Read this story on the new ONJCRI website www.onjcri.org.au
After five years as the inaugural Chair of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI), The Hon John Brumby has announced that he will step down from the role, effective 1 November 2019.
Mr Brumby was instrumental in guiding the direction of the ONJCRI when it commenced in 2015 and has been a strong advocate and representative since this time. Under his leadership, the research team has grown significantly and the outcomes from these projects are having life-changing impact for people with cancer. His passion has consistently helped to motivate and drive the work of the ONJCRI team and we acknowledge the impact his leadership has had on the Institute’s success to date, including the more than 230 research collaborations and 140 scientific papers published over the last year.
ONJCRI is thrilled to announce that Ms Jenny Macklin has joined the ONJCRI Board and will take over the role of Chair from 1 November 2019.
Ms Macklin brings passion and enthusiasm to this role, which are sentiments shared among all members of our Board. She holds a personal desire to drive change for a better community and this was clearly demonstrated during her political career. Her community focus also aligns well with the ONJCRI mission of creating a future where cancer is a treatable disease while never losing our focus on finding a cure.
As a former economics research analyst, Jenny Macklin understands the complexities of research environments. This experience is coupled with the delivery of major community impact projects including the implementation of Australia's first national Paid Parental Leave Scheme, the Closing the Gap framework, and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Ms Macklin retired from politics in early 2019 when she decided to not stand as a candidate for the seat of Jagajaga at the federal election, a position which she held since 1996. The ONJCRI is also located within this electorate and Ms Macklin has been a passionate supporter and seen the Institute grow firsthand over the past 5 years.
The ONJCRI is sincerely grateful to Mr Brumby for his longstanding support for both the ONJ Wellness Centre and the Research Institute, his commitment and desire to support research breakthroughs that will have direct benefits for people with cancer. We are very proud that he has been a part of the Institute story so far, and we look forward to continuing to celebrate the success of the Institute through his role as Chancellor of La Trobe University and our shared La Trobe School of Cancer Medicine.