Board of Directors

Our directors steer the organisation — its strategy, governance and stewardship of every dollar raised in Australia.

Nathan is a founder, executive and director of a Melbourne-based engineering consultancy. His career includes senior leadership roles at ASX-listed companies — among them a Transport Manager role overseeing an engineering division of 80 people — and he has led national engineering teams. A chartered engineer and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Nathan brings strengths in problem-solving, project and financial management, and advanced analytical thinking to the board.

Nathan is the father of Jacob, a young child living with Severe Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa. He also sits on EBRPA's Research Advisory Group as a Board and consumer advocate, bringing lived family experience directly into how we assess the science we fund.

Simone leads EBRPA's Australian operations, bringing more than 15 years in strategic fundraising, marketing and event management across the arts, advocacy and medical research sectors — including Arts Access Victoria, The Big Issue, JDRF Australia, St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research and Victoria University. Her work is driven by a passion for building strong relationships and inclusive environments.

Accessibility is a core value: Simone has extensive experience designing digital and event-based accessibility solutions so everyone can participate equitably. She also serves as Secretary of EBRPA's Research Advisory Group, sitting alongside the Chair as a Board representative.

Ray began his career in law enforcement in Australia, working as a Detective, intelligence operative and prosecutor in Melbourne's criminal courts for 15 years. In the early 2000s he moved to the United Kingdom and into the health and technology sectors — first consulting to the National Health Service (NHS) on audit, then as Head of Fraud Prevention for Prudential's health and life insurance business.

In 2008 his company built industry intelligence-sharing software used by health insurers and the NHS to detect and prevent fraud, protecting hundreds of millions of dollars across the public and private sectors. The business expanded into the Middle East, Africa and the USA before being acquired in 2016. Now back in Australia, Ray consults to a Manhattan-based technology company using technology to prevent transactional fraud in the health sector.

Jane trained as an occupational therapist at Curtin University, working in occupational health. After completing her MBA at MGSM in Sydney, she worked in burns and compression with Jobst Beiersdorf before moving into pharmaceutical marketing with AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

Jane is actively involved in her community, currently coordinating fundraising for productions of the Black Swan Theatre Company in Western Australia. She is committed to improving the lives of people living with EB and their families.

Blane brings 20 years delivering and governing complex infrastructure and asset-management programs across Australia and the Asia-Pacific, combining deep technical expertise with commercial and board-level governance capability. He is Executive Manager (Engineering) at MCM Group, providing executive oversight of multidisciplinary engineering operations across Australia, the Pacific and internationally, and advising on technical risk, project governance, R&D, international expansion and sustainability.

He has served as a Director of the Australasian Corrosion Association, where as Chair of the Governance Committee he contributed to organisational restructuring, stronger governance frameworks and improved financial stability. Blane holds an MBA, a Postgraduate Certificate in Business and Climate Change from the University of Cambridge, and director education through the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders and a Registered Professional Engineer across multiple jurisdictions.

Jonathan is one of Australian football's most celebrated competitors and, since retiring, a leading broadcaster and radio host. A one-club player, "Browny" played 256 games and kicked 594 goals for the Brisbane Lions from 2000 to 2014 in the demanding centre half-forward role — a three-time premiership player, former Lions captain, and member of both the Brisbane Lions and Australian Football Halls of Fame. Today he's a long-time Fox Footy commentator and member of the flagship panel show On The Couch, and has been part of Nova FM's Melbourne Breakfast team since 2016, known for his humour and genuine connection with audiences.

Jonathan's connection to EBRPA runs deeper than his profile. He has been an ambassador for the organisation since 2017, and in 2019 completed the New York Marathon in 3:14:26, raising nearly $100,000 for EB research. His move from ambassador to board director reflects a personal, long-standing commitment to the EB community and the families at its heart.