Our Board

John Grill was a founder and is currently the Chairman of Worley Ltd, Australia’s largest engineering and project management firm and a leading ASX-listed company operating in 51 countries. John has personal expertise in every aspect of project delivery in the resources and energy industries. In 2010, John was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Sydney in recognition of his contribution to the engineering profession. His influence on Australian society was acknowledged in the 2014 round of Australia Day Honours with the receipt of an Officer in the Order of Australia award. John has been Chairman of the Growth Centres Advisory Committee for the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science since 2015, a Director of Neuroscience Research Australia since 2010 and Chairman since 2016.

Dr Julian Adler is a radiologist with subspecialty training in neuroradiology. He is CEO of Castlereagh Imaging and Illawarra Radiology Group, which are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Sonic Healthcare Ltd, providing radiology services across Sydney and the Illawarra. He represents Sonic in its joint venture radiology business in Melbourne, partnering with Epworth HealthCare, Victoria’s largest not-for-profit hospital operator and, in addition, he continues to practise as a clinical radiologist in Sydney. Prior to his involvement with Sonic, he was Co-founder of an international tele-radiology business that now operates in five countries and which was sold to a listed private equity company in late 2016.

Professor Jackie Curtis was appointed inaugural Executive Director in April 2020. She is a psychiatrist and was previously the Clinical Director of Youth Mental Health at the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District. Her research and clinical work over several decades has focused on early psychosis and youth mental health, including improving the cardiometabolic health of people living with serious mental disorders such as schizophrenia, with the aim of reducing health inequalities and increasing life expectancy. Jackie developed and implemented the internationally recognised Keeping the Body in Mind program, demonstrating that antipsychotic-induced weight gain can be prevented with lifestyle intervention, and is the co-founder and Co-Chair of the iphYs international working group advocating for improved physical health for youth experiencing psychosis. An invited committee member of the World Health Organisation working group for the international guidelines: management of physical health conditions in adults with severe mental disorders, Jackie is also a Conjoint Professor in the School of Psychiatry at UNSW Sydney. In 2023 she was the recipient of the prestigious Margaret Tobin Award from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

Michael Farrell is the Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at the University of New South Wales and Faculty Theme Lead of Mental Health, Neuroscience, Ageing and Addictions within UNSW Medicine. He was previously a Professor of Addiction Psychiatry at Kings College London. Michael’s research interests include evidence-based practice and treatment evaluation, in tobacco, alcohol and other drug dependence, psychiatric comorbidity, and translation of new evidence into practice. Michael was Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and is a current editor with the Cochrane Drug and Alcohol Group. He is a member of the World Health Organization Expert Committee on Drug and Alcohol Dependence and is the immediate Past President of the Australian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs (APSAD). Michael is a strong advocate for better investment and support for prevention, treatment and research in alcohol and other drugs.

Peter has been in investment banking and business for over 40 years, much of that time as part of the Bankers Trust Australia group. He has been a Director and/or Chairman of many public and private companies including BT Australia, Dominion Mining, Bridge Oil, The GPT Group and Helitech Industries (Bell Helicopters). He has run a private family investment business through most of that time. As well as pursuing his own business interests, Peter continues his ‘second career’ of over 30 years in the not-for-profit sector. He was formerly Chairman, St Vincent’s Hospital (Sydney) Ltd and subsequently appointed inaugural Chairman of St Vincent’s and Mater Health Sydney. He was the inaugural Chairman of the Riverview College Council. He remains Chairman of the Black Dog Institute, The Ethics Centre and The Health-Science Alliance, UNSW Campus.

A/Prof Richard Matthews worked in private practice for 20 years followed by 14 years at Justice Health (formerly Corrections Health Service) including as CEO from 1999-2007. Richard joined NSW Health in 2003 and served eight years as Deputy Director-General, Strategic Development. Key responsibilities were to direct, plan and oversee the Strategic Development Division of NSW Health to ensure that a strong policy framework was provided for the NSW health system. He assumed strategic planning responsibility for Statewide and Rural Health Services and Capital Planning, Primary Health and Community Partnerships, Maternity, Children and Young People’s Health, Mental Health, and Drug and Alcohol.

Dr Mark Nelson is Chairman, and Co-Founder of the Caledonia Investments Group. Prior to the establishment of Caledonia Investments in 1992, he was a Senior Investment Analyst and Institutional Advisor at Prudential-Bache Securities (Australia) Limited. Dr Nelson is also a Director of The Caledonia Foundation. He is currently Vice-President of the Board of Trustees of The Art Gallery of New South Wales, and a former Trustee of the Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation. He is also the Deputy Chairman of Art Exhibitions Australia Limited, a Director of Kaldor Public Art Projects, and a Trustee of the Sydney Swans Foundation. He was formerly a Director of the Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine, and still serves as a Governor of the Florey Neuroscience Institutes, as well as being a Non-Executive Director of Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Dr Nelson has considerable experience working in Australian and international investment and equity markets. He earned a PhD in Neuropharmacology from the University of Melbourne in 1986, an M. Phil from Cambridge University, and a BSc (Hons) degree from the University of Melbourne.

Prof Vlado Perkovic is Provost of UNSW Sydney and the senior deputy to the Vice-Chancellor, overseeing the development and implementation of UNSW’s strategy and supporting the University’s seven faculties to deliver exceptional research performance, education and social impact. He is a Scientia Professor at UNSW, a Professorial Fellow at The George Institute, and an active clinician in his role a Staff Specialist in Nephrology at the Royal North Shore Hospital. He was previously Dean of Medicine and Health at UNSW and prior to that Executive Director of The George Institute, Australia. He has published more than 350 papers and led international clinical trials focused on preventing the progression of kidney disease and its complications, and has been involved in developing Australian and global guidelines in kidney disease, cardiovascular risk assessment and blood pressure management. Vlado holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne and completed his undergraduate training at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, and the American Society of Nephrology. He serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine.

Kristin is Senior Partner and Strategy and Transformation Leader for PwC Australia. She is passionate about innovation, and plays a leading role as a “bridge” between new innovative approaches within PwC and more traditional service approaches. This involves understanding the needs of large clients and considering the right technologies and approaches to deliver process, reporting and assurance outcomes. She is the lead audit signing partner on some of PwC’s largest ASX listed clients. She has recently led the creation of a new venture between PwC, the University of Sydney and the Federal Government to commercialise technology enabled mental health solutions. Kristin is a member of PwC’s leadership team and also provides assurance and advisory services to clients across the private and public sector. She has been an adviser to some of Australia’s largest companies and government agencies and departments. Kristin’s community activities are broad and include several large not for profit and government boards and ventures. She was a member of the Board of the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District and Chair of the Finance and Performance Committee from 2013 to 2016. She currently works with a small group of senior female business leaders (Women for Change) supporting education in developing nations to empower women.

Tobi Wilson was appointed to the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Chief Executive position in April 2019. Tobi brings a wealth of experience to the role, having held various executive positions, most recently spending two and a half years as General Manager of Prince of Wales Hospital and Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospitals. His extensive experience in executive and senior management roles also includes two years as Chief Operating Officer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Acting Chief Executive Officer, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network. In these roles, Tobi has demonstrated a proven ability to drive clinical change through redesign, including the delivery of several capital redevelopments. Tobi began his career as a physiotherapist, before completing a Masters of Health Science Management at the University of South Australia.

With more than 30 years financial services experience, focused on funds management, James MacNevin is the co-founder and Director of Hall Road Services, a firm providing specialist operations and technology services to Family Offices and Not-for-Profit organisations.

Prior to establishing Hall Road Services, James served as a senior managing director at State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), a US$4 trillion funds management firm, most recently as Head of Asia Pacific from 2018 to 2022.  Previous roles at SSGA included Chief Operating Officer, Asia Pacific and International Head of Operations and Technology, based in London.

In addition to business leadership, James has expertise across a broad range of areas including distribution, product development, operations and technology.  James is also a Director and Chair of Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), an independent medical research institute and a Mindgardens Member organisation.

Dr Debra Graves is the Chief Executive Officer of The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, a position she has held for the past 20 years.  She holds Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees from the University of Queensland and a Master in Health Administration from the University of New South Wales.  She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Medical Administrators; a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors; and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. She is also an Examiner for The Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators.

Debra has had experience as a CEO and Medical Director in both public and private hospitals. She is also Chair of the South Eastern Sydney Local Health Division Board, Chairman of Pathology Awareness Australia, and Director of the non-profit online consumer resource Pathology Tests Explained.