Board of Governors
senior high school centre for enhancement of learning hero
senior high school centre for enhancement of learning hero

The Governance Board’s purpose and philosophy

The Diocesan School Board of Governors works to support our Principal and her team to ensure that our students can achieve the vision in the school’s purpose statement of “Being more than you ever imagined.”

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Offer a true dual pathway for our students through the IB Diploma programme and the NCEA programme.

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Maintain best practice in teaching and learning, and an innovative environment that continues to engage and stimulate our students and develop our teachers.

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Develop the ‘whole girl’ through our strengths in sport, the arts and music as well as the innovative leadership and ethics programmes.

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Fulfil the vision for the development of the campus that was put in place over 10 years ago.

Meet the board

Melinda (Mindy) Levene (nee Olde)
Acting Chair, BCom
Melinda (Mindy) Levene (nee Olde)
Acting Chair, BCom
Mindy joined the Diocesan Board in 2011 and has previously served as Deputy Chair. She is a trustee of the Heritage Foundation, past parent and attended Diocesan from 1971 to 1983. Mindy was previously on the Diocesan Old Girls' Committee for seven years, serving as Treasurer for five of those years. Mindy's mother is also a Diocesan Alumna.

Mindy completed a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) degree in 1986 and worked as an Accountant in the Merchant Banking industry in England and New Zealand. In 1994 her eldest son was born and she retired to stay at home as a mother.

Mindy has previously been Convener of the Friends of Starship and President of the Friend's of King's School. She has been involved with other charitable organisations and events including the Friends of Liggins, The Parkinson's Society of New Zealand and King's College.

Mindy is married to Mark and has two sons and a daughter. Mindy enjoys walking, cooking, golf and relaxing with the family at the beach.
Sarah Stevens-Cross (nee Stevens)
Acting Deputy Chair, ATCL (Speech and Drama) Grad Dip Journalism BSc, BTheol
Sarah Stevens-Cross (nee Stevens)
Acting Deputy Chair, ATCL (Speech and Drama) Grad Dip Journalism BSc, BTheol
Sarah Stevens-Cross (nee Stevens) joined the Board in February 2019. She is a priest of the Anglican Diocese and Old Girl of the School (1990-1996). Prior to ordination Sarah studied Geography, Psychology and Journalism. She has worked in boarding schools in the UK and Waikato and as a community journalist in the Waikato. She was involved in the 2002 review of Chaplaincy at Religious Studies at Diocesan.

Ordained in November 2009, Sarah served as curate at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell, before moving to the Bay of Islands. Here she was priest-in-charge of the Waimate North Parish and worked as a trainer and facilitator with small rural and coastal church communities. From 2010-2015 she was a member of Diocesan Council – the governing body of the Anglican Diocese of Auckland.

She lives in Whangaparaoa and serves in various Anglican Churches around the Auckland Diocese, while caring for her daughter Keziah, age 2. Sarah is in formation as a Spiritual Director – offering one-on-one companionship to those who wish to deepen their prayer life and explore their spirituality.
Laurent Kinet
M.Sc.Eng., M.Fin., MBA
Laurent Kinet
M.Sc.Eng., M.Fin., MBA
Laurent joined the Diocesan Board in 2018.

Laurent is a Partner at McKinsey & Company and a leader of McKinsey Transformation in Asia. Laurent works with clients cross the region to help them transform their business through radical performance improvement, and fast adoption of technology and innovation. He also leads McKinsey work in capability building and cultural change. He has been based in Europe, Africa, North America, China and New Zealand.

Laurent has a Masters in Engineering from Ecole Polytechnique and Masters in Finance from Solvay Business School in Brussels. He also holds a MBA from Harvard Business School where he was a Fulbright Scholar.

Laurent is the proud father of Manon (Year 4), and James, and is married to Diane with whom he shares his passions for education, technology and travel. As a family, they enjoy tinkering with tech toys, travelling around the world, playing golf and supporting children’s education in Africa.
The Right Reverend Ross Bay
BTh, PGDipTheol
The Right Reverend Ross Bay
BTh, PGDipTheol
Ross Bay was ordained the 11th Bishop of Auckland in 2010. He joined the Board of Governors that year and is also a member of the group with an interest in the Special Character of Diocesan.

Bishop Ross was born in Auckland and grew up in Papatoetoe. He has previously served in several Auckland parishes, including St Mark’s Church in Remuera and as Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral prior to becoming Bishop. He was ordained in 1989, having begun his working life with the Bank of New Zealand before undertaking his theological education.

Outside the church, Bishop Ross enjoys squash and tramping in the mountains with his wife Jacquie. He is a volunteer officer in the Auckland Operational Support Unit of the NZ Fire Service.

Ross also has a personal connection with Diocesan School for Girls. His wife, Jacquie, is an Old Girl of the School and was Head of Science at Diocesan for six years before moving in 2006 to her current position as Director of LENS Science at the University of Auckland.
Jane Latimer
LLB
Jane Latimer
LLB
Jane joined the Diocesan Board in December 2012. She is a Barrister specialising in employment law. Jane was a partner at a large legal practice for 20 years and has worked extensively in New Zealand and in the United Kingdom. She is a Heritage Foundation Trustee, and Chair of the Women2Watch Committee. Jane is also a member of the Recovery Solutions Board.

Jane is a past Head Girl of the School and with her husband, Julian Bell, has two daughters who are both Diocesan Old Girls.
Indy Sena
BCom(Hons) Chair of Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee
Indy Sena
BCom(Hons) Chair of Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee
Indy joined the Diocesan Board in 2021 and is chair of the Board’s Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee.

Indy is a partner at PwC New Zealand and works with a broad range of clients including listed companies, private equity owned groups and private companies. Indy has significant financial reporting and financial risk management experience working with PwC Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Financial Markets Authority.

Indy is married to Indi who works part time as a GP. They have two daughters, Anika and Anya. Indy enjoys spending time with his family at their farm on the West Coast of Auckland.
Monique Sullivan
B.Arch
Monique Sullivan
B.Arch
Monique joined the Diocesan School Board of Governors in November 2021 and will also sit on the Campus Development Committee. She is a proud parent of two girls attending Diocesan School who started in the Foundation Class and Year 0 classes and are now in the senior campus.

Monique has a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Auckland. She specializes as a client side consultant project manager in the construction industry with over twenty years’ experience working on many large scale and complex projects. She has been involved in most of Diocesan School’s significant construction projects over the last 10 years and more recently was the lead project manager in the successful delivery of the stunning Performing Arts Centre. She also has an interest in projects that contribute to sustainable outcomes for both the local community as well as the wider environment. In Monique’s spare time she enjoys yoga, tramping, skiing and most importantly spending time with her husband and two daughters in Waiheke Island.
Paula Gair
Master of Applied Practice (Technological Futures)
Paula Gair
Master of Applied Practice (Technological Futures)
Paula joined the Diocesan Board at the start of 2023.

Prior to returning to NZ in 2011 she lived in Europe, Asia and Latin America working with international Not for Profits in areas including Environment, Health, Overseas Development and Children’s Rights.

Paula completed a Masters Degree (Technological Futures) focused on Cyber Security, Privacy and Online Harm for Families and consults in this area, as well as advising and assessing Masters Candidates focused on Emerging and Disruptive Technology.

She is passionate about Innovation, Sustainability, Ethics, Future of Work, Gender Equality and Education, including STEAM subjects for girls.

Paula and Ross are current Diocesan parents.

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