Our board

Dr Hassall is the Clinical Lead of the CHQ HHS Neuro-Oncology and Retinoblastoma Services at CHQ HHS. He is also the Clinical Leader of the Children’s Brain Cancer Centre based at the Centre for Children’s Health Research (Queensland Children’s Hospital).

Martin Wood is a Brisbane-based Paediatric Neurosurgeon with a special interest in the management of brain tumours in children. He is one of the co-founders and is a current director of the Board of the Brainchild Foundation.

One of our founding members, Vonnie had extensive experience as a nurse specialist in paediatric neuro-oncology, before her retirement in 2019. Since its inception, she has been the Secretary and Support Officer of Brainchild.

Jon is the founder and Managing Director of National Surgical and a Director of LMT Surgical. Jon and National Surgical have always had great interest in the introduction of new technologies to aid surgeons and the patients they treat. Jon has been a Board member since 2010.

David joined the Board in 2011 and brings nearly 30 years experience in corporate management, sales and marketing to the Foundation. David also represents the ‘voice of the family’ having traversed the journey when his 12-year-old son was diagnosed and treated for a PNET brain tumour in 2005.

Ross is a Senior Partner at Clayton Utz with 40 years experience exclusively in the field of corporate and commercial litigation. He is recognized as one of Queensland’s pre-eminent practitioners, being voted one of Australia’s best Lawyers in litigation (2008-2018). Ross joined the Board in 2015.

Belinda Brunoli joined Brainchild Foundation in 2010, after her son was treated for a malignant brain tumour. As a small business owner and a Parent Advocate/Advisor with ANZCHOG Trails advisory Group (TAG) and ANZCHOG parent and carers advisory group (NPCAG), Belinda manages fund raising and awareness activities for Brainchild Foundation.

Emerson is a finance professional with over seven years’ experience in both professional services (audit and corporate finance) and in commerce across a number of roles including business partnering, acquisitions and capital allocation.

Emerson first got involved with the foundation in November 2019, where he took up a role in a voluntary capacity to manage the foundation’s financial records and improve the control environment surrounding the accounting process. He has since joined the board (2022) as the treasurer to help align the foundations’ strategic vision with the finance function.