Our skilled volunteer board oversees our strategic direction.
Everything about the Timor-Leste Hearts Fund inspires me. The vision and insight of the founders Noel and Ingrid; the enormous dedication and skill of our clinical team; the generosity of our volunteers; and the passion the board brings to the Fund’s work – all in support of a clear and urgent need in Australia’s closest neighbour, Timor-Leste.
I have spent most of my career in higher education and research, working with Universities and charities to bring specialist expertise to bear on the needs of vulnerable communities where the need is greatest. Alongside my role with TLHF, I am Chief Executive of the National Heart Foundation of Australia, and a Board member and Vice President (Elect) of the World Heart Federation in Geneva. I also serve as a board member of Momentum Triathlon Academy.
My role as board chair of the Timor-Leste Hearts Fund is to build on the vision and leadership of the founders, and to ensure that we support Timor Lest in its aspiration for improved heart health, and better prevention and management of heart disease. I am passionate about supporting Timor Leste and its cardiovascular community in building their own capacity over the long term, the better to support the heart health of its remarkable people.
Beyond my working life I’m an endurance sport tragic, and an enthusiastic if uncompetitive participant at marathon and ironman triathlon events.
My association with Timor-Leste Hearts Fund began in 2016, as an interventional cardiologist performing procedures for patients in Melbourne. Having witnessed first-hand the impact this organisation could make, I was motivated to increase my involvement.
I now travel to Timor-Leste annually as part of the clinical team. I am also a member of board clinical governance committee, and I joined the board in 2019.
My spare time currently is largely devoted to my kids (I have children including a baby!) as well as research (I am undertaking a PhD). Otherwise, I enjoy golf and snow skiing.
I was inspired to offer my services to Timor-Leste Hearts Fund because of my passion for the country and people of Timor-Leste, and because of the opportunity to help improve the health outcomes of the people of Timor-Leste.
After many years’ experience in senior corporate positions within telecommunications and infrastructure sectors and service on several Boards, I hope to bring a broad range of skills and experience, particularly in the areas of finance, governance and strategic planning to help strengthen Timor-Leste Hearts Fund’s ability to reach more Timorese and reduce the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease.
I live in country Victoria and enjoy hiking and mountain biking. I have completed in several Tour de Timor mountain bike races and the Trans-Timor Trek for Timor-Leste Hearts Fund
I have had a long association with Timor-Leste, since living there between 2001- 2003. After returning to Australia I have travelled to Timor-Leste annually, for personal and professional reasons. I am passionate about building the capacity of the health system in Timor-Leste, and contributing to better wellbeing outcomes for Timorese people.
Through work on the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease in Indigenous communities, I realised how debilitating heart disease can be, especially in resource poor or remote environments. When an opportunity to join the board came up, I thought it would be a good way to support Timorese people in a very constructive and tangible way.
I joined the board in May 2017 and became the chair of the development committee, where I used my professional experience in business development to support the organisation in achieving its fundraising goals.
I am a Noongar woman from Mount Barker, Western Australia. I am Professor and Dean of Curtin Medical School until the end of 2021. In the new year, I will be Rowden White Professor of Health Equity at the University of Melbourne. My training is in public health and epidemiology with special focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and more broadly health equity. I wanted to join Timor-Leste Hearts Fund to make a positive contribution to the health of one of Australia’s closest neighbours.
Indigenous Australians and Timorese share unacceptably high rates of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in their communities. My aim is to help ETHF grow and develop capability to effectively reduce RHD and work in partnership with the Timorese people to improve treatment of heart disease.
When I can get away from work, I love escaping out of the city and taking our van out camping. I also love relaxing with a good book or movie too!
I joined the Timor-Leste Hearts Fund Board in December 2019.
I am an internationally-recognised Interventional Cardiologist with the Northern and St Vincent’s Hospitals in Victoria and Professor of Medicine with the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, the University of Melbourne.
After graduating from the University of Melbourne, I completed cardiology training at Austin Health followed by a Master of Public Health with Monash University. In 2006, I secured a fellowship and scholarship at the prestigious Royal Brompton Hospital, London and then completed my PhD at the Thoraxcentre, Erasmus University the Netherlands, on the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in cardiology. OCT harnesses the properties of infrared light to look inside blood vessels in ultra-high resolution. I have since overseen OCT’s uptake across the region with over sixty centres in Australia and New Zealand benefiting.
I am internationally renowned for my interventional and imaging academic output, and early development programs for novel therapies in cardiovascular disease.
And I have maintained connections all over the globe, and continue to attract industry support for my research. I run an active research group in biomedical engineering focused on coronary imaging and computational modeling with an interest in the development of innovative cardiovascular technologies.
I am one of the many Australians who believes that we have an obligation to generously support the nation of Timor-Leste, and directly assist in building its capacity. Also, like many others, I have developed a deep affection and respect for the Timorese people. I have been a regular donor to Timor-Leste Hearts Fund and admired its work and would now like to make a further contribution.
My personal connection to East Timor goes back to 2000 when I worked with the UN Transitionalo Administration (UNTAET) heading the Land and Property department. Since then, I have been back to Timor-Leste a number of times – as an election observer (most recently in 2023), and as a contributor to the regular conferences staged jointly by Victoria University (VU) and the UNTL. I was a member of the inaugural Balibo House Trust Board and have visited Balibo several times. I am an Adjunct Professor with VU and in that capacity was the Patron of VU’s Timor-Leste’s Law Program in 2018. Through various colleagues and events, I stayed in touch with the Timorese diaspora in Melbourne.
My professional background is in law. Since retiring from full time legal work I have been engaged in the work of several organisations: The Brigidine Asylum Seeker Project, the Nepean Conservation Group, and the Port Phillip EcoCentre, and served on various boards/management committees over the years.
My interest in medicine is honed by having two children in that field: our son is a consultant paediatrician, and our daughter a mental health nurse.
My passion for heart health is both personal and professional. With a family history of cardiovascular disease, I understand its impact and the importance of prevention, driving my commitment to better health outcomes. As a Consumer Advocate and Catalyst Grant reviewer for the Heart Foundation, I contribute to shaping research and policy for improved cardiovascular care. When an opportunity to join Timor Leste Hearts Fund arose, I saw it as a meaningful personal challenge—an opportunity to contribute my skills and experience to help those who need it most.
Throughout my career, I have held senior leadership roles with Australia’s top retailers, including Bunnings, Officeworks, Sigma Pharmaceuticals, and BCF. My expertise spans strategy, supply chain management, product development, and negotiations, always focused on delivering better outcomes for businesses and consumers. I have also helped set industry-wide standards in sustainability and product safety.
As an entrepreneur, I founded Empulse, a Melbourne-based streetwear label blending sustainability, innovation, and style, reflecting my passion for business and creativity.
A lifelong advocate for health and wellness, I am a senior karate instructor and fitness coach, supporting individuals, including those with disabilities, on their fitness journeys. I believe in the power of movement to transform lives and foster healthier communities.
As a board director, I bring strategic, commercial, and advocacy expertise to drive heart health initiatives, ensuring more people have access to life-saving preventative care.
Beyond my professional commitments, I continually seek ways to promote health—through training, coaching, or leading by example.
I’ve had the privilege of living and working in Timor-Leste for 19 years, a country I consider my second home, and one which holds a special place in the hearts of my children, who were raised there. During my time in Timor-Leste, I worked primarily in the education sector, which intersects directly with health initiatives that play a crucial role in improving health outcomes.
Now based in Australia, I work with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). After three years focused on surgical education and assessment, I’ve recently transitioned into a new role managing RACS’s international programs in the Pacific within the Global Health section.
My decision to join the board of the Timor-Leste Hearts Fund is driven by a deep, ongoing commitment to improving health outcomes in the region. I am eager to bring my experience and passion to support TLHF’s vital work and contribute to further strengthening its positive impact on the lives of the people of Timor-Leste.
I joined the Timor-Leste Hearts Fund board in May 2024 because I deeply believe in its mission. As someone with Timorese heritage, this cause is especially close to my heart. Recognising its significance as Australia’s closest neighbor, I am passionate about ensuring access to life-saving heart care for those who need it most. TLHF is truly transformative, offering hope and critical medical support to people who would otherwise go without treatment.
I am a finance and operations executive with several years of senior leadership experience in technology startups, financial operations, and governance. Currently, I serve as the CEO of Cuvos and previously held senior roles at Exablaze and Zomojo after beginning my career in business advisory at Deloitte.
Beyond my professional career, I have been an Executive Board Member of Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria (BSRV) since 2015 and a Mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters Australia since 2014. Giving back is an integral part of my life, and I am honoured to contribute my expertise to an organisation that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
When not working, I like to play the piano, disconnect from technology as much as possible, and try to head up north to Darwin to visit the rest of my family.
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