The Board

Michael joined in June 2020 and has brought some additional finance and accounting resources to the Board. He is a Chartered Accountant and partner at Accru Hobart, one of Hobart's premier accounting and business advisory firms. The firm, led by Michael and his partners, approaches business with a forward-thinking mentality and over 44 years of combined experience.

Michael wears many hats, and he has gained valuable experience by working in other board positions including CPAAI, Caritas Australia, and St Joseph Affordable Homes. Michael is keen to see the Foundation continue to grow and achieve its strategic goals. He has a passion for assisting researchers solve big problems and he has set a personal goal to ensure the Foundation continues to grow from strength to strength for generations to come.

Hayden Armstrong joined the Board of the RHH Research Foundation in late 2021 and served on its Business Development Committee since 2020.

Hayden is the Managing Director of Armstrong’s Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd. Armstrong’s are a Tasmanian owned and operated General Insurance Broker specialising in the commercial insurance sector with offices in Hobart and Launceston. He has over 24 years’ experience in the insurance broking industry, and is a Responsible Manager under Armstrong’s Australian Financial Service License.

Hayden holds a Diploma of Financial Services (Insurance Broking) through the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance, he’s also a Senior Associate of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance, and a Certified Insurance Professional (C.I.P).

Hayden is extremely proud to represent the RHH Research Foundation Board and he’s excited to assist in shaping the foundation’s future directions as both a board and committee member.

Nick is the Managing Director of Symic Pty Ltd. Symic is a private investment company specialising in venture capital, property development and equity investment.

Nick has extensive experience in the financial planning and stock broking industries and in merger and acquisitions in the financial services sector. He is a director of several companies including Symic Pty Ltd, Symic Developments Pty Ltd, Shippies (Hobart) Pty Ltd, 29 Trumpeter Street Pty Ltd and Focap Pty Ltd.  He has been a Responsible Manager and Responsible Executive for several Australian Financial Services Licensees.

Nick was the Chief Executive Officer responsible for the 2008 merger and integration of 14 leading independently owned financial advisory firms that formed the Shadforth Financial Group, creating one of Australia’s largest non-aligned financial advice groups. In 2014 SFG Australia was acquired by IOOF Limited for $670m making the combined group the 4th largest wealth management company in Australia.

Nick has a master’s degree in Applied Finance and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. He was awarded the McCarthy Medal as the top MBA graduate. He also has a Diploma of Financial Planning from Deakin University and was awarded the ANZ prize as the top graduate.  He has a Certificate in Financial Markets from the Securities Institute of Australia and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Nick is proud to serve on the RHH Research Foundation Board and helps guide the Foundation's investment and financial decision making.

Kathryn is a highly analytical healthcare management professional with over 18 years of experience in senior acute private hospital executive roles. Over 34 years of her life have been spent in the health industry which has given her great insight into how the industry operates from the ground up. Her passion for quality care for patients and the community is why Kathryn continues to strive for optimal patient outcomes in all clinical and hospital settings and continually sets ambitious targets for the teams she leads.

Kathryn is proficient in financial management and is an active member of the Foundation's IFARM committee.  She is the CEO of the Hobart Private Hospital where she currently mentors a number of up-and-coming future leaders, manages the hospital's operations, and directs the hospital's key stakeholder management.

Her passion to support the Foundation comes from a desire to ensure that Tasmania has a well-resourced medical research capacity now and into the future.

Leani joined the board in 2022 and is the Director of Operations at the University of Tasmania for the College of Health and Medicine. Leani has an extensive background in Human Resources and related functions primarily within the healthcare sector. Leani’s experience has been gained from senior HR roles in the Australian and New Zealand Public and Private healthcare industries. Notable achievements include supporting the commissioning of two new private hospitals in ACT and South Australia, and overseeing the research governance function for a health service in Victoria.

Leani has undertaken business and healthcare tertiary education at both undergraduate and postgraduate level including a BA Hons (Psychology) and Masters of Business Administration specialising in Human Resources. Leani is a Certified Professional Member of the Australian Human Resources Institute and brings with her a wealth of knowledge in corporate governance. She has a passion for the Health and Community sector and has wants to see the RHH Research Foundation become one of the peak not for profit medical organisations in Tasmania.

Andrew joined the Foundation’s Board in 2022 and currently works in Executive Transformation, Digital and Strategy for TasNetworks.  

Andrew is a senior commercial executive with extensive experience in the business sector. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the board with his experience delivering outstanding business results when responsible for setting the strategy of an organisation & being responsible for its delivery.

Andrew has a passion and track record for creating profitable and customer-focused businesses, underpinned by high levels of employee engagement, and, as a result, he has driven innovation and transformational change both across domestic and international settings. Andrew, has been recognised as an expert on business strategy, profitable growth, customer-centricity, operations, and digital & cultural transformation.

Andrew looks forward to bringing these skills to the Foundation and being an active member of the Foundation’s Investment, Finance and Risk Management Committee and Business Development Committee.

Professor Zosky is a biomedical researcher based in the School of Medicine at the Medical Sciences Precinct in Hobart and since his joining in February 2023, has brought the addition of his vast scientific and research acumen to the Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation Board.

Professor Zosky studied a Bachelor of Science at the University of Western Australia and has completed post graduate studies of Biostatics (Masters) at the University of Sydney and Zoology (PhD) at the University of Western Australia. The primary focus of his work has been the study of respiratory physiology, a passion he discovered during time at the Telethon Kids Institute in Western Australia where he was a faculty member for 10 years. He is currently leading a team conducting research into the early life origins of chronic lung disease. However, more recently his focus has shifted towards the optimisation of ventilation strategies in critical care and the relationship between lung structure and function.

Professor Zosky is a member of several international medical societies, including the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, American Thoracic Society, European Respiratory Society and the Asia Pacific Society of Respirology. Professor Zosky is committed to the advancement of medical research. Not only a researcher himself, he also holds a teaching position with the University of Tasmania, fostering the next generation of medical researchers and practitioners.

The Foundation is proud to have Professor Zosky as a member of our board and we look forward to continued progress with the assistance of his expertise.

Rosemary Harrup trained in Victoria and Tasmania in Medical Oncology and Clinical Haematology, completing a dual Fellowship in 2001. She is the current Director of Cancer and Blood Services at the Royal Hobart Hospital. She is a member of the Tasmanian Cancer Registry Advisory Group and chair of the Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation Scientific and Advisory Committee. She is a past Chair of the Medical Oncology Group of Australia Incorporated (MOGA), the peak national body for the Australian Medical Oncology profession (2014-16) and is currently Deputy Chair of the Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro oncology (COGNO), a member of the Australian Brain Cancer Mission Steering Committee and the Australian Cancer Plan Tasmanian jurisdictional representative. She has a strong interest in clinical research, particularly in the areas of Clinical Trials in Brain Cancer, Malignant Haematology and Late Effects and is an active mentor for early career researchers.

Alex joined the Foundation’s board in 2023 and brings a wealth of knowledge in litigation and dispute resolution with a focus on complex estate litigation.

He is a partner at Butler McIntyre & Butler, where he works closely with executors, beneficiaries and other interested parties to ensure that they obtain accurate and timely advice. Alex also appears at the Magistrate Court and Supreme Court of Tasmania on occasion to advocate on his clients matters when required.

He holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tasmania  and is a member of the Law Society of Tasmania’s Litigation Committee.

Outside work, Alex enjoys spending time with his family, loves playing soccer and is an avid tennis player.

Raz boasts an impressive career in brand development, with a primary focus on business operations, leadership, and marketing. As the founder of Gloo Advertising and several other successful ventures, Raz brings his expertise to the table to assist business leaders, Boards and other organisations with inspired campaigns, complemented by an MBA in marketing from the University of Tasmania.

With over 16 years of experience, Raz is well-versed in the marketing field and is highly respected in the Tasmanian business community. He enjoys exploring new places, spending quality time with his family, and watching cricket while occasionally indulging in fishing.

Raz takes pride in his role on the Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation Board, where he looks forward to contributing his skills in brand and marketing development, fundraising, and resource initiatives.