From the OGA President - OGA eNews Issue 2, 2026

On Wednesday 25 March, we celebrated our 2026 Past Student Award winners: Professor Catherine Greenhill (’87) as the Distinguished Past Student; Natalie Charlton (’12) as the Young Past Student of Distinction; and Maggie James (’97, nee Leung) as the Spirit of Service Past Student Award recipient.  

I am excited to share that nominations for the 2027 Past Student Awards are now open. Nominating a fellow Old Girl – whether they be a close friend or an Old Girl you may not know personally but have seen thriving in their field – is a fantastic way to celebrate our alumni. I encourage all Old Girls to consider nominating someone, spreading the kindness and recognising the amazing women around you and in our wider community. Further details on how to nominate can be found within this issue.

It was wonderful to celebrate the achievements of our 2026 winners at the Past Student Awards Dinner. As always, it was such an inspirational evening and a powerful reminder of what it means to be a St Margaret’s Old Girl and part of this community. It is a community that nurtures courage, compassion, and the quiet confidence to step boldly into the world, and our award winners are living proof of this.

Maggie James (’97) was recognised as the recipient of the Spirit of Service Past Student Award for her long-standing commitment to sustainable and equitable music therapy services. As Clinical Lead of Music Therapy at Queensland Children’s Hospital, Maggie supports babies, children, and young people who are critically unwell or receiving palliative care, using music to aid neurological engagement, activate neural pathways, and promote developmental recovery. I hope you enjoy reading her speech from the event in this issue. 

Stories like Maggie's remind us that a St Margaret’s education is not just about academic achievement; it is about character, resilience, and the belief that we each have something meaningful to contribute to the world around us.

As Old Girls, we know firsthand the power of a St Margaret’s education, the confidence it builds, the friendships it shapes, and the opportunities it presents. The arts have always played a meaningful role in that journey. They aren’t just for those who dream of performing on stage. Through drama, music and dance, students learn to collaborate, communicate, problem solve, innovate and lead. These skills stay with them for life, whether their future “stage” is a boardroom, a hospital, a laboratory, a studio or a concert hall.

Wednesday 27 May is St Margaret's Giving Day, and I invite you to help create these same opportunities for today’s girls through participating. Every donation, big or small, makes a difference and the Old Girls' Association is once again very excited to be participating as a Matching Donor. You can learn more about this within this edition.

Our milestone reunion groups for 2026 are gearing up for the much-anticipated Reunion Weekend this July, and we can’t wait to see you all back on campus, reconnecting with peers and reminiscing about the school that bonds us all together as a community. For the Classes of 2016, 2006, 1996, 1986, 1976 and 1966, your milestone reunions promise to be fantastic events. For our VIPs from the Class of 1965 and prior, your special luncheon will be, as always, particularly notable. For Old Girls outside of their reunion years, there’s still a chance for you to join us – the Old Girls’ Day Chapel Service and Morning Tea on Sunday 26 July is open to any and all Old Girls. So please, join us for a morning of reflection and reconnection.

This newsletter, as always, promises to provide inspiration, school updates, and much more. Along with Maggie James (’97, nee Leung) and her address from the Past Student Awards Dinner, we hear from and Ellie Neuendorf (’11), who was the guest speaker at this year’s International Women’s Day assembly.

If you have any ideas for stories or profiles or have news that you want to share with your peers, please contact the Development and Community Office who will be able to help facilitate this. The Old Girls’ Association would love to hear from you!

Per Volar Sunata

Natasha Harris (’94)

President, St Maragret’s Old Girls’ Association