Strong governance
The MDFA board provides strong governance oversight in accordance with Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission principles.
Professor Sanchia Aranda AM
Chair
Professor Sanchia Aranda AM is an experienced and well-respected senior executive and board director across national and international organisations, predominantly in the health, education, research, disability and for-purpose sectors. Professor Aranda has led the establishment of new and redesigned organisations, implemented robust governance frameworks, and led the transformation of ideas into actions to achieve greater impact. She is currently the Board Chair of Scope Australia, a disability service provider, and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance. Professor Aranda started her career in nursing and became the first nurse to lead Cancer Council Australia as its CEO.
Professor Aranda is driven by a desire to make a positive difference and ensure there is equity of access and outcomes for the most disadvantaged in our communities. Professor Aranda also has a personal connection to macular disease with both her parents having age-related
macular degeneration.
Neil Wykes OAM BCom FCA AGIA ACIS
Neil is a senior executive with more than 50 years’ experience in the finance and accounting services sector.
Assoc Prof Alex P Hunyor MB BS (Hons), FRANZCO
A retinal specialist with expertise in vitreoretinal surgery and macular disease.
Peter Abrahamson B.Sc., FAICD
Peter is CEO of an Australian based biotech start-up with technology to develop new treatments for retinal diseases.
Gillian Shea B.Bus CA
Gillian is a Chartered Accountant and Registered Company Auditor with over 25 years of experience as a finance professional working for several of largest accountancy networks globally.
Emma Cleary B.Bus, CA, GAICD
Emma is a Chartered Accountant with a strong commercial background who has helped to manage growth and change in a number of large businesses.
Ms Susan Williams BAgrSc, MPH, CFRE
Susan is the Executive Director of Philanthropy and Planned Giving for St Vincent’s Curran Foundation and has extensive fundraising experience across a multiple of health issues.
Associate Professor Wilson Heriot
Associate Professor Wilson Heriot is a vitreo-retinal specialist based in Melbourne, and the director of Retinology Institute. Wilson has honorary appointments with the University of Melbourne in the Ophthalmology Department of Surgery, and Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences. He is also a Principal Investigator in Vitreoretinal Research at the Centre for
Eye Research Australia (CERA). Wilson is a past recipient of MDFA research grant funding – see this
link for more info on his project.
