Dedicated to accelerating lifechanging breakthroughs to cure, treat, and prevent type 1 diabetes and its complications.
Get to know our leadership team
Breakthrough T1D is led by a team of experienced executives from multiple disciplines, encompassing science, advocacy, fundraising, marketing, community support, finance, and strategy. Together, they pave the way for type 1 diabetes progress in Australia.
Leadership team
Sydney Yovic
Chief Executive Officer
Dr Dorata Pawlak
Chief Scientific Officer & Director, T1DCRN
Suzanne Culph
Chief Advocacy Officer
Claire McCarthy
Chief Development Officer
David Mutthumani
Chief Financial Officer
Mirella Donaldson
Head of Community Program
Emma Shipley
Head of Marketing & Communications
Anna Pank
Strategic Advisor
Board of Directors
Breakthrough T1D is incredibly grateful for our Board of Directors and their tremendous contribution to our vision. Their guidance brings us closer to a world without type 1 diabetes every day.
Ian Narev
Chair
Qualifications and experience:
- Bachelor of Arts and Law (Honours), Masters of Law
- Chief Executive Officer of SEEK Ltd
- Chair of NZ Rugby Commercial Limited
- Co-Founder and Chair of Springboard Trust
- Former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of CBA
- Former Chair of Sydney Theatre Company.
Year appointed: 2021
Matt Rady
Vice Chair
Qualifications and experience:
- Bachelor of Economics
- Member of the Talent Committee
CEO, BT Financial Group - Board Member, Financial Services Council
- Former CEO Allianz Retire+
- Former Global Head – Financial Markets, IRESS
- Former Executive Director, Banking and Financial Services Group, Macquarie Group
Year appointed: 2021
Jonathan Salmon
Director
Qualifications and experience:
- M.A.I.C.D.
- Chair of the Funding Committee
- Chair of the Research Committee
- Member of the Finance and Audit Committee
- Managing Director Adscensio
- Chairman Techelevate
- Founder DNS IT and Hosted IT
- Father of a son with T1D
Year appointed: 2012
Tanya Branwhite
Director
Qualifications and experience:
- Bachelor of Commerce (Hons), Master of Finance, Master of Applied Finance, FAICD
- Non-Executive Director, Lend Lease Real Estate Investments Ltd
- Non-Executive Director, Worsley Co-generation Plant
- Non-Executive Director, Peninsular Link
- Served on the International Accounting Standards Board Capital Market’s Advisory Committee
- Former Director of not-for-profit organisations MS Research Australia, Oz Harvest, The Anika Foundation and Macquarie Group Foundation
Year appointed: 2020
Professor Fabienne Mackay PhD, FAHMS
Director
Qualifications and experience:
- Member of Research Committee
- Director and CEO, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
- Honorary Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland
- Honorary Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne
- Member of the QIMR Berghofer Council, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University
- Former Head of the Department of Pathology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Melbourne
- Member of Breakthrough T1D Research Committee
- GAICD (Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors)
Year appointed: 2021
Jacqui Lennon
Director
Qualifications and experience:
- Member of the Research Committee
- M.Crim, Criminology, Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Economics, Masters of Business and Technology
- Chief Technology and Transformation Officer, Zurich
- Former Head of Retail Life Insurance, Zurich
- Former Head of Product and CX, Allianz Retire+
- Former Head of Product, IRESS
- Former Division Director, Macquarie Bank
- Member of Breakthrough T1D Funding Committee
- Mother of a daughter with T1D
Year appointed: 2023
Philip Gardner
Director
Qualifications and experience:
- B.Ec/Ll.b
- Chair of the Talent Committee
- Member of Breakthrough T1D Funding Committee
- Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Australian Business and Community Network (ABCN)
- Former Deputy Secretary, Commercial and Procurement Group, NSW Treasury
- Former Board Member, NSW Telco Authority
- Former Board Member, NSW Treasury Corporation (TCorp)
- Chair of Breakthrough T1D Talent Committee
- Father of a son with T1D
Year appointed: 2023
Dion Werbeloff
Director
Qualifications and experience:
- Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), MBA (Distinction), MAICD
Member of Funding Committee - CEO and Managing Director of Gandel Group
- Chair of the Investment Committee for Gandel Group and Gandel Foundation
- Non-executive Director, Vicinity Centres
- Former Managing Director, Goldman Sachs
- Father of a son with T1D
Year appointed: 2023
James Bracey
Director
Qualifications and experience:
- Bachelor of Communication (Journalism)
- Sports Presenter, Nine Network; 6pm News Sydney, Wide World of Sports
- Director, Perth Bears
- Director, North Sydney Bears
- Ambassador, KIA Australia
- Ambassador, Venues NSW
- Master of Ceremonies
- Father of a daughter with T1D
Year appointed: 2026
