Spinal Cord Society of Australia

Nola Birch

Nola has worked in the Disability Sector for about 25 years.

Nola’s first position involved establishing services within Universities and TAFE’s in Victoria for students with vision impairment. She currently works as a Disability Liaison Officer at the University of Melbourne which provides access to education for students with disabilities.

She was also Head of Central Services at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research responsible for editing and publication of the Annual Research Report. In addition, Nola was administrative secretary to the Human Ethics Committee.

Nola has also trained as a Careers Adviser and Counsellor.

Dr. Elizabeth Finkel

Author (Stem Cells), Journalist and scientist.

After receiving a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Melbourne, Elizabeth Finkel went on to do five years of post-doctoral research at the University of California in San Francisco. After returning to Australia, Elizabeth traded the laboratory bench for the lap-top.

Over the last fifteen years, she has enjoyed writing for both the scientific and lay audience. She is currently a correspondent for the US magazine Science, and a contributing editor to Cosmos magazine. She is also a frequent contributor to ABC radio’s Ockham’s Razor, the Science Show and the Health report.

She has won numerous awards for journalism including the Michael Daley award, MBF awards and Amgen awards. She was a finalist in the Eureka prize for her 2002 radio feature on stem cells. In April 2005, her book "Stem cells: controversy at the frontiers of science", was published by ABC books. It won the Queensland Premier’s Literary Award, and was short listed for the Victorian Premier’s literary award. It was also a finalist for the Australian government Eureka award for promoting the public understanding of science.

Pru Goward

Member for Goulburn in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly

Pru Goward was appointed federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner in July 2001 but most recently (March 2007) was elected Liberal Party Member for Goulburn in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly where she is the opposition spokeswoman on climate change and water . She is an economist by training and a broadcaster by practice, having spent 19 years with ABC TV and Radio as a current affairs journalist and later as a political reporter and commentator. She is best known for her efforts to promote a national scheme of paid maternity leave and a better balance of work and family. She is considered by both The Australian and the Australian Financial Review newspapers to be one of our most influential Australians, her speeches and columns are widely reproduced in journals and books and in 2001 she was awarded a Centenary Medal for services to journalism and women's rights. She has also co-written a biography of Prime Minister John Howard with her husband David Barnett and is currently the Chair of the Council for Australian Arab Relations and the Advisory Panel for the Marketing in Australia of Infant Formula. She has three daughters.

Brent Scott

Vice President Marketing & Business Development- Stryker Pacific

Brent is a New Zealander with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Latrobe University) and a Masters of Business Administration (Swinburne Graduate School of Management).

He has 18 years experience in the Medical Device Industry - 9 years with United States Surgical Corporation and for past 9 years with Stryker Corporation.

In 2002 he was appointed Managing Director Stryker South Pacific and in July 2006 was appointed Vice President Marketing and Business development Stryker Pacific.

He is also a Board Member for Medical Industry Association of Australia.

Charles Heerey

Philanthropic/Charity Advisor, Bell Potter Securities Ltd.

Charles is an investment adviser with an interest in philanthropy and the Third sector. He is also a board member at Wheelchair Sports Victoria. He advises non-profit clients about investment issues relating to their organisation and also advises on fundraising initiatives (e.g.establishing Deductible Gift Recipient status funds; approaching corporate foundations) or philanthropic initiatives (e.g. establishing Prescribed Private Funds or Workplace Giving initiatives). Charles has worked in financial markets for 11 years. He recently moved to Bell Potter to help build Bell Potter's Third Sector business having spent the last 4 years at Goldman Sachs JBWere. Prior to this, he worked for 6 years at Westpac Banking Corporation in a variety of roles. He holds a Bachelor of Economics (hons.) from Monash University; a Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance from FINSIA and is currently completing a Graduate Certificate of Business in Philanthropy and Not for Profit Studies at Queensland University of Technology.

Charles and his wife, Anna, live in Port Melbourne with their dog, Winnie.

Jennifer Johnson

Director Policy and Government affairs Asia Pacific, Bristol Myers Squibb.

Tony Benbow

(Chairman) Senior Manager Operational Risk Victoria, Westpac; District Governor Lions V1.

Prof. Hugh Collins

Master Ormond College, Prof Political Science, University of Melbourne.

George Owen

President of the Spinal Cord Society of Australia.

Barbara Owen

Treasurer of the Spinal Cord Society of Australia.