(L to R) Mr Chris Forbes, Ms Rhonda Renwick OAM, Dr Steve Francis, Professor Brendan Murphy AC, Mr Lachy Haynes, Chair Professor Carol Pollock AO, Deputy Chair Mr Peter Haddad AO, and Professor Vlado Perkovic
The Board at Kidney Health Australia is filled with experts in the field who are dedicated crusaders for the organisation’s vision and mission. The Board works with Kidney Health Australia’s management team to support people at each stage of their kidney disease journey.
From early detection to diagnosis and making the right choices on treatment, together they ensure that people are equipped with the resources they need for the best quality of life.
MB, BS, PhD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Chair
Professor Carol Pollock is an academic nephrologist with over 390 publications in basic research and clinical medicine, over 23,400 citations in esteemed medical journals. She is an inaugural Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2015), was conferred a Vice Chancellors Award for Excellence in Research Supervision (2012) and recognised as a ‘Distinguished Professor’ by the University of Sydney (2012). She was the 2014 recipient of the Ministerial Award for Excellence in Cardiovascular Research. She was Scientific Chairman of the 2013 World Congress of Nephrology, held in Hong Kong.
She is Chair of Kidney Health Australia, Chair of the Board of the NSW Bureau of Health Information, Deputy Chair of the Board of the Australian Organ, Tissue and Transplant Authority and Chair of the NSW Cardiovascular Research Network. She is a member of the Australian NHMRC Council. Past health/research leadership roles include inaugural Chair of the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation, immediate past Chair of the NSW Clinical Excellence Commission, remaining as a director of both organisations till April 2016. She was Chair of the Northern Sydney Local Health District Board since its inception in 2011 till Dec 2016. She was the inaugural Chair then co-chair of the Research Advisory Committee of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology from 2016 till 2019. She was Director of Research Northern Sydney/Central Coast 2000-2011.
She is on the scientific advisory committee of Australian Biotech Company Pharmaxis Pty Ltd, is a Director of Certa Therapeutics, Chairs the Health Advisory committee for Lineaire Projects and is a Director of the Photobionics Institute. In November 2018 she was made an Ambassador of Business Events Sydney.
MSc, BEc
Board member
Peter Haddad was appointed to the Board in June 2017. Mr Haddad enlisted in the Army in 1967 and graduated from the Officer Cadet School Portsea in December 1967. His career as a logistics officer in the Australian Army spanned 38 years and he retired from the Army in 2005 at the rank of Major General. When he retired from the Army in 2005, he was engaged by the Commonwealth Games Corporation as the logistics manager responsible for the planning and delivery of logistic support to the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. He was also appointed as the Deputy Mayor of the Commonwealth Games Athlete’s Village.
Mr. Haddad is the principal of a consultancy company specialising in defence industry, logistics and supply chain management. From 2006 to 2013 he was engaged by the Victorian Government as the Strategic Adviser on Defence Industries and Head of the Defence Industry Unit. Since 2013, he has been a member of the Defence Council Victoria which advises the Victorian Government on actions and strategies to grow the defence industry sector in Victoria. In addition to his involvement in the defence industry sector, he is an Adjunct Professor at RMIT University and Chair of the Industry Advisory Committee for the School of Business, Information Technology and Logistics.
GradD BA, Bachelor of Sciences PSY, MAICD
Board member
Rhonda Renwick was appointed to the Board in June 2017. Ms Renwick is the sole owner of Latrobe Valley Bus Lines (LVBL) and is committed to providing the best possible transport services that enable access, equity and social inclusion for all in the Latrobe Valley. LVBL, a certified B Corp company, engages wherever possible in a better way of doing business with suppliers with like values of diversity, respect, caring for community and environment. Ms. Renwick is committed to providing environmentally friendly alternatives for the transport industry, introducing Australia’s first Euro 6 and Hybrid buses into LVBL fleet.
Earlier in her career Ms. Renwick worked as a community psychologist, leading to her establishing the Kindred Spirits Foundation. KSF supports various social and community based projects, primarily early childhood health and education, and employment opportunities for rural and remote communities through commercialisation of Uniquely Australian Foods. Projects such as the co-founding of Akeyulerre Healing Centre at Alice Springs, supports the Central Arrente people to deal with their health challenges in a culturally appropriate way. Kindred Spirits has been a driving factor in many local community projects such as the Big Red Kidney Bus. Ms. Renwick believes her expertise in indigenous health and community based enterprises will provide important assistance to the Kidney Health Australia.
PhD, MA, BA (Hons)
Board member
Dr Steve Francis has worked for 20 years as a senior manager in the Not-for-Profit sector (Fundraising, Government relations, Advocacy, Policy and Strategy) for charities such as Australian Red Cross. For the past 10 years, he has focused on growing and managing technology businesses that create social good and generate sustainable revenue streams. Steve is a Director and Company Secretary for FrontStream Pty Ltd, Australia’s pre-eminent event fundraising platform. FrontStream is a for-profit business with a large charity client base including Leukaemia Foundation.
MS, GraD, B.Ec
Board member
Lachy advises participants in the renewable energy, waste and water markets on strategic decarbonisation and circular economy opportunities. This includes project development and financing, market entry and expansion, and commercialisation. Lachy has a global perspective, having lived and worked in London and Santiago for over ten years. He contributes his commercial acumen, systems thinking and creative mindset to the Board.
Aside from his professional background and current position as a partner at PwC, Lachy brings lived experience to his role on the Board. He had chronic kidney disease for many years prior to a kidney transplant in 2006.
Lachy was appointed to the Board of Kidney Health Australia in 2020.
GAICD, CPA, MBA, MEcon, BEc
Board member
Sandy is a highly experienced Non-Executive and Executive Director with Global and Australian experience. She is an accomplished Chair of Audit, Risk and Finance committees. She also has senior executive and board experience in diverse sectors including Health care, Professional Services, Government and Not for Profits.
Sandy is a highly regarded and collaborative leader capable of steering organisations to growth in a sustainable way and helping them to harness change through technological and business transformations. She is an adaptive thinker, good at connecting the dots to evaluate options to deliver outcomes to manage risk.
Board member
Professor Brendan Murphy AC has joined the Board of Kidney Health Australia after recently retiring from his position as Secretary of the Department of Health and Aged Care which he held from July 2020. Prior to his appointment as Secretary, Professor Murphy was the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the Australian Government and, previously, the CEO of Austin Health in Victoria.
He was formerly director of Nephrology at St Vincent’s Health and sat on the boards of the Centenary Institute, Health Workforce Australia, the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. He is also a former president of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology.