We’re proud and privileged to be able to count on so many people across Australia who share our values and want to help make change.

Our staff, leadership team and Board work tirelessly every day to cure and conquer blood cancer – with care.

We don’t have the space here to introduce all our staff but we’d like you to meet our CEO and Board.

Leukaemia Foundation CEO – Chris Tanti

Chris has a long-held passion for improving health outcomes by making sure everyone gets the care they need, regardless of their circumstances and background.

His career has been characterised by the development of game-changing health services and he’s an accomplished CEO both in Australia and America, working across mental health, disability and aged care.

Chris has a background in social work and over the last 25 years has held national and international senior executive positions, including as CEO of Australia’s National Disability Services and Headspace.

In recent years he has managed his own consultancy, working with universities and health services.

Chris has considerable experience working with governments and in advocacy, program and organisational innovation, with qualifications from La Trobe and Melbourne universities and the Harvard Business School.

Board Directors

Lucio Di Giallonardo FCA, MAICD, BBus (Chair)

Lucio has been a long-standing Board Director of the Leukaemia Foundation. Lucio is a Chartered Accountant and Managing Partner of HLB Mann Judd, Chartered Accountants in Perth, and brings vast financial, governance and strategy experience to the Board.

Lucio is very passionate about the work of the Leukaemia Foundation. In the mid-1990s Lucio was approached by one of his clients, Tim Goyder (who had just been diagnosed with Leukaemia) to join the Board of LFWA with Tim and to help in growing the organisation in Western Australia.

Lucio’s father-in-law was then diagnosed 10 years ago with a blood cancer, Myelodysplastic Syndrome and sadly passed away three years ago.

Michelle Beveridge MBA (Exec), BBus, FCPA, FACS, FGIA, GAICD

Michelle is a Chairperson, Committee and Board Director with over fifteen years of Board level experience across the commercial, government and not-for-profit sectors.

She has been a Chief Information Officer and Chief Operations Officer across a number of industries.  Michelle has had a direct experience with cancer and is pleased to be able to apply her skills and experience to the Leukaemia Foundation.

Heidi Bradshaw PGCertSocHlth, DipBusMgt, DipCS

Ms Bradshaw, a proud Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman, has a long history of working in the community services sector.

As CEO of the Narang Bir-Rong Aboriginal Corporation and with personal and familial experience within foster care and kinship care, she has devoted her life to breaking the cycle of inequity and disadvantage experienced in many First Nations communities.

Heidi has over 18 years of experience working in Aboriginal community-controlled agencies, which has given her a deep understanding of the issues facing these communities and is evident in her passion for improving their outcomes.

Professor Mark Cormack MHealthMan, BAppSc, GAICD

Professor Mark Cormack was appointed to the Australian National University (ANU) College of Health and Medicine in 2020, following a long career in the Commonwealth, ACT, and NSW government services. His professional background began as an allied health professional and health services manager. Over the years, he has held significant roles, including Chief Executive of ACT Health and Health Workforce Australia, and Deputy Secretary in the Commonwealth Departments of Health, Veterans’ Affairs, and Home Affairs.

In these positions, Mark’s portfolio has overseen a wide array of public and national health policy, including mental health, health financing, primary healthcare, workforce, research, health provider and public hospitals. As Deputy Secretary of the Australian Department of Health, he managed intergovernmental relations at Commonwealth, State and Territory levels, contributing to National Health Reform Agreements and numerous National Partnership Agreements. His work also extended to national program delivery, including oversight of Medicare, Primary Health Networks, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and the Medical Research Future Fund.

In the area of national health workforce, he led policy, clinical training and workforce reform as the CEO of Health Workforce Australia. Internationally, he represented Australia at the OECD Health Committee and the WHO Western Pacific Region.

Additionally, Mark has contributed to national security as Deputy Secretary within the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (now Home Affairs) and responsible for Australian Defence Force workers compensation, veterans’ policy and program delivery through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Mark holds a professorial appointment at the National Centre for Health Workforce Studies at ANU and is pursuing a PhD researching policy change through intergovernmental health financing agreements.

His current roles include Independent Review Lead for the “Unleashing the Potential of our Health Professionals – Scope of Practice Review 2023” (appointed by Minister for Health & Aged Care); Non-Executive Director of the Leukaemia Foundation, and Associate Editor for the Australian Health Review. Mark’s interests lie in public policy, health system governance, and intergovernmental relations.

Dr Angela Milligan PhD Clin Psy, BSc (Hons), MAICD

Angela (Ange) has a deep passion for the work of the Leukaemia Foundation, and has been an active member and volunteer since 2011 when she joined the local Albany Creek Branch, taking over as convenor in 2018.

She finds the Vision and Mission of the Leukaemia Foundation to be truly inspiring, and has been particularly touched by the patient stories she’s heard over the years, at annual Member conferences.

Ange has a number of personal connections to blood cancer (recently within her extended family and close friends) that have also underpinned her commitment to the Foundation. Since appointed to the Leukaemia Foundation Board in 2021, she is privileged to represent members and stakeholders as Chair of the Members Branch and Stakeholder sub-Committee of the Board.

Ange has a PhD in Clinical Psychology, is an Industry Fellow with the University of Queensland, Partner Investigator on several Australian Research Council Linkage Grants, and has worked as an Early Intervention Psychologist with Queensland Health.

Since 2015, Ange has been the Director of Research Services in the Department of Education, Queensland, where she leads the ethical and risk review of studies conducted with students and staff in Queensland state schools and administers the only research grant scheme for education research in Australia – Education Horizon. In 2022, Ange was appointed a non-executive Board Director for the AEIOU Foundation, a non-for-profit providing essential early intervention services for children with autism.

Ange is based in Brisbane.

Adjunct Professor Jane Hancock MBA (Health), ANZSOG (EFP), BEd (Nursing), DipAppSc Distinction (Nursing Education), GAICD

Chief Operating Officer, Metro North Health Hospital, Queensland Health

Jane is strongly committed to value-based health care and the role of culture, strategy, measurement, and funding to deliver positive outcomes that matter to patients. Jane has a deep understanding of service delivery in metropolitan and rural and remote Queensland. Jane enjoys supporting and working in partnership with all members of the healthcare team and is committed to working in partnership to address the health inequalities and inequities that exist for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Jane was educated as a registered nurse and specialised in adult and paediatric critical care. Jane has an MBA (Health), Bachelor Education (Nursing). Dip App Science (Nursing) and is currently studying an Executive Masters Public Administration. Jane is a non-Executive Director of the Leukaemia Foundation Board Australia and is a Graduate Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Nigel Harris AM MBA CFRE FFIA GAICD

Nigel Harris is Managing Director of Nigel Harris & Associates, an advisory practice specialising in philanthropy and fundraising leadership.

In a 40-year career, Nigel has held several executive leadership roles in non-profit organisations, most notably Chief Executive Officer of Mater Foundation (Queensland) for 24 years. Under Nigel’s leadership, Mater Foundation’s annual fundraising revenue grew from $2m to $73m, becoming one of Australia’s largest health charities and a major funder of medical research and clinical services.

Holding an MBA as well as qualifications in Public Relations and Marketing, Nigel is also a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). In 2012 he was recognised as the Arthur Venn Australian Fundraising Professional of the Year and has also been recognised through other non-profit management awards.

Currently Chair of Act for Kids and a director of Leukaemia Foundation Australia, Nigel also serves on the Board of the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy and the Management Committee of Braille House. He is a Fellow and Past Chair of Fundraising Institute Australia, a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders and Certified CEO through the CEO Institute. He has been active in community and sporting organisations for over four decades.

In June 2022, Nigel was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his contribution to the non-profit sector and the broader community.

Peter Hodgett BSc (Hons)

Peter is a highly experienced non-executive Director who has previously served on the Boards of a number of substantial commercial organisations, including Medibank Private Limited.

With a professional background as an actuary, Peter provided his expertise with AMP from 1985 through until 2007. As Chief Actuary he had a leading role through the process of demutualisation and listing in 1998 with later roles including General Manager Strategy and Human Resources.

Peter has strong functional skills in finance, strategy and people and brings these three perspectives together in a coaching/challenging role as a Director.

Having spent many years engaging with senior leaders in business and government, Peter is committed to being a strong advocate for the Leukaemia Foundation in these circles, in both business and social contexts.

Peter’s strong interest in supporting the work of the Leukaemia Foundation primarily arises through the journey of two sisters who have each experienced (unrelated) leukaemia. His younger sister is a survivor from 20 years ago when Peter was fortunately able to donate bone marrow, and his elder sister was diagnosed 12 months ago.

Siân Slade MBA (Exec), MPH, BSc (Hons) Pharm, GAICD

With a background as a pharmacist, Siân has spent her career in leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry across the world.

Siân has recently completed her Masters of Public Health, with a focus on health-system strengthening and patient empowerment. Siân describes the Leukaemia Foundation as a “formidable organisation” and is excited by the goal and the opportunity afforded by the National Action Plan.