Our School Board

Dr Lynnette Lounsbury
I am an educator who has worked as a high school teacher, a program director at The Australian Film Television and Radio school, and a lecturer and Head of the School of Arts and Business at Avondale University, where I currently teach Communications, English literature and Media Studies. I have an undergraduate education degree, a Masters degree in English Literature, a Masters of Ancient History focused on mythology and belief, and a PhD in Creative Writing specialising in speculative histories. I am also an author, poet and filmmaker, and a passionate advocate for the Arts, and Arts education, and I live on Gadigal land in Waverley, Sydney.
My educational research has been in School Resistance: why students resist school and how we can work with them, rather than against them, to make school a positive and powerful life experience. I have also written on the value of creative practice in education and its role in unlocking critical and innovative thinking. My discipline research is in the beatniks, young adult film, literature, manga and anime, as well as speculative histories and zombie lore.
I am passionate about creating an inclusive and egalitarian educational environment that caters to individual learning styles. I believe in fostering creativity as a vital part of the learning process and continuously explore innovative approaches to teaching that bridge disciplines. My focus is on integrating professional practice into education and designing learning experiences that accommodate all personality types, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive.
Dr Amy Thunig-McGregor
Dr Amy Thunig-McGregor (B.Arts; M.Teach; PhD) is a Gomeroi/Kamilaroi academic who parents and partners on beautiful Awabakal Country. A full-time Research Fellow within the field of education at the University of Technology Sydney, Amy is also a Director at StoryFactory in Redfern, President of their local AECG, sits on various councils and committees, and in 2019 delivered their TEDx talk ‘Disruption is not a dirty word’.
A freelance public speaker and occasional curator, Amy had the pleasure of co-curating the 2023 All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House, and the 2024 Sydney Writer’s Festival. Amy’s best-selling first book 'Tell Me Again: A Memoir' was released via UQP in 2022 and has since been shortlisted for numerous State and National awards.



Adam Fletcher
Adam Fletcher is a proud Gringai Wonnarua man who is a member of the Lester Family. The family have Traditional Ownership connections to the Allyn River near Barrington as well as the former St Clair Mission in Mount Olive near Singleton. His family have been an active part of the Newcastle / Lower Hunter community since his great great grandparents Ethel and Frederick bought a house in Mayfield and operated a boarding house for workers in BHP and Railways, often originating from Aboriginal families across NSW.
He is incredibly passionate about understanding and implementing the concepts of self-determination, free prior and informed consent and First Nations cultural and economic sovereignty and believes that we need to equip our future generations with the skills and networks to make their visions for a shared cultural understanding a reality.
He has worked at National Australia Bank for over 15 years, starting as a Graduate in the Internal Audit team before working in roles across Project Portfolio Governance, Group Strategy Execution, Customer-centred change delivery. In 2019 he was asked to develop NAB’s First Indigenous Business Strategy which was endorsed in 2021, establishing the first National team of Indigenous Business specialists in the industry.
He now leads the NSW / ACT Indigenous Business Specialisation and is passionate about Industry returning to education environments. In 2024, NAB Indigenous Business Team presented to the AIATSIS Summit in Naarm (Melbourne).
He holds a Masters Degree in Social Change Leadership from Melbourne University, is a Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity, was NAB’s 2018 Emerging Indigenous Executive Leader, completing a Certificate with UNSW AGSM. He completed his undergraduate double degrees of Business and Economics, majoring in Marketing, Management and, Money, Banking, Trade and Finance at the University of Newcastle.
He has held policy roles within the Victorian Branch of the Australian Labor Party Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy Committee, served as both Secretary and President before moving to NSW in 2022. He is the inaugural co-chair of the First Nations Workers Committee of the Finance Sector Union and was a delegate at the inaugural FSU National Congress held in Victoria in 2023. He currently serves on the FINSIA Diversity Advisory Committee.
Adam was elected onto the Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council Board in 2024 and will be completing the AICD First Nations Directors Scholarship in partnership with the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute and NIAA.
He believes that the current models of education are ready for disruption, with a focus on place-based learning, community, partnerships and bringing the lived experience of the students and families into the school community central to improving equity.
Holly Vale
Holly Vale is the Head of Commercial and Operations at Newcastle Art Gallery, overseeing audience engagement including education, public and digital programming, alongside operational functions and commercial ventures such as the Gallery shop, café, partnerships and venue hire. Her work ensures the Gallery’s sustainability and strengthens its connection with the community.
Previously, Holly held senior roles in renowned arts institutions, including Associate Director of Development (Major Gifts) at the Chau Chak Wing Museum University of Sydney, and Head of Business Development and Partnerships at the Art Gallery of NSW. Her extensive experience spans the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Bundanon and Sydney Film Festival, as well as roles in the UK at The National Gallery and Royal Albert Hall.
Holly moved to Newcastle in 2022 with her husband, Dan, a graphic designer and author, and their two primary school-aged daughters. Holly holds a Private Pilot's Licence and is hoping to start flying again after years out of the cockpit.
Holly is honoured to join the Novoschool board and contribute to its success.


Catherine Olivier
Catherine brings over a decades global cross industry team leadership and coaching skills. With experience across consulting, entrepreneurship, lecturing and facilitation.
Catherine is the Founding Executive Director of LQ Training a world class training provider specialising in leadership intelligence training and experiential learning experiences.
Catherine is also a sessional academic across several national and international higher education institutions lecturing on topics spanning leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, marketing, accounting, finance and economics.
Prior to this Catherine was the Chief Operations Officer and Co-Founder of LükBook, an inclusive fashion company.
She also spent a decade working at global consulting firm PwC leading teams of over 60 people across 7 different time zones simultaneously to deliver high quality outputs under challenging deadlines.
Catherine is an active non executive director on non-profit boards and advisory committees that have included Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, The Octopod Association Incorporated, and Hunter Young Professionals.
She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Sydney Business School, is a Chartered Accountant, and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Newcastle.