The Honourable Rob Borbidge AO
The Honourable Rob Borbidge AO was the 35th Premier of Queensland and served in the State Parliament as Member for Surfers Paradise for just over 20 years.
During this time, he held a number of senior positions including senior Ministries, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Leader of the Opposition and Premier.
Since his resignation from Queensland parliament in 2001, he has held a number of Board positions in both private and publicly listed companies
In 2006, Mr Borbidge was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia and awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Griffith University. He is currently Chair of the Board of Advice for the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University.
He has served as both Chair of LifeFlight Australia and LifeFlight Foundation and is currently Senior Advisor to the Chair and CEO of LifeFlight. LifeFlight is one of the world’s largest not for profit aero medical and rescue providers servicing 75 per cent of Queensland’s population with a fleet of 11 helicopters and three jets operating from eight bases across the state.
He is also a Board member of both LifeFlight Commercial and StarFlight Australia.
He was appointed Chair of the Legacy Committee for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
He is also Senior Counsel for Government advisory services group GovStrat and served on the Independent Distribution Committee for the public appeal for victims of the 2016 Dreamworld tragedy.
In 2023 he was appointed Chair of Experience Gold Coast incorporating Destination Gold Coast, Study Gold Coast, Major Events Gold Coast, Placemakers and HOTA (Home of the Arts). He is also a member of the Board of Invest Gold Coast.
Dr Anthony Lynham FRCS Ed.
Dr Lynham is a maxillofacial surgeon devoted to reducing harm in our community. He served for many years as part of the trauma team at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
He entered politics in 2014 with the specific aim of reducing the harms of domestic violence, alcohol-fuelled violence and bullying. He served as a senior minister in the Palaszczuk Government. He was directly involved in the implementation of specific legislation to tighten alcohol trading hours that reduced alcohol-fuelled violence by 30% statewide.
There is always more to do, more action to take, but he was proud to take a leading role.
The association with Life Ed has been long and productive, as Dr Lynham believes the education of our young in respecting yourself, and therefore respecting others, is the most effective measure we can take.
Associate Professor Lynham is now a clinical director of our nation’s leading trauma Institute, the Jamieson Trauma Institute.
The Board of Life Ed Qld is comprised of business and health professionals who volunteer their time to provide governance, and to support the CEO and staff to achieve the organisation’s strategic objectives.
From left to right. Dr Martin Wullschleger (past Board member), Jack Ray, Peter Morgan, Mark Lacy, Michael Fawsitt, Dr Caroline Salom and Brent Kinnane (past Board member).
Jack joined the board of Life Ed Qld in 2010. He was born and raised on the Gold Coast where he attended Somerset College. In 2005 he graduated from Bond University with a Bachelor of Business Law Degree. Following graduation from university, Jack worked as development manager for the listed Consolidated Properties Group and Trinity Funds Management Group in a role which included the construction management and leasing of several Coles and Woolworths anchored shopping centres. Prior to becoming executive director of Ray Group in 2009, Jack was Ray Group’s director of sales based in both its Mount Hotham and Salt Village, Kingscliff project marketing offices. He holds a commercial helicopter pilot’s licence and was the former managing director and chief pilot of Helicopter Services Queensland.
Mark is the Managing Partner of Hickey Lawyers, one of the Gold Coasts’ largest commercial law firms. With over 30 years’ post admission experience, Mark’s expertise spans all aspects of the development process, including site acquisition, approvals, appeals, community title structuring, consultation with government, negotiating and drafting complex joint venture agreements, construction contracts and funding facilities. Mark is a life member of the Mermaid Beach Surf Club and has been past President of the Mermaid Beach Supporters Club, Junior Activities Director and Surf Sports Director. He has held non-executive director positions with two ASX listed public companies.
Brad joined the board of Life Ed Qld in 2023. He was born and raised on the Gold Coast with his family establishing the first General Store in Southport in 1879. In 2006 he graduated from Griffith University with a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting and Finance. Brad has experience working in accounting firms on the Gold Coast, Germany and Hong Kong and is currently the General Manager of Finance at Bond University. Brad is currently the Chair of CPA Australia – Gold Coast Branch and sits on the Audit and Risk Committee for Anglicare Southern Queensland.
Caroline is a Principal Research Fellow at the Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland and Adjunct Associate Professor at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW. She joined the LEQ Board in February 2016. She has worked in health and medical research for more than 30 years and specifically in the alcohol and other drugs field for over 20 years. Caroline specialises in substance use, mental health, service development and epidemiology, and brings extensive experience in community and school-based health education and prevention design.
The Life Ed Qld team is led by chief executive officer, Michael Fawsitt, who has 30 years of experience working in non-profit organisations. Michael was one of four finalists for the 2005 Queenslander of the Year Awards for his contribution to the alleviation of poverty through his work at World Vision Australia. He has been with Life Ed Qld since 2006, during which time Life Ed’s reach has doubled to more than 200,000 children and young people each year. Michael leads a committed and growing team who share a common vision to see generations of young Queenslanders living to their full potential.
Peter was a founding member of Life Ed Qld’s Board and has served continuously ever since. Peter has worked as a solicitor since 1979 and has been a member of Rotary for more than 30 years. During this time, he was also a member of the finance board of one of the largest church congregations in Australia. He is married with three adult children, all of whom have experienced the Life Ed program.
Susan joined the LEQ board in 2024, she is the Director of Paediatrics at the Gold Coast University Hospital and has overseen expansion of Childrens services locally over the last 25 years, she was involved in the implementation of new medical schools at the Gold Coast and is Professor at Griffith University and Adjunct Professor at Bond University. She is a previous board member of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and has served on many commonwealth and state advisory committees. She has an interest in postgraduate medical education and volunteers internationally with operation SMILE.
