People

Brain Tumour Alliance Australia (BTAA) is a lived experience led organisation. Since its establishment in 2008, BTAA has been shaped, guided and sustained by people directly affected by brain tumours — patients, carers, family members and supporters who understand the realities of this journey firsthand.

For many years, BTAA operated as a volunteer run committee, driven by individuals who turned their personal experiences into advocacy, information sharing and community support. Their dedication built the foundation of the organisation we are today.

In 2026, BTAA transitioned to a newly established Board, strengthening our national governance, advocacy and strategic direction while remaining anchored in lived experience. Our Board and Committee members bring a powerful combination of personal insight and professional expertise, ensuring that every decision we make is grounded in the needs of the brain tumour community.

Pictured (left to right): Amanda Redford (Executive Officer), Gerry Tye, Damian Ogden, Craig Cardinal (Chair), Oliver Jarrett, Mainul Haque, Billy Williams (Public Officer), Sally Cane, Darrell Evans, Jaimee Eaton, Craig Steele, Philip Dunn (Vice Chair), Emma Pitfield, Pat Wynn (Treasurer), Pam Hubner, Divya Mehta, Dianne Legge, Diane Dunn (Secretary).

Absent: Brett Levin, Gian Sberna.

Craig Cardinal

Chair

Craig Cardinal is a dedicated advocate for the brain tumour community, shaped by his lived experience supporting his wife Berlinda following her diagnosis with high‑grade brain cancer in 2015. After witnessing the challenges faced by patients, families and carers navigating Australia’s health system, Craig joined BTAA to help strengthen national support and advocacy. With nearly 30 years of service across the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Australian Navy, Department of Defence and Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, Craig brings deep leadership, operational and governance experience. He is committed to improving services, information and support for all Australians affected by brain tumours.

Phil Dunn

Vice Chair

Philip Dunn brings both lived experience and decades of professional leadership to BTAA. After retiring in 2024 to support his wife Diane through her brain cancer treatment and her role on the BTAA Committee, Phil joined the Board to contribute directly to the organisation’s mission. Phil has more than 38 years’ experience in senior roles across the mental health sector, spanning clinical services, disability support, strategy and service design. His insight as a carer, combined with his extensive leadership background, strengthens BTAA’s commitment to responsive, compassionate and evidence‑informed support for the brain tumour community.

Diane Dunn

Secretary

Diane Dunn is a passionate advocate for raising national awareness of brain cancer, informed by her own diagnosis of Grade 2/3 oligodendroglioma in 2016. Her lived experience — including the sudden loss of her small business and the challenges of navigating care as a self‑employed person — drives her commitment to improving visibility, understanding and support for others. Diane lives in regional Victoria with her husband Philip and their two dogs and remains an avid baker and gardener. As Secretary, she brings authenticity, determination and a strong desire to elevate the voices of people living with brain cancer across Australia.

Pat Wynn

Treasurer

Pat Wynn brings valuable lived experience and a long‑term connection to the brain tumour community through her husband Pete, who has undergone three craniotomies since 1988 for recurrent oligodendroglioma. After seeking support for the first time following Pete’s 2015 recurrence, Pat found connection and understanding through BTAA’s community — an experience that motivates her ongoing contribution. As Treasurer, Pat brings empathy, commitment and a strong focus on ensuring families have access to the information and support they need as they navigate life after diagnosis.

Sally Cane

Director

Sally Cane is a senior philanthropy and fundraising leader with more than 12 years’ experience in major gifts, donor engagement and strategic development across Australia’s leading medical research and healthcare organisations. She has held executive roles at Cabrini Foundation, the Snowdome Foundation and the Leukaemia Foundation, delivering multimillion dollar fundraising portfolios and strengthening organisational sustainability. A Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Sally brings deep expertise in governance, ethical fundraising, and building high impact partnerships.

Jaimee Eaton

Director

Jaimee Eaton is a senior healthcare leader with nearly two decades of experience across global and Australian pharmaceutical and health organisations. She has led national and international strategy, capability development, patient centred programs and cross functional teams in highly regulated environments. As a parent of a child living with a brain tumour, Jaimee brings both professional expertise and deeply personal insight to BTAA, with a strong commitment to advocacy, equitable access and improving support for families.

Professor Darrell Evans

Director

Professor Darrell Evans is an accomplished higher education executive and biomedical sciences leader with extensive experience in governance, health education, and organisational transformation. He has served in senior roles including Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Newcastle and Vice Provost (Learning and Teaching) at Monash University. A passionate advocate for patient centred care and public understanding of health, Darrell brings strong strategic, governance and stakeholder engagement capability, informed by lived family experience of brain cancer.

Mainul Haque OAM

Director

Mainul Haque OAM is an economist and senior public sector leader with nearly 30 years’ experience across Australian Government agencies, academia and the not for profit sector. A respected multicultural community leader and social justice advocate, he brings deep expertise in governance, risk management, strategic policy, and stakeholder engagement. Mainul has held numerous board and advisory roles across Canberra’s community, education and multicultural sectors, and was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his significant contribution to the ACT community.

Pam Hubner

Director

Pam Hubner became involved with BTAA after her daughter Angie was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2011. The Resources and Information BTAA provided helped Pam navigate and advocate for her daughter. Retired after the sale of her small business in Brisbane, Pam had previously worked and lived around country and regional Queensland for several years and understood the isolation Angie would be feeling when she was diagnosed whilst living in central Queensland with her own young family. Pam’s lived experience comes from supporting, caring and advocating for other close family members for the last 20 years. Based in Brisbane, Pam brings empathy, lived experience and a strong commitment to improving support for families navigating brain cancer.

Oliver Jarrett

Director

Oliver Jarrett is a global healthcare and biotechnology leader with more than 20 years’ experience across neuroscience, oncology and immunology. He has held senior commercial and strategic roles at Roche across Australia, Asia and international markets, leading major disease area strategies, operating model transformations and high growth portfolios. Oliver brings strong expertise in global health systems, patient centred strategy, commercial stewardship and cross cultural leadership.

Dianne Legge

Director

Dianne Legge is a senior clinician, occupational therapist and national leader in brain tumour supportive care. With more than 16 years’ experience as Brain Tumour Support Coordinator at the Olivia Newton John Cancer Centre, she is recognised for her contributions to clinical service development, consumer centred resource design and neuro oncology research. A PhD candidate and member of COGNO’s Scientific Advisory Committee, Dianne brings deep clinical expertise, research leadership and a strong commitment to improving the lived experience of people with brain cancer and their families.

Brett Levin

Director

Brett Levin is a senior technology executive with extensive experience leading large scale transformation, IT operations and digital delivery across highly regulated sectors. He has held major leadership roles at Optus and the Commonwealth Bank, overseeing enterprise wide technology portfolios, operational resilience, and complex transformation programs. Brett brings deep expertise in governance, cyber and operational risk, systems modernisation and strategic technology leadership.

Professor Divya Mehta

Director

Professor Divya Mehta is a geneticist, biostatistician and internationally recognised researcher specialising in mental health, brain disorders and big data analytics. She is Program Lead for Brain and Chronic Diseases at QUT’s Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health and serves on national advisory committees for the ARC and NHMRC. A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Divya brings strong governance experience, expertise in data ethics and digital strategy, and a commitment to evidence based health policy and community impact.

Damian Ogden

Director

Damian Ogden is a senior executive and national advocacy leader with a career spanning public policy, government relations, strategic communications and social impact. He has held executive roles at Chartered Accountants ANZ and Engineers Australia and previously led national advocacy for The Wilderness Society. With experience advising political leaders, shaping national reform agendas and leading high performing teams, Damian brings strong governance, policy influence, and strategic leadership to BTAA.

Emma Pitfield

Director

Emma Pitfield is a Partner at KPMG Australia and a senior transformation leader with deep experience across technology, finance, healthcare and government sectors. She has led large scale digital and organisational transformations across Asia Pacific, including senior global roles at McDonald’s and Genpact. Emma is a Chartered Accountant and brings extensive expertise in governance, risk, enterprise technology and strategic planning, alongside a strong commitment to purpose driven leadership. She is personally motivated to support BTAA, following the loss of her father to a brain tumour when she was a young adult, and is deeply committed to driving meaningful community impact through her work with charities and professional bodies.

Dr Gian Sberna

Director

Dr Gian Sberna is a senior health executive, former CEO and experienced Non Executive Director with deep expertise across cancer research, clinical care, and national health organisations. He has led major institutions including ANZICS and the Continence Foundation of Australia and has served on multiple boards and joint ventures. A brain cancer survivor and active consumer advocate, Gian brings a unique combination of governance acumen, sector leadership and lived experience to BTAA’s mission.

Craig Steele

Director

Craig Steele joined BTAA in honour of his brother, who passed away from glioblastoma in 2009 at the age of 41. Motivated by his brother’s courage and the gaps he witnessed in awareness, research and support, Craig is committed to advocating for improved outcomes for patients and carers. Craig recently retired after nearly 40 years in the electricity industry, where he held diverse operational and leadership roles. He brings strong analytical skills, strategic thinking and a deep personal commitment to strengthening national advocacy for the brain tumour community.

Gerry Tye

Director

Gerry Tye is a health professional with more than 30 years’ experience supporting people through complex wellbeing challenges. His commitment to BTAA is deeply personal: in 2012, he lost his six year old son Talin to DIPG just 13 weeks after diagnosis. Since then, Gerry has dedicated himself to supporting families affected by childhood brain cancer, creating free global DIPG/DMG resources and specialised peer support groups. A long time BTAA facilitator, he helped establish the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse support group and later created its online successor, BTAA Sydney Support, which continues to provide connection and community today.

William (Billy) Williams

Director

Billy joined BTAA following the loss of his wife Lynette to glioblastoma in 2017. The profound impact of her two-year illness on their family inspired Billy to support others facing a similar journey, including through a fundraising initiative that led to the establishment of an annual BTAA-COGNO Lynette Williams Award focussed on supportive care. A retired senior diplomat with postings across Africa and Southeast Asia, Billy brings strong foreign policy skills, advocacy, cultural awareness and community engagement to BTAA. He coordinates BTAA’s 1800 Helpline and contributes to the Committee with compassion, insight and a deep commitment to supporting patients, carers and families.

Amanda Redford

Executive Officer

Amanda Redford is the Executive Officer of BTAA, where she leads national strategy, governance and partnerships to strengthen support for people affected by brain tumours. She brings extensive experience in organisational transformation, communications and stakeholder leadership across government and the not-for-profit sector. As a parent of a child diagnosed with brain cancer, Amanda is deeply committed to elevating lived experience and ensuring families across Australia are informed, supported and heard.