The Mercedes College Advisory Council provides a strategic overview of budget and policy and forms a valuable resource for the Principal in offering a range of inputs wider than that of education.
The Council members, all with a close Mercedes connection come to their task with experience from other sectors of society and with a range of professional backgrounds. Discover more about each member below.
Steven Vinciullo, Chair
Steven has owned and operated his own transport business for the past 25 years. As a husband of a teacher and parent, Mercedes College he has always been passionate about girls’ education. He currently has a daughter in Year 11 while his eldest graduated in 2019. He has thrown himself wholeheartedly into both Primary and Secondary P&F fundraising events and is currently part of the leadership group of Dads of Mercedes (DOMs), the DOMs representative to the P&F and a member of the P&F Executive.
Amanda Bourke
Amanda is a solicitor at Lavan, a full service law firm practising in the area of Corporate Services. She graduated from the University of Western Australia in 2016 with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce. Amanda attended Mercedes College from 2005 to 2009, where she was Head Girl in 2009. Amanda is the Founder and Event Director of Cottesloe parkrun, a not-for-profit organisation facilitiating a free, weekly organised walk or run aimed at encouraging exercise and volunteering within the community. She is also a member of the Disabled Surfers Association of Australia, a not-for-profit organisation providing mental, emotional and physical support to people with a disability through community surfing events.
Mr Ben Wyatt
Dr Emil Jonescu
Email is an accomplished registered architect, recognised for his exceptional leadership skills and significant contributions to both industry and academia. As the Head of Research and Development at Hames Sharley and an esteemed Industry Adjunct at leading universities, Emil establishes world-class research communities-of-practice expertise, bridging the gap between industry and academia. Emil’s research profile is internationally recognised for its significant contributions to architecture and urban behaviour. He is particularly interested in cross-disciplinary evidence-based research in the areas of surveillance theory, healthcare and secure environments, psychology of space (built environments), design-led behavioural morphology (applied “Tactical Architecture”).
Jessica Patterson
Jessica graduated from Mercedes College in 1991. Shortly after leaving she commenced studying law at The University of Western Australia and simultaneously worked full time as a law clerk/articled clerk before being admitted. After 28 years with premier Perth firm Lavan (and its predecessor Phillips Fox), where Jessica progressed to Partner, in 2021 she established her own boutique law firm where she is the principle Legal Practice Director. She has held several different positions on the boards of various not-for-profit organisations over the course of many years. Jessica currently fills five such roles and is an active committee member of the Mercedes College Alumni.
Sandra Andrews
Sandra is a Certified Practising Accountant and operates her own business, Next Generation Accounting and Tax, situated in Perth. She is married and has two daughters, one currently in Year 12 at Mercedes College. She was educated through the Catholic system and sits on the Parish Council at St Brigid’s Church in Midland as well as managing the Parish’s finances. She has also sat on the school board and acted as the Treasurer for the St Brigid’s Primary School’s P&F in Midvale.