Board & Committees

The Board

The RCH Foundation is governed by an independent Board of Directors which is responsible for all of the activities of the Foundation and determines policy matters and strategic direction. Members of the Board are appointed by the Governor-in-Council upon the recommendation of the Minister for Health for terms of three years.

In compliance with the Hospitals' Foundations Act, the Board includes the following representatives:

  • Chair of the RCH & HSD Health Community Council or nominee;
  • an employee of any Queensland University; and
  • two officers or employees of the RCH & HSD who are knowledgeable and experienced in paediatrics.

Board members have elected to serve in an honorary capacity.

The RCH Foundation is subject to the provisions of the Financial Administrations Audit Act 1977 and in accordance with relevant Acts, the RCH Foundation appoints the Queensland Audit Office as external auditor and maintains a register of Board members' pecuniary interests and any areas of activity which may lead to a conflict of interest.

Colin Ryan, Chairman BCom, LLB, FCA, FAICD
Colin Ryan is Chairman of the Brisbane Airport Corporation Ltd, Chairman of CMI Ltd and chairman or member of a number of public company boards in Australia and New Zealand. He is a former Managing Partner of the international accounting firm Arthur Andersen, former Deputy Chairman of the Port of Brisbane Corporation, a former director of several public companies and a former member of various business, government and university committees. Mr Ryan is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He was awarded the Order of Australia in 2004. Colin Ryan has been a founding member of the RCHF Board since July 1985.

Douglass Brown, Board Secretary BBus (Accountancy)
Douglass Brown is Acting District Manager of the Royal Children's Hospital and Health Service District. Previously he held senior finance positions at the RCH, including Finance Manager, and Executive Director Corporate Services. Prior to that he held the position of Finance Manager/Director of Planning and Budget at Queensland University of Technology. He joined the Queensland Audit Office in 1974 were he worked as an Audit Inspector, auditing the accounts of government departments and statutory authorities. He gained a Bachelor of Business Accountancy at the Queensland University of Technology. Doug Brown was appointed to the RCHF Board in July 2007.

Kerry Prior, Deputy Chairman AM, LLB
Kerry Prior was Chairman of McCullough Robertson Lawyers for more than 18 years. He continues to practice as a partner in the Corporate Advisory Group of that firm and has extensive experience in commercial and resources law and taxation. Mr Prior was chairman of Devine Ltd for many years and a director of other public and private companies. He is former State Chairman and National Councillor of the Taxation Institute of Australia and former Chairman of the Queensland Office of Financial Supervision. Kerry Prior is a founding member of the RCHF Board, since July 1985.

Ray Weekes BCom, Grad Dip Bus Admin, Grad Dip Ed, ACA, FAICD, FAIM
Ray Weekes is Chairman of the CEO Institute, Queensland. He was previously Chief Executive and Executive Director of Rothman's Holdings Ltd, and Managing Director of Castlemaine Perkins Ltd. He holds various directorships and corporate advisory roles. He is CEO-in-Residence/Adjunct Professor for the Queensland University of Technology's Faculty of Business. Ray Weekes was appointed to the RCHF Board in March 1996.

Professor Alan Isles MBBS (Hons), MSc, FRACP, FRCP(C)
Professor Alan Isles is Clinical CEO of the Queensland Children's Hospital Development, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Queensland. Professor Isles is President of the Children's Hospitals Australasia, and former District Manager for the Royal Children's Hospital & Health Services District. Professor Isles did his medical training at the University of Queensland and began working at RCH in 1975. He trained in paediatrics at RCH before spending four years at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, where he undertook advanced training and research in clinical pharmacology and paediatric respiratory medicine. Professor Isles returned to RCH in 1984 when he was Staff Specialist and then Visiting Medical Officer in respiratory medicine. Professor Isles was appointed to the RCHF Board in July 1997.

John Lyons BBus, MBA, CPA, FAICD
Founder and former Chairman of Marketshare, John Lyons is now an Independent Company Director, businessman and author. His current board appointments include Softlink International Ltd, O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat and Vineyards, Onetest Workforce Diagnostics, Sirromet Wines, McGuires Hotels and Jupiters Casino Community Benefit Fund. He is an adjunct professor at Bond University and a Queensland councilor of Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is co-author with Dr Edward de Bono of "Marketing without Money" which examines the "different thinking" skills of top entrepreneurial innovators, and has published over 400 newspaper columns most recently in the Australian Financial Review. Mr Lyons was appointed to the RCHF Board in October 2000.
Adrian Di Marco, BSc, FAICD
Adrian Di Marco is the founder and Executive Chairman of Technology One Ltd, one of Australia's largest publicly listed software companies. Mr Di Marco has founded and developed a number of successful Australian IT companies. He has played a major role in promoting the Australian IT industry, as past director of the Australian Information Industry Association, the peak body for the Australian IT industry; as well a founding member of Software Queensland, an organisation specifically established to promote the Queensland Software industry. He is currently the chairman of the advisory board for inQbator, a company that incubates young start up IT companies, providing them with funding to commercialise their ideas. He has been a past director of a number of IT companies. Mr Di Marco is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Chartered Accountants, and a regular speaker at business forums both inside and outside the computer industry. Mr Di Marco won the highly coveted Pearcey Award in 2004 for "innovative and pioneering achievement and contribution to research and development in IT". In 2001 he was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year award. Mr Di Marco was appointed to the RCHF Board in 2004.
David Liddy MBA
David Liddy is the Managing Director and CEO of Bank of Queensland Ltd, and has more than 39 years experience in banking. David is a senior executive management professional with significant broad based general management competencies and a proven record in achieving strong business performance. Since his appointment at the Bank of Queensland in 2001, the bank has recorded a succession of record half- and full-year profits and trebled its market capitalisation. His key strengths include outstanding communication skills, change management, problem solving, strategic planning and the ability to execute. He is a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and sits on the Australian Bankers' Association Council, and the Federal Treasurer's Financial Sector Advisory Council. He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003 for distinguished service to business and commerce in Banking and Finance. David is also a board member of The Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club, and a Trustee of the Queensland Museum Foundation. Mr Liddy was appointed to the RCHF Board in August 2006.

Andrea Staines BEcon MBA AICD

Andrea Staines is a Director of the Australian Rail Track Corporation and the Gladstone Ports Corporation. Andrea is also a Corporate Advisor, working in the areas of CEO Mentoring, Strategy, Risk Management, and Management Reporting. She was formerly CEO of Australian Airlines, a Qantas subsidiary flying between Asia and Australia which she co-launched in 2002. As CEO of Australian Airlines, she was also a member of the Qantas Executive Committee. Earlier roles at Qantas included managing Revenue Management, a 150-person team determining fare levels and availability on all Qantas flights, and Commercial Strategy & Economics. Before her time at Qantas, Andrea worked in various financial roles with American Airlines at their Dallas headquarters. Andrea is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is an MBA Guest Lecturer at Bond University. She has an MBA majoring in Finance from the University of Michigan in the US, and has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Queensland. Andrea Staines joined the Board in 2007.

 
Jenny Hutson BCom/LLB
Jenny Hutson is the Managing Director and founder of Wellington Capital Limited, a merchant bank. Jenny also chairs Wellington Funds Management Trust. She was previously a partner for 10 years in the corporate division of McCullough Robertson Lawyers. Jenny was recently awarded Queensland Business Woman of the Year 2007, Australian Institute of Management Owner/Manager of the Year 2007 and the Australian Business Awards winner for Enterprise in Finance 2007. Jenny is a Director of the Mental Health Foundation of Australia Ltd, and a Director of Big River Timbers. She is a member of the Companies Committees of the Law Council of Australia, the Queensland Law Society, the National Advisory Board for ‘Year of the Surf Lifesaver' and the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation. Jenny holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Laws from the University of Queensland, is a Fellow, Emmanuel College, University of Queensland and is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland.
Eileen Jones BA
Chairperson, RCH Health Community Council, Eileen Jones comes from a background in research and policy. She was former Secretary/Manager, Forde Commission of Inquiry into the Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions. She spent 20 years in the public sector in policy and research roles for the Office of Cabinet, Health Department and Arts Queensland. Her principal research posts were at the University of Queensland, Royal Brisbane Hospital and with the Medical Board of Queensland. For seven years Ms Jones served as research officer and speech writer to two Governors of Queensland. Currently she is a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Panel and the Advisory Group on Community Consultation for the planning of the Queensland Children's Hospital. She was Deputy Chairperson, Forde Foundation and former committee member, Domestic Violence Resource Centre, Zonta Club Brisbane River and a member of Women's Committee of the Keperra Country Golf Club. Ms Jones was awarded the Centenary Medal for services to people formerly in care of the State. Eileen Jones was appointed to the RCHF Board in 2007. 

Executive Officers

Karenlee Spillane, Chief Executive Officer RCHF
Karenlee joined the Foundation in 2003 as Director Fundraising Development. She has more than ten years experience in the not-for-profit sector including donor development; corporate relations; strategic planning and financial management. Her experience in marketing and communications includes brand development, direct marketing, and integrated marketing communications.

In February 2006 Karenlee was appointed CEO of the RCH Foundation. Under her guidance the Foundation increased net revenue by 11% in 06/07 financial year and allocated an additional $500,000 in grants.

Karenlee is a member of the Queensland Children's Hospital Advisory Group on Community Consultation; was invited to join the inaugural Telstra Foundation Leadership Program and is a board member of the Prince Charles Hospital Foundation.

 

The Committees

Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee
The Finance, Audit & Management Committee ensures that while the Foundation’s independence is maintained, the administrative and financial reporting responsibilities of the Foundation are being complied with, and that the general administrative structure is aligned to ensure that the Foundation is appropriate and effective.

The Foundation is not specifically subject to Public Service or Queensland Health management and staff regulations, and has therefore adopted its own policies and procedures. Management is a high priority for the Finance and Audit Committee whose objective is to rank, treat and monitor risks imposed on the Foundation.

Grants Committee
The Foundation strives to select projects that produce visible benefits to the continuation of wonderful outcomes for sick and injured children. Our Grants Committee ensures areas issued with grants reflect the intentions of specific donors, and that the Foundation's strategies and marketing opportunities are fully considered in the selection process.

The committee assists applicants in seeking funds from other Australian and international organisations, and coordinates the receipt and administration of external grants to the hospital.

Fundraising and Marketing Advisory Committee
Our Marketing Committee gives advice and recommendations to the RCHF to develop the effectiveness and efficiency of the Foundation's marketing and public relations, as well as advising the Board on the performance of all marketing campaigns against budget performance indicators.