Planning and Development Committee

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The Audit and Risk Management Committee is established by the University Council in accordance with section 17 of the University of Canberra Act 1989 (ACT) pursuant to resolution C197/12.

The Committee replaces the Campus Development Board and the Environment and Works Committee.

The Committee will monitor and advise the Council on matters relating to the planning and development of the University’s major property and infrastructure and will ensure the University’s activities are directed towards opportunities for growth and sustainable development that support the University’s Strategic Plan Connected A Decadal Strategy 2023-2032.

View Planning and Development Committee Charter (PDF)

View Standing Orders for Meetings of the University Council and its Committees (PDF)

View 2024 Governance Meeting Schedule for Council and its Committees (PDF)

Committee members

Mr Medy Hassan

Mr Medy Hassan OAM

Chair

Medy Hassan is deeply committed to contributing to the University of Canberra (UC) as a Council member due to the alignment of values and his dedication to making a positive impact. As an alumnus and Adjunct Professor at UC, Medy is a nationally recognized advocate for diversity, inclusion, and belonging. UC's core commitments to its place in Canberra and its goal of becoming the most accessible university in Australia resonate strongly with both his personal and professional values.

Medy Hassan OAM is the Founder of Haus Holdings, Co-founder of Vitae Capital, and Chairman of GenCap Wealth. His passion lies in leveraging commercial strategies to enhance financial, social, and environmental well-being. His companies are driven by a vision to "reimagine the paradigm" for both current and future ventures, with a specialization in social enterprise, equity, property, and venture markets.

Medy is a recognised expert in private equity, property, and the delivery of complex infrastructure projects. His work focuses on driving innovation, achieving global excellence, and fostering sustainable and environmentally beneficial outcomes. In his leadership roles, he oversees the overall operations of his companies, always striving to fulfil their strategic ambitions.

With 25 years of global and national experience working across all tiers of government, corporate institutions, and private investors, Medy has overseen investments and transactions totalling $3 billion.

In 2021, Medy was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. He is a member of the University of Canberra Council, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Building. Additionally, he serves as an Adjunct Professor at multiple universities in Australia. In 2024, Medy was honoured as the APAC CEO of the Year (Australia) in Social Enterprise and received the Global CEO Award for Best Social Enterprise & Investment CEO 2024 (Australia).

Ms Christine Williams

Member

Christine joined the University of Canberra Council because her eldest daughter was studying at the University of Canberra at the time. She wanted to use her environmental sustainability skills to reduce the carbon footprint of the campus and help guide its future development, including the retention and cultivation of native plant life.

Christine has skills in economics, data science, risk management, sustainability and cybersecurity. She is a Registered Climate Active Consultant (Organisations, Events and Precincts).

Christine is on the University of Canberra’s Planning and Development Committee and Audit and Risk Management Committee. She is also Chair of the Energy Safe Victoria Technical Advisory Committee, a director of St John Ambulance Australia Ltd, an Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) ACT Division Council member and Deputy Secretary of the Economics Society of Australia (ACT Division). She has completed the Australian Company Director’s Course with Order of Merit, Mastering the Boardroom, and the International Company Director’s Course. She has over thirty-five years of experience as a director.

Christine has worked in the finance industry, in the Tasmanian State Service to branch head level, and in the Australian Public Service (APS). She was a Senior Executive Service (SES) officer for 14 years in a variety of agencies and roles including Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Social Services. She is best known in the public service community for having founded the ABS Centre for Data Integration. She left the APS in May 2020 to undertake a series of private sector roles including two at C-suite level.

Christine currently works in cyberassurance for the Department of the Treasury.

Mr David Sturgiss

Chair, Finance Committee

David is an experienced non-executive director and chartered accountant working on boards and finance, audit and risk management committees in the higher education sector. He has been on the Council at the University of Canberra for 6 years and is Chair of the Finance Committee and the Investment Committee, as well as a member of the Planning and Development Committee.

During his career, David has held several non-executive director and committee roles in companies and institutions in the higher education and media sectors. This has ranged from startups, development companies, not-for-profit, industry bodies as well as commercial broadcasters. Prior to his work as a non-executive director, he had a 25-year senior executive career in the university and media sectors holding chief financial officer, general management and manager director roles.

Having worked as an executive in the higher education sector and knowing what a positive impact education can have on the functioning of the community, David has been keen to apply his financial and business skills to assist in the governing of the University of Canberra.

He is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, an Associate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Senior Member of the Finance and Treasury Association and has a BCom from UNSW.

Prof Lucy Johnston

Interim Vice-Chancellor and President

Professor Lucy Johnston is the current Interim Vice-Chancellor at the University of Canberra (UC). She was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Enterprise at UC in July 2022. In that role, she oversaw an extensive portfolio including Research Institutes and Centres, Research and Innovation Services, Enterprise Development and Partnerships, Graduate Research, Adjunct Engagement and Advancement.

Prior to joining UC, Professor Johnston was Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) at Murdoch University, Dean of Graduate Research at the University of Newcastle, and Dean of Postgraduate Research at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. In 2004, she was a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Connecticut.

Professor Johnston completed her BA (Hons) in Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford and her PhD in Social Psychology at the University of Bristol and is a qualified sport psychologist. She is an internationally recognised experimental social psychologist, whose research focuses on the non-verbal behaviour of individuals in social interactions. She has also undertaken research on various aspects of tertiary education.

Mr Jonathan Pheasant

Chief Operating Officer, ex officio

Jonathan Pheasant is the Chief Operating Officer, Vice-President Operations at the University of Canberra (UC). Jonathan has responsibility for the University’s core business services including Finance, Campus and Commercial Operations, Campus Development, People and Diversity (Human Resources), and Marketing.

Jonathan has worked in the higher education sector for the past 15 years having held senior professional staff roles at the ANU, UNSW Sydney and the University of Adelaide.

Jonathan joined UC in June 2023 from the ANU where he was the Director, Shared Services, responsible for the delivery of university-wide HR, finance, travel and facility-related services. From 2016 – 2021, Jonathan was the Faculty Executive Director, UNSW Health and Medicine. In UNSW Sydney’s largest faculty with multiple campus locations, hospital-based clinical schools and five rural clinical schools, Jonathan was responsible for the strategic and financial planning and operational management of all services supporting research and teaching.

Prior to joining the higher education sector, Jonathan held senior strategic planning and service delivery roles in a number of telecommunications and events organisations. Jonathan also served as an Officer in the Royal Australian Navy from 1993 – 1999.

Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Science and Graduate Diploma in Commerce from UNSW as well as a Masters of Business Administration from the Australian Graduate School of Management. Jonathan is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Contact us

For all enquiries, please contact the Council Secretariat.

University of Canberra
11 Kirinari Street
Bruce ACT 2617

Email us 02 6201 5961

Planning and Development Committee

Committee members

Mr Medy Hassan

Ms Christine Williams

Mr David Sturgiss

Prof Lucy Johnston

Mr Jonathan Pheasant

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