Community Partnerships Update | April, 2026.
Meet the Parents’ Association Committee for 2026.
Following our AGM and first major meeting for this year, it gives us great pleasure to introduce our Parents’ Association Committee members for 2026!
President: Kavitha Faruqui
I’m passionate about bringing people together and building strong connections within our school community. I look forward to working with the Executive Team, PA members and school staff to support sustainable fundraising initiatives that benefit our students.
Vice President: Michael Chan
Michael served as our PA Treasurer last year and has a daughter currently in Year 10. This year, he will be leading our family gatherings and is very keen to continue his support for the Mac.Rob PA and the wider school community.
Secretary: Danielle Zigomanis
Hi everyone! My name is Danielle and my daughter has just started in Year 9. Having previously served on both kindergarten and primary school PFA committees, I’m really looking forward to contributing to the Mac.Rob community as part of the Parents' Association.
Treasurer: Jane Gaunson
My name is Jane Gaunson and my daughter, Audrey, started in Year 9 this year; I also have an older daughter in her first year of university. I’m pleased to be joining the PA as Treasurer, a role I’ve held throughout both my daughters' education. I enjoy community involvement and am excited to support the PA’s objectives for Mac.Rob.
The Parents’ Association is an integral part of Mac.Rob school life, and facilitates a wide range of activities throughout the year. Being part of the PA provides families with a satisfying, inclusive, and meaningful opportunity to contribute to the community, culture, and wellbeing of our students, staff, and families.
Membership to the PA is open to all parents and guardians of current Mac.Rob students, and is free to join. Membership is not required to participate in PA initiatives or events - all are welcome!
Health Sciences & Biomed Careers Circle Webinar.
On March 18th, Mac.Rob had its very first Careers Circle webinar of the year, which was a resounding success. This webinar was focused on the field of Health Sciences and Biomedicine. The wonderful speakers for this webinar were Dhanushi Ranatunga (Speech Pathologist), Amber Sinha (Midwife), Aruni Mapa (Physiotherapist), and Sherihan Goni (OBGYN Registrar). All of their passion and genuine interest in their jobs and fields of work shone throughout the webinar. Their dedication and commitment to creating the most engaging experience for us was well evident, and all the participants noticed and appreciated this.
The content of the webinar was exceptional. Having heard from a variety of people in the health sciences and biomedicine fields, the webinar ranged across a variety of topics. Some ideas covered were working in physiotherapy, speech pathology, midwifery and OBGYN. The students gained insight into a real day in the life of working in the field, and some challenges that the Palladians may have faced in getting to their current position. The students also learned about the many pathways into a job in the health field, and that there is no end all be all when pursuing your dream job.
We also received immensely positive feedback, with one student stating: “Before this webinar, I felt very lost and confused, but now I feel much more confident and in control.” From a participant point of view, the speakers were honest, transparent and uplifting about their experiences, and everyone left the webinar having learned something.
Avya S, Palladians Representative
Future Legal Leaders: Behind the Scenes at EMR Law.
On Thursday, March 19th, twelve of our motivated Year 12 students stepped out of the classroom and into the professional world for the inaugural session of the EMR Law Mentorship Program.
Hosted by Eugenia Mitrakas OAM at her firm in Albert Park, the afternoon provided a unique "behind-the-scenes" look at the legal profession. As a proud Mac.Rob alumni herself, Eugenia shared moving stories of her migrant experience and her time at Mac.Rob, emphasising how the values of hard work and commitment she learned here helped shape her successful career.
Students explored the office in a grand Tour, giving them a real sense of the daily environment in a specialised legal practice. Many students noted how much they resonated with Eugenia’s journey, seeing reflections of their own lives in her stories of perseverance. With helpful resources and lively anecdotes, the session bridged the gap between school life and professional reality with practical insights.
"The tour was very insightful and Eugenia’s stories were so interesting—they really made the session come to life! It was great to have the print-out sheets to refer to, and it made me even more curious about what a typical day in her life as a lawyer looks like." - Year 12 student.
The feedback from our students and staff has been great.To build on this success, our next sessions will dive even deeper into the "day-to-day" life of a lawyer. Students have expressed a keen interest in hearing from recent law graduates to learn about the transition from university to practice, as well as exploring how legal work directly contributes to social change and community support.
A huge thank you to Eugenia and the team at EMR Mitrakas Lawyers for their warmth and for empowering our students to envision their own future pathways in law.
Palladian Student Reps Shine at AGM.
On March 4th, our amazing Student Palladian Representatives - Rutvi, Krisha, Antara, and Avya - did an incredible job representing Mac.Rob at the Palladians Association AGM right here at school.
The Reps kicked things off by leading a school tour for the Palladians, giving them a firsthand look at all the new renovations and construction around the school. It was a great way to bridge the gap between past and present students!
During the meeting, the team met the Palladians committee and presented their big plans and projects for the year. The committee was seriously impressed with how much the Reps have already achieved and how professional their ideas were. In fact, they’ve promised to fully support the team’s initiatives moving forward!
A huge thank you to the Palladians Association for being such wonderful mentors and for always backing our students. We can't wait to see these projects come to life!
Interact Club Open Day: Connecting with Rotary.
Our recent Interact Open Day was a great success. We were honored to welcome Wendy Stirling, President of the Rotary Club of Port Phillip, and Des O’Shanassy, District 9800 Interact Committee Chair and Youth Public Speaking Ambassador.
Wendy shared the inspiring history of Rotary’s growth as a global charity and highlighted the incredible projects they lead. Most importantly, she spoke about the life-changing opportunities available to Mac.Rob students through Rotary sponsorship, including:
MUNA (Model United Nations Assembly)
The Sailing Challenge
RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment)
Des O’Shanassy further energised the group by discussing the power of public speaking through the Wynspeak competition and the benefits of connecting with other clubs at the Interact District Conference.
The session wrapped up with an engaging Q&A, leaving our students eager to dive into these new adventures. A huge thank you to Wendy and Des for their ongoing mentorship and support of our Mac.Rob Interactors!
Celebrating Action: Eugenia Mitrakas OAM Inspires at HACCI IWD Event.
We are incredibly proud to celebrate the achievements of Mac.Rob alumni and Palladian, Eugenia Mitrakas OAM (Founder of EMR Mitrakas Lawyer & Notary). Eugenia recently took centre stage as a speaker at the HACCI (Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) International Women’s Day special event.
Alongside fellow legal experts Lauren Cassimatis and Elena Pappas, Eugenia shared profound insights into the ongoing journey toward equitable justice. As a Palladian, her leadership and advocacy serve as a powerful beacon for our current students, reminding them that Mac.Robbians have the power to influence global conversations and drive real, systemic change.
The event focused on the theme of "Action," featuring an urgent discussion on dismantling the structural barriers - from discriminatory laws to outdated social norms - that still erode the rights of women today. At Mac.Rob, we continue to champion this spirit of action every day by empowering the next generation of women to lead with courage and integrity.
Stay Connected with our Alumni Network To learn more about the incredible work of our former students and how they continue to support the school, visit the Palladians Association website:
Future Careers in Focus: Peter Mac Visit.
On Friday, February 27th, our Year 11 and 12 students were treated to an inspiring careers seminar featuring the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. The session was a deep dive into the world of healthcare and oncology, providing our senior students with a firsthand look at where their STEM studies can take them.
The seminar was facilitated by Therese Chesson, a Radiation Therapist and Education Coordinator at Peter Mac. Therese shared valuable insights into the centre's operations and the diverse range of professional roles that keep it running at a world-class level.
This wasn't just a typical lecture - the session opened several doors for our students to get involved with the centre, with several lucky students having the opportunity to be selected for a highly sought-after work experience placement at the centre. Twenty attendees will also be offered the chance to take a guided tour of the Peter Mac facilities to see the cutting-edge technology in action.
Students gained a better understanding of various career paths, from radiation therapy to research and medical imaging.
A huge thank you to Therese and the Peter Mac team for providing such a wonderful opportunity for our students to explore their future career options.
Ms. Rehana Ziyad | Community Partnership Leader