Where are they now?

A special feature from ‘120 Inspirational Loreto Women ‘

To be part of the Loreto  Normanhurst community is a precious gift. Many members of our alumni  have gone on to generously share their gifts with others, making positive contributions across Australia and around the globe. They are Loreto people who are “constant, efficacious and loving”.

Dr Sally-Anne Greenaway (’77)

Sally was​ ​influenced​ ​by​ ​her teachers at Loreto Normanhurst and ​left school with​ ​enduring​ ​passions​ ​for​ ​social​ ​justice, ​​the​ ​arts​ ​and​ ​sciences​ ​and​ ​a​ ​deep​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​the​ ​ethical foundations​ ​of​ ​health, ​and​ ​how​ ​we​ ​live​ in ​society. She was​ ​in​ ​the​ ​foundation​ ​year​ ​of​ ​the​ ​University​ ​of​ ​Newcastle’s​ ​medical​ ​faculty​ ​and​ after graduating Sally worked​ ​at​ ​RPAH​ ​in​ ​Camperdown​ ​for​ ​six​ ​years​ ​commencing ​physicians​ ​training​ ​and​ ​specialising​ ​in clinical​ ​haematology. ​

She then ​spent​ ​a​ ​few​ ​years​ ​undertaking​ ​leukaemia​ ​cell​ ​biology​ ​research​ ​before going​ ​back to​ ​clinical​ ​medicine​. Sally ​combined​ ​her ​long​ ​term​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​end​ ​of​ ​life​ ​care​ ​and​ ​how​ ​medicine​ ​and​ ​society​ ​can​ ​help​ ​ patients​ ​with​ ​diseases​ ​we​ ​cannot​ ​cure​ ​by​ ​working​ ​in​ ​both​ ​palliative​ ​medicine​ ​and​ ​clinical haematology​ at​ ​Westmead​ ​​Hospital​ ​and​ ​Mount Druitt​ ​Palliative Care​ ​Unit. ​ ​

Sally is now​ ​the​ ​Director​ ​of​ ​Supportive​ ​and​ ​Palliative​ ​Medicine​ ​and​ ​a​ ​senior​ ​staff​ ​specialist​ ​in​ ​clinical haematology​ ​​​at​ ​Western​ ​Sydney​ ​Local​ ​Health​ ​District​ ​– ​whose​ ​hospitals​ ​take​ ​students​ ​from​ ​several​ ​universities​ ​so​ ​teaching​ ​is​ ​also a​ ​wonderful​ ​part of​ her​ ​life​.

Sally regards her ​happy family life​​ ​with​ her wonderful​ ​husband​ ​Warwick, ​her​ ​three​ ​step​ ​children​ ​and​ ​their​ ​three younger​ ​children as her greatest​ ​achievement.

“My​ ​grounding​ ​from​ ​Loreto​ ​​in​ ​Ignatian​ ​spirituality​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Catholic​ ​tradition​ ​of​ ​social​ ​justice remain​ ​with​ ​me​ ​and​ ​inform​ ​every​ ​aspect​ ​of​ ​my​ ​life. ​ ​I​ ​am​ ​forever​ ​grateful​ ​that​ ​I​ ​had​ ​my​ ​years​ ​at Loreto​ ​Normanhurst​ ​and​ ​that​ ​we had​ ​the​ ​privilege​ ​of​ ​educating​ our ​daughter​ ​Madeleine​ ​there​ ​as well.”

Michelle Leonard OAM (’88)

Michelle is the founder, artistic director and conductor of Moorambilla Voices. This nationally awarded program seeks to give country kids a rare opportunity to sing, dance and create incredible performances with artists of the highest calibre. The friendships, performances and opportunities the children make are life-changing. Under Michelle’s direction, the choirs and annual program has flourished, receiving numerous national and state awards.

Michelle is also the founding artistic director and conductor of Leichhardt Espresso Chorus and its chamber choir, Ristretto. She is widely sought after as a choral clinician on Australian repertoire and appears regularly as a guest speaker, adjudicator and workshop facilitator. Michelle was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for Services to the Community and Performing Arts in 2017. She is originally from Coonamble and boarded at Loreto from Year 9. She has four magnificent children and a well-honed sense of humour!

Dr virginia small (’77)

Virginia is a senior communications professional and for much of her career has been in a variety of senior roles at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Her passion for the spoken word saw her awarded her teaching diploma from Trinity College London at the young age of 17. Virginia’s expertise in communications covers broadcast, digital and print journalism, with a specialisation in economics reporting. She worked in Brunei Darussalam for five years where she trained and mentored journalists. She has two Masters degrees, one in Public Relations, the other in English Literature and was awarded a PhD for examining terrorism and international drug trafficking through the lens of the Australian media.

Virginia has a passion for social justice and lives by Mary Ward’s words, “Be all to all.”