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Board and Management Team

Fight Parkinson’s Board 

Philip Thomas 

Board Chair
M. ComLaw, B.Bus.,Grad. Dip. CSP.,ASA, FCSA, FCIS, F.Fin, MAICD
Appointed: June 2016

Philip is the Principal of Oakland Group a specialist in Governance and Compliance practice, assisting a wide variety of companies from ASX listed entities to the not-for-profit sector. Having worked in a variety of Accounting and Financial Services firms at the senior level in Australia and Asia, Philip has developed a keen interest in the area of business management and boardroom governance. He is a frequent guest speaker to industry on development, control and assessment practices including governance procedures for management and Boards. This area includes training in aspects and support for directors and company secretaries of practical governance and business solutions. He is currently a director four companies, including for profit and not for profit entities.

Professor David Finkelstein 

Chair Research Committee
B.Sc., Grad. Dip. Scientific Instrumentation, M. Sc., Ph.D.
Appointed:  May 2014

Physiologist and neurobiologist David Finklestein is the head of the Parkinson’s Disease Laboratory at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. In this role, he uses his skills and knowledge to investigate possible new medical interventions for Parkinson’s. He has led many research projects, authored over 300 research papers in peer-reviewed journals and presented his innovative work to medical researchers all over the world. David is committed to raising awareness of Parkinson’s research within the broader community and increasing the profile of Parkinson’s research in Australia. He assists Fight Parkinson’s to advocate for more funding from government grants for Parkinson’s research and support for Parkinson’s services. 

Jason Karametos

Chair Finance and Investment Committee
B Com/LLB (Hons),  LLM.
Appointed: April 2018

Jason is a PwC Partner leading the national industries corporate tax team and has over 18 years’ experience advising Australian and multinational public companies on broad corporate tax and international tax issues.  Having worked in professional services firms in Australia and abroad, Jason has developed strong international networks and expertise in navigating complex global regulations and risk. Jason's late father had Parkinson's and through his work with the Board he aims to raise awareness of Parkinson's within the broader community and be an advocate for increase funding for community services and research. Jason is also an Australian Lawyer of the Supreme Court of Victoria and is a board member and chair of finance for an Independent School in Melbourne. 

Professor Jennifer McGinley

Member Research Committee
B.App.Sci (Physiotherapy)
Grad Dip (Neurosciences) PhD
Appointed: February 2021

Professor Jennifer McGinley is a physiotherapist and Head of the Physiotherapy Department at the University of Melbourne. Across her clinical career she worked as a senior physiotherapist in rehabilitation and at the Movement Disorders Program at Kingston Centre, Monash Health. Her research has focussed on the measurement and understanding of movement and function in people with neurological conditions including stroke and Parkinson’s disease. Her current focus is the health and wellbeing benefits of exercise and how people living with Parkinson's and Atypical Parkinson’s can stay active during daily life. She is passionate about education of clinicians to provide expert care to all and improving access to interdisciplinary health services.

Sheenagh Bottrell

Registered Nurse

Sheenagh was a Registered Nurse for 39 years, training in London and emigrating to Australia in 1987. She has worked in numerous healthcare settings around the country, including public and private hospitals, as well as general practice surgeries. She now works part time as a carer.  Since being diagnosed with young/early onset Parkinson’s in 2011, she has focussed on raising awareness and advocating for people with Parkinson’s, especially young onset. Sheenagh has been active with Fight Parkinson’s since moving to Melbourne in 2019, as leader of two peer support groups and a member of the Consumer Engagement committee. She is a consumer and on the committee at the WEHI Parkinson’s Centre and has undertaken numerous advocacy activities with several other Parkinson’s related agencies. She is dedicated to the cause of finding a cure for Parkinson’s and hopes to create positive change for the Parkinson’s community.

Alecia Rathbone

BCom, GradCertMgtNFP, FCPA, GAICD

Alecia is an experienced leader within the social purpose sector where she has held leadership roles for the past 15 years. Alecia originally trained as an accountant working in the corporate sector before making the move to working for charities to make a contribution to society through both volunteering and paid work. Alecia is Chief Executive of the Housing Hub (housinghub.org.au), a social enterprise and digital platform that she developed. The Housing Hub connects people with disability with accessible housing across Australia and supports people to live how they choose. Alecia is currently a non-executive director of inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence and cohealth, a large community health organisation in Victoria. Alecia is a Fellow of CPA Australia and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Alecia previously held leadership and governance roles with the Foundation for Young Australians, Girl Guides Victoria and YWCA Victoria and Australia.

Alecia has been a member of Fight Parkinson's Finance and Investment Committee since July 2020. Alecia has a personal connection to Parkinson's through her mother, and is serving the organisation as a volunteer in order to make a contribution to the work that needs to be done to improve the lives of people living with Parkinson's. 

Fight Parkinson’s Management Team

Emma Collin
Chief Executive Officer

Emma has a professional background and extensive experience in the not-for-profit and local government sectors. Prior to joining Fight Parkinson’s as CEO, she held a number of senior management roles including Executive Manager, Carer Representation and Engagement with Carer’s Victoria and General Manager, Community Services with Melton City Council.

The focus of Emma’s current role is on securing government, philanthropic and community support for people with Parkinson’s, including legislative and social policy reform. She leads a dynamic team who provide information, education, advice and peer support services to the Parkinson’s community as well as manage fundraising and community awareness raising activities.

Emma is a passionate advocate for vulnerable members of the community. She is committed to ensuring people living with Parkinson’s and their families are able to have a representative voice and access to a range of high-quality services that are flexible and responsive to individual needs.

Emma holds a Bachelor of Business from RMIT and is currently completing her Executive MBA at RMIT University, Melbourne.

Charlotte Hutchins
Chief Operating Officer

With more than 20 years' experience working with not-for-profit organisations, Charlotte specialises in building community engagement strategists, project management, fostering partnerships and communications. She has worked in tourism, the arts, professional associations and community welfare. She has been responsible for leading the marketing and fundraising for Wesley Mission Victoria, Life's Little Treasures, Heide Museum of Modern Art, and the Royal Academy of Dance in London.

She is a driven professional with a Masters in Marketing who is motivated by building the capacity of the community.

Victor McConvey OAM RN MACN
Parkinson’s Clinical Nurse Consultant – Director of Health Services

Victor has been a nurse for 25 years and has worked in the area of neurology for the past 18 years. He has worked in clinical management and service development positions in both Australia and the UK, including establishing the Parkinson’s Nurse Specialist position in Leeds, UK.

In his role at Fight Parkinson’s, Victor leads the Health Team, providing direction to the development and roll out of our information, peer support education programs.

Victor is currently involved in a range of projects including developing the role and profile of the Parkinson’s Nurse Specialist in Australia and participating in the working party reviewing clinical and consumer information generated by Fight Parkinson’s. He has written journal articles, presented at international conferences and received a number of awards and fellowship related to his work with the Parkinson’s community.

Vaccant
Director of Fundraising

 

Rachel Mouer
Health Services Team Leader

 

Katie Howland
Marketing Manager

 

 

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