INSULIN FOR LIFE AUSTRALIA INC (IFL)

Insulin For Life (IFL) is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit company registered in the state of Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1999, evolving from the 20-year program at the International Diabetes Institute, Australia.

Its objectives are to:

  • obtain insulin, syringes, test strips and other diabetes supplies
  • to donate these supplies to Diabetes Associations and other responsible organisations in countries in need on an ongoing basis
  • to encourage the development of similar programs elsewhere. IFL has affiliates in Europe and North America (click here for details)
  • help develop and implement sustainable improvements in insulin and other supplies in countries in need.

INSULIN FOR LIFE AUSTRALIA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

These Board members are involved in the daily operational activities for Insulin for Life, such as fundraising, publicity, obtaining and sending insulin and other supplies, and administration.

Paul Williams – President

Associate Professor Charles Perkins Centre Greg Brown Department of Endocrinology
University of SydneyMember of Diabetes Australia BoardDiabetes Australia Research Council BoardChair of Diabetes Australia International Affairs CommitteePast Director of Endocrinology Laboratory and deputy Director of Chemical Pathology Royal Prince Alfred HospitalFellow of the Faculty of Science Royal College of Pathologists AustraliaChair of the RCPAQAP HbA1c Working group
Alicia Jenkins

Alicia Jenkins is a diabetes doctor (endocrinologist) who trained in Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA.  She is interested in the prediction and prevention of diabetes and its complications and inequitable access to diabetes care.  Alicia is a Professor of Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Sydney.  She has served on the Australian Diabetes Society Council and is on the International Diabetes Federation Western Pacific Region Executive Council. Alicia has volunteered as a Medical Advisor and Board Member with Insulin For Life Australia since 2000, launched IFL USA in 2003 (now led and greatly grown by Mark Atkinson and team) and became President of IFL Global in 2017 and of IFL Australia in 2018. She is pleased to work with a growing and diverse team of talented and dedicated volunteers to provide diabetes support to poor people with diabetes in disadvantaged regions.
 
Van Dao

Van is an Assurance Manager in PwC Melbourne practice, having worked on a range of external audits across various industries including Biotechnology, Retail, Manufacturing, Consumer and Industrial products. Her experience involves working with not-for-profit organisations. Becoming the Treasurer and a Board member of IFL Australia in early 2019, Van is passionate about applying her professional skills to manage its financial wellbeing and help make its life saving mission far-reaching. She is a mother of two and enjoys travelling and reading with her children.
 
Megan Donellan

Megan is a Senior Project and Program Manager. She has over 15 years of experience in the State Government setting up governance and frameworks and managing high level programs, infrastructure and IT projects.

Megan has a vast understanding of State Government projects encompassing the infrastructure, construction and Information Technology industries. In her role as Senior Project and Program Manager, she fosters an environment of teamwork and ensures that strategy is clearly defined while overseeing performance. Megan works closely with corporate stakeholders to help resolve issues and problems. She is currently studying the her Masters in Global Project Management that contributes to her process driven philosophy.

Megan has been involved with Insulin For Life as early as 2006 when she attended the 42nd EASD Annual Meeting of the European Association for the study of Diabetes, Copenhagen, Denmark. In the years that followed Megan has attended International Diabetes Conferences throughout the world and will bring her corporate knowledge and experience to the IFL Board.

I will be working to support our IFL Affiliates, ensuring regular support and communications.
 
Neil Donellan

Neil is a founding Board Member of Insulin for Life (IFL) Australia and Global. He manages collection and distribution of diabetes aid for IFL Australia and is involved in emergency relief work for the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Neil was previously a member of the IDF Insulin Task Force for 10 years, where he monitored the cost of and access to insulin in developing countries. He has also held key roles in the organisation and coordination of diabetes camps for children in Ecuador and the Philippines for over 10 years. Neil’s professional background is in the insurance industry, where he has spent 35 years as a commercial underwriter.
 
Jehangir Sidhwa

Jehangir is a successful senior pharmaceutical leader with over 35 years of commercial and medical affairs experience in Australia & New Zealand.
 
A dynamic pharmaceutical business leader with a passion and drive, Jehangir has a proven track record of unlocking strategic insights to develop patient centric strategies, driving executional excellence from good to great and infusing the organization with a winning spirit. ‘Putting the people with diabetes at the heart of all that we do’…. a mantra that resonates loudly and strongly with Jehangir as a medical affairs leader.
 
Leveraging his exemplary interpersonal skills, Jehangir is an authentic and accomplished leader, who consistently mobilizes people into high performing teams that deliver lasting results and who maintains calm and focus in the face of adversity.
 
Catriona Sims

With the foundations of her experience as a registered nurse, Catriona moved into medical device sales and education 20 years ago.

Holding one of the founding member sales roles and then regional management and clinical hybrid roles, Catriona spent 16 years working in t1 diabetes technology with Medtronic Diabetes.

Passionate about finding solutions to ease the burden for PWD, Catriona then joined the Diabetes Technology Research Group (DTRG) at the Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, and St Vincent’s Campus in Melbourne as the National Research Coordinator and Technology Trainer for the Adult Hybrid Closed Loop 3 year Study with the Artificial Pancreas, managing 7 sites across Australia in 2016.

In addition, Catriona was promoted to the Project Portfolio Manager of the DTRG working with Professor David O’Neal and is currently overseeing the t1 research projects and team members. Insulin for Life has been part of Catriona’s passion areas since 2007 when she met with Alicia Jenkins, Ron Raab and Neil Donelan at the EASD and engaged with recipient doctors from Uzbekistan and engaged Medtronic in liaising with IFL in a philanthropic way.

Catriona became a Board Member of both IFL Australia and IFL Global in mid-2018 and currently holds the role of Director of Fundraising. She is particularly passionate about the Fiona Kwok Complications screening programme and keen to see this develop.
Julian Swindells

Julian has been an IFL Board Member since 2019.

“I was born and educated in Zimbabwe and South Africa where I completed my training in Medical Science after which I spent many years working in Pathology looking down a microscope. In 2000, after realising that I am a people person, I entered the pharmaceutical industry in sales but then rapidly transferred into training and working in the diabetes area. 1n 2008, I started working in diabetes (and more specifically Type 1 Diabetes) in medical devices in a clinical training role, which is where I remain!  

After losing family members and friends to the complications of diabetes and seeing the burden that it places on them, I continue to be passionate about making like easier for them and to improve access to medication and technology.

In my current role, I and my team, have access to many diabetes clinics and health care professionals. My aim with IFL is to increase the profile and visibility to increase donations of insulin and to help with fundraising.”
 

Certificate of Incorporation No. in the State of Victoria is A00390062D.
Charity/Australian Business No. ( ABN) is 71 416 864 883
Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances State of Victoria License No. is 24209862