Our Board Members & Team
The MND and Me Foundation Limited
The MND and Me Foundation Limited Board takes responsibility for the governance and strategy of the Foundation. A robust and formal reporting structure exists with the attendance of Directors at Board and appropriate Committee meetings.
The Board is united in the Foundation’s mission To Care and To Cure. Until a cure is found, the Board will continue to work together to help fund MND research and explore treatment initiatives.
The MND and Me Foundation Limited’s strategic intent is to continue to cultivate its service offering to meet the changing needs of people living with MND.
The Board strongly supports a partnership model whereby the MND and Me Foundation works closely with corporate entities, other Australian MND associations and progressive neurological disease (PND) associations in a financial and operational capacity to provide care and services to people living with a PND. This approach will ensure that no one faces MND alone.
Paul OLDS
Chairperson
Paul Olds is the inaugural Executive Officer of the Peoples First Bank Charitable Foundation. Paul is an experienced not-for-profit leader who brings not only extensive experience in both the commercial and not-for-profit sector but, importantly a passion for philanthropy. In his current position Paul is responsible for developing the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation’s strategies, relationships with key stakeholders, guiding the fundraising efforts and working with it’s charity partners to make a meaningful impact in the communities it supports.
Before this role Paul was CEO of the MND and Me Foundation from 2014 – 2019. In his time Paul led the Foundation to grow in its service offering and research offerings. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Spark Neurocare Support Coordination program as well as participating in the many and varied challenges including running New York, Tokyo and Berlin Marathons and climbing to Everest Base Camp.
Catherine CAIRNS
Director
Catherine Cairns is an occupational therapist who graduated from the University of Queensland in 1985. She has worked in private practice, corporate and public service settings, with primary experience in orthopaedics and general medical, hand and upper limb rehabilitation, lymphoedema and workplace rehabilitation. Most recently she worked in private practice within the aged care space, seeing clients on Home Care Packages, Department of Veterans’ Affairs and NDIS.
Catherine has been involved with the Foundation since 2011 as a supporter and fundraiser, participating in events such as Muscle Up for MND, the Pies to Pacific ride, the New York marathon, the Everest Base camp trek and enjoying attendance at Gala dinners and balls.
Norman THURECHT
Director
Norman Thurecht is a Chartered Accountant with the Fellow designation of the CAANZ. He commenced his career in 1993 with Horwath Brisbane which subsequently merged with BDO. He joined Pitcher Partners in 2003 where he continued to practice as a partner of the firm. During his time in practice he has been involved in accounting, taxation and valuation matters for family owned businesses. He is a director of Pitcher Partners Corporate Finance Limited and Pitcher Partners Wealth Management Pty Ltd and a representative under the associated ASFL.
Norm has been involved with the Foundation since it was formed, participating in events big and small including the first Million Metres on the Gold Coast, running the New York Marathon in 2015 and cycling in the Pies to Pacific Ride. He has attended most Scott Sullivan Gala events and is an active participant in the Annual MW Swim Carnival with Pitcher Partners.
Alex MARKWELL
Board Member
Dr Alex Markwell is an Emergency Physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and Immediate Past Chair of the Queensland Clinical Senate. She is a Senior Lecturer with the University of Queensland, member of the Bond University Health Sciences and Medicine Faculty Advisory Board and Past President of AMA Queensland. Alex is an experienced non-executive director and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course and joined the MND and Me Board in 2024.
Kent DALZIEL
Board Member
Kent Dalziel is the owner of the law firm The Estate Lawyers. He was admitted as a lawyer in 2004 and established the firm in 2012 for the purposes of assisting people with all legal matters in relation to preparing their Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney and for legal advice regarding other Will and estate matters such as estate administration and if it is necessary, estate litigation. Kent acts as a litigation guardian for children and for disabled people. He has been appointed by the Supreme Court as trustee to manage money for the benefit of incapacitated people.
Kent’s connection with MND and Me is that his father Stephen Dalziel was diagnosed with MND in 2022. Stephen and the whole Dalziel family received a great deal of support from MND and Me at a time when it was really needed. Kent has joined the board to assist other families in a similar situation to his own.
Kristy DORNEY
Board Member
Kristy Dorney is a partner in the national Property & Projects team of Hall & Wilcox with over 24 years' experience in general commercial law, along with advising the property investment industry with a focus on development and construction projects, leasing and property management generally.
Kristy’s father-in-law has MND and continues to experience the valuable support and compassion of MND & Me.
Ben SINDEL
Board Member
Ben is a Consultant and Leader of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution team at Plastiras Lawyers and a nationally accredited mediator, having completed law and mediation courses at the Qld University of Technology and Harvard Law School. Admitted in 1993 as a solicitor of the Queensland Supreme Court and the High Court of Australia, Ben has practised almost exclusively throughout his 30-year + legal career in commercial litigation, complex dispute resolution, regulatory compliance, risk management, mediation, and insolvency. He has had in-house legal experience and advised boards on governance, risk management, insurance, contractual issues and dispute resolution matters over the last 30 years.
Ben is a Nationally Accredited Mediator, having completed the QUT NMAS Assessment in March 2018. He has extensive negotiation, mediation and alternative dispute resolution training and experience. In June 2017, Ben was accepted into and attended the prestigious Harvard Law School Negotiation Institute and completed its ‘Advanced Negotiation and Mediation Course’ at Harvard University to further extend his specialist mediation and dispute resolution skills. He has supervised and managed legal teams in significant matters in the Supreme, Federal and Appellate Courts involving trade practices litigation, commercial arbitrations, large shareholder disputes, construction, contractual, commercial property and leasing disputes, misuse of intellectual property and confidential information, corporate insolvency, restructuring and administration matters.
MND and Me Foundation Team
Jane MILNE
CEO
Jane joined The MND and Me Foundation in July 2018 and took over the role of CEO in February 2020. An experienced communicator, event manager and marketing professional, Jane was most recently the Community Development Officer at Lourdes Hill College in Brisbane where she managed an extensive fundraising, community engagement and outreach program.
Prior to taking up this role at LHC, Jane managed the electorate office for a State MP which involved all forms of IMC, coordinating community events, media management and stakeholder engagement. Jane has extensive communications and fundraising experience as well as a wide range of event management experience including roles as State Architecture Awards Director and coordinator of a number of sporting events. Jane has a B.Bus in Integrated Marketing Communications and a proven reputation for both strategic planning and hands-on execution of events.
Through her association with Norman Park State School, Jane knew Scott and participated in the very first Million Meters Swim. She and her family have continued their support of the Foundation attending many events over the years.
Sarah DURAND
Client Services Manager
Sarah joined the MND and Me team in the role of Client Services Manager in May 2019. She brings over 15 years’ experience in the Disability and Aged Care Sector to this role. Sarah initially began her career as a disability support worker and over time has progressed to achieve successful outcomes in a variety of management roles such as manager of Quality Assurance and Strategic planning, Operations Management, Accommodation, Day Program and Transition Services Management, as well as delivery of vocational training and assessment, and more recently MND specific Support Coordination within the Spark NeuroCare program.
Sarah is driven by her passionate commitment to social justice and is looking forward to utilizing her knowledge of the NDIS and My Aged Care systems to empower people living with MND to have the best quality of life possible and get the most out of the supports available.
Sarah’s professional skills and knowledge are further enhanced by her life skills, having actively participated in the delivery of palliative care supports and overcoming the odds to defeat an advanced cancer diagnosis. Sarah feels that her life experience has provided her with a unique insight into the importance of empathy and living in the moment with a firm hold on hope.
