Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) welcomes new Chair Ms Andrea Obeyesekere

CSPA Acting Chair, Siobhan Allen, was delighted to welcome Ms Andrea Obeyesekere as the new CSPA chair during last weekend’s CSPA - Annual General Meeting in Brisbane.

“This is CSPA’s tenth year, and Andrea will bring a refreshing new skill set to our national parent body,” Ms Allen said, “Andrea has strong links with Catholic education with two of her three children currently in Catholic schools in North Queensland”.

Andrea is an accomplished and passionate professional with over 18 years of experience working with students and families from diverse backgrounds in both regional and remote areas of Queensland and the United Kingdom.

She is well respected for her work in the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) sector and is an experienced chair of the Far North Queensland (FNQ) CALD Community Leaders’ Network, chair of the FNQ Refugee Health Network and the CALD Lead for the Cairns Social Services Alliance.

Andrea holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws from James Cook University in Townsville and has been admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia.  Andrea’s legal skills, together with her strong advocacy and strength-based community engagement, will add significantly to the overall skill set of CSPA Council.

“Andrea’s work with migrant and refugee women and youth is highly regarded,” Ms Allen said, “and I am sure she will make a significant contribution to CSPA’s Australian Government funded project examining effective communication strategies between home and school, especially in relation to marginal families.”

Andrea is currently Multicultural Services Manager with Centacare FNQ in Cairns Queensland and she is the author of A Guide to Effectively Engaging with CALD Communities based on lessons learned during COVID.

“I am sure that Andrea’s confidence and competence, together with her warm and engaging manner will contribute significantly to CSPA’s representation and advocacy for those families who choose a Catholic education for their children and young people” Ms Allen concluded.