a key focus on leadership development. In this work he collaborated with counterparts in the UK, USA and South East Asia. Loch also served as the Director of Personnel Airmen and then as the Deputy Commandant at the Australian Defence Force Academy, roles for which he was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2006.

LIZ WILSON

Communications Coordinator
Elected to the Board September 2021

Liz Wilson was previously a school principal with the Department for Education. In addition, she has held systemic school support positions focused on school improvement, capacity building for school leaders, quality assurance and evaluation. Liz has visited Davao City.

BONNIE RYAN

ICT Management and Digital Learning Portfolio

Elected to the Board December 2022.

Bonnie Ryan is an IT consultant with more than 15 years' experience in IT project delivery. Starting out as a developer in a small Adelaide-based software company, she has worked across solution architecture, business, and technical analysis roles both in Australia and in the UK.

TIM RYAN

Digital Learning and Partnerships (Grants and Sponsorships) Portfolios
Elected to the Board Dec 2020

Tim Ryan recently joined AFFLIP's Board, having variously worked in Adelaide as a junior primary and primary teacher, a literacy consultant across three sectors of schooling, a deputy principal and principal, and a tutor at Flinders University School of Education. He also spent eleven years as a mathematics educational consultant in New York. As a corporate director, Tim's appointments have spanned the real estate, foreign exchange futures broking, aged care and community banking sectors.

SUE WALTER

Schools Learning Network Portfolio
Board member Feb 2024

Sue Walter has been a secondary Physical Education/Geography teacher in country South Australia since 1975. From 1987, she was in a leadership role in her curriculum area, and was involved in SACE curriculum moderation, holding the Geography Chief Moderator role for 3 years. She then moved into a school Counsellor position, before assuming the Assistant Principal role in her school from 2010 -2022.

GUY WILSON

Events Coordinator
Elected to the Board Dec 2020

Guy Wilson has an extensive career within the construction and recruitment industries (most recently in a Directorship position). He has since established his own consultancy business supporting job seekers and companies to effectively "sell themselves" throughout the entire recruitment/application processes.

DEIDRE FISCHER

Corporate Governance Coordinator

Elected to the Board in 2022

Deidre Fischer has worked in country South Australia and international IB World schools (including the Philippines) before returning home to Adelaide to found her own education consulting company. An active member of Rotary International and a Paul Harris Fellow, Deidre joined a club in every city she lived in overseas, including the first Rotary Club set up in Beijing. Having lived in the Philippines for nearly 9 years, and worked closely with local schools through outreach programs, she has an understanding of how the work of AFFLIP can be instrumental in changing children's lives.