Building Healthy Communities

Bruce was a RYLA Awardee in 1965 and has been a Rotarian for 19 years. He has been the Chair of D9455's Aboriginal Reference Group for a total of 9 years, and a Co-ordinator of Short-term Exchange Youth Exchange Program.  He has worked in the Public Service for Welfare, Juvenile Justice and Prisons, Mental Health, Health and Disability Services, as well as for various NFP Organisations. His work roles have included: Farmer, Clinical Psychologist, Board Chair, Planning Consultant, Change and Project Manager, Managing and Planning Director and CEO. Bruce has been retired for 11 years. His main interests are undertaking systemic interventions with disadvantaged people to empower them, marriage preparation, his international family and traveling.

duftys@optusnet.com.au

We are still seeking a champion and team from District 9465 to lead the project in this district.

info@endtrachoma2020.org.au

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mickmel4@bigpond.com

Kerre Willsher was born and bred at Warracknabeal, a farming community in Western Victoria. She is a registered nurse with over forty years of experience, and has lived in remote Aboriginal communities and in Papua/New Guinea. She has qualifications in public health, community health, maternal and child health and epidemiology.  Kerre was a lecturer in nursing for several years at the University of South Australia, Whyalla Campus where she won awards in teaching and community engagement. She is completing a PhD on the needs of parents of children with disability in rural areas. Kerre is a member of the Rotary Club of Whyalla, a past president and Paul Harris Fellow.

kerre.willsher1@bigpond.com

Jenny's background is Nursing. She has enjoyed a very diverse career over the years, most of which was spent in the Northern Territory (Central Australia). A particular highlight of her career has been the opportunities had working with Aboriginal people as a Remote Area Nurse as well as an Educator for Aboriginal Health Workers.

Following this period, Jenny moved into Nursing Management roles and eventually moved on into the broader aspect of Health Service Management.  

Jenny has always had a very strong focus on Community Health and Primary Health care. 

Jenny has a Bachelor of Health - Nursing, Masters in Health Administration and Graduate Diploma in Public Sector Management.

jandrmills@bigpond.com

Jo lives in Atherton west of Cairns and has been a Rotarian for 7 years. Apart from being a past president and director for 4 years, her service in Rotary has ranged from Secretary of the biennial Rotary FNQ Field days, Coordinator of the annual Rotary Tastes of the Tablelands event to Chair of the Rotary Rocky Creek WW2 Igloo Restoration sub committee. She has traveled to Cambodia to assist in an education project our Rotary club contributes to in the Siem Reap district.

Jo is a retired teacher and school administrator. Her area of training and expertise has been teaching students with a disability, and she is experienced in the education of students in all areas of disability, being intellectual, hearing and visual impairment, autism spectrum disorder and physical impairment effecting mobility.​

jbarn72@hotmail.com

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rus24@westnet.com.au

Tony has been a very active member in the various Clubs and also at a District level in Districts 9680 and 9600 since 1991 when he joined THORNLEIGH Club in (then) District 9680.  In 2003 Tony and Marilyn moved to Brisbane and he became a member of Rotary Club of SAMFORD VALLEY until the move to Sunshine Coast in late 2014 when he joined the Rotary Club of ALEXANDRA HEADLAND. He has been Assistant Governor, President, a PHF, and held many other Rotary positions. Tony has a background included marketing of consumer products, furniture, fashion, toiletries and pharmaceuticals. He continues to do some business review and coaching for small businesses as he enjoys “retirement” ...which meant going from paid work to volunteer and Rotary work!

freemanmarketing@bigpond.com

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errol@hstimbers.com.au

Richard has been a Charter Member of the Rotary Club of Goonellabah for 35 years. President recycled three times. He has held the position for District Chairman for RAWCS & DIK and has travelled the Solomon Islands & PNG on 4 FAIM projects involving hospitals & schools. He is personally involved in recycling hospital & school “wastes” to the Pacific Islands to Cambodia via NR DIK Brisbane. He is at present the Director of the District Special Projects in District 9640.

Richard is a Chartered Professional Engineer with 20 years experience in Local Government NSW and now on 30 years in practice as a Consulting Civil & Structural Engineer. In 1988-90 he was Project Manager for ATSIC to rebuild the Tabulam Aboriginal Village, west of Casino in which 12 new houses, roads, water supply & sewerage reticulation was completed. He has travelled Australia & the World extensively and is well familiar with the conditions & lifestyle of Central Australia. Now semi-retired, he enjoys his weekly golf, bowls, Rotary and Men’s Shed, with weekends around the Family activities and six teenage grandchildren.

crandon612@gmail.com

Ian joined the Rotary Club of Carlingford (D9680) 1976, was President 1981-82; then Taree (D9650) in 1997, and served as President in Rotary’s Centennial Year.  District involvement includes GSE; Membership; PR: Vocational (currently on Australian Vocational Advisory Committee): The Rotary Foundation (Charter Member Bequest Society, multiple PHF); Club Visioning facilitator; RAWCS; Assistant Governor and District Governor 2007-08.

In the mid 1990s Ian was actively involved in the establishment and early development of Rotary in Russia. Ian is a ShelterBox Australia Ambassador, and worked in Timor Leste for Rotarians Against Malaria.

As a Professional Engineer, with Post Graduate qualifications in Quality Management, Ian worked for 35 years in both the mining and chemical manufacturing industries; then in 1997, purchased and operated for 5 years a child care centre in home town Taree – “a wonderful career change to be able to work with families and with children in their formative years.”

Ian has spent a lifetime in volunteering: from the church to speedboat club; from P&C (Life Member NSW Federation) to surf life saving; from Samaritans Foundation to ABC Concerts; historic motor club to Manning Support Services Inc .

Ian enjoys working with people, challenging them and helping them to be the best they can be.

idyball@ozemail.com.au

Greg has been a member of the Rotary Club of Cessnock for 32 years. He has had an association with the Rotary Club of Kurri Kurri for the same period of time and am a proud Honorary member of this club. He felt it a privilege to serve the Rotary District 9670 Youth Exchange committee for 14 years, three of those as Chairman.

He was chair of the District Membership Committee and still serves on that committee.

To assist young people in real need, he is the coordinator for Rotary Dream Cricket in the eastern region of District 9670. Greg also served a three year period as an Assistant Governor, and as District Governor in District 9670 during 2009-10. 

Greg's studies were around  Chemistry and Geology where he spent almost 50 years in Coal Quality and Coal Preparation. Now retired, he spends most of his time being involved with his grandchildren and Rotary.

gandlbevan@bigpond.com

Di joined Rotary in 2008 and became President of the Rotary Club of Illawarra Sunrise in 2014. In 2013 she became the District Chair for Interplast. Di took over the role of District Secretary in July 2016, and will be District Governor in 2019-20.

Di has been married to David, for 43 years, have two sons and are grandparents to four grandchildren.

Di has been a registered pharmacist since 1973 and has worked as a pharmacy manager, owner, rural locum, hospital pharmacist (specialising in Palliative Care) and is now working as an oncology pharmacist.

She has presented at many Pharmacy Conferences about Community Pharmacists on Palliative Care and Oncology.

Di is an accredited basketball scoretable official. She has worked on scoretables for NBL and wheelchair NBL having officiated at grand final games, and was a scoretable official for Sydney 2000 Paralympics in both basketball and rugby. She also likes to participate in fun runs and has now competed in 27 Sydney City2Surfs as well as other charity fun runs.

dianne_north@bigpond.com

Dan is an ophthalmologist practising in Dee Why and Rosebery. He is a Paul Harris Fellow and has been a Rotarian for 30 years, having been a director and president in his club of Rosebay numerous times.  Dan is a medical advisor for ROMAC, a board member for Centre for Healthy Brain Aging at UNSW, and a member of various professional colleges and organisation. Apart from knowing all about trachoma, he has personally treated it in Fiji and India.   

dansachdev@iinet.net.au

Peter has been a resident of Sydney's Upper North Shore for over 29 years. He has an interest in local community affairs through his involvement with the Rotary Club of Warhroonga, Hornsby/ Ku-ring-gai PCYC, Hornsby Community Safety Precinct Committee, Ku-ring-gai Police and Community Safety Committee, St Paul's Anglican Church etc. He is a Justice of the Peace and has an interest in people of all cultures and concern for the well being of children and youth in our community.

Peter is married with two adult children and two young grandchildren, and his family sponsors two children overseas. In his spare time, he enjoys singing, song writing, reading, didgeridoo playing, African drums, dog training, community work, travel and keeping fit.

kirkwood@cpi.com.au

Michael has been a Rotarian for 23 years, formally trained as an economist. During his working life he has had vocations as varied as labourer, newsagent paper-roller, gardener, scout leader, teacher, community development facilitator, child care worker, manager, director, and consultant. As a community development operative Michael has had a long standing faith in the power of the grass-roots to do good in their world.

Michael has three children with his partner Ann Dib and four grandsons. 

He was District 9700 Governor in 2016-17, where he and his partner, Ann Dib, were able to visit all Rotary Clubs and to see first-hand the great work being done both locally and internationally by Rotarians of all ages. This evidence of commitment to service above self was so strong that, when asked to investigate championing the End Trachoma by 2020 campaign, Michael knew that local Rotary Clubs would be able to participate.

governor9700milston@bigpond.com

We are still seeking a champion and team from District 9710 to lead the project in this district.

info@endtrachoma2020.org.au

Graeme joined the Rotary Club of Camperdown May 2009, was President 2010-11 & 2012-13, Youth Director 2013-16, Club Secretary 2013-19, and now is Group Six Assistant Governor 2015-19 and District Community Service Chair 2019-20.

He has authored six cricket history books and has 32 years at Monash Pharmacology under his belt.

In his local community, he counts cleaning up & tree planting around Prahran, Toorak and Armadale stations, and Villa Maria Blind home scented garden as achievements. In 2008, Graeme moved to 40 acre Bookaar farm to graze Scottish Highland Cattle.

graeme.fischer@bigpond.com

Melissa is current Foundation Director of her club and passionate about supporting the Rotary Foundation. Her friend Charter President Amanda Campbell first asked her to join as a Charter Member, and knowing nothing about Rotary except that she would need to attend every week without fail (mission impossible!), so declined. She found out later that Rotary is whatever you want it to be, and being interested in youth, has been Youth Director 3 years in a row, as well as a past president. Melissa, being a descendent of generations of pioneers who go back 8-9 generations of living in Australia, is aware that although not intended, her ancestors coming to make a new life in this country had a devastating impact upon those already here. Melissa believes that by being involved with EndTrachoma by 2020, we can help young children keep their eyesight and good health. She hopes that through Rotary's Foundation, we can improve the environmental aspects that allow trachoma to persist.

melissahebbard@bigpond.com

Fabienne became a member of Camberwell RC because she wanted to contribute to the local community and participate in their main fundraiser, the Camberwell Art Show.  She works as a Sales Manager in the Security Industry. Her interests are traveling, going to Geelong Football games, reading, gardening, cooking, dance and keeping fit. Fabienne is involved in EndTrachoma by 2020 because she believes it is a fantastic Project that will make a real difference. She enjoys contributing to the project by visiting D9800 Clubs and updating Rotarians on the progress of the Project.

fabienne_nichola@racv.com.au

Russell is a semi-retired Electronics Engineer and soon to be PP of the Rotary Club of Emerald and District. The Club has had a number of speakers on indigenous topics and supported a cultural exchange between Cockatoo PS. and Ramingining in Arnhem Land for a number of years.  Russell has been interested in the EndTrachoma2020 project since last May when he travelled to Alice Springs to visit family. His daughter is involved in providing an early years literacy and support program to families in Indigenous communities.  Her partner’s family also have a long history of involvement with Indigenous programs.  His visit coincided with the AFL Demons versus GC Suns game at Traeger Park and as an old Demons tragic it was great to see them prevail on the field; but more so to learn about their ongoing practical support for the Clean Face Strong Eyes campaign. Milpa was there wearing the demons colours and the Demons visited a number of remote communities for clinics with the health message.  What a positive message it would be to indigenous communities to see Trachoma thus acknowledged as a problem of concern to the nation and not just an issue for remote communities! Here’s hoping  Ian Riseley's big audacious goal can be achieved too!

russellmarnock@yahoo.com.au

Sally joined Rotary in 2001 and over this time has enjoyed many experiences including roles of District Youth Services chair, NYSF interview panel, Secretary of YEP, host parent for YEP, team leader for Safari trip for students, Secretary, President, Assistant Governor and is currently involved with Dream Cricket, a Rotary program for primary school children with disabilities. She recently sold her real estate business after some 25 years, had a three month break and now works for an agency and thoroughly enjoy not being the boss! Sally's interests include reading, gardening, a menagerie of animals including 4 Irish min donkeys, alpacas, goats on 5 acres, travelling overseas, Elder of the Uniting Church, Board Director of Fairview Village, Dream Cricket, piano, humanitarian projects in Vanuatu and family including 4 grandhildren.

Sally knows that Rotary will make the difference – if we can eradicate the world of polio, we can eliminate trachoma within 3 years. Fred Hollows first alerted our nation to this health issue in the mid 70’s so it should be sorted… Sally believes that Rotary will succeed.

petersally22@gmail.com

Jennie is a member and Secretary of the Rotary E-club of Melbourne.  She joined the Eclub in 2016 after 16 years as a member of RC Bellerive in D9830.  The reason for the switch was because her husband was ill and as his full time carer, could not get to ‘regular’ meetings

In D9830 Jennie served as an Assistant Governor 2013/14 and 2014/15, and was both President and Secretary of RC Bellerive, as well as being the Bulletin Editor for a number of years. She was awarded a PHF from that club, and also served on District teams for Bowel Scan and Youth Exchange.

Although her current club is in D9800, she is still very connected to clubs in D9830 and DG Tony Colman is happy for Jennie to be D9830 representative for EndTrachoma by 2020.

Jennie is now retired from the paid workforce, and enjoys gardening, travel and serving her community. She is also very involved with her church in a variety of ways. Having grown up in WA and spent time in the north of that state and in Central Australia, Jennie has seen first hand how Trachoma affects people.  As a former nurse, she feel this is an area in which she can make a difference.

Jenniemitchell44@gmail.com