Michael Legge AM – President

Michael Legge AM was elected President of Australian Red Cross at the Annual General Meeting in December 2011, having served as Deputy President for seven years.

Michael has a long and distinguished involvement with Red Cross and his leadership appointments are numerous. He has been a member of the Australian Red Cross Tasmanian Divisional Advisory Board and Finance Committee and was Deputy Chairman of the Division in 1998 and Chairman in 1999. Michael has also served on the Australian Red Cross Blood Service Board from 2001 to 2011 and served as Chairman of the Board’s International Committee from April 2008 until November 2011.

He has represented Australian Red Cross internationally, both as an Australian delegate and speaker at international forums and as an active participant in decision making for the Movement. Michael joined Red Cross in 1986 as a young and enthusiastic volunteer ambulance driver with the St Marys Red Cross branch in Tasmania. Since then, his involvement with Red Cross has taken him from rural Tasmania as far afield as Mongolia, Pakistan and the Pacific. Michael was awarded Honorary Life Membership in 2008 which is the Society’s peak Award for achievement and merit of the highest degree of service by a member.

Michael was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2017 for his 30 years of humanitarian work with Red Cross.

Ross Pinney – Deputy President

Serving as a Red Cross Victorian Divisional Board member from 2005 to 2007, Ross was elected Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee in 2007. He served as a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Finance Commission from 2007 to 2015 and was elected as the Deputy President of Australian Red Cross in December 2011. He worked for 15 years as a senior manager at National Australia Bank, as Executive General Manager in the Office of the CEO, CEO Europe, and Executive General Manager, Products and Services. Prior to that he also worked at the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works for 15 years.

In addition to chairing the Finance Committee, he is currently a member of the National Awards Committee; the Nominations and Remuneration Committee; and the Services Advisory Group. Ross is a non executive director of Australian Red Cross Blood Service, where he is chair of the Risk Committee. Ross is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and his qualifications include: MBA, B Comm, FCA.

Ross was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal from the Society in 2015.

Jan West AM – Chair, Audit and Risk Committee

Jan has more than 40 years finance and audit experience across Australian and international listed and private companies, government agencies and community organisations. She is currently a non-executive director of Australia Post, Dairy Australia, Neurosciences Victoria and Melbourne Forum as well as an independent member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee of the Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance. She has been President and Chairman of the Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a member of the Financial Reporting Council, an audit partner at Deloitte and a non-executive director of a number of commercial and not-for-profit entities.

In recognition of her services to the accountancy profession and to the community, Jan was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2007 and was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001.

Jan is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (FCA) and a Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

In addition to chairing the Red Cross Audit and Risk Committee, Jan is also a member of our Finance Committee, Nominations and Remuneration Committee and Blood Service Finance and Audit Committee.

James Birch AM – Chair, Australian Red Cross Blood Service Board

James Birch was appointed Chair of the Blood Service in February 2016. He was previously a member of the South Australian Division Board from 2005 to 2008.

James is currently an independent consultant.

Until January 2016 he was the Global Health Care Leader for Ernst & Young, having previously been its Oceania Government and Public Service Leader and the inaugural Leader of its Health and Human Services Practice for Asia Pacific. James has had more than 35 years of experience in planning, leading and implementing change in complex organisations such as Health Care, Justice and Human Services.

He has also been the Chief Executive of a Human Services and Health Department, Deputy Chief Executive of a Justice Department and Chief Executive of major health service delivery organisations, including academic teaching hospitals. In addition to the Blood Service, James is currently the Chair of the Australian Digital Health Agency, Deputy Chair of the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, a Director of the Little Company of Mary Board, a Director of the Cancer Council of South Australia and Chair of the Board for Clevertar Pty Ltd.

Dianne Buckles – Chair, WA Divisional Advisory Board

Dianne was appointed Chair of the WA Divisional Advisory Board in October 2013 and has been a member of the Divisional Board since 2006, taking up the position of Vice President in 2007 and Deputy Chair in 2009.

Dianne originally joined Red Cross in 1999 as a passionate member and volunteer, and continues to volunteer in various areas such as Emergency Services, undertaking many deployments in a variety of roles both interstate and intrastate. She is Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System (AIIMS) trained and has completed several Australian Emergency Management Institute courses, is a volunteer trainer, a REDiPlan/Pillowcase facilitator/presenter, a Team Convenor and represents Australian Red Cross on the City of Stirling Local Emergency Management Committee. Dianne also volunteers in other Australian Red Cross programs including the Migration Support Program and Community Services Program.

She is currently the Chair of the WA Awards Committee, President of the fundraising ‘Flower Committee’ Unit, and member on the National Audit & Risk Committee, the National Services Advisory Group, the National Emergency Services Advisory Group and the WA International Humanitarian Law Committee.

For her service, dedication and exceptional leadership to the organisation, Dianne was awarded Honorary Life Membership in 2016.

Now retired, Dianne worked in the corporate information technology sector for many years, and then in computer software consulting.

Charles Burkitt – Chair, NT Divisional Advisory Board

Charles was elected Chair of the Northern Territory Divisional Advisory Board in October 2014, after having served as a Board Member for numerous years.

His affiliation with Australian Red Cross dates back to a very early age where he was introduced to the significance of the organisation’s work by immediate family members who have had a very active involvement with Red Cross. Charles has consistently contributed in a voluntary nature to the Society and continues to contribute significantly to the Community, especially within the Northern Territory.

Charles began his career as an Investment Adviser specialising in financial markets, having worked in that industry for more than 15 years. He now actively works within the property industry based in Darwin, while also having obtained extensive Board experience as an active Board Member of several local organisations. Charles enjoys an active lifestyle with an interest in most sports and leisure activities.

John Dorrian – Additional Board Member

John Dorrian has been a member of the Australian Red Cross Board since August 2012. He is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee and the Finance Committee and Chair of the Investment Sub-Committee. He is also Vice Chair of the Finance Commission of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva and Chair of its Investment Sub-Committee.

John has had extensive experience as a non-executive director of a number of significant listed and unlisted public and private companies, joint ventures and funds operating in a wide range of industries. These include investment and funds management, electricity and gas distribution, airports, electricity generation, ports, food processing, mineral processing, agribusiness and major not-for-profit organisations. He is currently Chairman and Independent Non-Executive Director of Colonial First State Infrastructure Managers (Australia) Limited and First State Infrastructure Managers (International) Limited.

John is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (FCA)

Ian Hamm – Additional Board Member

Ian is a Yorta Yorta man who has been actively involved in the Victorian Indigenous community in a personal and professional capacity for many years. Prior to joining our Board in April 2017 as an Additional Board Member, Ian was a member of the Victorian Divisional Advisory Board.

Ian has had a wide level of exposure to policy development and program management at executive level through his work with the Federal Government (Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health) and the Victorian Government (Department of Justice; Department of Planning and Community Development, and the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources).

Ian holds a number of governance positions including: Chairperson: First Nations Foundation (national); Chairperson: Connecting Home Ltd (Stolen Generations Service); Chairperson: Koorie Heritage Trust (Vic) (Victorian Indigenous arts trust); Deputy Chair: Aboriginal Housing Victoria Ltd; Director: Institute of Public Administration Australia (Vic); and Director: National Trust Australia (Vic). He also serves on a number of Advisory Boards and is a former President of the Western Region Football League, one of the major Australian football leagues in Melbourne.

Sam Hardjono – Chair, NSW Divisional Advisory Board

Sam Hardjono was appointed Chair of the NSW Divisional Advisory Board in October 2015. He has been a member of the Divisional Advisory Board since 2010, a member of the National Property Sub-Committee since 2013 and of the Finance Committee since 2016.

Sam is currently Chief Operating Officer for an investment company working with the property and technology start-up sectors. For more than a decade he was Chief Executive Officer of a large charity with projects in South-East Asia, South America and Australia. Prior to this, he was Managing Director of a UK-listed property service company, and previously Group Financial Controller for one of Australia’s largest and most iconic architectural firms.

Sam has served on various charity and community boards continuously since 1996 and was also a director of the Australia Indonesia Business Council for 13 years. He has held numerous senior board positions, including National Vice President and Treasurer, and has chaired various intergovernmental forums. He is currently Chairman of Waverley College in Sydney.

Sam holds a Bachelor of Business in Accounting and an MBA in International Business. He was twice a recipient of the Goldman Sachs JBWere scholarship for Harvard University’s Non-Profit Leadership Program.

Lyndal Herbert – Chair, TAS Divisional Advisory Board

Lyndal joined the Tasmanian Divisional Advisory Board when she was appointed Treasurer in 2003. After three years Lyndal was elected to the role of Deputy Chair in November 2006, and has been the Chair of the Advisory Board since November 2012. In addition to these Divisional roles, Lyndal has been involved at a national level, sitting on the National Board for the past five years and on various committees, including the National Asset and Investment Strategy Committee (2008 - 2013), the National Awards Committee (2009 - 2012), the Finance Committee (2003 - 2016) she is a current member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Investment Sub-Committee. In February 2015 Lyndal initiated the commencement of the Divisional Advisory Board Chairs meetings, and has been co-ordinating these regularly prior to each National Board meeting.

Lyndal commenced her career as a taxation advisor in Melbourne with Arthur Andersen & Co, and moved to Hobart where she has worked with KPMG since 2001. She is currently a Director in KPMG’s tax practice, advising large companies, government enterprises and superannuation funds. She is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (FCA) and a Graduate Member of The Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Pearl Li – Chair, National Youth Advisory Committee

Pearl Li was elected Youth Member of the Australian Red Cross Board in 2014. Pearl’s involvement with Red Cross began in late 2011, when she became President of the Red Cross Club at the University of Adelaide. She soon joined the South Australian Youth Advisory Committee, going on to become the representative for our National Youth Advisory Committee and making a key contribution to youth engagement within Red Cross.

Along with serving on our Board, Pearl also studies law and has volunteered with many of our programs such as Telecross REDi, Save-A-Mate, emergency services outreach and migration support programs. Her vast experience in youth engagement and community service includes mentoring student volunteers for service trips to India and volunteering with the Smith Family and World Vision.

Anne Macarthur OAM – Chair, VIC Divisional Advisory Board

Anne joined Junior Red Cross in 1952 and has been an active member of Lindenow & District Branch for 45 years. Anne is currently the Chairman of the Victorian Advisory Board. She also chairs the ARC Emergency Services Advisory Group and is a member of the ARC Nominations and Remunerations Committee and Property Sub-Committee.

During her time with Red Cross Anne has been heavily involved in Branch and Regional governance, fundraising and other Red Cross activities. Anne was a trained Emergency Services volunteer for more than 20 years and was heavily involved during the Black Saturday bushfires.

Anne represented the Victorian Advisory Board on the Victorian International Humanitarian Law committee for 15 years and has been a member and past Chairman of the Victorian Overseas Support Group since its inception in 1997. Anne has been awarded Honorary Life Membership of Australian Red Cross as well as other awards. She was also awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2007 for her work in the wider community and, in 2016, a Victorian COTA Senior Achiever award.

John Pinney AM – Chair, QLD Divisional Advisory Board

John first began his association with Australian Red Cross volunteering for the Alice Springs Branch in 1981. Since then, he has held a number of senior leadership positions, including Chair of the Northern Territory Divisional Advisory Board and Vice-Chairman for the National Board. He joined the Queensland Divisional Advisory Board in 2007. He Chairs the International Advisory Committee and is a member of the Migration Programs Advisory Group and the Finance Committee, where he Chairs the Property Sub-Committee.

During his career, John was CEO of a government department and, later, Chairman of two Statutory Authorities. He remains an active independent board director.

John was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his work in the Red Cross Movement. John is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Australian Property Institute.

Margaret Piper AM – Additional Board Member

Margaret is a consultant with more than 30 years experience in the refugee sector, including as Executive Director of the Refugee Council of Australia (1991 - 2005) and as a board member of a number of agencies working with refugees and asylum seekers. She currently is a member of the Advisory Board of Multicultural NSW and the Board of MYAN NSW and also works as a consultant, primarily in the areas of policy, research and capacity building.

Margaret served over many years as the non-government adviser to the Australian Government delegation to the annual meeting of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva and has undertaken field work in many parts of the world. In recognition of her service to the community through leadership and advocacy roles assisting refugees and asylum seekers, Margaret was appointed Member of the Order of Australia in 2011.

Margaret has had lifetime connections to Red Cross and, in addition to her current role on the Board, she also chairs the Services Advisory Committee and is a member of the Migration Programs Advisory Committee and Audit and Risk Committee.

Sue Vardon AO – Chair, SA Divisional Advisory Board

Before being appointed Chair of the SA Divisional Advisory Board, Sue was an independent member of the National Board for two years. Sue chairs the Members and Volunteers Committee and is on the Information Technology Committee.

Sue chaired the National Centenary Committee. Sue was a chief executive for 23 years in a variety of State and Commonwealth agencies, including the inaugural CEO of Centrelink. Her work in public sector governance has continued in South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo and PNG. Sue has many years of experience in disaster management.

Sue was the Inaugural Telstra Business Woman of the Year and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of South Australia for community services. Sue is the Chair of Connecting Up, providing digital services to the not-for-profit sector. Sue is the Chair of ECH in South Australia.

Wendy Prowse – Chair, ACT Divisional Advisory Board

Wendy was appointed the Chair of the ACT Divisional Advisory Board in 2016 having held the Deputy Chair role for three years and has been a member of the DAB since 2012. She joined the National Red Cross Board in October 2016 and has since become a member of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee and Services Advisory Group.

With more than 25 years experience working in the not-for-profit sector within the health and community services industry, Wendy has an established track record in strategic and business development, corporate governance, marketing, people & culture, organisational change management, research and policy. Building on this expertise, Wendy now leads the community development division at Beyond Bank Australia in the ACT and south-east NSW and continues to have a keen interest in social impact and social innovation.

Jeni McDonough - Board Secretary

While not a member, Jeni attends all Board meetings and commenced working with Red Cross in September 2004 as Assistant to the Board. She was appointed Board Secretary in December 2009.

Jeni has more than 38 years experience in administration, the majority of which have been at a senior level working in the education, banking, chemicals, information management, utilities and not-for-profit sectors.

She holds a Secretarial Diploma, Certificate of Governance Practice and Administration, Certificate of Governance for Not-For-Profits and is a Certificated Member of the Governance Institute of Australia (GIA Cert). Jeni was awarded a Distinguished Staff Award in 2009 and received her 10 years’ Long Service Medal in September 2014.