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Management Committee 2024 – 2025

Parkinson’s Management Committee


Catherine Ford

President

Catherine Ford was elected President in 2024 and is a distinguished C-level executive and digital transformation specialist with over 30 years of experience across public and private sectors. As a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, she brings extensive board experience, having served as Chair for multiple organisations including Integral Technology Solutions, Transmax, Queensland Motorways, and the Smart Transport Research Centre.

With a strong foundation in technology and science, including a First-Class Honours degree from the University of Queensland and a Graduate Diploma in Computing Science, Cathy has successfully led major digital transformations across healthcare, education, and government sectors. Her executive career includes roles as Chief Information Officer at Queensland University of Technology and Metro North Hospital & Health Service, and Chief Digital Officer at eHealth Queensland, where she oversaw significant technological innovations and organisational change.

Cathy’s expertise in strategic planning and governance is demonstrated through her leadership of multi-million-dollar digital transformation initiatives. Her ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments while driving innovation and operational excellence makes her a valuable addition to the Parkinsons QLD board. As an experienced people leader and coach, Cathy has consistently demonstrated her ability to build and lead high-performing teams, manage large-scale vendor relationships, and drive cultural change. Her commitment to leveraging technology for positive organisational outcomes aligns perfectly with the mission of supporting and improving the lives of those affected by Parkinson’s disease.

Stuart Godsall

Vice President

Stuart was elected Vice President of the Parkinson’s Queensland management committee. He brings with him a professional skillset of finance, sales and commerce and has a background of executive roles across a range of international organisations.

Stuart is married with two children. He has a keen interest in sport, playing rugby, running and golf. He also engages in health and wellbeing, in activities such as meditation and yoga. Stuart is an avid reader.

Marion Koster

Treasurer

Marion is an experienced finance and governance professional with a career spanning 30+ years.  She is currently Chief Financial Officer of a Brisbane-based biotechnology company.

Possessing keen financial management and analysis skills and experience in strategic planning, often in cash-scarce environments, Marion brings the skills necessary to help Parkinson’s Queensland achieve its strategic initiative to focus on financial and business imperatives to ensure sustainability.

Paul Judge

Member

Paul brings over 25 years experience in digital marketing and online engagement. He has advised Committees and Boards of not for profits on digital marketing, communications and advertising strategies including: Cancer Council, Youngcare, Dementia Australia and the Fred Hollows Foundation.

Recently Paul’s mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and he found himself at a loss as to its history and prevalence in our community.

Paul’s interest in Parkinson’s Queensland’s advancement is to offer both a higher profile to Parkinson in the wider community and to attempt to ensure that Parkinson’s awareness is raised.   

Judy Learmonth

Member

Judy sees the role of Support Groups as important to PWP, Carers and Family members.

Judy’s experience as a Support Group Coordinator strengthens this claim as many, given the devastating news, know little about Parkinson’s or what to do next.

Judy has followed many Support Group members as they endure the impact of Parkinson’s, not only on their life, but the lives of family members and friends.

Judy’s husband had Parkinson’s and this has given her a greater understanding of their trials and tribulations. Judy works closely with PQI as a Support Group Coordinator and she supports PQI’s Strategic Plan and identifies strongly with the key characteristics enabling PQI to one day reach out to all Persons with Parkinson’s to offer the required support.

Judy has extensive work experience with private business enterprises and with Local Government and holds a Bachelor of Business majoring in Management and Marketing.

For over 7 years she has been Support Group Coordinator of the Elanora Support Group (Gold Coast) and routinely travelled to Elanora from Bargara (Bundaberg) to chair their meetings. Why? As the group was unable to find a replacement coordinator, Judy’s unwavering commitment to people with Parkinson’s on the Gold Coast, meant that Judy continued to run the group she helped to found.  

As a wife and carer of many years (Judy’s husband deceased 2015), Judy has travelled the Parkinson’s journey and can offer members the understanding, sympathy and hopefully guidance during difficult times.

William Ulyate

Member

Will heads up a Cyber Security company in Brisbane and has been on a number of boards including the national board of a children’s cancer charity.

He is well connected into senior Corporate and Government networks and hopes to leverage those connections to benefit the Parkinson’s community. Will’s Parkinson’s story is linked to his father who was diagnosed two years ago.    

Dr Alexander Lehn 

Member

Dr Alexander Lehn attended medical school in Germany (Regensburg and Munich) and conducted his residency and basic physician training in the United Kingdom (Bristol) and Australia (Nambour and Brisbane). After a Fellowship in movement disorders at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Dr Lehn undertook a further Fellowship in movement disorders and dementia in Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom.

Dr Lehn is a consultant neurologist with a strong clinical and research interest in movement disorders and Functional Neurological Disorders. He heads the movement disorder service at Princess Alexandra Hospital and together with Dr Sarah Olson he runs the deep brain stimulation service at PA Hospital and Mater Hospital Brisbane. Dr Lehn is also a senior lecturer in Medicine at The University of Queensland. 

Joe Kelly MP

Member

Joe Kelly commenced training as a Registered Nurse at the Royal Brisbane Hospital School of Nursing in 1988 and completed his training in 1991.

Since graduating Joe has worked in haematology oncology, aged care, disability care, telehealth, intensive care, medical wards, acute stroke units and rehabilitation.

Joe has become particularly passionate about supporting the work of Parkinson’s Queensland after seeing the impacts on his parents. Over the last 2 years has completed 2 really big walks with his brother Vince, raising over $120,000 for research and support services. Joe has also volunteered as a registered nurse for Parkinson’s Qld. Joe joined the board of Parkinson’s Qld in 2025.

Joe has developed a special interest in rehabilitation and is an active member of the Australasian Rehabilitation Nurses Association.

Joe has undertaken further study in business and health economics gaining qualifications from the University of Southern Queensland and Monash University. Joe completed an Evidence Based Practice course in 2013 at the Centre for Nursing Research Excellence at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, examining the evidence of the use of patient education to reduce falls in a sub-acute setting. In 2019, Joe completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course.

In addition to his work as a nurse Joe has held management roles in non-profit organisations that support people with disabilities and worked as a union official for the Queensland Public Sector Union.

In 2015 Joe was elected as a member of the 55th Parliament of Queensland representing the state seat of Greenslopes. He was elected again in 2017, 2020 and 2024.

Joe is very active in the local community volunteering for the Holland Park Lions, Coorparoo School of Arts & Memorial Hall, Neighbourhood Watch and Parkrun. Joe is a keen runner and has completed over 250 Parkruns, mostly at Stones Corner. Joe spends his downtime walking Sage his Foxy-Dachshund cross, playing guitar, watching rugby league (particularly the Easts Tigers and South Sydney Rabbitohs) and reading

Joe is very happily married to Susan Adams and has two daughters Molly and Brenna.

Christopher Wade

Member

Christopher Wade became a Member of PQI in 2024 and has nearly 25 years experience in funds management and private equity investment. Over the last 10 years, Chris has primarily focused on impact investment, working with companies and organisations seeking to make a difference across a range of clean energy, sustainability, and social service sectors.

Chris also has extensive experience as a Non-Executive Director and Committee Member across the corporate and not for profit sectors.

Chris has a personal connection with Parkinson’s, with his father passing away from a related condition to Parkinson’s in 2013 and with this Mother in Law being recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

Chris is passionate about exploring areas where Parkinson’s Queensland can continue to expand its impact across Queensland.


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