Foundation Board

The Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) Foundation is responsible for all fundraising and sponsorships associated with NeuRA. Paul Brassil, Chairman of the NeuRA Board, is also Chairman of the NeuRA Foundation Board and Prof Peter Schofield, CEO and Executive Director of NeuRA, is a member. All positions on the NeuRA Board and the NeuRA Foundation Board are honorary. Mick Darda is Foundation Director.

Foundation Board Members

Paul Brassil, NeuRA Foundation Board

Paul Brassil
BEc LLB ACA FTIA
Director, September 2007 - Present
Chairman of the Board, September 2007 - Present

Paul is a partner in Private Client Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers, specialising in advising local and international clients on income tax and related matters. A Chartered Accountant with degrees in Economics and Law, he is a Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia. He is the firm's representative on the Commissioner of Taxation's High Wealth Consultancy Group, and a regular speaker at the firm's client seminars. He also assists the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia in technical submissions for changes to tax legislation.

Graeme Bradshaw, NeuRA Foundation Board

Graeme Bradshaw
BEc FFIA CFRE
Director, September 2007 - Present

Graeme founded the Sydney office of fundraising consultancy DVA Navion (formerly Downes Venn and Associates) in 1984. Graeme retired from DVA Navion in 2009 and now works as a consultant. Graeme is a qualified accountant and has a background in marketing research, advertising and public relations. He is a past president and Fellow Emeritus of the Fundraising Institute of Australia (FIA) and was a member until recent years of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (USA). Graeme serves as an honorary member of the Board of the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) Foundation.

Ian Harris, NeuRA Foundation Board

Ian Harris
BSc MComm (Mkting) GAICD
Director, June 2011 - Present

Ian is the General Manager of Health Haus Communications, a healthcare PR and strategy consultancy. In this role, Ian combines his experience in pharmaceutical marketing with excellence in creative consumer PR, promotions and communications. Ian has spent 20 years working across marketing and strategy in senior management roles in the pharmaceutical sector. He has a wealth of experience in strategy development, communications, marketing, public relations and working with the not-for-profit sector.

David Karpin, NeuRA Foundation Board

David Karpin AM
B.Com (Hons) MBA LLD (Hon) FCPA FAICD FAIM FFin MACS (Senior)
Director, June 2011 - Present

After a long executive career with the Rio Tinto Group David Karpin had an extensive period as a non-Executive Director of private and listed public companies in Australia and overseas. Roles he has held include Chief Financial Officer of CRA, Managing Director of Argyle Diamonds, Chairman of Melbourne Health, Chairman of Warrnambool Cheese and Butter, and Director of Placer Dome Inc., Coates Hire Ltd., bio21 Ltd. and Melbourne Business School. David was formerly an Adjunct Professor of Management at ANU for ten years, and led the Australian Government Task Force on Leadership and Management Skills from 1992 to 1995. In 1996 David was made a Member of the Order of Australia.

Ian Kennedy, NeuRA Foundation Board

Ian Kennedy OAM
Director, May 2009 - Present

Ian has had a 40-year career in direct marketing and was the founder in 1972 of what was the largest independent direct marketing agency in Australia, Bond International. Ian is an inductee in the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame. As Director of Marketing at advertising agency George Patterson, he was the architect of the Sydney Olympics 2000 ticketing campaign and the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Ian is the currently Marketing Director and part owner of Australian Natural Care Products and Subscribe-HR. He is the National President of The Starlight Children's Foundation and was the Chairman for seven years.

Sally Manion, NeuRA Foundation Board

Sally Manion
CFP B.Comm CA (FPS)
Director, August 2010 - Present

Sally is a financial services executive who has led financial advice businesses for the past 16 years. Sally is currently Executive Director, Advice and Professional Services, at Snowball Group Limited, a financial advice and wealth management firm. Sally was formerly Director & National Head of ipac Financial Planning, a position she held for over eight years. Prior to that, Sally held a range of senior executive positions with a number of leading financial services organisations, including State Super Financial Services, Ernst & Young, Seal Investments and Noble Lowndes. Sally has also worked as a chartered accountant and financial planner. Sally is currently a Director of Street Work Inc and the Robert Menzies College at Macquarie University. Sally has previously served as Director of the Law Foundation of NSW, Wenona School and the Wenona Foundation.

Prof Peter Schofield, NeuRA Foundation Board

Prof Peter Schofield
BScAgr(Hons) PhD DSc
Director, September 2007 - Present

Appointed head of Neuroscience Research Australia in 2004, Peter graduated from the University of Sydney with the University Medal and was awarded a PhD in genetics from The Australian National University in 1985. He undertook postdoctoral positions in biotechnology in the US and the University of Heidelberg. Peter was appointed a NHMRC Senior Research Fellow at the Garvan Institute in 1993, becoming head of the Neurobiology Research Program in 1999. His research interests focus on identifying genes that lead to mental illness and to dementia.

YOUR HEALTH

JOIN US