Celebrating the Achievements of St Thomas More College Alumni at the 70th Anniversary Dinner

At our 70th Anniversary Dinner on 14 November, Tommy More proudly celebrated the achievements of our Alumni Award winners. These exceptional individuals have made remarkable contributions in their fields and to the broader community, embodying the values and spirit of our College. Their dedication, talent, and leadership serve as an inspiration to current and future generations, making this milestone occasion all the more memorable.

What makes these awards so special is that the nominees were put forward by their peers. Check out the submissions below to see why our winners stood out!

Andrew Wellington, Professional Achievement Award Winner

• Professional Achievement Award

  This award recognises alumni who have made exceptional contributions in their professional fields, demonstrating excellence in industries such as government, research, the arts, sports, and beyond.

  WINNER: Andrew Wellington
  At Tommy from 1985-1987

  In 2017, Andrew Wellington was appointed Chair of the Brisbane Lions, a role he continues to hold today. A long-time Brisbane Bears and Lions supporter, he also contributed to the Club as Finance Director and Deputy Chair prior to becoming Chair.
  
  Andrew was a Partner at PwC Australia from 2003 to 2023. During this time, he served as a member of PwC Brisbane’s Leadership Group of Partners as well as the Australian Board of Partners. He provided corporate advisory services to a wide range of large public and private clients.

  Andrew's roles have also included:

  • Served on the Queensland Government AFL Grand Final Bid committee which successfully bid for Queensland to hold the 2020 AFL Grand Final

  • Deputy Chair of Herron Todd White Australia from 2023 to 2025

  • Chair of Ellerslie Farms, one of Australia's largest egg producers, since 2024

  • Recently appointed Chair of Queensland Rail, operator of passenger and freight rail services throughout Queensland, employing approximately 8,000 people and holding over $10bn in assets

  From 2007 to 2011, Andrew also served as Chair of FINSIA’s (Financial Services Institute of Australasia) Queensland Regional Council.
  
  He is a Senior Fellow of FINSIA, an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. His qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) and a Master of Accounting.

Keith Hayes (left), Social Impact & Community Service Award Winner

• Social Impact & Community Service Award

  This award acknowledges alumni who have played a significant role in enriching local or global communities through volunteering, philanthropy, and community service initiatives.

  WINNER: KEITH HAYES
  At Tommy from 1967-1970

  Keith Hayes B.Ec., Dip.Ed., M.Ed. went blind at the age of nine. Undeterred, he learned Braille, completed his secondary education, and won a Commonwealth Scholarship to UWA, where he completed an Economics degree, followed by a Diploma of Education and then a Master’s in the Economics and Politics of Education (1950–1972). Not stopping there, Keith tutored in Economics at St Thomas More College and UWA, with a special interest in blind students at the secondary level, and then lectured full-time at TAFE for 26 years.

  In 1975, Keith helped a group of parents establish the Cystic Fibrosis Association WA, which today funds research, advocates, and delivers services for people living with CF. In the 1970s, when it was formed, the life expectancy of children with CF was in their teens; now it is 50 plus.

  By 1984, he became the founding president of People With Disabilities WA (PWD WA), the peak consumer-driven advocacy body for people with disabilities in Western Australia. He received a life membership as founding president, playing a significant role in developing the organisation. Today, it remains the peak consumer-based advocacy group with which the State and Commonwealth governments consult.

  Keith’s influence extended nationally. In 2007, he received a national award recognising his outstanding community contribution as a person with a disability. He also served on advisory groups to both Commonwealth and State governments on the introduction of disability services legislation, and contributed to the Ministerial Advisory Committee that oversaw amendments to the State Equal Opportunity Act, ensuring that impairment (disability) was recognised as grounds for equal rights.

  Community service beckoned, and Keith served on the Perth City Council and later the Council of the Town of Victoria Park — including a term as Deputy Mayor — for a total of 25 years. He retired in 2017, and the Town recognised his outstanding service by naming a community centre at Lathlain in his honour.

  Keith’s energy extended beyond education and politics. A keen tandem cyclist, he was one of only five Australians to compete in the first international event for blind cyclists in Paris in 1985. He was also a pioneer in integrating blind students into mainstream education, helping make Western Australia the first state in Australia to fully include blind and vision-impaired students.

  He later chaired the Lathlain Precinct Redevelopment Project, which oversaw the relocation of the West Coast Eagles from Subiaco to Lathlain. The project also included the redevelopment of Rayment Park, the creation of Koolbardi Park, and the establishment of the community centre that bears his name, now home to children’s services, child health facilities, playgroups, and a Toy Library. The redevelopment revitalised the entire precinct with new restaurants, childcare facilities, and other community services.

Sean Dondas, Young Alumni Achievement Award Winner

• Young Alumni Achievement Award

  This award celebrates alumni aged 35 or younger who have achieved remarkable success in their careers so far.

  WINNER: SEAN DONDAS
  At Tommy from 2011-2015

  Sean Dondas brings six years as a former Board of Director at Canteen Australia which led to him being recognised as 2022 ACT Young Australian of the Year.
  
  Sean was an integral member of Canteen’s leadership team, first as a Local Youth Leadership Group member, then secretary, vice president and president in Western Australia. He later joined the National Youth Advisory Team, before being appointed a Director on Canteen’s board in 2015.
  
  Sean joined the organisation in 2008 at age 14 after his mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis. She passed away a year later, leaving him and his two younger brothers as wards of the state. He spent the following 13 years helping many young people in similar situations cope with a cancer diagnosis in their family and been a staunch advocate for young people’s needs. His input has helped shape decisions on a range of vital strategies, including clinical trials, youth cancer services, community-based support, and an online support community and counselling service.

  In 2019, he moved to Canberra to join the Department of Jobs and Small Business and he also worked as a senior policy officer with the Attorney-General’s Department.
  
  Now, Sean has moved back to Perth and is a Policy Adviser for the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), where he undertakes advocacy and taught leadership work to promote world-class governance. Sean has a specific focus on not-for-profit policy and the care economy. He also led the development of the AICD’s third edition of its Not-for-Profit Governance Principles, a key source of publicly available guidance for directors of Australian not-for-profits and charities.

  ‍(Sean was an RA at Tommy from 2013-2015)

Ehsan Warasi, Success Despite Great Adversity Award Winner

• Success Despite Great Adversity Award

  WINNER: EHSAN WARASI
  At Tommy from 2017-2018

  Ehsan Warasi, a refugee from Afghanistan, was only 16 when he arrived in Australia by boat in 2010 after spending 10 years in refugee camps in Iran. He then spent 12 months in various detention centres in Australia (Christmas Island 1.5 months, Darwin 9 Months and Melbourne 1.5 Months) before being granted a refugee status. With nothing but hope and determination he is now a proud engineer, former high school teacher and a soon to be father.

  Determined to succeed, Ehsan taught himself English using schoolbooks given to him by security guards in detention. After completing a three-month intensive English course at Cyril Jackson Senior Campus, he then completed years 11 and 12 at Aranmore Catholic College with an impressive ATAR of 98.

  In 2014, he was accepted into UWA’s Prestigious Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) course at UWA studying Engineering and Finance. That same year, he worked part time as a Youth Worker at ASeTTS, organising excursions and leadership camps for young people from CALD backgrounds. He was nominated as a finalist for the WA Young Person of the Year Award and received Mission Australia’s Active Participation Youth Award.

  Throughout 2015 and 2016, Ehsan volunteered in numerous community programs while also working part-time as an interpreter. Despite these commitments, he maintained the rigorous requirements of his degree (Maintaining a 75% WAM) while also supporting himself and his family overseas financially.

  Finishing his Honours degree in 2019 and driven by a deep sense of gratitude and a desire to give back to the Australian community, he applied to the Teach For Australia program (TFA) to become a high school teacher. He completed the TFA’s graduate development program by teaching Mathematics and Physics at Balcatta Senior High School and then went on to teach Mathematics and Science at Denmark Senior High School down south until the end of 2024.

  He also completed his Master of Engineering (Mechanical) while teaching full-time and following completion in 2024, he now works as an Asset Engineer at the City of Swan, where he applies his technical knowledge to improve public infrastructure and services.

  Ehsan is now preparing to become a father with his wife, Kurumi O., whom he met in 2017 when they were both residents at St Thomas More College.

Adam Family, The "Legacy Legends" Award Winners

• The "Legacy Legends" Award

  The six Adam siblings from the Crown Hotel in Collie attended Tommy More between 1978 and 1986: Mary (1978–81), Helen (1979–81), Susan (1982–86), Graham (1983–86), Monica (1984–86), and Sally (1986). During their time at college, each held various student club roles, including President, Social Committee, Canteen Manager, SVDP, and Keg Spearer. They participated in multiple NICSA and WISC Cup teams, representing almost every sport over the years, while ensuring no student club function went unattended by an Adam family member.

  Hundreds of residents attended at least one of the six legendary Adam 21st birthday parties and Collie New Year’s Eve celebrations, famously attending all six 21st parties. Their influence extended well beyond their college years. Both Monica (RIP) and Sally married fellow STMC residents, and some later served as student club patrons. Helen fondly recalls donating at least two much-needed kegs during her patronship.

  The greatest testament to their lasting impact is the annual Official Unofficial ExMore’s Drinks, initiated by Helen in 2005 with support from others. This event has continued every year since, with Mark Fisher taking over planning duties in recent years. Between 30 and 50 ExMore’s gather annually to relive their Tommy More glory days—and there are always Adam family members in the crowd! That this informal tradition has endured some 40–45 years after the siblings first arrived at Tommy More truly speaks to the lasting legacy of the Adam family’s influence on college life.

Peter Bothe (right), Memory Lane Award Winner

• Memory Lane Award

  For the alumnus with the most outrageous, unforgettable, and hilariously bizarre college memory.

  WINNER: PETER BOTHE
  At Tommy from 1973-1976

  For the sake of privacy, we will not be sharing Peter’s submission online. However, we can say that it was truly unforgettable and captured the spirit of the times—a tale that will be remembered fondly by all who were there!