Our CEO
ASHLEY REID
Appointed 2017
Ashley Reid has over 29 years of experience in the community services sector and the public service. He occupied a senior role at MercyCare from 2001 to 2011 with responsibilities including foster care and youth services, community programs and early learning services.
In October 2011, he was appointed CEO at Ngala, a leading provider of early parenting and child health services in WA. In 2017, he was appointed CEO of Cancer Council WA. He is a former Board Director for the Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS) and Community Employers WA (CEWA), a Fellow of Leadership WA and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Ashley maintains a strong focus on research and evidence-based services to support those most in need and offers a wealth of experience of service provision, policy advocacy and fundraising.
Board members
DR RUTH SHEAN AO – President and Chair
Appointed May 2019
Ruth worked with the WA Government for 18 years as Director General of the Department of Training and Workforce Development, the Disability Services Commission and the Department for Community Development. She was Commissioner for Public Sector Standards, the government watchdog which oversaw standards within the public sector and assisted with the appointment of government CEOs. Prior to joining government, she was CEO of the Cerebral Palsy Association of WA and Executive Officer of the Australian Council on Smoking and Health.
Ruth has held leadership positions on reviews and committees for both state and federal government. She has experience in university governance, having been on governing councils of both Curtin and Murdoch Universities, where she was Pro Chancellor. Ruth has a Master’s Degree and a Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Western Australia and is a Doctor of Business, Honoris Causa, Edith Cowan University. She is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and was Chair of the National Centre for Vocational Education Research until December 2024. In November 2019, Ruth was elected as Chairperson of the Cancer Council WA Board and CCWA’s President. Ruth is a former Board member of Cancer Council Australia.
DR PAUL CANNELL – Vice President
Appointed May 2016
Paul graduated from The University of Western Australia in 1981. He trained as a Haematologist in Perth and spent two years post fellowship in the Haematology Department at the Royal Free Hospital in London working as a Research Fellow in the department of Professor Victor Hoffbrand. He was appointed as a Consultant Haematologist to Royal Perth Hospital in 1993. He was appointed as Head of Service in 2005 and continued in this position until transferring to Fiona Stanley Hospital in 2014 where he holds the posts including Co-Director of Medical and Surgical Specialties and Discipline Lead for PathWest Haematology. He continues to practice as a clinician with particular interest in haematologic malignancy and bone marrow transplantation. Paul is also a Board member of Cancer Council Australia.
GIACOMO SOTTINI
Appointed May 2018
Giacomo is an executive leader who specialises in technology strategy and digital transformation. His most recent roles include Manager Technical Services and Manager Technology Design & Architecture at BHP following a successful transition from the finance sector where he led the development and deployment of Online Banking Systems for Bankwest. He has 10+ years of management experience, with a strong technical and financial background, currently managing the technology design of the BHP Iron Ore production systems portfolio.
Giacomo has led cultural change and introduced key new technologies in all previous organisations as well as built and managed high-performing teams. He is proficient at navigating an always-evolving technology landscape and competing business priorities, creating the conditions for successful delivery of complex initiatives.
PROFESSOR RUTH GANSS
Appointed October 2019
Ruth is the Head of the Cancer Microenvironment Laboratory at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and holds a professorial appointment at the University of Western Australia. Her research group at the Perkins has a strong focus on immunotherapy and new drug design with commercial partnerships. Ruth obtained her PhD at the University of Heidelberg in 1994 and, over the last 25+ years, has conducted internationally competitive cancer research in Germany, the US and Australia. From 2008-2012, Ruth was the inaugural Cancer Council WA Research Fellow, has served for 10 years on the Cancer Council WA Research Committee and, in 2014, received the inaugural Cancer Council WA Cancer Researcher of the Year Award. She has held leadership positions in national and international research and scientific advisory committees. Ruth is a Graduate of the Australian Institute for Company Directors, and also serves on the Board of the Cancer Research Trust in WA.
PROFESSOR ANNA NOWAK
Appointed March 2020
Anna is Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) at The University of Western Australia (UWA) and previously had a long career as a Medical Oncologist and cancer researcher. She was the Director of the National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases (NCARD) from 2018 to 2022, an NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence based at UWA and studying mesothelioma immunology, biomarkers, and translational clinical trials. The work Anna did on her own PhD more than 20 years ago, investigating the combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, is now reflected in the international randomised trial DREAM3R that commenced in 2021. Anna also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical trials and quality of life research, giving her a unique translational perspective with expertise in laboratory science, clinical trials, and patient-rated outcomes. She received the prestigious international award, the Wagner Medal, for her contribution to mesothelioma research, and the inaugural Martin H Tattersall Heroes award for her contribution to Medical Oncology.
JASON CLIFTON
Appointed November 2021
Jason is a finance professional with over 25 years’ experience across the banking, energy and resources industries. His roles in complex businesses with a broad range of stakeholders has provided extensive experience in finance, strategy, capital management and business integration. Jason is the Chief Financial Officer at Deterra Royalties.
Jason’s previous roles include Senior Vice President Financial Services at Woodside Energy, Chief Financial Officer of Bankwest and Chief Financial Officer of Westpac New Zealand. Past governance roles include as a Board Member of Volunteering WA, WA Council Financial Services Institute of Australia, Bankwest Foundation Advisory Committee Chair and Chartered Accountants Institute Auckland Leadership Group. Jason holds a Bachelor of Commerce from UWA, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
MICHAEL MCNULTY
Appointed November 2021
Michael is a Non-Executive Director with extensive experience private, ASX and not for profit Boards. He is a former Consulting Partner at Deloitte, a former member of the Deloitte Australia Board and served as the Office Managing Partner of the Perth Deloitte office for over a decade until 2023. Michael has over 30 years of consulting experience across a broad range of industries. Michael specialised in large-scale organisational transformation and business process improvement.
Michael also has a passion for making an impact in the community. He is a Director of the Waalitj Foundation, Director of Martuku Watkamutiku, former Chairman of Leadership WA, and the former Chairman of Workpower Inc. Michael is also a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for Southern Cross Electrical Engineering (an ASX listed entity). Michael was also a Director of the Deloitte Foundation which is responsible for the firm’s community programs including skilled volunteering, pro bono services, community engagement and financial assistance.
RALPH ADDIS
Appointed September 2024
Ralph is an experienced chief executive, with strong commercial acumen and a wealth of experience in strategic leadership, organisational development and governance. Ralph has served in prominent leadership roles as Director General of the WA Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development and CEO of Lotterywest and Healthway.
Ralph demonstrated a 15-year commitment to community development in the East Kimberley, focusing on Aboriginal-led initiatives in housing, employment, education, and welfare reform.
In addition to his executive roles, Ralph brings a depth of expertise as a non-executive director and Chair in various public sector and not-for-profit settings. Ralph holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia and a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of New England (AU). He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Kristen Turnbull
Appointed November 2024
Kristen is an executive and non-executive director with more than 10 years’ experience in commercial management including founding a subsidiary business in WA for the global CoreData Group in 2017. As founding director of market research consultancy CoreData WA and deputy managing director of CoreData Group, she is focused on driving business performance and improving the customer experience through data and insight.
Kristen is a qualified professional researcher (QPR) with 15 plus years’ experience running market research projects across Australia and a 2022 Business News 40 under 40 Award recipient. She was a financial journalist for seven years, prior to transitioning her career into market research. Kristen has led projects for local and state government clients and NFPs in the healthcare sector, in addition to large corporates.
She has an Executive MBA from Australian Graduate School of Management (UNSW), a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism, with Distinction) from Curtin University and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is a non-executive director at Intelife, a disability services not for profit and was previously a board member of the UWA Hockey Club.
Tracy Armson
Appointed November 2024
Tracy has an honours degree in European Business and an MBA. She is an experienced marketing, communications and market research specialist, having worked for household brands such as RAC, Swan, Peters Ice-cream (Connoisseur), Lion Nathan, Powerball and Saturday Lotto, to name a few.
Whilst working in market research she had significant involvement in research projects for the WA health department and a children’s cancer charity. She was also the deputy chair of Therapy Focus for a number of years and a member of the Amana Living board for 9 years.
As a marathon runner, Tracy has raised over $30,000 personally for cancer research charities and is passionate about finding ways to support the excellent and ongoing work of the Cancer Council WA
She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Tim Leach
Appointed November 2024
Tim Leach is an accounting and finance professional with over 15 years’ experience. Tim has with experience in a range of finance areas including accounting, tax, control frameworks, ERP implementation, payroll, governance, investment analysis, financial reporting, budgeting, cashflow management, data analysis and automations.
Tim is currently the General Manager – Financial Management and Reporting at the Perth Mint, and prior to that was at Ernst & Young. Tim is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ), holds a Master of Applied Taxation from the University of New South Wales and Bachelor of Commerce from Curtin University. He has volunteered in a range of community activities, most recently as a member of the Young Chartered Accountants subcommittee, being an advisory body to the CAANZ Board which advocates for junior members.
Our patrons
His Excellency the Honourable Chris Dawson AC APM, Governor of Western Australia and Mrs Darrilyn Dawson
Position accepted October 2022
The Western Australian Governor has traditionally been the Patron of Cancer Council WA.
His Excellency the Honourable Chris Dawson APM was sworn in as the 34th Governor of Western Australia on 15 July 2022.
The Dawson family have been part of the early colonial settlers over five generations of farming and law enforcement. The Governor’s great-great-grandparents arrived in the then Swan River colony in Western Australia in 1830.
Christopher John Dawson AC APM was educated at Perth Modern School before joining the Western Australia Police Force in 1976, going on to provide 46 years of service in Australian law enforcement.
He served in country and metropolitan positions, criminal investigation, training and senior roles. The Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2002 saw him awarded the Australian Police Medal for distinguished service.
After 10 years as Deputy Commissioner, he left WA for a national role in Canberra between 2014 to 2017 as Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Crime Commission, amalgamating several agencies into the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. He also served as Director of the Australian Institute of Criminology during this period.
He was appointed Commissioner of the Western Australia Police Force in August 2017, serving until July 2022. During the period of the COVID-19 global pandemic, Commissioner Dawson coordinated the State of Emergency and the Vaccine program.
On Australia Day 2023 he was awarded an AC for eminent service to public administration through law enforcement roles, to reconciliation, and as the 34th Governor appointed in Western Australia.
He is married to Darrilyn Dawson, Education Consultant, with two married children and five grandchildren.
Cancer Council WA is delighted to have Mr Dawson and his wife, Mrs Darrilyn Dawson, as our joint Patrons and to be working with them to promote our vision of reducing the incidence and impact of cancer on the Western Australian community.