Board of Directors - Lutheran Education Australia Limited
Directors
Bohmert, Thomas
Wood, Susan
Bennett, Debbie
Vogt, Heather
Soer-Reime, Jan
Lange-Mohr, Jill
Materne, Chris
Consultants
Schmidt, Lisa
Crooks, Tanya
Fielke, Craig
Minke, Colin
Thomas Bohmert
BTh, GradDipMin, GradDipEd, Certificate in Quantity Surveying, GAICD
Thomas Bohmert is an ordained pastor of the Lutheran Church of Australia. Over the last 29 years he has served in a variety of contexts, including rural, regional and indigenous ministries. He has also served on various church committees, including chairing the Committee of Congregational Support of the Victorian District. After serving as school pastor at Luther College in Croydon and later Senior Chaplain at Peters Lutheran College, Indooroopilly, Thomas is currently serving in his third school as pastor at Concordia Lutheran College, Toowoomba.
Susan Wood
BA (Hons), MA
Susan Wood was Executive Coordinator with the South Australian Certificate of Education Board of South Australia, responsible for policy development and legislative compliance. Before that, she worked within the SA Government in various positions related to education, training and policy development with a specific focus on young people’s education and employment pathways. She is an active member of St Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Adelaide.
Debbie Bennett
BT (JunPrim), GradDipThEd
Debbie taught in Lutheran schools until 2010 when she resigned to fulfil the administration demands the family business – firstly their own Almond property, moving into Almond Harvest Contracting, and then as the Australian distributors of spare parts and service and maintenance providers for three US manufacturers of nut harvesting equipment. Since ceasing teaching, she has served on her local Trinity Lutheran College Council (Mildura Vic) – the last nine years as Chair, and more recently on the Council for Lutheran Education – Vic, NSW, Tas. Debbie is an active member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Congregation, Mildura.
Heather Vogt
DipT, BEd, MEd
Heather Vogt has been involved in Lutheran education for many years, both as teacher, school leader and Principal of Endeavour College. Recently, Heather spent six months in a temporary capacity as Principal at Good Shepherd Lutheran College, Howard Springs, NT. Heather brings a range of skills to the LEA Board including strategic planning, public relations and communication, risk management and human resource management. She also serves on the LESNW Board and the Immanuel College Board and is a member of St Paul's Lutheran Church, Glenelg.
Jan Soer-Reime
Cand Mag
Born and raised in Norway, Jan is currently the Managing Director of an asset advisory practice he co-founded in 2014. Prior to commencing in this role in 2014, Jan worked in several high-profile IT and marketing roles in Europe before emigrating to Australia in 2010. Jan’s experience in the education system has been as a board member in the school system in Australia as well as a short stint as a teacher in a local high school in in his home area. He has served on various church councils and committees in the Lutheran church and is currently on the board of Horizons College, a Special Assistance School in South-East QLD. He is a serving, active member of Beyond Church Griffin, where he has also served on the Board up until recently.
Jill Lange-Mohr OAM
MBA, Grad Cert Ed Lead, BEd, FACEL
Born in Dalby, Queensland, to devout Lutheran farming parents, Jill began her teaching career at Grace Lutheran College in 1980 and continued working full-time in education for 43 years, including 20 years in the private tertiary sector, before retiring as Head of College (CEO) of Geelong Lutheran College in December 2023. Jill has served in teaching and leadership roles in Lutheran schools, on boards in the corporate, health and Queensland government sector, and in various capacities on Lutheran boards and committees including LLL Australia and St Peters Lutheran College Indooroopilly. She was the Founding Principal of St Peters Lutheran College's second K - 12 campus at Springfield from 2008 to 2018. In 2020, Jill was honoured to receive an Order of Australia (OAM) for her contribution and services to education. Jill is an active member of St John’s Lutheran Church Geelong.
Chris Materne
BPSych(Hons), PhD, MAHRI
Chris Materne has a wide variety of professional experience in private sector, state government, and tertiary education settings as well as recent service in the Office of The Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Australia. Chris brings a range of practical expertise to the LEA Board, including especially in human resource management. She is an active member of Faith Lutheran Church, Warradale, and a past member of the Immanuel Primary School governing council and has served as Chair in both bodies.