Our Board and Staff

Mr Chris Fydler is Chief Executive Officer of technology solutions provider Tambla, having previously headed the Microsoft Gold-partnered Oriel Technologies. A former competitive swimmer, Mr Fydler represented Australia at three consecutive Olympic Games, three World Championships and three Commonwealth Games. For his efforts he was awarded Medal of the Order of Australia in 2001 and was Deputy Chef de Mission for the Australian Olympic Team in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. Mr Fydler is a board member of Swimming Australia, and has four daughters who have graduated from Pymble Ladies’ College.

A parent of two Pymble graduates, Mrs Melinda Graham is Deputy Chair of the Board. She is a partner at corporate law firm Thomson Geer and has been admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales and Queensland. She has been recommended by her colleagues for inclusion in Doyle’s Guide and Best Lawyers Australia and was recognised by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific (2017 to 2019). She is a member of the Property Council of Australia, Corenet Global, and associate member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Australasia).

Eve Clark has most recently been an Executive Director, Real Estate Asset Management for Goldman Sachs. Prior to that, she was a Senior Development Manager for AMP Capital for significant real estate developments with national oversight in design direction to ensure design excellence and commercial performance. Eve sits on the Property Council of Australia’s national Development Academy Committee and has held numerous committee positions for the Property Council of Australia and the British Council for Offices in the UK. Prior to her career in property development, Eve was a registered Architect working on globally significant projects at firms in both Australia and in London. Eve holds a Bachelor of Architecture (1st Class Honors) and a Bachelor of Science (Arch), both from the University of Sydney. Eve is an ex-student of Pymble (1997) and is a mother to two children.

Lee Goddard was appointed as a Director on the Pymble board in October 2023 and serves on the Asset Management Committee.

Lee is an Executive Leader who continues to serve as a Royal Australian Navy active reserve officer (rank Rear Admiral) following 34 years full time service until January 2021. He recently completed the Chief of Defence Force Inclusive Leadership Review.

He is married to Alexandra who is a Pymble graduate, and they have three children: Dom, Asha and Mathilde, with both his daughters currently at Pymble Ladies’ College.

Lee is the Executive Director of the Australian Missile Corporation, as well as a Non-Executive Director of AUSTAL and the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, an Advisor to the Minderoo Foundation and OCIUS Technologies, and the Chairman (Race Director) of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Prior to assuming his current industry roles, he was dual appointed as Commander, Maritime Border Command and Operation Sovereign Borders, responsible for the law enforcement and operational oversight of Australia’s maritime economic and security zones; covering more than 10% of the earths’ surface across the Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans, Antarctic Territory and Australia’s northern maritime approaches. This was preceded by a two-year secondment into the Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet.

On promotion to Commodore in late 2014, Lee assumed the role of Commander Surface Fleet, commanding 18 major warships and over 3,500 personnel. He has Commanded warships and joint-agency Taskforce’s at every senior Navy rank from Commander to Rear Admiral.

He has numerous post graduate qualifications and has contributed to a range of professional and academic journals focused on leadership, national security and international affairs.

Rev Dr Chris Goringe is the Minister at Roseville Uniting Church. Having obtained his doctorate in Quantum Chemistry from Oxford University he worked as part of the UK Supercomputing Grand Challenge Project from where he moved to a research position at the University of Sydney. He left academia to work for ten years in the IT industry, specialising in telecommunications IT strategy before returning to university to study Theology. He was ordained in the Uniting Church in 2011.

Dr Kate Highfield has been on the Pymble board since 2018. She is a researcher and academic, recognised as a leader in research translation. Dr Highfield’s PhD explored robotics in the early years, examining opportunities for problem-solving. Her current research explores effective technology use in teacher education, adult learning and documentation of learning. She has extensive work in ‘healthy’ technology use and in how smart devices impact engagement, learning and teaching in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).

Ms Koo is a Founding Partner and Head of People and Culture at Barrenjoey Capital Partners. She has extensive experience in the areas of people and culture, strategy and finance, having worked at global firms such as Barclays Bank, Morgan Stanley, The Boston Consulting Group and Macquarie Bank. She has an MBA from the AGSM, where she was an AGSM and Chief Executive Women’s Scholar, and was awarded an exchange to The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney.

Ms Koo is an ex-student of Pymble (1991) and was the President of Pymble’s Ex-Student Union for 3 years. She worked in Hong Kong for 11 years and speaks conversational Cantonese Chinese. She has a daughter (Pymble, 2022) and son, both studying at university.

Mrs Kristen Wydell has been on the Pymble Board since 2018 and is the Chair of the Audit, Risk and Finance Committee. Mrs Wydell is a Fellow member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ). She is currently the General Manager Professional Standards at CA ANZ. Mrs Wydell previously held senior roles at Deloitte and EY and was a member of the Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board.

I was blessed to grow up on a property between Goondiwindi and St George in rural Queensland where I learned so many important life skills that have remained with me to this day and assist me in my role of Principal of Pymble Ladies’ College.

My first job after leaving university was teaching a combined kindergarten to year three class, and since then I have held various teaching and leadership roles from kindergarten to year 12, including boarding, at schools in most states across the nation.

I have also worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the Child Health Promotion Research Centre and Senior Lecturer at Edith Cowan University where I remain an Adjunct Research Fellow.

I truly love being part of the development of a young person’s life and supporting their journey, knowing that, in some small way, you have helped mould who they will become.

At Pymble, we encourage and teach our girls ways to look after their health and wellbeing. If you want students – and staff – to show up as their best selves each day, you need to practise that same self-care.

For me, that involves spending quality time with my beautiful family, which includes my parents and two sisters, my husband Matt, our five children, their partners and our two dogs. I also try to run five kilometres each day, partake in Pilates and exercises classes and consume a mental diet of inspiring books and podcasts.

Our College values of care, courage, integrity, respect and responsibility are embedded in our community, and I see firsthand our staff, students and families demonstrating them in action each and every day, even when no one is looking.

Pymble creates a safe, challenging and empowering environment for girls to have a go, try new subjects and sports, assume leadership roles and find their voices. It is incredibly rewarding to watch our students discover strengths and skills they didn’t know they possessed and develop a growing awareness that they can do anything they put their minds to.

We want our students to be courageous deep thinkers and adept users of technology, and we want them to celebrate diversity in all its forms and to be caring and respectful. We believe these attributes will equip Pymble girls to change the world in a positive and meaningful way.

I am so proud to be the leader of such a special team. Our staff members are hard-working, talented, can share a good laugh and are deeply caring. I love the way they care for our students and each other, and I learn from them every day.

For someone who is thinking of joining Pymble, what are you waiting for? Come exactly as you are and meet our family. Each member brings a different skillset and story, and we can’t wait to hear yours.

After spending my younger years in Lebanon and France, my family and I migrated to Sydney in 1988. My mother and maternal aunts are all teachers, and growing up I was, and still am, inspired by the great work that they do with and for young people.

Outside of Pymble, you will either find me walking, doing Pilates or spending time with my beautiful nieces and nephew, however I’m a firm believer in creating a harmony between work and family life and keeping both sides aware and informed about the demands on my time.

As Deputy Principal, I’m truly privileged to work in a role with such a great level of responsibility alongside a team of like-minded, dedicated colleagues who all play their part in delivering the highest quality education and guidance to every one of our 2,000+ students.

It’s so rewarding coming to work each day and having the opportunity to help empower our young women to feel confident to face challenges and solve them with agility. The joy of watching our students celebrate their achievements and watching them grow into caring, compassionate citizens is second to none.

Pymble is a school that gives staff and students alike a space in which they can thrive and grow. The College declaration ‘Watch Us Change the World’ encourages students to be bold, courageous and explore their passion, whatever that may be, and the suite of learning offerings at Pymble both in and out of the classroom play a big role in facilitating that.

For aspiring teachers and staff members: if you want to grow professionally, be a valued member of a community, work in a caring and exciting environment and help guide a cohort of intelligent, curious young women who are thirsty for a holistic education, Pymble is most certainly the place for you.

I grew up in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney and have always loved spending time outdoors kayaking and running. Throughout my career I have had the privilege to teach across several subject areas and have professional experience in the IT sector, which probably explains my passion for information technology and data science.   

My colleagues would describe me as calm, adventurous and dependable; traits that I find are quite helpful in my role as Deputy Principal helping lead over 2,000 energetic, talented young ladies.

As the leader responsible for all aspects of Pymble’s academic curriculum, I spend time working with teachers across all subject areas to ensure we are delivering an exceptional education experience for our girls. 

The greatest joy in my role comes from helping teachers make a difference, lighting their fire in taking on new challenges and providing coaching for professional growth. What I love most about working with my Pymble colleagues is the passion and expertise that we all share. It is a pleasure to work with such an incredible group of educators. 

Pymble is a big school and its size and scale provide many opportunities. For our staff, it provides an incredible amount of career opportunities (both roles and professional learning).  For students, they have the world at their feet. From academic subjects through to co-curricular, everything they could ever imagine, plus more, is available to them. 

The advice I would give to someone thinking of joining Pymble is do not hesitate; jump in and become part of the family. You will be challenged, you will grow and you will be surrounded by like-minded professionals who are committed to excellence. 

As the Deputy Principal Academic (K-12), I lead the Academic Pillar and a passionate and innovative teaching and learning team. I work closely with curriculum leaders across the College to provide authentic and engaging learning experiences that assist Pymble students to become women of influence and compassion in the world.

I enjoyed an idyllic childhood, growing up with easy access to both the beach and the bush near Wollongong before moving to Sydney to attend university after completing my HSC. My love of reading and literature drew me to the University of Sydney where I completed a Bachelor of Arts degree with an Honours year in English. I then commenced teaching English and History in schools in Sydney’s Inner West, whilst also pursuing opportunities in government training and strategic planning.

As Head of English at Meriden School in Strathfield, I led a collegial, dynamic and creative Department, fostering student analytical and imaginative writing in fun and engaging ways. Students learned from writers in residence, author visits and poetry competitions which complemented rigorous teaching programs. I worked with my team to renew the texts studied, retaining some of the classics and including rich and diverse contemporary texts.

My focus broadened when I became the Head of Teaching and Learning. Excited by the oversight of all learning areas and motivated by the pursuit of excellence, I completed a Master of Instructional Leadership through the University of Melbourne. My research into identifying and reporting student progress shaped the nature and timeliness of feedback to parents and students at my school. Studying through the University of Melbourne also deepened my understanding of the various ways the Australian Curriculum is implemented and widened my network of educational colleagues.

Through my association with schools in Toronto, Canada, I enjoyed further opportunities to understand the global issues in education. Interested by the emergence of learning commons, I visited schools and universities to understand different approaches to the challenges of 21st century education. I value these connections highly and believe that much can be gained by sharing with colleagues.

My husband, Peter, and I enjoy spending time with our three adult children and travelling in Australia and overseas. I am delighted to belong to the Pymble family and look forward to meeting you soon at one of the College events.

I grew up in the south of England and spent a lot of my younger years moving around the country due to my father’s job. I started my career as a family and criminal lawyer and continued in this profession after moving to Sydney in 1999.

It was not until my eldest daughter commenced kindergarten that I decided to retrain to become a teacher, much to the delight of my family who joked that I ‘saw the light’ as I come from a long line of educators. In fact, I’m the fourth generation of Heads of Junior School on my mother’s side of the family!

I chose teaching as I was seeking more joy in my everyday life and wanted a career that would give me more opportunities to be creative and a greater sense of optimism – things I’ve certainly found here at Pymble.

The greatest joy in my role no doubt comes from the girls. I am constantly inspired by their curiosity and their passion for learning, their joy of connecting with one another and their hope and desire to have a positive impact on the world. The future is in very safe hands with these amazing young women.

Pymble is a dynamic community where you can dream big knowing that you will be supported in pursuing those dreams. Girls and staff alike are empowered to celebrate themselves, to explore and develop personal strengths and then use those strengths to change the world for the better.

After spending my younger years in a small town named Abergavenny in South Wales, I crossed the border into England to attend university where I studied to become a qualified chartered accountant. I secured a job at Ernst & Young straight out of university and worked there for five years before an opportunity arose within the company to relocate to Sydney in 1983.

The blue, sunny skies and the world-famous beaches were too hard to resist, so I jumped at the opportunity and made the move. It turned out to be a worthwhile decision as I continued working at Ernst & Young for almost 39 years before joining Pymble as Chief Financial Officer in 2018.

My time at Pymble has no doubt featured some of the best years of my professional career. Our girls are absolutely extraordinary and it’s a pleasure to work alongside my fellow colleagues who are 100 per cent committed to the development and success of not only the students but the College itself.

The depth and breadth of opportunities provided to both students and staff at Pymble are second to none, with equally outstanding support systems in place to help us seize these opportunities and achieve more than we could have ever imagined.

I was given this advice on my first day at the College and it’s the same advice I would give to anyone thinking about joining Pymble, whether that be as a student or staff member: grab the opportunity with both hands and the possibilities are endless.

I am originally from Central Queensland and more recently have lived in Bathurst in regional New South Wales and in Darwin in the Northern Territory. I have spent the past 30 years working in universities, where I started my career as an executive assistant, and after many years in different and ever more senior roles I ultimately had the privilege of being appointed as a deputy vice-chancellor and vice president responsible for a range of services which supported the corporate functions of the university and the student journey.   

In my role as Chief Operating Officer, I am responsible for professional services at the College, and I am very fortunate to manage great teams in Facilities Management, College Services, Master Planning, Project Management and Risk and Compliance. Our team is highly skilled, solutions-focussed and committed to providing an excellent service to our staff, students and the community.

Many people ask me about the differences between working at a university and a school like Pymble. Whilst the obvious answer is that our students are children, where at a university they are mostly adults, there are undoubtedly more similarities than differences. Pymble has excellent learning and teaching classrooms and facilities, state-of-the-art technology, amazing specialist co-curricular and sports spaces and beautiful, serene grounds.  

As a mum to two young women, there is nothing more important to me than the education of girls and for them to know their power and ability to do anything they dream of in life. I am a staunch advocate for gender equity and inclusion, and I love working at a school like Pymble that is committed to educating girls and young women and empowering them to change the world.

Pymble is a beautiful place to work. Not only does it look beautiful in terms of its grounds and facilities, but it is the people who make it beautiful. They are caring, friendly, welcoming and committed, which makes for a fabulous workplace.

I was born in Melbourne and grew up both there and in Sydney, however I have Swiss/German and Irish/English roots from several generations back. My career began as a secondary teacher in the Catholic system, but after a few years I moved into learning and development in corporate and professional services.

As Chief People and Culture Officer at Pymble, my role is about partnering with the leadership group to help nurture an authentic and caring workplace culture for all our staff. I also assist in finding great new employees and coming up with ways to help staff members flourish throughout their careers and embrace ways to maintain their health and wellbeing.

The staff at Pymble are amazingly passionate, energetic, innovative, humble and caring education professionals. It’s an absolute pleasure to work with such a highly collaborative and fun group of people who are always striving to deliver their best to our girls.

While my role is centred around staff, I am also a feminist and believe strongly in girls’ education, actively supporting gender equity and providing young women every opportunity to flourish and reach their potential as individuals, both in the community and globally.

Pymble is big, beautiful, caring and a truly amazing place to work and learn. Our size and scale mean we have significant career opportunities, resources and variety in the work we do, and is a place where you can help change the world for our women of the future.

I grew up in Sydney and became a teacher at the age of 22 after graduating from university. After nine years of teaching, I founded a company that just so happened to work closely with schools, before selling it after 15 years and once again becoming a teacher.

Outside of the classroom – a place I’ve worked in or been closely involved with since I was four – I enjoy relaxing, listening to podcasts and spending time with my beautiful family. I’m not the greatest at exercising but I have a constant stream of energy, which must burn a few calories, right?

My role as Director of Innovative Learning Technologies involves developing, overseeing and maintaining all the technology at Pymble Ladies’ College. It’s a given that, at times, technology will let us down, but our staff are gracious and appreciative of the work my team does, both in the good times and the bad.

Pymble is an amazing place to learn and grow for students and staff alike. There are no barriers for our young women, no cultural limitations of what is possible and the support you receive for who you are and want to become is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. A great example of this is that we boast the largest all-female robotics team in the world.

At Pymble, there is a place and opportunity for everyone, no matter your interests. Students and staff work together to create and scale excellence, and we have the resources to make dreams come true.

While my family has Scottish heritage, I was born and have lived in Sydney my entire life. I have always been involved in the performing arts and have a special place in my heart for dance, theatre and music. My first career was as a social educator for adults with intellectual disabilities; a role within a very important group where I learned an incredible amount that has stuck with me to this day.

After a few years working in disability services, I decided to become a high school English and History teacher due to my desire to work with young people, and because my own teachers had inspired me so significantly when I was in school.

My role as Director of the Pymble Institute sees me connect with students and staff of the College to work on research projects, and to work with research. The Pymble Institute is the research hub of the College and its our mission to drive thinking further for the benefit of girls and women. I love putting my academic studies to use in such a dynamic and creative way and focusing on questions that can bring improvements in our learning community.

Working in education – especially at Pymble – means you are very close to touching the future and I am committed to hopeful futures for my students and colleagues. This is an important time in history and girls and young women are shaping it in ways that will lead the world in a new direction and I’m proud to be an educator who is part of this change-making school.

I’m also committed to leading projects in the College’s Social Intelligence Strategic Pillar. With a couple of thousand inspirational girls and young women and over 500 devoted staff members at Pymble, no project or idea is too quirky, too big or too complex to explore. The number of people within the College brings incredible diversity and creates the chance to make a lot of fantastic friends.

My dad was born in Australia and my mum grew up in England and Northern Ireland, however I grew up in Sydney’s western suburbs. I always wanted to be a teacher from my earliest school days, and when I reached high school and started learning languages, I knew it was the job for me.

Alongside my passion for teaching, I love taking walks along the coast, reading books and cooking meals for family and friends. I also enjoy walking my dog, playing tennis and listening to music. You could say I live and breathe the simple life.

I have been in my current position of Director of Staff at Pymble for five years. Prior to that, I was the Director of Studies, a role I held for 16 years.

Pymble Ladies’ College is an incredible place to work. My role involves a lot of interaction with staff from every department and corner of the school, and it’s so wonderful to see the depth of knowledge, professionalism and desire to make a difference to the students’ lives shown by every single one of my colleagues.

Pymble girls are so talented, intelligent and aspirational, each in their own ways, and it’s fantastic how eager they are to seize the incredible opportunities afforded to them at this great school.

One of the best things about the College is that students and staff are able, and encouraged, to make a difference, no matter how small. You will work hard, but the rewards and self-satisfaction will always be a testament of your efforts.

Growing up in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, I have fond memories of spending time at the beach, listening to music and playing as many sports as humanly possible.

My professional career began as a Geography and Business Studies teacher working in several independent boys’ schools for more than 15 years before my passion for sport lured me in a new direction. I moved from Assistant Deputy Headmaster at Waverley College to Education Manager at Rugby Australia. From there, I was fortunate to work for iconic state sporting associations Athletics NSW and Surf Life Saving Australia as CEO and General Manager, respectively.

In 2020, I returned to my schooling roots when I was appointed Director of Sport at Pymble. This role allowed me to combine my passion for sport with my experience in education, which has been incredibly rewarding on many levels. Now as Executive Director of Co-curricular, I am responsible for leading the broad spectrum of co-curricular programs for students within Performing Arts, Sports and Extended Learning.

What makes Pymble special is the breadth and diversity of opportunities on offer for both students and staff. We understand that everyone has different needs, abilities and aspirations, and we strive to cater for every individual. As for the workplace environment, Pymble is big and vibrant with staff who are talented, dedicated and, above all, caring. It’s a great place to work and an honour to be part of such a dynamic, successful team.

I have been a teacher for all of my adult life and could not imagine doing anything else. I believe passionately in the transformative power of education to make the world a better place.

I started my career at a large state school in the south west of England and have since have worked in international education and at two leading independent schools in the UK. In all my roles, my joy has come through working with the students to help them better understand themselves as learners and as people. More recently, I have taken great joy in understanding teacher and adult education, and how wide the impact can be when all members of a community grow and learn.

I am excited to be joining Pymble; the opportunity to work alongside such wonderful staff, to educate such ambitious, perceptive girls and the chance to be part of a community whose values align so closely with my own is one that I feel truly honoured to take up.

I grew up in the UK in a teaching family and attended boarding school for my last few years of school. Seeking new opportunities, I made the move to Australia for university and whilst studying, I also worked part-time at The King’s School in boarding, coaching sport and tutoring. After graduating I was fortunate to be offered a role teaching biology, and later led The Future Project through which students collaborated with scientific researchers in the school’s own PC2 laboratory.

Post King’s I have been fortunate to work at MLC Burwood, Kinross Wolaroi School in regional NSW and most recently Pymble. I have enjoyed my different leadership opportunities at each school, working in pastoral care, academia, outdoor education and collaborating with local businesses for place-based learning opportunities whilst in Orange. I too have furthered my interest in leadership through a Masters of Organisational Learning at Monash University.

I firmly believe that education is the key to progress, understanding and ultimately improved connection, and I enjoy environments that foster a culture of curiosity. I have loved Pymble’s desire to change the world through the empowerment of young women and feel very privileged to play my part.

Whether it be encouraging our girls, and their families, to build stronger connection to self, others, and the natural world through our Residential Program, offering global student exchange or bringing in a plethora of amazing guest speakers, each day I feel inspired by my colleagues and our environment.

Just like our remarkable girls, Pymble is always considering ways to improve to be at our very best, and that makes it a rewarding place to work, live and learn.

I am a person of faith, a passionate teacher and a budding theological researcher. Ordained in the Baptist Church in 2006, I bring over 20 years of pastoral experience to Pymble. My teaching background includes 15 years at the tertiary level, specialising in the New Testament.

Over the years, I have taught at Morling College, Whitley College and Ridely College, and I was also responsible for the gap-year program Plunge. Currently, I am in the final stage of my PhD research on the Gospel of John.

I grew up in north-western Sydney where my days were spent covered in clay in my mum’s pottery studio, reading all the books that I could and building cubby houses with my brother and the neighbourhood kids. In my early teenage years, my family moved to Newcastle where we lived next to the beach. My early career was spent in administration in the public health system, before discerning a call to ordination in the Uniting Church shortly after the birth of my third child.

During my ministry I have had the enormous pleasure of working with many wonderful people across a variety of intergenerational, cross-cultural, progressive, justice oriented and affirming communities, as well as more traditional church settings.

I am passionate about leading and facilitating creative worship experiences that help people of all ages and backgrounds grow in spiritual understanding. It is my hope that this experience will help them connect to one another and God, for the good of all. My diverse ministry experiences have given me a deep privilege of being a part of community through both the good times and the more difficult ones.

Pymble’s diverse community and many opportunities to be part of bringing equality and justice into the world make it an exciting place to be in ministry.