
Christine Rees
PresidentI am a mum of four, granny to ten under eight years old and have two fur babies. Family is a large part of my life but the bush, my 4×4 and cameras round out my retirement.
My work life has been dominated by health, as a nurse and health educator at all levels of the education system. I am now enjoying a consumer role with Safer Care Victoria. I have been living with heart failure for 17 years and I have come to regard it as a challenge but not a sentence.
What do you find most rewarding about your association with Heartbeat Victoria?
I see peer support as a beneficial add on to the health care of those challenged with a cardiac issue and their careers and families, and look forward to working with Heartbeat Victoria to achieve the best lives possible for all of us.

Barry Nixon
Vice PresidentBarry is an active volunteer providing direct peer and social support to Ballarat folk living with cardiac challenges. As a lived experience educator, Barry speaks to new cardiac patients at local cardiac rehabilitation programs. His message is not to be sedentary and he lives what he teaches by walking with or leading four walking groups weekly.
Barry has been a cardiac patient since 2006. He is retired, with interests in media, communication, and event project management.
What do you find most rewarding about your association with Heartbeat Victoria?
I love being a volunteer with Heartbeat peer support. Heartbeat empowers patients and, by providing association with others living with cardiac challenges, removes fear. I love seeing patients regain confidence and their quality of life improve.
Peer support is good for patients and their hearts.

Vivien Williamson
SecretaryVivien worked for over 35 years as a town planner and senior manager in State and Local Government in Victoria, most recently managing strategic planning for land use and development, heritage, environment, open space, recreation and transport.
She now works part-time in her consulting business, PlanV Planning Services, is a member of two public Boards and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Vivien has been the Secretary of Heartbeat Bendigo for four years and is keen to ensure that Heartbeat branches throughout Victoria continue to be grow and be supported.

David Stella
TreasurerDavid is a Chartered Accountant with over 15 years’ experience across business planning, financial control, strategic finance and tax in both ASX listed and SME organisations.
He is currently the Business Planning & Analysis Manager at Accelagen Pty Ltd, a contract research organisation (CRO) based in Melbourne.
He is energetic and committed to health and fitness, he loves working with numbers, and coaching & mentoring others to build their financial confidence.
David joined Heartbeat Victoria because he strongly supports the organisation’s mission and is committed to helping sustain its financial health.

John Allen
Board MemberJohn holds a Master’s degree in Electrical (Biomedical) Engineering from Purdue University in the US. He recently retired after 30 years with Medtronic, working in both the US and Australia in a variety of roles, including Engineering, Education, Clinical Trial Management and Marketing.
He now works part-time in his consulting business, Australian Medical Technology Consulting.
John has had a lifetime connection to cardiac disease and treatment, including a special interest in Implantable Defibrillators (ICDs) and was previously involved with several hospital-based ICD peer support groups.

Elaine Gregory
Board MemberMum of five and Granny to nine, I was born and grew up in the Walpeup region of north west Victoria on a wheat and sheep property. Growing up in the country and working on the farm gave me a broad problem-solving approach to things. I was a stay-at-home mum who was involved with the Guides and running children around to sport, both of which I enjoyed.
I would like to raise awareness of heart disease in Victoria and make the journey easier for those from regional areas.
Married to Jeff and living in Mildura has demonstrated the difficulties of receiving cardiac care in regional areas. In 2012, Jeff’s first cardiac incident saw him airlifted to Box Hill Hospital and me in Melbourne, with no knowledge of the transport, accommodation or managing in the city. Some years later we were back for a preoperative check before bypass surgery. This first trip down was to prepare and to come off blood thinners and we were due back for the bypass surgery a week later. Unfortunately, while Jeff prepared the business for him to be away for a time, he suffered another cardiac event and was rushed down to Melbourne, again.
All’s well that ends well and Jeff has made a good recovery. After a quadruple bypass he is doing well, but the long road for treatment, the unknown issues of going to Melbourne and being there alone while your partner of many years recovers comes at a cost. The hospital cared very well for Jeff, but as his wife it was hard.

Professor Andrew Murphy
Board MemberProfessor Murphy holds a PhD in cardiovascular disease from Monash University. He has been exploring the fundamental biological process that influence atherosclerosis, the leading cause of heart disease for approximately 20 years. He has spent part of his career at Columbia University in New York extending his knowledge with world-leading researchers, and in 2013 he returned to Melbourne to establish his laboratory at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute.
He has previously been a board member of the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance and several scientific societies. Andrew brings knowledge on the research sector and how consumers, patients (including friends and family) can interact in the fight against heart disease.

Professor Rebecca Ritchie
Professor Rebecca Ritchie is a cardiac pharmacologist at Monash University. She obtained her PhD from the
University of Adelaide, in the Cardiology Unit of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Before joining Monash,
Rebecca enjoyed fulfilling career roles at both USA-based Wayne State University, as well as at the Baker
Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne. Her research focuses on arresting the progression of heart
failure.
Rebecca’s career spans discovery, preclinical and clinical research, with established collaborations across
Monash, the Victorian Heart Institute and the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. Her professional board
experience includes key national and international cardiology, heart research and pharmacology societies,
as well as scientific committees of the Victorian Cardiovascular Research Network (Deputy Chair), Victorian
Heart Institute, CAD Frontiers, Australian Cardiovascular Alliance, the Australian Stroke and Heart Research
Accelerator and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand.
Rebecca lives in Melbourne with her husband Steve and two gorgeous fur babies
(Bernese mountain dogs – Bari aged 6.5yrs and Bobbi aged 9
weeks). In her spare time, she enjoys AFL, cooking, walking and the occasional glass of wine.