Governance

Chris Taylor – Board Chair – Parent 
Chris has been a parent member of the Board since January 2020 and was appointed as Board Chair in April 2022. Chris is the Managing Director for Worley in Western Australia and the Northern Territory and brings extensive international management and board experience from roles in Australia, the United States, Canada, South Africa, and the Middle East. He is also involved at a governance level in multiple volunteer organizations in the educational/non-profit sector. 

Julia Burns – Vice Chair – Community 
Julia joined the ISWA Board as a community member in November 2019. As well as being Vice Chair, Julia is chair of the Governance Committee. Julia serves as the Executive Director of South Metropolitan TAFE and is a board member of the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation. Julia has a strong background in commercial business management, organisational development, strategic business improvement, and change management. Julia was a member of the Board of Directors of the Beehive Montessori school in Mosman Park for 15 years. 

Brendan Ryan – Facilities and Finance Committee – Parent 
Brendan was appointed as a parent member in May 2024 and is a valued member of the Facilities and Finance Committee. With over 25 years of senior executive experience in the natural resources sector, he has a deep and broad understanding of the mining industry value chain. Brendan’s unique blend of operations, technical, and commercial expertise has led to a strong track record of successful project delivery. He is focused on long-term career growth within the sector, seeking opportunities that challenge and leverage his skills in commercial strategy, negotiation, and operations. Brendan is a dedicated parent with one child attending ISWA. 

Christian Cuske – Facilities and Finance Committee – Parent 
Christian joined the ISWA Board in February 2025. He is a passionate advocate for the transformative power of technology, with a background that includes a degree in Information Technology and a PhD in Semantic Web and AI. As Chief Strategy Officer at Zilliant, he plays a key role in driving strategic planning and execution, particularly in pricing and revenue optimization. Previously, Christian founded and successfully led his tech start-up, In Mind Cloud, through its acquisition by Zilliant. With extensive experience working with international tech companies and leaders, he brings valuable global insights to the Facilities and Finance Committee. Christian is also a dedicated parent with a strong commitment to fostering innovation and strategic growth at ISWA. 

David Jennings – Chair of the Governance Committee – Parent 
David joined the ISWA Board in February 2022 as a parent member and currently serves as the Chair of the Governance Committee. He is the General Manager at a leading aged care facility in West Perth, where he works closely with residents, families, and staff to provide holistic, person-centred care. David also represents the clinical governance committee, overseeing risks, change management, innovation, and accreditation. A Registered Nurse with nearly 10 years of experience, David recently completed his Master of Business Administration. He has two children attending ISWA and is committed to fostering strong governance practices within the school community. 

Sam Cowley – Secretary – Governance Committee – Community 
Sam joined the ISWA Board as a Community Board member in August 2024 and currently serves as the Secretary. He is also a member of the Governance Committee. Sam is the Commercial Director for Schrole, a leading provider of HR and recruitment services to over 400 international schools worldwide. With a passion for international education and extensive marketing expertise, Sam brings valuable insights to the Board. A customer-focused people leader, he has experience across multiple industries in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Sam believes that the best employers attract and retain top talent by empowering individuals to focus on what fuels their passion while automating tasks that don’t. 

Wes Johnson – Treasurer – Parent 
Wes joined the ISWA Board in July 2024 as a parent member and was recently appointed Treasurer. He is the General Manager for Strategy, Planning & Commercial at Chevron Australia, bringing over two decades of experience in business development, commercial strategy, and asset management. With a global career spanning leadership roles in Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Cyprus, Israel, and the United States, Wes has a wealth of experience in upstream operations, joint ventures, and major capital projects. Prior to joining Chevron in 2020, Wes served as General Manager for Gas Marketing and Commercial at Chevron Mediterranean Limited in Israel. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and MBA/Master’s of International Relations degrees from Yale University. Wes is dedicated to applying his strategic, financial, and commercial expertise to support ISWA’s continued growth and success.