Operational Committee
Providing Strategic Leadership and Governance Oversight
Graham Dowland
B.COM
Chairman
Dr. Elizabeth Davis
MBBS, FRACP, PHD
Director and Chair of the
Research Advisory Committee
Tony Barber
B.BUS, CA
Director and Secretary
Alexandrea Thompson
LLB BA MA
Director
Nick Blakiston
B.COMM
Director
Michael Aitken
MBBS FRANZCOG
Director
Prof. Andrew Currie
Research Advisory Member
Professor Andrew Currie, a former BrightSpark grant recipient, leads the Sepsis Diagnostics Research Group at Murdoch University and co-heads the Neonatal Infection and Immunity Team at the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccine & Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute. He is an immunologist with over 20 years’ of experience in the fields of paediatric immunology and infectious disease and leads research into improved sepsis diagnostics for newborns and children.
Assoc. Prof. Louise Naylor
Research Advisory Member
Associate Professor Louise Naylor, a former BrightSpark grant recipient, and BrightSpark Fellow, works as an academic at The University of Western Australia. She also holds a clinical post at Fiona Stanley Hospital as an accredited exercise physiologist specialising in cardiac rehabilitation. She is an active researcher and leads a research group focused on the use of exercise and physical activity as treatment for patients and at risk of heart disease, such as survivors of childhood cancer and patients awaiting a heart transplant.
Dr. Misty Palmer
Research Program Manager
Dr. Misty has over 15 years of experience managing grant programs for leading national and international funding bodies, including the NHMRC and the Medical Research Future Fund. With a strong background in strategic project delivery and stakeholder engagement, she brings deep expertise in research funding and organisational development. As the Research Program Manager for the BrightSpark Foundation, Misty plays a critical role in overseeing fellowship programs—ensuring support is awarded to the most promising early-career researchers in child health.
Lyn Beazley
Honorary Patron of Engagement
The BrightSpark Foundation proudly acknowledges our patron and alumna, Professor Lyn Beazley AO, for her exceptional contributions to science and the community. As Western Australia’s Chief Scientist from 2006 to 2013 and the first woman to hold the role nationwide, Professor Beazley has led a distinguished career in neuroscience and science advocacy. Her research, in partnership with Professor John Newnham, helped establish the standard global treatment for lung development in preterm babies. She is currently the Sir Walter Murdoch Distinguished Professor of Science at Murdoch University.
April Honey Baylie
Coordinator
April is an experienced Administrative Coordinator and Document Controller with a strong background in office administration, compliance, and project support. At BrightSpark Foundation, she provides essential administrative, web, and document management support, helping to ensure smooth operations across the organisation. Known for her attention to detail and collaborative approach, April also contributes to event coordination and stakeholder engagement to support child health research initiatives.
Finance
The BrightSpark Foundation is a public ancillary fund registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and is constituted as a trust with a company limited by guarantee acting as corporate trustee. As the Foundation is endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) as a deductible gift recipient, any donations made to the Foundation by eligible donors are tax deductible.
Our annual financial reports are available via the ACNC website.