The OCRF Team

Lucinda Nolan

CEO

With a wealth of knowledge and experience across the public sector and as a Director for several boards, Lucinda is well poised to lead the OCRF team.

Prior to this position, she was selected as the first female CEO of the Country Fire Authority, one of the world’s largest volunteer-based emergency services organisations. She also spent 32 years with Victoria Police, reaching the rank of Deputy Commissioner, and was awarded the Australian Police Medal in 2009. Lucinda is a Director on the Boards of Hawthorn Football Club, BankVic, Alkira and the Penington Institute. She holds a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Melbourne University and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University.

Like so many others, Lucinda has also seen a loved one suffer. Her sister-in-law, Jane, died at the young age of 54, after being diagnosed with advanced-stage ovarian cancer. This tragic event has reaffirmed to Lucinda that to save women’s lives, we need to find and develop a test for early detection.

Lisa Panetta

Office Manager

Lisa is a chartered accountant with experience working within not-for-profit organisations, making her the ideal person to manage the day-to-day operations and financial management of the OCRF.

Her previous roles have included Project Manager at the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB), and Assistant Manager at Moore Stephens, an accounting firm. In her role at the OCRF, Lisa speaks to many patients, survivors and those who have lost loved ones to ovarian cancer. Moved by their courage, strength and determination to fight this terrible disease, Lisa makes it her mission to provide as much support and guidance as possible.

Lisa’s awareness of ovarian cancer as an insidious disease that does not discriminate came when a close family member lost her five-year battle with the disease at the young age of 23.

Caitlin leishman

Grants & Executive Support Officer

Caitlin brings a diverse set of skills to the OCRF with a background in communications, copy writing, systems administration and program management. She has worked in both public and private sectors and is motivated by now being able to use her experience in a not-for-profit context, and for such an important cause. 

Caitlin has witnessed several close family members and friends experience cancer including her uncle with multiple myeloma, a friend with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a very close family friend who passed away with bowel cancer. As a woman, Caitlin is concerned by the many remaining unknowns that ovarian cancer presents and believes that research is crucial in shedding light on these and delivery treatments that will save the lives of many loved ones.

Arbel Givargis

Marketing Director

Arbel is an experienced marketer and relationship manager. He holds tertiary qualifications in marketing and management, and brings a breadth of experience, having worked in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors.

Arbel is passionate about developing deep and ongoing relationships with the OCRF’s key stakeholders, as well as building on the OCRF’s core campaigns to encourage even more donors to engage with and support the cause. Arbel is also actively involved in the community—where he sits on the board of xpandFoundation (a social enterprise), is a committee member at East Camberwell Tennis Club, and performs a volunteer role at Murrumbeena Primary School.

Arbel became acutely aware of ovarian cancer with the premature passing of a close friend’s mother from the disease in 2016. Arbel’s wife also lost her grandmother to ovarian cancer and an aunt is currently fighting the disease, making the cause even more personal.

GEORGIE HERBERT

Corporate Partnerships & Philanthropy Manager

Georgie comes to the OCRF from a career in the sporting industry, where she worked in corporate and community partnerships, licensing and events for more than 20 years, most recently across eight seasons with the AFL Players’ Association. Over the years she has complemented her work experience with study, most recently completing a Masters of Business (Marketing) and a Masters of Management (Sport Management). 

Georgie has been known to the OCRF for many years, having passionately fundraised for an early detection test since the late 2000’s when her mum, Mandy, was diagnosed with OvCa. With the help of her family, Mandy included, she established Mands’ Mob – an ever growing team of fun-runners to participate in multi-charity events and raise funds for the OCRF between 2009 and 2017. When Mandy passed away in early 2017, Georgie and long-time family friend and Channel 9 personality Clint Stanaway, founded the Silver Lining Ride to honour both Mandy and friend Helen Hatzis who was lost to OvCa just a few weeks earlier. 

The growth of the Silver Lining Ride brought Georgie ever closer to the OCRF team such that when an opportunity to work with the Foundation in a full-time capacity arose, she jumped at it. She will continue building relationships with Australia’s philanthropic and corporate communities, encouraging them to invest in research which will help achieve the goals of early detection, improved treatment and management for women with the disease and ultimately prevention. 

Hannah Carr

Community Fundraising Coordinator

Hannah comes from a background in donor relations, events and database management, having most recently worked in the Supporter Relations team at a children's hospital foundation. She holds a tertiary qualification in International Development Studies and has always been drawn to community fundraising.

Hannah first learned about ovarian cancer when her best friend's sister was diagnosed out of the blue, in 2015. She was shocked by the fact that there was no early detection test, like those available for other female cancers. 

Having seen a friend go through treatment and having to grapple with decisions regarding her ability to have children in her early twenties, Hannah was driven to be a part of the OCRF team when the chance presented itself.