The nib foundation announced the appointment of two new Directors last month, Dr Rod McClure and Venessa Wells.
Together, Rod and Venessa bring 55 years of community health and wellbeing experience to the nib Board.
Rod is a Specialist Physician in public health medicine with a career spanning 40 years in the public, private and government sectors. He recently retired as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of New England.
With a variety of experience in the philanthropic sectors both in Australia and the United States, Rod brings a unique perspective to the foundation’s grant making activities.
“I’m looking forward to engaging with and supporting community health organisations that are bringing innovative ideas to the table to help address some of our biggest public health challenges,” he said.
Venessa who is working towards a Ph.D. in leadership and decision-making, has more than 15 years’ experience driving positive social change initiatives in the health and community sectors, both at board and executive level.
A Director of the Australasian Birth Trauma Association, and the Hunter Region Working Women’s Group, which governs the Hunter Women’s Centre and the Hunter Early Childhood Centre, Venessa is a passionate advocate for health promotion.
“My experience with chronic disease, injury and violence prevention will allow me to provide some valuable perspectives to the nib foundation board in its consideration of grant applications and partnerships,” Venessa said.
“It is a privilege to be working with a charitable organisation that has such a strong track record in making a positive contribution to the health and wellbeing of vulnerable Australians,” she added.
Now in its thirteenth year of giving, nib foundation Executive Officer, Amy Tribe said the foundation has committed more than $21 million in funding to programs that are making a measurable difference to the health and wellbeing of people and communities across Australia.
“We partner with Australian charities that specialise in health promotion and prevention and have tangible experience engaging people to make good health choices in their everyday lives.”
“Our new appointments bring considerable depth to our well-established Board, adding to our mix of corporate, public health and community expertise,” Amy concluded.
IMAGE | New nib Board Director, Dr. Rod McClure.
