nib foundation is a not-for-profit charitable organisation established by nib health funds to support programs aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of all Australians.

Independent Board of Trustees

The nib foundation limited Board, established in May 2008, is an independent legal entity. Its Board of Directors comprise of business and community representatives with a particular interest in the health and wellbeing of the Australian community and in particular, the Hunter region.

 Keith Lynch

Chairman – Keith Lynch

  
Keith has more than 30 years’ board experience as a former Director of the nib group, where he was also Chairman from 2001 until his retirement in 2011.
 
During this time, he played an instrumental role in the establishment of nib foundation by supporting the creation of the charitable foundation during nib’s demutualisation in 2007.
 
Keith is a prominent Hunter business identity and brings with him a wealth of business knowledge and experience. He is a former Chairman of Kip McGrath Education Centres Ltd and a former Director of Newcastle Grammar School and CW Pope & Associates Pty Ltd. He has also previously held senior executive positions with several Hunter-based engineering firms and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
 

Director – Violetta Walsh

Violetta has recently retired after 27 years from her position as CEO of Northern Settlement Services (formerly the Migrant Resource Centre of Newcastle and the Hunter Region). She was instrumental in developing the agency into a service hub delivering a range of welfare settlement services to migrants and refugees arriving in the Hunter,  as well as expanding the service to the Central Coast and the New England area of NSW.

Violetta also served as Hunter Commissioner to the then NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission advising government in multicultural matters and also as Chair of the Ethnic Communities Council of Newcastle and the Hunter, a peak ethnic advocacy and lobbying group. In her extensive career, she has served on numerous boards and committees representing ethnic interests; such as the Hunter Area Health Service, Centacare, Hunter TAFE Advisory Council, NSW Board of Community Languages, Hunter Parents and Teachers Ethnic Schools Association, Department of Education Disadvantaged Schools Program Advisory Committee, Regional Command Executive Consultative Committee, and the Lord Mayor's Regional Settlement Advisory Group.
 
Violetta was awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia in 1996, the Centenary Medal in 2001, and in 2004 became Newcastle’s Citizen of the Year. In her retirement Violetta continues to be engaged in community affairs in a voluntary capacity. 
 

Director – Arn Sprogis

Dr. Arn Sprogis, a GP in the Hunter Region for nearly 30 years, has been involved with regional health care initiatives and policy at almost every level since 1981 including being the CEO of the first Division of General Practice (Hunter Urban Division of General Practice). It was in this role that he advocated for a fair health system for our community with his proudest achievement being the formation of the Hunter Region-wide GP After Hours service which provides over 100,000 services per year.

Arn’s is currently a director on the Australian General Practice Network and the Hunter Urban Division of General Practice. He has served on multiple Federal Government GP advisory committees and is a past member of the NSW Health Ministers clinical advisory group.
 
In 2006 Arn was recognised as one of the 10 most influential people in the GP arena by Australian Doctor Weekly and in 2007 was awarded the John Aloizis medal by his peers in the GP Divisions movement. 
 

Director – Brenda Read

Brenda has extensive experience in general management positions within successful private and public companies. She has driven change and growth through a range of management consulting projects with large companies through to regional micro businesses.

In 2006, Brenda was awarded the Telstra NSW Business Woman of the Year in the Community Government sector. It is this community-based background together with her personal interest in health and wellbeing that Brenda brings to nib foundation.

 

 
 

Director – Mark Arnold

Mark is a Principal of Lawler Financial Services and provides advice to individuals on wealth creation and a range of financial planning issues. He is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) with the Financial Planning Association and Fellow of CPA Australia (Financial Planning Specialist) FCPA (FPS).

Mark brings to nib foundation over 30 years of experience in accounting, taxation and other financial services disciplines.