The Mito Foundation Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for the governance of the foundation – establishing and continually monitoring the foundation’s vision, mission and goals, and ensuring all legal and financial obligations are met. Directors also play a key role in supporting the foundation’s fundraising activities and act as advocates for our work to the broader community.
Professor John Christodoulou AM
MB BS PhD FRACP FRCPA FHGSA
John graduated from the University of Sydney, and has formal qualifications in paediatrics, medical genetics and genetic pathology. He undertook his formal genetic training at the Murdoch Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, and had further postdoctoral training in genetic metabolic disorders at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. He returned to Sydney and for 18 years was the Director of the Western Sydney Genetics Program at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, one of the largest fully integrated clinical and laboratory diagnostic genetic services in Australia. He relocated to the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne in 2016, is currently the Director of the Genetics Research Theme of the MCRI, and co-leads the Brain and Mitochondrial Research Group with Professor David Thorburn. John is also the Chair of Genomic Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne.
Apart from mitochondrial disorders, his other major research interests are in Rett syndrome and related neurodevelopmental disorders. He also has a major research interest in the application of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies in rare genetic disorders. He is the Co-Lead of the Australian Genomics Health Alliance, focusing on bringing NGS diagnostics into mainstream clinical practice in Australia, and with David co-leads the Australian Genomics mitochondrial diseases flagship.
He has published over 280 peer reviewed papers and is regularly called upon for lectures on a range of genetics subjects.
John is a former Past President of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia (2005 – 2007). In 2010 he became a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) and in 2017 became a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health & Medical Sciences.
John is a founding director of the Mito Foundation and a member of the Mito Foundation Scientific & Medical Advisory Panel.
Don Coulthard
Don Coulthard is MD of Phillips & Cohen Associates (Australia) a leading receivables management and distressed asset purchaser.
Don has lobbied extensively to government in support of medical research funding and assisted Research Australia in the development of its philanthropy initiative.
Dr Kylie de Boer
PhD GAICD
Dr Kylie de Boer is an accomplished CEO and non-executive director whose career bridges healthcare, technology and innovation. She holds a PhD in Medicine from the University of Sydney and has completed advanced management and strategy training at Harvard Business School.
As CEO of Genea, Kylie led international expansion and world first genetic innovation, guiding the organisation through significant growth and change. She later scaled an artificial intelligence organisation delivering secure cloud based solutions to regulated industries, and has developed healthcare businesses across South East Asia. Her leadership experience spans public, private and digital service environments, where she has driven transformation with a strong focus on purpose and performance.
Kylie currently chairs Westmead Fertility Centre and serves as a non-executive director of PRP Diagnostic Imaging and Sparke Helmore. She is also a member of the NSW Government AI Review Committee, providing independent oversight of AI use in the public sector.
A committed mentor and advocate for women in leadership and STEM, Kylie champions diversity and inclusion as foundations for resilient, high performing organisations.
Peter Laurent
Peter Laurent is a committed, professional, and experienced Wholesale Risk leader and decisioner with a long demonstrated history of working in the banking industry. He is skilled in a wide range of commercial banking, including lending, leveraged and project finance, Financial Institutions, Enterprise Risk Management, Asset-Backed Security (ABS), FX and swaps.
After 8 years as Chief Wholesale Credit Officer, Peter played a key advisory role to Executives on complex enterprise matters, including leading the work on regulatory matters, including the application of BEAR, the Bank’s Risk Governance Self Assessment and responses to the Regulator regarding risk governance, operational risk and capital overlay.
Rick Lee AM
BEng (Chem) (Hons) MA (Oxon) FAICD
Rick Lee joined the Mito Foundation Board in February 2020. Mr Lee has extensive governance, resource banking and international commercial experience. His previous senior executive roles include 16 years with CSR Limited and 9 years in the position of Chief Executive Officer of NM Rothschild Australia Limited.
Mr Lee was formerly the Chairman of Oil Search Limited, Chairman of Ruralco Holdings Limited, Chairman of Salmat Limited, Director and Deputy Chairman of Ridley Corporation Limited, and a former Director of CSR Limited, Newcrest Mining Limited, Wesfarmers General Insurance Limited, and the Australian Rugby Union. Mr Lee was the Chairman of the Australian Institute of Company Directors from 2010 to 2012.
He was awarded Member of the Order of Australia in 2015 for services to business, commerce, sport and philanthropy.
Dr Doug Lingard AM – President & Chairman
MB ChB FRANZCR
Doug is a Radiologist & Nuclear Physician who has been active in both public and private medicine in Australia for over 30 years. He is a cofounder of the largest Diagnostic Imaging practice in Australia, Pittwater Radiology & Medical Imaging Australasia Ltd. He and his wife Margie are the parents of two children with mitochondrial disease.
Doug is the Mito Foundation Chairman, a member of the Mito Foundation Nominations Committee, a member of the Mito Foundation Scientific & Medical Advisory Panel and a founding director of the Mito Foundation.
Sean Murray
Sean Murray was appointed as part time CEO in January 2011 and took up the role full time in April 2012. Sean is responsible for execution of the Mito Foundation strategic plan and all aspects of the Mito Foundation operations.
Sean’s background includes software development, business consulting and general management. His career previously focused on organisational change and project/programme management. Sean has lived and worked in Australia, the UK and the US with broad industry experience in both private and government sectors. Sean holds a degree in Computer Science and Pure Mathematics (BSc) from Sydney University.
With a strong family connection with mitochondrial disease, Sean is deeply motivated to drive the Mito Foundation toward achieving its goal of curing mitochondrial disease.
Sean is one of the founding directors of the Mito Foundation.
Professor Mike Ryan
Professor Ryan is the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) at Sydney University.
Professor Ryan also heads the Mitochondrial Biology and Disease Laboratory in the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute. His research seeks to understand the molecular basis of mitochondrial disease and treatment options to improve cellular energy generation. His work is currently funded by grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Future Fund, Australian Research Council, and charitable foundations.
Professor Ryan has served on numerous boards and committees including as President of the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Australian Academy of Sciences’ National Committee for Biomedical Sciences, and the Research Grant Committee and Selection Grant Committee of the International Human Frontier Science Program Organisation (current Chair). He is a Director of the Mito Foundation and Deputy Chair of its Scientific and Medical Advisory Panel. In 2023, Prof. Ryan was awarded the Lemberg Medal from the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology for excellence in biochemistry and molecular biology and significant contributions to the scientific community.
Professor David Thorburn
BSc (Hons) PhD FHGSA FFSc (RCPA) FAHMS
Professor David Thorburn received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Sydney in 1987 before completing a Fulbright Fellowship with Prof Ernie Beutler at Scripps Clinic, La Jolla (San Diego), California. David returned to Australia in 1990, and is an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, located in the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. He holds honorary appointments in the Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne and with Victorian Clinical Genetics Services. David is a former President of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia and a former member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (USA).
David’s Brain and Mitochondrial Research Group is primarily involved in research but also acts as the Australasian referral centre for diagnosis of mitochondrial disease in children. His lab has diagnosed more than 700 patients with mitochondrial disease and published over 180 scientific journal articles and reviews. David’s research focuses on the genetic basis of mitochondrial energy generation diseases. He has had a particular interest in understanding how mitochondrial DNA mutations are passed on from mothers to their children, and translating this knowledge into approaches for genetic counselling, prenatal diagnosis and prevention. He also studies the roles of nuclear genes, which are inherited from both parents. His lab has identified over 20 novel “disease” genes using a range of genomic and cell biology approaches. His lab has developed mouse models and human stem cell models of mitochondrial disease that are being used to study the precise disease mechanisms and to trial treatment strategies.
David is a member of the Mito Foundation Nominations Committee and the Mito Foundation Scientific & Medical Advisory Panel. He is also a founding director of Mito Foundation.
Professor Nigel Turner
BSc (Hons) PhD
Prof Nigel Turner is head of the Cellular Bioenergetics Laboratory at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute (VCCRI) and a conjoint professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at UNSW. Nigel received a PhD in comparative physiology and biochemistry from the University of Wollongong in 2004. With the support of consecutive NHMRC fellowships, he subsequently conducted postdoctoral studies in mitochondrial metabolism and insulin action in the Diabetes and Metabolism Division at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney. In 2012 he was awarded an ARC Future Fellowship and established the Mitochondrial Bioenergetics Laboratory in the School of Medical Sciences at UNSW Sydney. In 2022 he established his current research group at VCCRI. Nigel’s research focuses on investigating factors that regulate mitochondrial function and cellular bioenergetics in healthy and diseased states.
Nigel is Vice President of the Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society and former chair of the Metabolism and Molecular Medicine interest group of the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He has authored more than 160 career publications and has received funding from NHMRC, ARC, Diabetes Australia, PanKind and Tour de Cure.
Nigel is also Deputy Chair of the Mito Foundation Scientific & Medical Advisory Panel.
Company Officers
Michael Pilcher – Treasurer
BEc. CPA
Michael has been Treasurer of the Mito Foundation since 2009. Michael has also been Director and Company Secretary of the Mawson’s Huts Foundation since 2006.
Michael has 25 years experience as a finance executive working in Australasia. General Manager Finance, Crone Partners Architecture 2005-09; General Manager, Holman Webb Lawyers 2003-05; Finance Manager & Company Secretary, Freehills Lawyers 1998-2003. He has worked for Arthur Andersen and PWC in Sydney, London and Africa.
Michael is a member of the Mito Foundation Finance Committee.
Annette Wittmann – Company Secretary
Annette joined the Mito Foundation in 2024.
Annette has worked in the Australian higher education sector for more than 15 years. She is Chief Operating Officer at EMBL Australia, a national life science network dedicated to supporting emerging research leaders through national and international collaboration. Prior to that she has held senior leadership roles in international relations, project management and partnership development.
Annette is based at Monash University and learned about mito through the mitoHOPE program, a pilot introduction of mitochondrial donation into Australian clinical practice.
Emeritus Directors
Mito Foundation gives special acknowledgement to Board members who have served on the board of directors with distinction and excellence.
The offer of this designation indicates that other directors of the Mito Foundation’s board consider he or she has provided important leadership, made significant contributions or given service to the foundation of lasting value or a combination of these.
Graeme Crampton
Graeme established the Mito Foundation’s financial processes and is responsible for instilling a culture of strict financial discipline. During Covid, when public gatherings were banned and the Bloody Long Walks ceased, the foundation was able to continue its normal research funding due to Graeme’s careful management of the foundation’s finances.
Graeme was a senior chartered accountant with farming and agribusiness interests in Northern NSW. He retired from PwC after 29 years as a Tax Partner including terms on the Management Executive Board of Partners.
He had extensive professional and commercial experience, including directorships of several ASX 100 boards, with special expertise in buying and selling businesses. His other interests included property and investment.
Graeme was the head of the Mito Foundation Finance Committee, a member of the Mito Foundation Nominations Committee and a founding director of the Mito Foundation.
His contribution is acknowledged as being lasting, and one that set the Foundation on a sound financial footing.
Ross Grant
BSc(Hons) MCom(Hons) MBA
Ross Grant’s advice was of vital importance in the setup of the Mito Foundation and the legacy of his guidance in the foundation’s early years is felt to this day.
Ross was Chairman of Grant Samuel Group, an independent investment banking firm which he established in 1988.
He was previously an Executive Director of Macquarie Bank Limited having joined Hill Samuel Australia Limited (the predecessor of Macquarie Bank Limited) in 1975. Ross holds degrees in Mathematics (B.Sc (Hons) – Otago University), Economics (M.Com – Canterbury University) and Business Administration (MBA – University of NSW).
Ross was a member of the Mito Foundation Finance Committee and a founding director of the Mito Foundation.
Ross Wall
Ross is a director of FrontRow, one of Australia’s leading specialists in corporate hospitality, events and sponsorship. The company was formed in 2007 by merging Off the Wall Events Pty Ltd with Front Row Events Pty Ltd. He has organised many major sporting and charity functions in Sydney over the last thirty years.
Ross has played an invaluable role in driving the success of the Mito Foundation since its inception in 2009. Most crucially, establishing the Bloody Long Walk series — Mito Foundation's flagship fundraising activity. What started as a single event in Sydney in 2013 is now a national series of 11 events across Australia.
Alongside serving on the Board of Directors, Ross was a long-time Mito Foundation fundraising committee member.