Our Board of Governance

Scott Buchanan – President

Scott is a secondary school teacher who has taught across government and independent schools in Melbourne for over 10 years. He believes in the transformative power of education and the important role organisations and educators play in the lives of children. He holds a B.Arts/Economics from the University of Queensland and M.Teach Diploma from the University of Melbourne. As a classroom teacher, residential boarding master and now a parent he deeply values the relationship between children’s families and their educators.

Scott has been involved with HEY since 2018 and has two children currently attending the service. One is commencing their 4th year at HEY in the kindergarten program and the other just beginning their journey in the juniors.

Caroline Jarrett – Vice President

Caroline is a property professional with over 17 years’ experience managing a diverse range of programmes and projects within the commercial, industrial, and government sectors. Caroline is currently a director and co-founder of project management firm, JXC Group. She has previously worked within consultancy environments and client-side roles, most recently holding a senior position within Australia Post responsible for the Victorian and Tasmanian capital programme and portfolio spanning commercial, industrial, and retail.

Caroline brings a wealth of knowledge around feasibility, procurement, project and risk management to the Hawthorn Early Years Board.

Caroline holds a bachelor’s degree in Property & Construction management from Melbourne University.

Zoe Gannon – Secretary

Zoe is a senior lawyer in the Workplace team at a major law firm. She practices in employment law, discrimination law, administrative law and investigations. She has particular experience working with clients in educational settings, often providing advice to clients in relation to child safety obligations and conducting investigations under child safety legislation.

Zoe’s family joined the HEY community in 2020. She is the mother of three children, all of whom have attended HEY. Zoe’s young child currently attends the service.

Zoe has been a member of the HEY Board of Governance since 2020.

Barry Wong – Treasurer

Barry is strategy and finance professional who helps develop and deliver corporate strategies for global multinational companies. He currently helps his organisation drive the organizational response to the rapid developments in the respiratory infectious disease landscape with particular focus in both influenza and Covid. Barry brings his experience of executing strategic agendas, managing investment decisions and establishing structures and functions to deliver strategic transformations, to support HEY to deliver its Strategic Plan.

Barry has been a member of the HEY Board since 2020 with both his children having attended the service. One child continues to thrive in the HEY environment and the other has moved on to school.

Chris Chan

Chris is an experienced chief operating officer, banker, and qualified lawyer.  He has spent the last 18 years in the banking, wealth management and real estate sectors, and has particular experience in ​business strategy and operations, and developing and building growth businesses.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Commerce & Administration, a Bachelor of Laws, and a Bachelor of Commerce & Administration (Honours) from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, as well as a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne. 

A Kiwi by birth, Chris has called Boroondara home since 2008.  His family joined the HEY community in 2022, and he has two daughters currently attending the service.  Chris joined the HEY Board of Governance in 2022.

Mark Crawshaw

Mark is an IT professional with 20 years of experience in software development, architecture and various leadership roles. In 2015 he founded aplas.com and is now the general manager of this cloud software product.

Mark has had three children in HAY, with just Atticus remaining, after his sisters have started at school.

Georgia Eleftheriou

Georgia is a tax professional with over 18 years’ experience in Big 4 chartered firms and large listed multinational organisations.  Georgia is a registered tax agent and chartered accountant. Georgia has extensive experience in advising on tax matters for corporates, listed funds, transactions, capital management, risk management, governance and reporting. She also has significant experience in stakeholder management and reporting into Executive Committees, Boards of Directors and Audit Committees.  Georgia’s family has been part of the HEY community since 2020.

Chris Daly

Chris is a local real estate agent and auctioneer and has been working in real estate both in Hawthorn and London for 14 years, prior to which he was an accountant for 8 years and general manager of a not for profit society for 5 years.

Chris holds a Real Estate Licence and has a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Accounting and Finance.

Working in London for nine years and moving back to Melbourne with his wife in 2015, Chris has been ensconced in the Hawthorn community ever since and can often be seen walking with streets with his wife, two children and their Cavoodle, Audrey.

Being part of the HEY community since 2020, Chris is passionate about impacting the level of care and education not only for his children but that of all families whilst championing diversification and reconciliation across the board.

Louise Diaz

Louise is a compliance professional at a global technology firm. She specializes in privacy and data protection, operational risk and regulatory compliance. She has particular experience advising on how to implement policy and regulatory requirements in a way that increases practical compliance and enhances the consumer or customer experience.

Louise is a qualified solicitor (not currently practicing) and holds a master’s in law from Melbourne University and an executive MBA from Imperial College London. She joined the HEY community in January 2022.

Bianca Ray

Property Portfolio Manager for the Australian superannuation fund, Spirit Super. I am responsible for a direct and indirect property portfolio of $2 billion. My key responsibilities include delivering on the annual strategic objectives, researching new commercial property investment opportunities and adjusting strategic requirements considering the macroeconomic outlook.