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Our Board of Directors

Our board of directors

The Board of directors of CPA (Board) is the custodian of CPA for its members and its broader stakeholders, including people with cerebral palsy and similar disabilities and their families, CPA’s many supporters and the community generally. The Board is responsible for the governance of CPA and is committed to five core values which guide its thinking and actions and which underpin all decision-making.
Our Board of Directors continue to invest their time and expertise in the stewardship of our organisation. We are proud to say that all of our Board members serve Cerebral Palsy Alliance on a voluntary basis.
Andrew Buchanan smiling to camera

Andrew Buchanan

Andrew was appointed Chair of the Board of Directors of Cerebral Palsy Alliance in May 2023. Andrew has been a director since 2010 and was Deputy Chair from 2017 until his appointment as Chair.

Andrew has been a prominent voice in the disability sector, having served as the Chair of the Disability Council of NSW from 2003-2011. Andrew has an active role as mentor and supporter of young disability advocates through activist community, CPActive.

Andrew is also an accomplished corporate leader with more than 40 years’ experience in broadcasting, communication and media. He is currently Principal of AB Communicates and was previously General Manager of Local Radio at the ABC.

Andrew contracted polio in April 1950 when he was two days old and is paralysed on his right side. Andrew’s mother contracted polio when she was in labour with Andrew and was paralysed from the chest down. Andrew received services from Cerebral Palsy Alliance when he was a child.

John Sintras smiling to camera

John Sintras

John was appointed Deputy Chair of Cerebral Palsy Alliance in May 2023. He has been a Director since June 2018.

John was previously a member of the Board from August 2009 until his resignation in January 2016 following his decision to relocate to New York where he was employed as President of Global Business Development and Product Innovation at IPG Mediabrands. During his period in New York, John served as one of the founding Directors on the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation Inc.

In early 2018, John returned to Sydney, and commenced as Chief Audience and Content Officer at SBS, Australia’s multicultural and Indigenous broadcaster, where he had end-to-end oversight of SBS’s Audience and Content strategy – specifically its brands, marketing approach, audience engagement and analytics.

Most recently John was Managing Partner at management consultancy discidium, which he co-founded in early 2020, in addition to serving as Chief Growth Officer for neobank startup Alex. He is currently President, US & Multinational for Mutiny Group.

John’s daughter Lia has cerebral palsy and has lived experience of the services provided by Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

Kathryn Dent smiling to camera

Kathryn Dent

Kathryn has been a Director since August 2013.

Kathryn was admitted as a lawyer in 1994. She has practised exclusively in workplace relations law for over 20 years.

Kathryn is a Partner at HWL Ebsworth Lawyers. She has a particular interest in workforce development and human resources management in the disability sector and acts for a number of employer clients across the not-for-profit sector including those in the disability services sector.

Jacqui Wiemantel smiling to camera

Jacqui Wisemantel

Jacqui has been a Director since November 2014.

Jacqui is currently a Director at WiseHart Events and for the past 25 years has worked in the media, marketing and communications sectors, specialising in event production, fundraising, project management and public relations.

Jacqui’s daughter Lara has cerebral palsy and has lived experience of the services provided by Cerebral Palsy Alliance. Jacqui is passionate about fundraising, education and promoting the services and work of Cerebral Palsy Alliance and for those living  with cerebral palsy.

Leanne Wallace smiling to camera

Leanne Wallace

Leanne has been a Director since May 2016.

Leanne was a Senior Adviser at Nous Group with a focus on consultancy services for government.

Prior to joining Nous in 2009, Leanne worked for over 30 years in the NSW public sector including being appointed as Deputy Director General, Public Sector Workforce Office with the NSW Department of Premier & Cabinet and Director, Primary and Community Health for NSW Health.

In 2014 Leanne was awarded a National Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia.

Leanne is Chair of the Board for Jannawi Family Centre and a Board Director for Jannawi Connections.

Stuart Comino smiling to camera

Stuart Comino

Stuart has been a Director since September 2017.

Stuart was Finance Director for Stryker South Pacific, the ANZ division of the leading global medical technology company Stryker until his resignation in March 2023. Previously, he has held senior positions in finance and general management with Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) over a 26 year career, including CFO for CCA’s Australian and Indonesian businesses. Prior to his extensive career at CCA, Stuart held various roles at Coopers and Lybrand.

Stuart holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from UNSW, an Executive MBA from The Australian Graduate School of Management, is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Stuart’s brother Peter had cerebral palsy and benefited during his life from the services provided by Cerebral Palsy Alliance. Stuart has a passion to ensure that people with cerebral palsy have the best possible quality of life through access to the life changing equipment and services provided by the organisation. He is committed to supporting Cerebral Palsy Alliance achieve its mission, particularly through helping to raise funds for vital research into the cause, treatment and prevention of cerebral palsy.

Johanna Garvin

Johanna Garvin

Johanna has been a Director since August 2018.

Johanna is currently employed at Create NSW as a Communications Officer in its Strategic Communications Unit. Johanna supports the team to promote the work of the organisation, to showcase the strength of NSW’s creative industries, and to develop the organisation as a leader in creating awareness and opportunities for diverse groups.

Johanna holds a Bachelor of Communications and Media at the University of Notre Dame Australia. In 2018 Johanna was the first Australian to complete seven marathons, on seven continents, in seven days in a wheelchair for the World Marathon Challenge. Johanna undertook this challenge to raise both funding and awareness for Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

Johanna has cerebral palsy and lived experience of the services provided by Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

Bob Easton smiling to camera

Bob Easton

Bob has been a Director since May 2021.
In April 2022 Bob retired as Chairman of Accenture in ANZ. Over a 25-year career at Accenture he lived and worked across several countries with some of the world’s largest businesses spanning many industries. Bob served as a member of Accenture’s Global Leadership Committee from 2015 until his retirement. Prior to joining Accenture, Bob spent twenty years with the New Zealand Army.
In April 2022 Bob founded Easton Coaching, an organisation focused on executive, life, career, and transformational coaching.
In 2018 Bob received a life-time achievement award from Trust Across America, Trust Across the World for his thought leadership and contributions to building trust-based relationships in business. Bob was awarded two fellowships: Doctor of Management Design Fellow and Fellow, Fowler Center for Sustainable Value from Case Western Reserve University (USA).
Bob is a Non-Executive Director of the Positive Education Schools Association (PESA); an Advisory Board member of the David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry; an Advisory Board member of the Organisation and Work Division – International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA); and a prior Board member of the Mercer Boys and Girls Club, New Jersey, USA.
Bob’s adult son Ben has cerebral palsy and has lived experience of the services provided by Cerebral Palsy Alliance and services provided in several countries Ben has lived in outside of Australia.
Shaan Bacha smiling to camera

Shaan Batcha

Shaan has been a Director since August 2022.
Shaan is currently employed at Google Australia where he is part of the enterprise network operations team and is considered a subject matter expert in network monitoring. Shaan has a Masters degree in Network Systems from Swinburne University which he completed in 2005 and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science that he completed in 2002. Aside from his day job, Shaan likes teaching mathematics to his son, researching technology and ideas to assist his son’s learning, and playing badminton and chess.
Shaan’s son was born prematurely at 24 weeks and was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The years of passionate advocacy that followed and the journey of setting goals and developing skills through physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy have given Shaan lived experience and taught him the need for being an added voice for those with cerebral palsy. Shaan’s son has benefited immensely from multi-disciplinary services from Cerebral Palsy Alliance for many years.
Sarah Yassian

Sarah Yassien

Sarah has been a Director since July 2023.
Sarah Yassien is currently the Director of Corporate Strategy at SBS. Prior to that, Sarah was the Head of Digital Transformation and Product Strategy at SBS, having joined the organisation in 2017.
Sarah has led strategic business transformation for organisations in Australia and the UK. Previous roles include senior positions with the BBC, International Secretariat of Amnesty International and Westpac Group. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology Sydney and a Master of International Studies from the University of Sydney.