Meet the Team | St Mary's , Lancefield and Romsey

Staff

Who We Are

Come and meet the staff at St Mary’s!

Leadership Team

Gabe Agius

gagius@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi Everyone, I’m Gabe Agius Principal of St Mary’s. I have been teaching for 30 years in a variety of settings including small rural areas to large all boys College in both State and Catholic education and both Primary and Secondary. I have been at St Mary’s since 2020 and love this beautiful community.

I live in Gisborne with my husband Charlie and my four children, Courtney, Nathan, Kane and Mitchell. I enjoy camping and fishing with my family (well really I just feed the fish). I also love watching AFL especially Collingwood, cooking and spending time with my extended family and friends.

Shelly Thrum

sthrum@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi everyone, my name is Mrs (Shelly) Thrum. I am very lucky to be able to work with so many children across the school as the Acting Deputy Principal of Faith, Logistics and Wellbeing. I have been teaching at St Mary’s for 24 years and I hope to still be here for many more years to come as it’s such an amazing community to be a part of.

I have three boys. Each attended St Mary’s when they were younger. I enjoy watching them play footy and basketball on the weekends and we love spending time together on holidays and boating together during the summer months. I barrack for the Collingwood Magpies and I love shopping, high heel shoes and jewelery.

Joanne Shannon

jshannon@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi my name is Mrs Jo Shannon and I’ve worked at St Mary’s since 2009. I live locally with my husband and 2 children. We have a beautiful golden labrador and a crazy multi coloured cat! I enjoy warm weather, swimming, cooking (when I have time) and getting lost in a good book! In recent years I’ve moved out of the classroom setting and into the roles of Community Liaison Leader and Pastoral Care as part of the Wellbeing team. I love my role here at St Mary’s, it’s so varied and interesting and I get to work with the students across all levels. I enjoy organising school events and making sure our students are able to experience many varied and wonderful opportunities within our local and wider community. My role encompasses running the Environment Group and the Mini Vinnies which are great experiences for our students. I look forward to continuing to get to know our students and working with them to make their school life as enjoyable and enriching as possible.

Ramona Baker

rbaker@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi, my name is Ramona Baker. I am the Learning and Teaching Leader as well as the Maths Leader and have been at St Mary’s for 4 years. I have been teaching for 27 years and have had the opportunity to be a part of both country and suburban school communities. I am passionate about teaching and absolutely love seeing students learn, grow and flourish. When I am not teaching, I enjoy socialising with family and friends, exploring new places, going to cafes and restaurants, traveling and camping (pretend camping in a caravan park with our air conditioned caravan!) with my husband and two children, aged 11 and 15. My cheeky dog is a German Shepherd x Sibarian Husky. She is Storm by name and also by nature but my family and I love her to bits.

Benita Munari

bmunari@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi! My name is Benita Munari and I feel very fortunate to be joining St Mary’s this year as a Year 5/6 teacher and Literacy Leader. I think I have the best job in the entire world! Everyday I get to help children learn, knowing that their dreams will become our future. I feel incredibly grateful and humbled to be part of something so wonderful.

When I’m not at school I enjoy spending time with family and friends, reading, learning, fishing, going on holidays, completing projects around the house and cheering on the mighty Bombers! I live in Kilmore with my husband Pete, my children Tess, Maggie and Bridget, a cheeky Kelpie named Tilly and an old Staffy named Ruby.

Office Staff

Geraldine Clarke

clarkeg@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

At the time of writing this I have been at St Mary’s for 8942 days. My official title is Officer Manager however, my job is multifaceted having many components to it. This makes every day an interesting day. I will most probably be the person answering the phone if you call and the first person you see upon entering the school. Personally I do things in two’s, two adult children, two chihuahuas and two cats. I like to pretend that I am a good gardener as well.

Sue Royle

sroyle@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

My name is Sue Royle and I am an Administration Officer at St Mary’s. I have worked in Catholic Primary School offices for over 24 years and have been at St Mary’s since March 2021. I love watching the kids grow from little Preps to Senior students and feel privileged to be a part of their school journey. I also work at Flemington Racecourse in the Mounting Yard and occassionally at Living Legends in Bulla, where all the retired racehorses live. So you can see that I do love horses! I love riding my Can Am motorbike (3 wheeler) and often go away on a motorbike riding weekend with my husband, who rides his own motoribike. I’m a Mum to two grown up children, a step mum and a Nanna to 5 gorgeous grandkids. I am very blessed to have these gorgeous kids in my life.

Ray Azzopardi

razzopardi@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hello, my name is Ray Azzopardi and I have recently joined the wonderful team at St Mary’s. I have more than 30 years experience in the finance industry. My wife and I have lived in the Macedon Ranges for nearly 30 years in which time we’ve had 6 horses and 5 Great Danes. Our latest Dane, Harley is the most affectionate dog we’ve owned but he’s also a raving lunatic at times too. I’m a diehard Richmond supporter, this year is my 29th as a member and I love motor racing as well, particularly F1. As I begin this new chapter, I’m excited and grateful to St Mary’s Catholic Primary School for giving me the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained in a very different industry and working environment.

Caz Luke

cluke@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Foundation Team

Chris Zarb

czarb@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi Everyone, I’m Chris Zarb. I have been at St Mary’s since 1999! I love the country environment, beautiful families and the caring staff I work with. But most of all I love teaching my amazing students. They brighten up each and every day. St Mary’s has changed a lot over the years but it has always had such a special feel about it and I feel so lucky to work here. I live in Gisborne myself where I have raised three wonderful children with my husband Adam. I also have a pet greyhound Mel who I adore. In my spare time I love to read, run, ride my bike and go camping with my family and friends.

Nadia De Carolis

ndecarolis@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hello everyone, my name is Mrs DeCarolis (Mrs D), I am very excited to be one of the Prep teachers. I have worked at St Marys Primary School for 7 years and have enjoyed every minute! I am so blessed to be a part of such a friendly and supportive community. I am a mad Blues supporter. I have two teenage children who both attended St Mary’s in their primary school years. I enjoy watching them play footy and netball. We have a few pets including a a puppy Lexi, a cat Ella, 1 sheep Trent, and 8 chickens. In my spare time I love going on holidays and spending time with my family.

Nicole Caton

ncaton@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi everyone, my name is Nicole Caton. I have been a part of the St Mary’s team for nearly two years as an LSO and have enjoyed every minute of it! I have two daughters Ruby 11 and Kayla 8 who both attend St Mary’s. I enjoy playing netball, horse riding, cooking and spending time with my family.

Courtney Smith

csmith@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

This is my second year as an LSO at St Mary’s. This year I am working with the preps. I have been really enjoying watching the growth in the Prep’s in a such a short amount of time, I can’t wait to see what fantastic things they can continue to achieve in the coming terms. . In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family going on adventures to the beach and going to the football to support our favourite team.

Pam Choate

pchoate@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

My role at St Mary’s is a LSO with the preps on a Thursday for specialist classes.

I also fill in as a casual relieving LSO as required and have done so for a number of years. I thoroughly enjoy working with the beautiful students and dedicated team at St Mary’s school.

Junior Team

Joanne Bey

jbey@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

This is my fourth year at St Marys and I currently teach Year 1/2. St Marys is my first ‘country’ school although I have taught for many years in Melbourne and overseas. I feel very lucky to be part of the amazing St Marys team and love spending time with our fantastic students. I enjoy spending time in Lancefield during the week and head back to Melbourne on the weekends. In my spare time I enjoy walking with my Bushwalking Club. I also like camping and travelling with my friends and family.

Lauren Share

lshare@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

My name is Mrs Share and I am an LSO here at St. Mary’s Primary School. I started working at St. Marys in 2022 and have loved every minute of it. In my spare time I enjoy staying active and spending time with my family.

Emma Croft

ecroft@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hello everyone!

My name is Emma (Miss Croft) and I have now been apart of the St Mary’s community for 5 years as an LSO and this year I am teaching in year 1/2. I enjoy building relationships with the students and their families and am loving my role as a teacher. In my spare time I enjoy playing netball for Riddells Creek, watching the AFL (go Bombers), and spending time with my family, friends and my puppy dog Billy.

Michelle Kilpatrick

mkilpatrick@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi, I’m Mrs Kilpatrick.

I started my journey at St. Marys in the Library, back in 1999. Over the years my roles have changed however my passion for the library and supporting our staff and students as an Lso have only grown. I love our small community and look forward to supporting our students as they become lifelong readers and learners.

Tahlia Pearce

tpearce@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hello! My name is Tahlia Pearce, This is my first year at St Mary’s & I’m enjoying this amazing community, I’ve been working as Education support for the past seven year.

My partner Jason & I have three sons, Patrick, John & Riley and Jessie our beautiful dingo-husky fur-baby, we all love going camping, sitting next to the fire listening to music & fishing.

Rebecca Wilson

rwilson@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi my name is Rebecca Wilson, this is my third year teaching at St Mary’s and I love teaching 1/2’s. I have lived in Romsey for a very long time and attended St Mary’s myself as a little girl. Together with my husband Chris we have three children who keep us very busy with sport and everyday life. In my spare time I enjoy reading books, spending time with my family and holidaying by the Murray River in the summertime.

Darcee Ellard

dellard@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi I’m Miss Ellard. This is my first year at St Mary’s as an LSO and I am loving being a part of such a beautiful friendly school community. I’m enjoying getting to know all the kids and staff, building great relationships with them all. In my spare time you will find me at the Lancefield FNC playing netball or hanging out with everyone watching all the games. I love heading down to the beach when I can and supporting the Baggers & Melbourne Storm.

Middle Team

Zara Hermann

zhermann@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

My name is Ms Hermann, I am fortunate enough to be one of the Year 3/4 teachers this year. This is my first year teaching at St Mary’s and I have loved every minute of getting to know my students and their families. I feel very fortunate to be part of such a supportive learning community. My daughter Holly is 10 years old and attends St Mary’s also.

Outside the classroom, I cherish spending time with my family, especially exploring new destinations through camping and travel. I have a passion for reading, gardening, and watching movies. Additionally, I take great pleasure in coaching my daughter’s soccer team and supporting the Matildas whenever they play on home soil.

Maureen Milner

mmilner@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi Everyone,

My name is Mrs Maureen Milner. I’ve been a Learning Support Officer for too many years to count! I love working with the team at St Mary’s and enjoy coming to work each day. My role is in assisting with the development of each student I work with in their learning. If I can help you in any way, just ask and I’ll do my best to assist.

Jenni Awty

jawty@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi everyone,

I’m Mrs Awty and I am very fortunate to be teaching the gorgeous students in 3/4A this year. This is my 28th year as a teacher and I think I have the best job in the world!

When I’m not at school, you’ll find me spending time with my family, ferrying my children to their after-school activities, catching up with friends, walking my dogs, binging on Netflix series, and drinking coffee. I come from a long line of Collingwood supporters and love going to the footy with my family.

Pauline Kyte

pkyte@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

I am enjoying my time as an LSO and love working wth the amazing team at St Mary’s. I live at home with my husband Ian and our two furbabies Xander and Memphis. I have two adult children Connor and Mason. During winter I love watching my son play Australian Rules football, although the drive to Corowa is a long one. My favorite sports are Australian Rules Football, cricket and basketball. I support Collingwood and Melbourne United. During summer Ian and I spend most of our time at the beach with Xander and Mason. Looking forward to an amazing 2024 school year and watching the grade six students I am working with this year graduate.

Senior Team

Louise Newnham

lnewnham@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hello! My name is Mrs Newnham and I have been a teacher at St Mary’s since 2009. I have also been on the other side as a student at St Mary’s but that was a very long time ago!

At St Mary’s I have had lots of different roles but my favourite part of my job is definitely the children and families that I meet. I always try to make learning fun because I believe we learn best when we are enjoying school together.

When I’m not at school you will generally find me doing something with my husband and 5 children. We love sport so our weekends are spent at footy, cricket, tennis, athletics …. We also LOVE the Western Bulldogs and go to lots of games.

Amanda Stevens

astevens@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

I have been working at St Mary’s as a LSO for 6 years but counting my placement..7 years!!

I am a Mum of 2 boys..Aiden 13 and Coops 9. I love footy and watching my boys play as well as kids from school makes my weekend! It’s no secret that I barrack for Essendon and once in awhile when they win I’ll bring out the scarf! Another hobby of mine is travelling. My brother lives in the UK so I have plenty of opportunities to travel. In September my family will be going to Malta and the UK.

My favourite part of the day is greeting the kids at the door, the smiles are amazing!

Tayla Harrison

tharrison@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi, my name is Tayla Harrison. This is my first year teaching at St Mary’s but I was around a little last year doing some relief teaching here. I have been teaching for 8 years, and I have just come back to work from maternity leave.

I have really enjoyed my time so far and becoming a part of such a welcoming community.

A little about me…. I am married and have 2 little girls, a 2 year old and a 1 year old so they keep me very busy when I am not at work. I also have 3 dogs – so it really is a full house.

On the weekends I like to spend time with my family, find some quiet time to myself and watch the footy – Go Crows!

Kirby Fisher

kfisher@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

I have been teaching at St Mary’s for two years and I have enjoyed every minute of being a part of this learning community. I have been teaching for seven years and I have been teaching year 5/6 since I started teaching. In my free time I love going to local Farmers Markets. I also enjoy baking when I have the time. During the school holidays, my favourite thing to do is travel. I have been lucky enough to travel to Singapore, America (8 times!!) and China.

Mia Daly

mdaly@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi! I’m currently working as a Learning Support Officer (LSO) in a Year 5/6 classroom, and I’m also studying to become a qualified teacher. With just one year and eight weeks left in my teaching degree, I’m incredibly excited to be getting closer to reaching my goal of having my own class one day. Working as an LSO has given me invaluable hands-on experience in the classroom, and it’s deepened my passion for supporting students and helping them thrive academically and personally.

Outside of school, I stay active by playing netball for the Lancefield Netball Club. Being part of a team has taught me the importance of communication, resilience, and teamwork—skills I bring into my role every day.

I’m really looking forward to finishing the year strong with this amazing group of students and continuing to grow both personally and professionally. The journey so far has been incredibly rewarding, and I can’t wait to see where it leads next!

Specialists & Intervention

Haley O'Meara

VISUAL ARTS

homeara@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi, I’m Haley O’Meara and I’m so excited to be teaching Visual Art at St Mary’s. I’m passionate about the Arts and love helping children explore their creativity, build confidence, and express themselves through a range of materials and techniques. I’m especially excited to be sharing Indigenous perspectives through the Arts in respectful and meaningful ways.

I live in New Gisborne with my family, our Cavoodle Alfie, and our cat Luna. I have three teenage daughters who are all keen netballers, so you’ll often find me courtside on the weekends. I also enjoy being out in nature, heading to the beach, and spending time with my family playing board games.

I feel very lucky to be part of such a vibrant and supportive school community, and I look forward to a creative and inspiring year with the students at St Mary’s.

Montana Oliver

DIGITECH

mfitzgerald@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hello, my name is Montana Oliver and I am the new Digitech teacher. This year will be my 7th year of teaching. Some of you may already know me, as I grew up in the area and even attended St Mary’s as a child. I now live in Lancefield with my husband, my 1 year old daughter and my crazy kelpie named Olly. When I am not at school, you will find me outside in my garden, cooking for people I love, visiting my parents farm or water skiing when the weather is warm. I am looking forward to getting to know you all.

Courtney Rees

PERFORMING ARTS

ckellett@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hello! I’m Courtney Rees, and I began my teaching journey at St Mary’s in 2021. This year, I’m thrilled to be stepping into the specialist Performing Arts role, working with students across all year levels. I’m passionate about creating a fun, inclusive, and creative space where every student can shine. Outside of school, I live in the beautiful Macedon Ranges with my husband and daughter. We share our home with two lively Cocker Spaniels, Milo and Maples. I’m really looking forward to getting to know every student and sharing the joy of Performing Arts throughout the year. Here’s to a fantastic year of creativity and fun!

Melinda Giles

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

mgiles@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi everyone, my name is Mrs Giles and I am the PE Teacher & a Grade 3/4 Teacher on Fridays. I have worked at St Marys Primary for 14 years and have loved being part of such a great community. When I’m not at school l enjoy going away with my husband Steve, my two boys Lachlan and Darcy. I enjoy watching lots of different sports and the Melbourne Demons. I also spend my weekends watching my boys play footy. I like going for walks, cooking and camping with my family and friends.

Tamara Manski

WELLBEING

tmanski@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi, I am Tamara Manski and I started teaching at St Mary’s in a Specialist role in 2020. Now I am lucky enough to be teaching in the Middle area with an amazing group of students, LSO’s and teachers.

I enjoy trips to the beach, surf swims, long walks, reading and going to the theatre. I especially love a musical!

I live in the Macedon Ranges with my husband, daughter and two sons. We have a beautiful loyal border collie named Tilly and 4 alpacas who love the neighbours grass more than ours! I barrack for the Bulldogs but live in a household of Blues supporters so life is never dull at my house….especially during winter footy season!

Julie McCarthy

INTERVENTION

jmccarthy@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

Hi there, I am Mrs. McCarthy. I have worked at St Mary’s for 3 years. Firstly, I was a Casual Relief Teacher in 2023, then taught Performing Arts in 2024 and in 2025 I am lucky enough to be working with small groups of students throughout the school, and helping to introduce a new educational program called Getting Ready In Numeracy – GRIN. I feel lucky to have such wonderful staff and students to work with at St Mary’s.

You may have seen me around the town with my husband and 4 children at the local footy, netball, cricket, tennis or just walking or running with our two dogs Gracie the Kelpie and Pippa the Border Collie. We also have 4 chooks at home too.

I love being outdoors and doing things like walking the dogs and doing farm work with my family, swimming, going to the beach, running, gardening, watching movies and travelling in our caravan.

Elisha Iatrou

SPEECH THERAPIST

eiatrou@smlancefield.catholic.edu.au

My name is Elisha Iatrou (or Ms Elisha), I am a Speech Pathologist, and I have joined the team at St Mary’s this year. Language and communication are my passions; I love helping students to better understand their world and express themselves authentically. I have really enjoyed working with students individually and in groups this year to support them with their speech sounds and oral language. I live in Sunbury and I am married with 3 children and 3 (almost grown up) stepchildren. In my spare time you will find me listening to history podcasts, reading, playing Netball, walking my golden retriever and supporting my footy team – Go Hawks!