Board

The Board comprises talented and credentialed individuals from backgrounds as diverse as research, health, business, risk management and auditing. A consumer representative has also been appointed to the Board.

Professor James Best (Chair)

James Best is Professor of Medicine and an Associate Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne. He is an active clinician and teacher, who has published over 160 papers. His research has involved physiological and molecular studies of glucose disposal, as well as studies of lipid biochemistry and epidemiological and clinical studies of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in diabetes. He was appointed as Chair of the Research Committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council in July 2006.

Robert Ward is a Senior Executive with 30 plus years’ private and public sector management experience for small and large companies in roles as diverse as general management, operations, sales/marketing, export promotion, investment attraction and business development roles in markets such as Europe, North America, Asia and Middle East. Previous roles include: President, Scan Technologies Inc, the US subsidiary of an ASX-listed high technology and adviser to a Victorian State Government publicly funded industrial research agency (SIRF) which adopted a four-year $20m Business Plan that placed less reliance on public grants and more on industry collaboration and alliances.

Denis Hogg was Chief Executive of Epworth Foundation from 1986 until his retirement in February 2007. During that time he developed the hospital from a struggling single campus facility into a major healthcare group with five campuses. As a past President and board member of the Australian Private Hospitals’ Association, he has had wide experience in both the operation and the politics of the hospital industry. Denis has had experience in a wide range of other industries including ten years with Sigma Company Ltd in a technical and marketing role and periods with Stegbar Windows in marketing and general management, Brown and Dureau as a Divisional Managing Director, and at APM Wood Products in senior management. Denis was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) in 2006 for his contribution to the private healthcare industry.

Amanda Milledge is a lawyer who, after some years as the Melbourne Pro Bono Coordinator at Mallesons Stephen Jaques, embarked upon a broader career in corporate community investment and strategic philanthropy. Amanda has a particular interest in helping business, government and the community work together effectively to address important social issues. She is currently employed at Melbourne University assisting with the integration of the Victorian College of the Arts. Amanda has been involved with prostate cancer prevention for the last two years. She recently resigned from her membership of the Victorian Committee of the PCFA so that she could focus her energies on advancing better research through her role as Director of the VPCRC. She is currently the President of Anex, a charity dedicated to drug harm reduction. Amanda is also an accredited broker under the Partnership Brokers’ Accreditation Scheme.

Ruth O'Shannassy worked in economic research in the finance industry in Melbourne before moving overseas. She spent seven years living and working offshore, primarily as a stockbroker in London and Hong Kong, concentrating on the Asian markets, before returning to Australia. She joined the board of St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research in 2003, where she is also on the Audit and Finance Committee.

David Shaw is a Melbourne University law graduate, and is currently a practising solicitor with his own firm Campbell & Shaw Lawyers. David has a strong and long history with the Australian Football League. He is a 186 game player with the Essendon Football Club, and was also the Essendon club President from 1992¬–2002. In addition, David was the former Commissioner of the AFL. David is currently the Rotary Club representative for prostate cancer issues and serves on the Victorian Board of the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Ray Wilson is the founder of Wilson Dilworth Limited and was Chief Executive until 2000. Wilson Dilworth was a private client and financial planning company with more than $1 billion funds under advice. Ray is the former Chairman of Hastings Funds Management, a leading provider of alternative investments to institutions and a former Director of MCS Property Limited. He is a Director of Warakirri Asset Management Pty, Ltd, the Victorian Institute of Sport, and Chairman of Velacor Therapeutics Pty Ltd, whose activities include prostate cancer research.