Ovarian Cancer Australia welcomes three new appointments to Board of Directors

Ovarian Cancer Australia welcomes three new appointments to Board of Directors

Ovarian Cancer Australia (OCA) – the leading national body for ovarian cancer in Australia – has today announced the appointment of three new non-executive Directors to the Board of Directors including Professor Karen Strickland, Adjunct Professor Juliet Bourke and Marise Maltman. The announcement coincides with the farewell of outgoing Board Director Suzy Nicoletti after three years of service. 

The three new Directors will provide a wealth of knowledge and experience as Ovarian Cancer Australia works to deliver on its vision of saving lives and ensuring no woman with ovarian cancer walks alone. 

Professor Strickland is a Professor of Nursing based at the University of Canberra. She is an experienced academic nurse leader with significant clinical, academic and research experience across the health, higher education, and social service sectors. 

Juliet Bourke is Adjunct Professor in the School of Management and Governance, Business School of UNSW, Chair of the AICD 30% Club Education Working Group, and a board member on the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership King’s College London and qChange. 

Marise Maltman is a Partner at Deloitte and a chartered accountant with a career that spans three decades locally in Australia, and globally in South Africa and England. 

Ovarian Cancer Australia Chair, Marina Go welcomed the addition of the three new Directors. 

“We’re thrilled to appoint our three new Directors, who each provide a wealth of knowledge, expertise and passion to Ovarian Cancer Australia from a wide range of areas. We look forward to working alongside our new Directors to help deliver our organisation’s strategic priorities for everyone impacted by ovarian cancer. 

“We also extend our gratitude to Suzy Nicoletti who recently resigned from our Board. Suzy was instrumental in helping grow our organisation’s digital footprint and we thank her for her invaluable contribution and dedication to our organisation over the past three years. 

“Ovarian Cancer Australia is proud of the exceptional impact we have achieved in supporting and advocating for women and their families who have been affected by ovarian cancer and the leadership role we have played in advocating nationally to raise awareness of the disease. 

“However, there is still much work to be done to change the story of ovarian cancer. Each day in Australia four women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and sadly three will die from the disease. The five-year survival rate remains at 46 per cent – the lowest survival rate of any women’s cancer.” 

The three new Directors will join Ovarian Cancer Australia’s existing board of directors including Chair Marina Go, Marco D’Avino, Jo-Ann Hicks, Professor Ian Jacobs and Meghan Speers. To find out more, visit https://www.ovariancancer.net.au/page/158/our-board

Quotes attributable to Professor Karen Strickland 

“As a Professor of Nursing with a passion for cancer and palliative care nursing, I am delighted to join the board of OCA. OCA's mission of ensuring no woman walks alone is central to my being as a professional nurse. I hope to bring a nursing perspective to the Board of OCA, helping to promote the impact specialist cancer nurses make to improving patients and families experiences of living with cancer.  I see the impact OCA makes through supporting women with independent evidence based compassionate care at times when they are at their most vulnerable.” 

Quotes attributable to Adjunct Professor Juliet Bourke “Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to help lead an organisation with a vision is to save lives and ensure no woman with ovarian cancer walks alone? The vision is inspiring, the people are brilliant and if together we can make a difference to women and their families by taking an evidence-based approach to offering support and leading change, then I’m all in. Great strides have been made in raising awareness about other “gendered” cancers such as breast cancer and prostate cancer, now it’s time to throw a brighter light on ovarian cancer, find a cure and support all women who are affected.” 

Quotes attributable to Marise Maltman 

“I hope that my financial acumen will help the Board to navigate the challenging and changing environment in Australia with a sharp focus on delivering OCA’s vision.A few years ago I was introduced to OCA during a Deloitte social impact day. I was touched listening to the stories of women impacted by ovarian cancer and to learn about the incidence of ovarian cancer, how aggressive it can be and also the relatively low survival rate compared to other cancers. The support and care OCA provides to women affected by ovarian cancer ensures that they ‘do not walk alone’ stayed with me.”  

For more information and interview requests contact:  

communications@ovariancancer.net.au