Board Welcome
The board would like to officially welcome you and your family to Hensman Street Elementary, and thank you for choosing us for what in many cases will be your child’s first experience in a school environment. Underpinned by STEAM learning subjects, we strive to create a dynamic yet age appropriate learning environment filled with fun and inspiration that will set your child on a path of lifelong learning.
Our board is made up of volunteers from a range of industries – most of whom joined because their children were attending Hensman Street, but all of whom are on the board because they share a passion for creating an exceptional early childhood learning environment.
We trust that you and your family enjoy your time at Hensman Street, and please don’t hesitate to get involved along the way wherever you can.
current Board Members
Tanya Steers
School Principal
John Clifton
Chair
Amanda Hunter
Vice Chair
Romy McGhee
Acting Secretary / General Member
Tanya Steers is an early childhood education specialist and advocate with extensive leadership experience across independent schooling, child-led education, inclusion, policy and family services. As Principal of Hensman Street Elementary, she brings expertise in educational leadership, operations, curriculum development, business development and community engagement. Tanya holds a Graduate Diploma of Education in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Genetics. She also serves as Chair of Early Childhood Australia’s WA State Committee and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
John Clifton has a career that spans 40 years in Government. In many roles he has been the lead on major corporate projects including agency mergers, replacement of enterprise systems, policy development, governance and statutory amendments.
Outside of his professional career John was on the Committee of Family Bushwalkers Club of WA for over 10 years and led many family bushwalks, outdoor activities and camps across the State.
For a time John was a board member of Moerlina School in 2008, where he assumed the role of Treasurer, as well as an active participant in school activities. He is currently an Independent Director of Hensman Street Elementary School and in 2026 rejoined Moerlina Board as an Independent Director. In 2026 John was also appointed to a Curtin University Advisory Board.
John is life member of the Bibbulmun Track foundation and a track and maintenance volunteer.
Amanda Hunter is a strategic leader with extensive experience in project delivery, business development and people‑centred leadership. Her background spans construction, entrepreneurship and coaching, giving her a unique ability to blend analytical thinking with strong relational capability. She brings a calm, collaborative and growth‑oriented approach to complex initiatives, contributing thoughtfully to the school’s continued evolution.
Romy brings over 20 years’ experience in leadership, governance and workforce development across clinical, operational and educational settings, including senior management roles within a university teaching hospital and as co-owner and director of a regional small business. As a qualified Trainer and Assessor and former university program developer and lecturer, she has experience in curriculum design, compliance and student development, alongside strong skills in strategic oversight, policy implementation and organisational management. As a parent in a neurodivergent family, she is deeply committed to inclusive, individualised education and strongly support Hensman Street Elementary’s holistic approach. She is motivated to serve on the board to contribute thoughtful governance, educational insight and advocacy in support of the school community.
Kate Thomas
General Board Member
Claire Whitton
General Board Member
Natalie Muirhead
Treasurer
Kate Thomas is an experienced primary educator, tertiary lecturer and Co-Director of EdTech Fusion, specialising in digital technologies and educational consulting. Having taught across all primary year levels in diverse school communities, she brings extensive experience in classroom teaching, inquiry and science education, curriculum development and instructional leadership. Her work is grounded in a strong commitment to educational equity, inclusion and ensuring every child can participate meaningfully in authentic, student-centred learning.
Kate is an Apple Learning Coach and Apple Professional Learning Specialist with expertise in digital pedagogy, responsible technology integration and professional learning for educators. She is also a strong advocate for embedding Aboriginal perspectives in education and currently supports pre-service teachers through tertiary teaching and professional experience supervision.
Dr Clare Whitton is a public health nutritionist and researcher with more than 10 years’ experience across academic and government settings in Australia, Singapore and the United Kingdom. She is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow within Edith Cowan University’s Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute, specialising in population health, dietary assessment, food environments and evidence-informed policy development and evaluation.
Clare holds a PhD in Public Health and a Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition. She is an active member of the Public Health Association of Australia and brings strong research, policy analysis and evaluation expertise to the Hensman Board.
Natalie Muirhead is a Chartered Accountant with more than 25 years’ experience across financial accounting, taxation, auditing, business services and insolvency. She has held senior accounting and business services roles across several professional firms and brings extensive financial management, reporting and compliance expertise to her role as Treasurer of the Hensman Board.
Natalie holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Curtin University and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.