Our Staff

Healing and Hope Project Manager

Tanya Bishop (nee Hegarty) A'79 

(in her own words)

I've had an interesting personal and professional relationship with Geelong Grammar School over the decades since my family moved to Ocean Grove and I started at The Hermitage in 1974.

My commitment to Healing and Hope and my role in it, is, in a way, the culmination of all my experiences - the good and the bad, as a child and an adult. The insight I bring to the initiative is not that of a survivor or a caregiver, or a witness - I really only learned the truth of the suffering via the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2015 which resulted in my successful application to join the Geelong Grammar School Recognition Committee. My unique perspective is as a Hermitage girl who loved her school (Highton campus), was thrown completely by amalgamation, and ended up for Years 11 and 12 at Corio where I floundered academically and struggled personally.

In late 1997 I successfully applied for the role of Director of Alumni Relations at Geelong Grammar School where I worked for three years with many wonderful past students and their families across Australia and globally. I organised communications, events, reunions - connecting with Old Geelong Grammarians from all walks of life. The role included that of Secretary to the Old Geelong Grammarians Association which was a wonderful introduction to the dedication of volunteer committees.

My time as a member of the GGS Recognition Committee (2016-2022) was an honour and a privilege - hearing personally from brave survivors who shared their trauma with us and learning how the abuse was compounded over the years by the adversarial nature of the GGS response. Being a member of a committee that played a part in the transformation of GGS from an institution that ".... valued the reputation of the school over the welfare of the students," - David Lloyd, counsel assisting the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, to a School with an inspirational principal in Rebecca Cody who is a courageous and dedicated proponent of a fair and humane response, is a gift. I am so grateful to be contributing to GGS as a better place where child safety and empowerment are now the priority and where the past is not swept under the rug but is managed sympathetically, openly and with compassion.

I learned so much from my years on the Recognition Committee and took on the role of Chair for 2021, stepping down in February 2022 to take up the position of Project Manager for Healing and Hope.

tanya.bishop@healingandhope.org.au

Healing and Hope Relationship Manager

Kate Parsons

Kate has a long association with GGS commencing in 1988 as a 24 year old "matron" at the Highton campus. She trained as a Registered Nurse in London and has worked in the UK, Singapore, Sweden, Zimbabwe, Thailand and Hong Kong. Having been a junior boarder herself and with a natural affinity with children, she loved her years at the Highton campus.

After three years at Highton Kate went to Timbertop where she worked on and off over 30 years until 2020 during which time she also raised a family and had many lengthy adventures. Kate also nursed at Kennedy Medical Centre and most recently, during the pandemic at Bostock House.

In 2015 Kate was involved in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Childhood Sexual Abuse as a witness. She attended every day both in Melbourne and Sydney.

Kate has an enormous capacity for friendship and inclusiveness, possibly as a result of a peripatetic childhood where she attended 16 schools in six countries! She was the obvious choice for the inaugural role to provide practical and meaningful help to survivors and their families within the auspices of Healing and Hope. Her dedication to the children and their families who have suffered is paramount - Kate is totally committed to making a positive difference to their lives. She is solution focused and with the support of the small Healing and Hope team, will do all she can to achieve the best outcome for those in need.

A past member of the GGS Recognition Committee, Kate is on the board of United World College Australia with a special responsibility as their Safeguarding Lead.

kate.parsons@healingandhope.org.au