FOR Brisbane Catholic Education’s (BCE) newly appointed executive director Pam Betts, her new role “is a great opportunity to give something back to a wonderful education system”.
Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane announced Ms Betts’ appointment on July 23, and she will succeed BCE’s executive director of 14 years, David Hutton, on February 1 next year.
Ms Betts, described her appointment to lead the system which has 134 schools, employs 10,000 staff and caters to about 68,000 students, as “humbling”.
“I remain grateful for the many opportunities which have prepared me for this very senior leadership role during the past 30 years I have worked in Catholic education,” she said.
“I look forward with a great sense of anticipation to continuing and sharing this journey with our Brisbane Catholic Education community.”
Ms Betts also paid tribute to the Josephite and Presentation sisters who educated her throughout primary and secondary school.
“I will never underestimate the impact of Catholic schooling,” she said.
“For example the Josephite Sisters at Our Lady’s (Our Lady’s College, Annerley) helped us to believe in ourselves.
“We were taught if we worked hard enough, we could actually achieve anything we set out to.”
Since July 2010, Ms Betts has been the administrative services director at BCE and a member of the leadership team at the BCE office.
From 2004 to 2010, she worked with Ed-mund Rice Education Australia and immediately before returning to BCE in 2010 she was EREA regional administrator in Queensland.
In addition to her Bachelor of Science and Diploma in Education, Ms Betts holds a Diploma in Theology and a Masters in Educational Leadership.
The appointment was made after a national advertising of the position and a panel process involving nine senior Church and educational leaders.
Archbishop Coleridge, announcing Ms Betts’ appointment, said he looked forward “to working with her closely in her vital role in advancing the mission of the Church in the archdiocese”.
“I would also like to express my gratitude to Mr David Hutton for his splendid contribution as executive director of Catholic Education for the past fourteen years,” he said.
“I look forward to joining the archdiocesan community in farewelling David from his role later this year.”
An archdiocesan spokesperson said Ms Betts’ credentials as an educator and leader were formidable.
“(She has) a curriculum vitae showing an accomplished progression from teacher, middle manager and administrator to various director or assistant-director roles within key Brisbane and Queensland Catholic Education bodies,” the spokesperson said.
“Many organisations will delight in the appointment of Ms Betts, but in particular school communities where she previously taught such as St Mary’s College, Ipswich; Our Lady’s College, Annerley; St Peter Claver College, River-view; and All Hallows’ School where she was Head of Senior School.”
Archdiocesan Vicar General Fr Peter Meneely said he was “delighted” by the news.
“There’s no doubt that our education apostolate is one of the most important works of the Church and I am certain that Pam Betts will be an excellent leader, building upon the exceptional leadership of David Hutton,” he said.
“I look forward to working closely with Pam and the other directors of education in this most essential ministry of the Church.”
Mr Hutton said, as a long-term colleague, “Pam had shown a firm commitment to the mission of the Church”.
“She has extensive experience as an educational leader at school, diocesan, religious institute and QCEC (Queensland Catholic Education Com-mission) levels.
“Pam is highly respected within Catholic education in Queensland and indeed nationally, and has made an enormous contribution above and beyond her normal work responsibilities.”
Ms Betts said she would take on her new role at a time when the archdiocese’s education sector was in a “very strong position as indicated by increasing enrolments”.
She said Brisbane archdiocese had also “been blessed” with spiritual leaders who have enthusiastically supported education over the years.
“We now have the recent appointment of Archbishop Coleridge who is so clearly committed to Catholic Education, and discerning the best way it can serve the archdiocese and community in general,” she said.
Ms Betts said sustainability would be a key focus when she becomes BCE executive director next year.
“Our big challenge is for Catholic schools to maintain affordability,” she said.
