GOVERNANCE
Peter Thompson
Board President
Peter Thompson brings extensive business experience in tourism, manufacturing and fashion. He currently owns a men’s fashion business with operations in Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada, and his work regularly takes him to China where he has travelled extensively. Career highlights include receiving the NSW government’s highest achievement award for services to Tourism NSW and the establishment of the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse.
Peter is a former student of Huntingtower and has four children who are either students or past students. Family contact with Huntingtower goes back to the 1940s. He is the current president of the Huntingtower Old Students Association (HOSA) and has produced, directed and acted in many HOSA theatrical productions.
Christopher Backman
Board Member
Christopher studied at The University of Melbourne and obtained bachelor degrees in both Property & Construction (Construction Management) and Commerce (Finance). His passion for building led him to forge a career in construction management and development management. During Chris’ career as a construction professional, he has been involved in both the commercial and residential sectors, working on projects ranging from $0.5m through to $300m in value. He has project experience from both builder-side and developer/client-side perspectives, having been employed by large commercial construction companies, development management companies and also as a Director of his own company specialising in small to medium property developments and construction projects.
Outside of work, Chris loves spending time with his wife and three boys. He grew up attending Christian Science Sunday School and now takes his boys along as well. He has a love for all sports and his hobbies include cycling, running and supporting his footy team.
Chloë Beattie-Hood
Board Member
Chloë Beattie-Hood has a Master of Architecture equivalent, and experience working in educational and residential architecture in four states of Australia. She has a passion for Environmentally Sustainable Design, and for rich learning environments where the imagination is ignited in both work and play. Chloë now works as a Journal-listed Christian Science Practitioner. She delights in inclusive connections with others about well-being, peace, healing and inspiration.
Chloë was educated both publicly, and privately at Huntingtower; she lived on campus as a boarder in the 1990s; she later worked in the same Boarding House. She and her husband have two children who have attended both Huntingtower and public school. On top of her experience as a former Huntingtower student, parent, and staff member, she brings her architectural and Christian Science perspectives to her involvement in the school's Governance. Chloë also enjoys family bike rides, playing violin, learning French, and traveling extensively around the world.
Lynn Bruce
Board Member
Lynn’s background is in art and design. She trained at RMIT as a Textile Designer and more recently as a Graphic Designer creating brands, exhibitions and marketing material. Lynn has been moving into a caring role, currently training as a Christian Science nurse, and finding it very rewarding.
Lynn Bruce is a former student of Huntingtower whose daughter is now also attending. Lynn’s association with Huntingtower goes back two generations and she is always keen to see Huntingtower flourish especially in the arts, sustainability and wellbeing areas.
Amanda Dunsmore
Board Member
Amanda Dunsmore is the Senior Curator of International Decorative Arts and Antiquities at the National Gallery of Victoria. She was educated at Huntingtower before studying for her BA (Hons) and MA (Research) at Monash University.
Trained as an Egyptologist, she worked for 16 years on archaeological projects in Egypt where she specialised in ancient Egyptian ceramics.
Amanda now works in the field of European decorative arts and when she has the time, she is a keen gardener and cellist.
Amy Haynes
Board Member
Amy is the Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer of the HelloFresh Group in Australia and New Zealand. Amy grew up in Brisbane and was educated at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, the University of Queensland, Lund University and Harvard Business School.
Amy started her career as a business consultant at McKinsey in Melbourne, and worked for an early-stage startup in New York City before joining HelloFresh. She has worked for HelloFresh for nearly seven years, across operations, product development, strategy, marketing and analytics across three continents. While she has spent most of her career in business, Amy has had a long term interest in education, and as a university student, enjoyed teaching science, mathematics and engineering subjects to primary, high school and university students. She is the daughter of a former Huntingtower student. In her spare time, Amy enjoys traveling to new places, yoga and board games.
Nigel Hutchinson-Brooks
Hon. Treasurer
Nigel Hutchinson-Brooks was educated at Huntingtower’s sister school, Claremont Fan Court, and at Reading University. He held senior executive positions in the State Government and in the Transport, Banking, Property and Aviation industries.
Nigel served as a Councillor at the City of Waverley and as Councillor and Mayor of the South Gippsland Shire Council. He has run his own property consulting business since 1992. He joined the Huntingtower Board in 1987, serving as Chairman from 1999 – 2002. He has served as the Hon. Treasurer since 2003.
James Younger
Board Member
James Younger is a group executive with a background in Technology Programs, Financial Services and M&A Consulting. He was educated at Brisbane Boys' College and QUT. He has many years’ experience in leadership roles at a number of leading international organisations, leading teams across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, India, China, Philippines and the United States. Currently his focus is on digital strategy, supply chain process improvement and technology program delivery.
James has three children currently attending Huntingtower and he is married to Gabriel, an ex-school captain. His parents-in-law are also retired teachers from the school, so Huntingtower runs in the family. James has been a boarding house parent and has served on the HOSA committee. Outside of Huntingtower and work, James plays basketball and drums.
Andrew Houghton
School Principal
MIL, Bed, DipT, MACE, AFIML, MACEL
Andrew Houghton has over 20 years’ experience in school leadership, including international consulting and the establishment of new schools. Prior to his appointment as Principal of Huntingtower, Andrew was a Principal Advisor, School Improvement for Independent Schools Victoria (ISV) providing support and advice in the area of compliance, leadership, student and staff wellbeing initiatives, ICT, as well as strategic planning.
One of his most challenging, yet very rewarding career opportunities was the establishment of a new Independent School in Melbourne, leading all aspects of the school’s establishment, and seeing it grow from a concept to a thriving learning community. Andrew has also been the Principal of a newly established Islamic College in Melbourne. He currently sits on an International School Board and local Higher Education Board. Andrew has a passion for building vibrant learning cultures through engaging with the students, staff and parents.
