Board & Governance

Professor Stephen Rodda is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Industry & Innovation) at The University of New South Wales. He has more than 20 years of experience in the areas of scientific research, research management, technology commercialisation, investment management and corporate governance. He is passionate about the successful translation of research into outcomes that deliver positive social and economic impact to our communities.

Educated at the University of Adelaide, he gained a first-class honours degree, a PhD in Biochemistry and was awarded the University Medal. Subsequently he was awarded the prestigious CJ Martin and Arthritis Foundation fellowships for post-doctoral training at Harvard University. Stephen holds an MBA, is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and has undertaken the Advanced Management Program (AMP) at the Harvard Business School. Prof Rodda also serves as on the Boards of Uniseed Venture Capital Fund, The Rozetta Institute, Science Technology Australia, and Greenhill Energy Pty Ltd as a Non-Executive Director and is an Appointed Member of the SA Governing Council for the AICD.

Cook, teacher, entrepreneur, author, radio personality – flamboyant foodie Rilka Warbanoff is all of these and more. Rilka is also well known for her contribution to the community, serving on many boards and advising NFP on fundraising, corporate governance structure and people.

Rilka started her career in the family business, winning the South Australian Tourism Award in 1982. She later established an executive placement business, acting as a global corporate head-hunter and twice being named a finalist in the prestigious Telstra Business Woman of the Year Awards. From the age of 16, Rilka has been involved in the community and has had a diverse set of interests from multiculturalism through to medical research, international aid and tourism.

As the Director of the AICC in South Australia she has led many trade missions to Israel and has been instrumental in fostering relationship between government and business in both countries.

Rilka has had extensive board experience, sitting on the THRF Group – Creative Health Board of Governors, and the Boards of Camp Quality, Food Share, Enterprise Victoria and Museum Victoria.

Amanda Butler is a commercial executive who has held numerous leadership roles across Australia and New Zealand in the consumer goods sector. These roles have included CEO / General Manager roles in both blue chip global multinationals and private enterprise.

Amanda is recognised for her strategic approach to organisational growth, building sustainable brands and strong board governance at both board level and within the executive.  She brings this experience along with a passion for healthcare to THRF Group and is an active member of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Company Directors.

Andrew Mannix is Managing Director, Nova Systems Australia and New Zealand. Andrew is an experienced Senior Executive having held numerous appointments throughout his career in the Defence Industry and Mining Sectors most recently, prior to Nova Systems, with Naval Group, and formerly with Leidos Australia, Liebherr Australia and BAE Systems.  He is Chair of Military and Emergency Services Health Australia’s Board of Governors and a Director of The Hospital Research Foundation Group.

Through spending a significant part of his career in the Defence Industry, Andrew has worked closely with serving members of our Australian Defence Force, and shoulder to shoulder with veterans in industry. He has listened to the stories of Australian service personnel before and after deployment – seeing how their important work has impacted their lives. Andrew has first-hand experience of the pressures faced by our first responders as they go about their daily duties and admires the work they do.

He is proud to contribute to the work of Military and Emergency Services Health Australia through the Board of Governors. In particular, helping to make investments into important research and programs for our veterans, emergency service first responders and their families. Andrew has also seen first-hand the important impact delivered by the entities of The Hospital Research Foundation Group and is a passionate member of the group board.

Prof Hill is a clinical rheumatologist and researcher. She currently undertakes clinical work, research and drug regulatory work for the Commonwealth and State Governments.

She is a Head of Unit of Rheumatology at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, rheumatologist at Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA and Professor, Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide. She is a current member of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) of Federal Government.

She heads the Rheumatology Research Group at the Basil Hetzel Institute with research expertise in population epidemiology, randomised clinical trials, qualitative research, biobanking and quality improvement. The Research Group has experts in epidemiology, statistics, biobanking, qualitative methods and evidence-based medicine. It is the South Australian hub of Australian Arthritis and Autoimmune Biobank (A3BC).

She is immediate Past President of Australian Rheumatology Association (2020-2022) and served on the ARA Board from 2016-May 2022. She is a member of the Board of the Australian and New Zealand Vasculitis Society which she helped establish in 2019.

She was appointed as Medical Director of Arthritis SA in July 2022.

She attended the AICD Company Director’s Course in August 2020.

Colin La Galia is the Trustee Director of Spinnaker Health Research Foundation and Managing Director of Neurospine Institute, one of Australia’s largest brain and spine surgery service providers and a holistic, multi-disciplinary specialist practice that provides comprehensive and cohesive treatment of brain and spine injuries, trauma and disease.

Leading and coaching people to drive commercial success and revenue growth is what keeps Colin motivated. With almost three decades of senior leadership experience in organisations including Abbott, Alere, GSK, MSD, Hollywood IVF, Epichem, InstaMed and Neurospine Institute, he brings with him a wealth of expertise in business development, sales, marketing and commercial strategy in Australia and Internationally. Colin has extensive experience leading teams of highly dedicated professionals focused on achieving client-centric outcomes, working in partnership and collaboration with stakeholders that make a difference. He holds several Board positions.

Colin is also a Director of Neurospine Foundation (a research arm of Neurospine Institute), a Board Member of Avon Recovery Centre, Advisory Panel Chair for Biotech Company – Meliorem, Advisory Panel Chair for STEM education service provider StemSmart, independent expert on Government ARC Panel, and a Foundational Committee Member of Lifesciences WA. Colin has qualifications in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Business Management, Human Resources and Project Management.

Leading cardiologist Professor John Beltrame AM brings a medical perspective to the board. He has degrees in both science and medicine, and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, the European Society of Cardiology, the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand. He is the Michell Professor of Medicine and the Director of Research for the Central Adelaide Local Health Network.

John Woodward has 30 years’ experience in technology related change programs, projects and consulting services across industries including the energy, health, water, superannuation and entertainment sectors. John is a Councillor with the West Torrens Council, Cyber Program Manager at Alinta Energy.  John holds an MBA specialising in technology management, is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  He is also certified Project Management Professional through the Project Management Institute. John joined the Board of The Hospital Research Foundation in 2013.

MaryLou joined the board of THRF in 2014 and has since also become a member of our Group charity, the Centre for Creative Health. For nearly 30 years MaryLou ran a surgical devices company selling highly technical operating room equipment into the largest hospitals across SA, WA and NT. MaryLou has a strong understanding of the medical world and the health industry.

In 2014 MaryLou was elected as a Councillor to The Town of Walkerville and has also served as its Deputy Mayor. For spiritual and artistic nurturing MaryLou has become involved in the philanthropic Chairman’s Circle which supports The Adelaide Festival of Arts.

Dr Melissa McBurnie is a Partner and the Head of Impact at Brandon Capital.

Before joining Brandon Capital in 2008, Melissa was an investor with Terra Rossa Capital in Adelaide, a Fund Manager specialising in seed-to-early stage life science investment. Previously, Melissa was a Business Development Manager with Bio Innovation SA where she helped early stage companies refine their business plans and prepare to raise capital. Prior to joining Bio Innovation SA, Melissa worked in an early stage medical device company in Adelaide, assisting with capital raising. Melissa spent three years as a postdoctoral scientist at Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research, Victoria.

Melissa is currently a Director of Cincera Therapeutics and Ankere Therapeutics.

Melissa has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Adelaide, a PhD in Immunology from the University of Adelaide and an MBA, specialising in finance, from the University of South Australia. Melissa holds a Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance from Kaplan (formerly FINSIA) and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Paul is an experienced, innovative, and entrepreneurial Board Director and Chief Executive who has earned a stellar reputation for impact during a distinguished career in both the Finance and not-for-profit sectors.

Paul has received several awards and acknowledgements for his outstanding contributions to the Banking and Investment Industry, as well as the field of social entrepreneurship and not-for-profit organisations.

He was awarded a Senior Fellowship at the Financial Services Institute of Australasia, which recognises his exceptional achievements in the industry. Additionally, he was named the Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year in South Australia/Northern Territory for his innovative work in the field of social entrepreneurship. Moreover, he received the Equity Trustees Australian Not-for-Profit CEO Award for Innovation, which acknowledges his contributions to the growth and development of not-for-profit organisations. Finally, Paul was also awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the University of South Australia in recognition of his exceptional work and contributions to the community.

Paul is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and currently holds positions as a Non-Executive Director BiomeBank Pty Ltd, Director of Military and Emergency Services Health Australia, and a Governor of Pulteney Grammar School.

Paul is Chief Executive Officer of The Hospital Research Foundation Group and of its Australian affiliates: Military and Emergency Services Health Australia; Australian Breast Cancer Research; Kidney, Transplant and Diabetes Research Australia; Australian Prostate Cancer Society Ltd; THRF Group – Creative Health; THRF Group – Stroke; THRF Group – Parkinson’s; THRF Group – Palliative Care; THRF Group – Arthritis; and Australian Heart Research.