Kidney Research Alliance

Chris Forbes was appointed as CEO of Kidney Health Australia in October 2018. Chris has more than 20 years of executive and leadership experience across both commercial and not-for-profit industries including agriculture, sport, ticketing, venues and entertainment. Chris is an accomplished and inspirational leader, experienced at growing organisations and ensuring they achieve their potential by building relationships while bringing staff, community leaders and the commercial sector along on the journey.

With a proven track record in organisational transformation, Chris has taken up the task to find new ways to develop Kidney Health Australia’s funding and resources. Focused on increasing the support programs and services we provide for the kidney community. Becoming a trusted partner and voice for all Australians affected by kidney disease.

Marisa is an accomplished leader with an extensive career spanning over 25 years in leadership roles within government and the not-for-profit sectors. She recently assumed the role of Executive Officer at the Australian New Zealand Society of Nephrology, where she brings her wealth of experience and expertise to the organisation. Marisa holds a degree in Communications from UTS and has worked in a variety of senior positions, including CEO of the Australian Melanoma Research Foundation, Foundation Manager at the Australian National Maritime Museum, and Executive Director of Be Centre, a children's mental health charity.

Throughout her career, Marisa has demonstrated her ability to lead teams and establish successful fundraising strategies. She has also established her own Public Relations consultancy and founded a real estate agency in the Southern Highlands. Before starting her family, Marisa headed up the Public Affairs team at the Olympic Coordination Authority and worked as a Ministerial speech writer at NSW Health, where she was part of the media team handling major public health issues. Marisa's areas of specialisation include management, governance, start-up charities, marketing, public affairs, and fundraising. With her impressive track record and diverse skillset, Marisa is well-equipped to make a significant impact in her new role as Executive Officer at the Australian New Zealand Society of Nephrology.

Breonny is the General Manager, Clinical and Research at Kidney Health Australia. As part of the senior leadership team, she leads the development and implementation of strategic initiatives across the clinical and research business unit and manages key relationships and partnerships with clinical stakeholders.

Breonny has worked in the health industry for over 20 years, including 16 years in the diabetes and kidney sector. Her experience spans roles in health leadership, program development and management, stakeholder relations, product sales, coaching and training.

Professor Robert James Walker is a professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Consultant Nephrologist Te Whatu Ora Southern, and a director of ‘the kidney in health and disease research theme” University of Otago, and co-chair of the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) for the ANZSN.

Prof Walker is actively involved in the ISN for a number of years, having previously been on the ISN regional board representing the OSEA region, and currently the deputy chair for the ISN Clinical research committee, a member of the ISN CME committee and member of the ISN Core Programs Committee.

Professor Walker has been a leading figure in undergraduate and postgraduate nephrology teaching across the Australian, New Zealand and Asia Pacific region. In addition, he runs an extensive translational science and clinical research programme under the auspices of the ‘Kidney in Health and Disease Research Theme’.

Prof Dwyer graduated from University of Melbourne and completed training in nephrology at St. Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne. She completed PhD and post-doc in Boston USA in transplant immunology. Her research career has focused on purinergic signalling in Kidney health and disease and her contributions to this field recognised with the inaugural Burnstock Oration Award in 2021. In 2020, Karen completed a fellowship in Lifestyle Medicine and provides clinical care in both private and public sector. She is a Professor of Medicine at Deakin University and the Clinical Director at Kidney Health Australia.

Bhairavi is the Research Officer for Kidney Health Australia and ANZSN. She is responsible for mapping current research landscape and funding opportunities. She also manages key stakeholders’ relationship for the alliance.

Bhairavi has completed her master’s in public health from University of Melbourne. She has experience in managing communicable diseases, policy making, and health promotion. As a part of her research project, she investigated the work productivity impact of genetic kidney diseases in Australia.

A/Prof. Tim Hewitson is a senior scientist in The Royal Melbourne Hospital Department of Nephrology and is a Principal Fellow with the Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne.

He is a science graduate and career discovery science researcher. He publishes widely on both laboratory techniques and aspects of renal biology and disease. For some years, his research work has focused on the pathology and cell biology of progressive fibrosis, the objective being to better understand the failure of repair mechanisms after injury.

A/Prof. Hewitson is co-chair of the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) for the ANZSN. The remit of the RAC being to promote and enable high quality research into kidney disease and to provide advice to council on how to achieve this.

Simon is a senior staff nephrologist at Canberra Hospital and a group leader at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University. Simon’s laboratory investigates the genetic and molecular basis of autoimmune and kidney disease, elucidating the mechanisms contributing to organ-specific disease and developing personalised and novel treatments for renal, rheumatologic and immunologic diseases. His group also leads a national program investigating the genetic basis of kidney/immune disease in Indigenous Australians, as well a lead investigator into the genetic basis of kidney disease in the Tiwi Islands as part of the ANU Grand Challenge in Indigenous Health and Wellbeing. He is director of the Centre for Personalised Medicine (CPM) at the ANU which oversees these national autoimmune and Indigenous personalised medicine programs. Simon is also founding co-chair of the Translational Glomerulonephritis Clinic at The Canberra Hospital which incorporating genetic and molecular understanding of disease into precision medicine in autoimmune kidney disease

Rohit is a senior executive with more than 20 years corporate experience in multiple industries, and having diversified background in finance, commercial, business transformation, system implementation, supply chain and project management.

Rohit joined Kidney Health Australia in October 2021 and is a Chartered Accountant (CA) with MBA and a member of Australian Institute of Company Directors.