Our Council and Patron

Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM, Governor of Queensland, is the patron of QIMR Berghofer. Dr Young has been a strong supporter of the Institute, serving as a Council Member from 2005 until 2019. Her Excellency was sworn in as the 27th Governor of Queensland on 1 November 2021.

Prior to her appointment, the Governor was the Chief Health Officer for Queensland, with responsibility for leading the State’s preventative health and public health agendas, including response to public health emergencies. In January 2020, when the COVID-19 virus outbreak was declared a pandemic, the Governor became the State Health Incident Controller. It is an honour for the Institute to be represented and supported by Her Excellency.

Appointed: 4 July 2019

Current term: 14 September 2023 to 30 June 2027

Professor Arun Sharma has played a leading role in developing Australia’s research capability in information and communication technology. He has extensive academic experience in Australian and international universities, and has served on advisory councils and panels guiding innovation ecosystems, research funding, and economic growth.

Professor Sharma was previously Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President (Research and Innovation) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), where he helped establish the Translational Research Institute and three Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence.

Among Professor Sharma’s other achievements, he co-founded National ICT Australia Limited – now CSIRO’s Data61. He is an advisor to the chairman of Adani Group and head of the group’s Sustainability and Climate Change function.

Appointed: 4 July 2019

Current term: 14 September 2023 to 30 June 2027

Dr Sonya Bennett is a primary and public health physician. She has had Executive roles in the Australian Defence Force, Queensland Health, the academic research sector, and the Department of Health and Aged Care, acquiring broad executive leadership experience to complement her health sector expertise.

Dr Bennett is a Rear Admiral in the Royal Australian Navy and the current Surgeon General-Commander Joint Health of the Australian Defence Force. She is a current member of the Australian Health Protection Committee.

Dr Bennett was previously Australia’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Queensland’s Deputy Chief Health Officer. Among other national committees, she has been a member of the Communicable Disease Network of Australia, which she chaired for the first 18 months of the pandemic.

Appointed: 14 September 2023

Current term: 14 September 2023 to 30 June 2026

Michael Finney is a successful lawyer and experienced senior executive with over 25 years’ experience in the intellectual property, commercialisation and technology sectors. He is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and has been admitted as a solicitor in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia.

Mr Finney is one of only seven lawyers in Australia to have met the Certified Licensing Professional requirements, recognising his experience and proficiency in the licensing and commercialisation of intellectual property.

Appointed: 9 February 2023

Current term: 9 February 2023 to 30 June 2026

Professor Maria Kavallaris is an internationally recognised scientific leader in cancer biology and therapeutics. She is founding director of the Australian Centre for NanoMedicine at the University of New South Wales and Head of Translational Cancer Nanomedicine at the Children’s Cancer Institute.

Professor Kavallaris chaired the Australian Institute for Policy and Science and is a life member and past president of the Australian Society for Medical Research. She has contributed to numerous government funding and policy panels including the NHMRC Research Committee and Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Expert Advisory Panels.

Professor Kavallaris has received numerous awards, including the highly prestigious Lemberg Medal and two Australian Museum Eureka Prizes. In 2019, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her significant service to medicine and medical research.

Appointed: 14 September 2023

Current term: 14 September 2023 to 30 June 2026

Margo MacGillivray is an accomplished corporate executive and lawyer who has worked as a partner of leading international law firm DLA Piper and as General Counsel for award-winning insurer Budget Direct. She is currently a senior governance advisor at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

With a passion for supporting improved health outcomes, Ms MacGillivray has more than 10 years’ experience as a non-executive director on boards such as the Prince Charles Hospital Foundation and PA Research Foundation. She is a past director of the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance and Metro South Hospital and Health Service.

She has specialist experience in corporate governance and data protection and has a focus on the governance of environmental issues.

Appointed: 4 July 2019

Current term: 14 September 2023 to 30 June 2027

Celeste Neander is a senior finance professional with extensive experience in financial and investment markets spanning 38 years. Ms Neander was senior portfolio manager for BT Managed Accounts and has performed senior relationship management roles at the Commonwealth and Westpac Private Banks, and was a private client advisor for JB Were.

Ms Neander has a strong sense of community. She is an active patrolling member of Yamba Surf Life Saving Club as well as treasurer of Marine Rescue Iluka/Yamba.

Appointed: 4 July 2019

Current term: 14 September 2023 to 30 June 2027

Mitchell Petrie is an experienced director and former partner of KPMG Australia. He has significant experience in corporate governance, enterprise risk management and statutory financial reporting.

Mr Petrie has audited a range of clients in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in areas such as transport, construction and infrastructure, utilities and diversified industrials. In addition to his role as an external audit partner, he was the partner-in-charge of the KPMG Queensland Risk Advisory Services practice and the national Major Projects Advisory practice.

Mr Petrie is currently a member of the audit committees of a number of Queensland Local Government Councils as well as a director of a number of companies operating in the water sector.

Appointed: 4 July 2019

Current term: 14 September 2023 to 30 June 2027

Professor Emeritus Janet Verbyla was Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) from 2012 to early 2018. With a disciplinary background in software engineering, Professor Verbyla has advanced through multiple university roles at USQ and previously at Flinders University. She served as USQ’s Interim Vice-Chancellor for much of 2017.

Professor Verbyla has significant broad expertise in strategy development and deployment having led major multi-facetted change projects. A qualified performance coach, she coaches academics and researchers nationally. Professor Verbyla has a sustained track record in leading or guiding successful award applications having herself obtained over $63 million in external funding.