National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC)

Ms Flynn is the Chief Executive Officer of Free TV Australia.  Free TV is the industry body that represents Australia’s 48 commercial television licensees.  In her time as CEO, Free TV has been at the forefront of the transition to digital television services and has developed an industry voice to market the strengths of free-to-air television in an increasingly competitive market.  Julie joined Free TV after a distinguished career as a journalist and media executive.  She as a senior executive at Radio 2UE.  However, she is also known for her work as a reporter and commentator in the Canberra Press Gallery with the ABC, the National Times and 2UE.  Julie has won a Walkley award for Radio News reporting and was President of the Canberra Press Gallery.  Julie has been a member of the Public Service Medal Committee, the Walkley Awards Advisory Panel and the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Advisory Board.

Lyn Swinburne was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993. In 1998, she founded Breast Cancer Network Australia, of which she is presently CEO. She is the creator of the Field of Women concept. A passionate advocate for consumer input, Lyn has represented women with breast cancer on a number of state, national and international committees. She is currently a member of the NBOCC Implementation Advisory Group, the Cancer Australia National Advisory Consumer Group and the Clinical Advisory Group to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' National Breast Cancer Audit. She previously served on National Breast Cancer Centre's (NBCC)* Board from 1998-2006. Lyn was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in 2006 for her work on behalf of women with breast cancer and is the 2007 Melbournian of the Year.

GDPPM

Ms James is the Chief Executive Officer of Research Australia, a national advocacy organisation which promotes health and medical research.  She has a background in health policy and health and medical research advocacy.  She has also worked in the private and not-for-profit sectors and has held various Board positions.  She is a strong advocate for health service improvement and support for cancer survivors.

PhD, DSc (Hon)

Professor Iverson is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Health), and Executive Director, Illawarra Health & Medical Research Institute at the University of Wollongong (UOW).  Previous experiences include senior positions in the US and Canada within cancer related institutes in state health departments and in private business and centres, as well as state department health services.  He has served on a number of international and national governing/advisory committees in the US and Canada.

MD PhD CMin FRACP MRACMA FAChPM

Professor Olver is the Chief Executive Officer, The Cancer Council Australia.  He trained as a medical oncologist and received the Cancer Achievement Award from the Medical Oncology Group of Australia in 2008.  Amongst other committees, he is a member of the Advisory Council to Cancer Australia and the Palliative Care Working Group of the European Society of Medical Oncology.  He chairs the Research Ethics Committee of the New South Wales Cancer Institute.

DipFincArts (Caulfield Inst. now Monash University)

One of the country’s most successful and experienced magazine editors, Deborah has been at the helm of Australia’s biggest selling magazine, The Australian Women’s Weekly, for a decade and editing our most popular women’s magazines for over 18  years. After successfully editing magazines such as Cleo, Elle and Mode (now Harpers Bazaar), Deborah was appointed Editor-in-Chief of The Australian Women’s Weekly, Australia’s highest selling magazine and a national icon, in September 1999. In May 2002, The Australian Women’s Weekly scooped the pool at the Magazine Publishers of Australia Awards, the magazine equivalent of the Oscars. The awards included Magazine of the Year 2002, General Excellence (News and General Interest), as well as two advertising awards. Deborah received the highest accolade, Editor of the Year.In March 2005, she was promoted to Editorial Director of The Weekly, responsible for all aspects of this iconic brand including television programs, books and brand extensions. In March 2009, Deborah was promoted to the role of General Manger ACP Women’s Lifestyle (magazines), Editorial projects, working across the women’s lifestyle portfolio which includes, The Weekly, Woman’s Day, Cleo and Cosmopolitan. Deborah is a sought-after speaker on many topics, including marketing to women, balancing work and family, and, of course, the Australian magazine and advertising industry. She is also an entertaining and informative media commentator, with regular spots on the Today show, A Current Affair and 20 to One. A regular on radio, Deborah co-hosts the weekly Health and Wellbeing Show on radio 2GB. Currently, Deborah sits on the council of the National Library of Australia and the Queensland Food, Fibre and Agribusiness Council. She is a board member of the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre and a patron of the Taronga Foundation. Dedicated to promoting and mentoring young women, as well as providing credible information on a range of topics, including health, family and community issues, Deborah has also been a member of the Walkley Advisory Council (2005-2007), an AusAID Ambassador for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2003) and a member of the steering committee for Promoting the Value of the Arts for the Australia Council (2002). Outside work, Deborah is a wife and mother to seven-year-old Oscar, and is actively involved in many community fundraising projects. A former international model, she is passionate about fashion, art and photography.

An Aboriginal and South Sea Islander woman from north Queensland in Australia, Associate Professor Elston is a descendent of the Kalkadoon people of north-east Queensland.  Wife and mother of two school age children, Jacinta was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003.  Jacinta holds the position of Associate Dean Indigenous Health in Faculty of Medicine, Health and Molecular Sciences at James Cook University in Townsville and serves on numerous governing and advisory committees nationally and internationally.  She is a Master’s graduate with Public Health and Tropical Medicine qualifications from James Cook University.  Her Masters was received in 1998 and her Diploma in 1994.

Professor Chalmers is Dean of Law and Director of the Centre for Law and Genetics at the University of Tasmania.  He is a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law.  Donald is Chair of the Gene Technology Ethics and Community Consultative Committee, Deputy Chair of the NHMRC Embryo Research Licensing Committee and a member of the NHMRC Australian Health Ethics Committee (AHEC) from 1994 to 2000.  Internationally, he is a member of the Human Genome Organisation Ethics Committee and the International Cancer Genome Consortium.  His current major research work involves an examination of the legal and governance arrangements for human tissue biobanks.  His current major research interests are health law and genetics, research ethics and law reform.  Donald was appointed to the Board of NBOCC on 12 June 2009.

MBBS FRCS FRACS

Professor Saunders trained as a doctor in the United Kingdom, moving to Western Australia in 2000.  She is a Professor of Surgical Oncology at the School of Surgery, University of Western Australia.  Professor Saunders is a Board member of Cancer Australia and President of the Cancer Council of Western Australia.  Her research interests include many aspects of clinical research in breast cancer, and her surgical practice is in the management of patients with breast disease and melanoma.  Christobel was appointed to the Board of NBOCC on 12 June 2009.

Professor Yates is jointly appointed as Professor of Nursing at Queensland University of Technology and Director for Queensland Health’s Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education, a state-wide service that was established to enhance palliative care services in Queensland through education and research.  In these roles Patsy leads a range of programs focused on developing workforce capacity in cancer and palliative care, researching priority issues in supportive care and strengthening the nexus between research, policy and practice.  She is currently a member of the Executive Committee for Palliative Care Australia and is an Executive Board member for the International Society for Nurses in Cancer Care.  Patsy was appointed to the Board of NBOCC on 12 June 2009.

MBBS FASBP MAICD

Dr Helen Zorbas is CEO and Executive Director of National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre, and holds a Staff Specialist position at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney.  Helen has been responsible for directing a number of national cancer control initiatives to improve evidence-based practice, policy and health service delivery, in both the clinical and psycho-social aspects of cancer care.  Helen has been appointed to a number of key national cancer and Government health committees most notably Chair, BreastScreen Australia Evaluation Advisory Committee; member, Health Care Committee of the NHMRC; member , NHMRC Health Advisory Committee; Chair, Australian Screening Advisory Committee, Quality Improvement & Workforce Working Group; and Chair, Microwave Cancer Review Committee of the NHMRC. Helen was appointed to the Board of the Cancer Institute NSW in November 2006 and has been the Acting Chair of the Board since September 2008.