Board & Governance

Geoff is a live donor, having donated one of his kidneys to his daughter, whose own kidneys were attacked by an auto-immune disease when she was 14. Read more on Susannah’s transplant story here.

Geoff is a former senior IT manager with over 30 years experience with the Department of Defence and is currently enjoying life in retirement.

Stephen is a double lung transplant recipient of 29 years, receiving his first transplant for cystic fibrosis in 1995 and again in 2008. 

Steve is married and has adult twin sons. 

Steve has been a strong advocate for organ and tissue donation and transplantation for many years. 

He has held the following positions in the sector: 

• ACT President of Cystic Fibrosis Australia 

• ACT President of Transplant Australia 

• Chair of the Local Organising Committee of the 2010 National Transplant Games held in Canberra 

• Co-founder of Aussie Transplant Mates 

• A Community Engagement Group member of the National Organ & Tissue Authority representing Aussie Transplant Mates 

• A member of the ACT Advisory Committee of Donate Life representing Aussie Transplant Mates 

Steve has presented his transplant story on numerous occasions and has also been a guest on many radio interviews and television shows including the Ray Martin Midday show, 11am with Ann Sanders and Today Tonight. Steve first met his donor’s widow Thelma on the set of Today Tonight. 

After his first transplant Steve took up his chosen sport of Tenpin bowling and has competed at both National Transplant games and World Transplant games in Sydney 1997, Kobe Japan 2001 & the Gold Coast 2008 where he brought home gold medals on each occasion. 

In fact, Steve presented his 1997 gold medal to his donor’s widow, Thelma while filming a story about transplantation for Today Tonight in 2000. 

Taryn became passionate about organ donation awareness when her husband David was fortunate enough to receive a liver transplant due to an aggressive autoimmune disease in 2019. 

A nurse, she has spent the last 12 years working as a coordinator at a not-for-profit community centre facilitating community programs. 

Taryn also holds a position on Transplant Australia’s Community Support and Education Advisory Group.

Mallie became involved with raising awareness for Organ and Tissue donation when her husband, Matthew, passed away after being turned down for a lung transplant, because there weren't enough donors.

Mallie is originally from the US, and is a photographer.  In her free time, she fosters kittens.

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Aaron Green became involved  in raising awareness for organ donation after he tragically lost his younger brother in 2013.  His brother changed the lives of 8 transplant recipients. 

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Aaron is the Director Leasing at JLL and has worked within the Canberra commercial property market for over twelve years. 

Scott is from the UK and arrived in Canberra in 2010 to work in the public service. His life got touched by organ donation when his mum's chronic kidney failure became worse.  After much testing, logistics and coordination between the Australian and UK health systems, Scott was able to return to the UK to donate one of his kidneys. An Australian government scheme had just been introduced that helped cover his sick leave. He wants to encourage living donors and is excited by the possibilities of concepts like paired donation where careful planning can mean that hitherto "un-matchable" recipients can find a donor. Scott has previously served in voluntary roles on the board of a HIV/AIDS charity and on an LGBTIQ Ministerial advisory council.

Graham Smith is on the Board and is former Chief Operating Officer of the National Museum of Australia.  Prior to joining the Museum in 2010, Graham Smith worked at the Royal Australian Mint for four years, firstly as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and then Acting Chief Executive Officer. He was influential in leading the Mint through major transformational change in both visitor facilities and work processes. Mr Smith’s public service career has spanned more than 30 years, with experience in the provision of both policy and corporate advice in executive and senior management positions in the Department of Treasury, Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the Office of the Assistant Treasurer. He is active in a range of Canberra-based community organisations and sits on a number of Australian Capital Territory Government advisory boards