Newly appointed board members Brigid Glanville, Mirela Leko and Nicola Amys add to the perinatal mental health charity’s strong governance team.
Gidget Foundation Australia (GFA) has announced the appointment of its newest board members: communications, government and media specialist Brigid Glanville and corporate lawyer Mirela Leko as Non-Executive Directors and disputes, litigation and regulatory lawyer Nicola Amys as Company Secretary.
These appointments add specialist expertise and lived experience to the skilled and passionate board that oversees the provision of quality and accessible perinatal mental health support and services across the country.
Glanville brings 25 years’ experience in media, government and corporate communications and is currently Partner, Corporate and Government Communications at GRACosway, a strategic communications and public affairs advisory firm. Glanville has also held senior roles with both the NSW Government’s Mental Health and Education Ministers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before this, Glanville was ABC TV’s Chief NSW Political Reporter for a decade and a presenter on the ABC TV News Channel. She also brings experience as a Board Director for Odyssey House NSW. With lived experience of perinatal mental ill-health, Brigid is also a proud Gidget Angel.
Meanwhile, in addition to Leko’s appointment as Non-Executive Director of the Board, she will continue as Co-Company Secretary with Amys. As a corporate lawyer with a career spanning over 17 years, Leko brings specialised expertise in strategic and public mergers and acquisitions, finance, debt and capital markets, corporate governance and company secretarial.
Leko is currently the General Counsel and Company Secretary with private equity firm Allegro Funds, and before that was Group Head of Legal with Ramsay Health Care Ltd. As a strategic thinker and operator, she offers industry experience across healthcare, rural services, mental health, government and infrastructure to support GFA’s future growth.
Previously Assistant to GFA’s Company Secretary, Amys is a disputes, litigation and regulatory lawyer specialising in the health industry. She brings over 10 years’ legal experience working for state health departments, private hospital providers, aged care providers, medical defence organisations and life insurers.
Amys is a Senior Legal Counsel at Australia’s largest private cancer care provider, GenesisCare Australia, with previous experience at Australia’s largest private hospital provider, Ramsay Health Care Australia. She is passionate about health law and promoting positive patient outcomes and experiences.
The three women join the established Board alongside Simone Short, Chairperson, Founder and Gidget’s youngest sister; Jarrod Bowditch, Founding Board Member; Jessica Davis, Partner at KPMG; Strephon Billinghurst, Senior Healthcare Executive; and Emma Maple-Brown, Senior Pro Bono Lawyer.
“Brigid, Mirela and Nicola each bring invaluable experience to our team, with a combination of strategic leadership, specialised expertise and lived experience,” Short said. “As we continue to expand our services, I look forward to working with our talented Board to further progress our mission of supporting the emotional well-being of expectant, new and potential parents across Australia.”
Since its inception, GFA has delivered more than 95,000 appointments and supported almost 11,000 families. Over the past four years, the number of Gidget Houses across the country has almost tripled, from 12 to 34. GFA aims to increase its network to 50 locations nationally by the end of 2027 to continue improving access to support for potential, expectant and new parents.
Read also: Gidget Foundation Australia names Governor-General as Patron
Geraldine is currently the Content Producer for Third Sector, an Akolade channel. Throughout her career, she has written for various industries and international audiences. Her love for writing extends beyond the corporate world, as she also works as a volunteer writer at her local church. Aside from writing, she is also fond of joining fun runs and watching musicals.
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