Board Of Directors

FAICD, BBus (Accounting and Information Technology, MBA (Chair)

With both family and friends living with MS, it’s something close to Garry Whatley’s heart. He’s passionate and committed to helping MS Plus achieve its goals through his extensive professional skills.  

Garry was previously appointed as:

• Non-Executive Director in 2009
• Deputy Chairman in 2013
• Chairman in 2019.

He brings to the board over 30 years of experience in the Information Technology (IT) industry and is well-respected in his field.
Garry is currently Managing Director of CIO Advisory, providing IT advisory services to boards and CEOs.

Some other career highlights include:

• holding various interim CIO roles with everything from start-ups to large multinational corporates
• working in several C level positions at Corporate Express/Staples Australia for 14 years
• experience across numerous industries including not-for-profit, finance, insurance, retail, distribution, warehousing, higher education, manufacturing and mining
• due diligence and integration for over 54 acquisitions
• delivering business transformation programs across multiple years and countries
• building an organisation’s digital channel.

Adriana Zuccala is a qualified lawyer with over 20 years’ experience in the financial, property and legal sectors. She has friends living with MS.

Adriana is currently:

• Managing Director of Supra Capital, a boutique funds management business
• a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
• a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia.

Adriana is the former Deputy Chair of VincentCare Victoria and VincentCare Community Housing.

Some other career highlights include:

• over 15 years of experience operating contributory mortgage schemes and property development funds
• being General Counsel of CGA Bryson, a property development and funds company
• being a partner of a large national law firm, specialising in property development and financing.

LLB (ANU), BEc (ANU)

Ron Brent has an extensive career working in management and leadership, covering both policy and legal roles.

He is currently semi-retired but remains Principal of Dunera Consulting Pty Ltd, providing services in community engagement, dispute handling, as well as providing advice on airport related issues of noise, health and social impact.

He was previously on the boards of MS Australia and MS Research Australia.

Some other career highlights include being:

• Chair of the Australian Research Integrity Committee. The committee reviews disputes over research integrity and provides advice to CEOs of the:
• National Health and Medical Research Council
• Australian Research Council.
• Australia’s first Aircraft Noise Ombudsman (ANO)
• Commonwealth Ombudsman and Deputy Commonwealth Ombudsman
• Director of the National Film and Sound Archive (for over 10 years)
• Various government departments in policy and legal roles.

Other boards on which he has served include Film Australia, the National Science and Technology Centre, and the National Film and Sound Archive.

When he’s not enjoying family time, sport, reading or travel, Ron has filled numerous volunteer roles such as coaching in a range of junior sport teams, club committee roles and race organizer.

Alison Brown is an experienced financial professional who’s worked with not-for-profit organisations for over 25 years.

She’s a chartered accountant and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Alison is currently:

• Finance and Business Director of Loreto and South East Asia.
• Director of R.I.S.F Ltd as trustee of Religious Institutes Central Investment Fund
• Company Secretary of Mary Ward International Ltd.

Some other career highlights include:

• 11 years as an Assurance & Advisory Partner at Deloitte
• Leading the Deloitte Private not-for-profit industry group for 5 years
• being a member of the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission’s professional user group from inception in 2012 to 2017.

Sharlene Brown is a specialist legal and governance professional with an impressive career working on a number of board committees. Sharlene brings her knowledge and passion to her work as a committed volunteer and advocate. She joined the MS Plus board in June 2016.

Sharlene is currently: 

• Chair of the MSCEC Committee for the ACT, NSW, Tas and Vic
• A member of the Risk, Audit and Finance Committee
• Specialist counsel for a government business enterprise

Other career highlights include being:

• Current Chair of the Advocacy Committee for the MS Australia Board
• An ambassador and board member of the WA MS Society and MS Tasmania
• Interim CEO of MS Tasmania during its merger with MS Limited (now MS Plus)
• Deputy Chair of the Tasmanian Audit Risk Committee
• Certified past member of the Governance Institute
• Previous General Manager, Company Secretary and General Counsel with a number of Tasmanian organisations.

Sharlene’s passion is advocacy, and as someone who lives with RRMS, she can relate to the many challenges faced by members. 

Mathew has over 20 years of experience providing tailored financial solutions to high-net-worth private clients, family offices and not-for-profits organisations. He has a passion for helping individuals, families and charitable groups manage their complete financial affairs.

Mathew is a founding Partner of LGT Crestone. The firm was established is 2016, and today has grown to become the Australia’s largest, independently owned wealth management company.

Prior to his role at Crestone, Mathew held a directorship role at UBS Wealth Management where he specialised in providing investment advice to the firm’s not-for-profit and private clients. Mat has worked with boards, committees and executive teams of charitable, philanthropic, and faith-based organisations on all matters of governance, defining the purpose of the corpus and developing tailored Investment

Policies. Mathew has been a member of the MS Plus Risk, Audit and Finance committee since 2017. Mathew holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance & Investment.

Des Graham has over 35 years of experience in health and human services. During this time, he held senior executive public sector positions in a number of states across clinical, service delivery, and policy and planning portfolios.

Des is living with MS, so he has lived experience with the condition.

Des is currently:

• on the MS Australia board
• involved with the Menzies Institute for Medical Research MS Flagship.

One of his proudest achievements is receiving a Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Award from the Mental Health Council of Australia. He won this for his service to consumer and carer participation in health service planning and individual care.

Some other career highlights include being:

• Deputy Secretary with the Department of Health and Human Services, Tasmania
• CEO for the Mental Health Council of Australia
• a representative for national forums, including the Council of Australian Government committee
• a key player in the moulding and implementation of the Rudd Health Reforms and National Disability Insurance Scheme
• a representative for Australia at a range of international forums
• an Adjunct Associate Professional at the University of Tasmania, College of Health and Medicine.

He was also Vice President of MS Australia in 2018 and a previous Board Chair of MS Tasmania.

Corinne is a highly experienced director and executive with expertise in business development, fundraising and communications in diverse not for profit sectors including, international development and humanitarian aid, health, education, environment, arts and faith based.

She brings over 25 years experience in implementing effective global strategies. Corinne specialises in developing new and innovative fundraising, communication and business strategies from the ground-up which are based on strong analytical research and planning that result in significant revenue growth.

Corinne is currently the Chief Development Officer at ChildFund Australia. She has an MBA in International Business from George Washington University in DC and is a CPA and holds an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Maryland.

She is the proud mum of 4 wonderful children and is committed to using her skills in whatever way possible to positively benefit the MS Community.

Jeannette Lechner-Scott is a professor and neurologist with an extensive medical background. She completed her PhD on pain pathways and trained in neurology in Germany and Switzerland, working at one of the major MS centres in Europe. She has extensive experience working with people living with MS.

Jeannette is currently:

• leading the Hunter New England MS Clinic, which cares for over 1,000 local patients with MS
• a senior staff specialist and a conjoint professor at the John Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle
• Co-Chief Editor for the journal MSARD
• an Australian representative on the MSIF Scientific Advisory Committee.

Some other career highlights include working with Ludwig Kappos to develop:

• a training scheme for EDSS (Expanded Disability Status Scale) assessment
• a tool for assessment over the phone.

Jeannette is a pioneer in epigenetic research, which shows how environmental influences can affect DNA. She has a keen interest in MS and how it impacts cognition, and how MRI technology can be used to monitor MS progression.

Donna’s extensive experience in board directorships, strategy, business, operations, risk management, governance, data, digital technology, and her track record of delivering digital disruption and transformation projects for major financial services organisations globally enables her to play a key role in business transformation as they continue to digitise their business and create new customer experiences.

Donna currently serves as a Non-executive Director of Newcastle Greater Mutual Group, Capricorn Society, Hunter Water and Oakhill College and is a strategic advisor specialising in governance, risk management, digital transformations, data and AI, cyber security and culture and leadership.

Donna has been an active fundraiser and supporter of MS research and services since 2008. From October 2021 she has been a member of the MS Plus Infrastructure Committee and joined the MS Plus Board in April 2023.

Donna is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Fellow with the Governance Institute of Australia. Donna was awarded Cisco's Women in IT, 2019, CIO of the Year Award.