Our Leadership

Wally Lewis, rugby league legend and TV sports personality, is a passionate ambassador for Epilepsy Queensland. Having revealed his own diagnosis in 2006, later undergoing surgery, Wally is incredibly generous with his time and always relishes an opportunity to listen, connect and share with the epilepsy community.

With a passion for community services, Sandi’s career in the UK and Australia has included roles in international development, health, education, seniors and disability, including as Area Manager for the NDIS LAC program in Brisbane for four years. Sandi joined Epilepsy Queensland as the Head of Service Delivery in July 2022, leading the Living Well Team to deliver comprehensive services to people impacted by epilepsy.

An enthusiastic leader who loves to unlock potential and facilitate individual as well as organisational growth, Matthew joined Epilepsy Queensland in 2023 with over a decade of commercial fundraising and direct marketing experience. Having led teams across a number of charities to achieve their acquisition and budget targets, Matthew has been tasked with driving EQ’s growth and maturity, so that the organisation can fulfil its potential for people with epilepsy and their families.

Leonie Hogarth is a passionate advocate for practical, outcome-driven supports with over 17yrs experience in human services. As a Project Management Officer for Epilepsy Queensland, Leonie has led many state based and national projects aimed at ensuring services are responsive, inclusive, and accessible to all including the Epilepsy Smart Australia Peer Support Pilot Program.

Sam is an agribusiness professional with 25 years of progressive leadership experience in the sector. He currently holds a senior position at GrainCorp Liquid Feeds and has a degree in Agricultural Economics from the University Of New England. Throughout his career, Sam has achieved success nationally and internationally in corporate, private small enterprise and start-up companies due to his business development acumen, strategic vision and strong relationship management skills.

Having been diagnosed with epilepsy as a teenager, and then cared for a son diagnosed before his first birthday, Sam has a first-hand appreciation of what it means to both live with and care for someone with the condition.

Currently Patron Services and Security Manager at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Kim holds qualifications in Events and Project Management and has extensive industry experience, including sponsorship, corporate events, arts administration and marketing communications. 

As the mother of a young adult with epilepsy, Kim understands the importance of tailored support and advocacy and the role of awareness raising across the community in enabling people with epilepsy to live well and achieve their goals.

Kalvin is a Chartered Accountant and the Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary at Chesterfield Australia Pty Ltd. With extensive experience working for large publicly listed companies and multinational private enterprises, Kalvin’s industry background encompasses banking, private equity, agriculture, manufacturing and construction across Australia, the UK and the US.

Kalvin has a passion for improving the lives of people with epilepsy and the families around them and relishes the opportunity to help drive change through his role as a board director.

With over two decades of legal expertise and a breadth and depth of experience as a board director, Louise is passionate about law, governance, driving organisational success and creating meaningful impact. Louise is the Principal of Clearwater Law and a qualified mediator. Committed to upholding justice and acting with integrity, she established the first Homeless Person’s Legal Clinic in Cairns and has held a number of tribunal appointments.

Simon is a Senior Consultant within the People Advisory Services division at EY.  Specialising in change experience and workforce transformation, he holds a Bachelor of Business Management with majors in Human Resources and Marketing.

Importantly, Simon brings lived experience of epilepsy to the Board, having been diagnosed at an early age and receiving ongoing treatment. To that end, he is cognisant of the need to ensure our organisation is both contemporary and sustainable, so that we’re best placed to provide the services people need, when and where they need them. 

Currently Principal of Darling Point Special School, Charmaine has gained strong leadership and strategic skills during her time in the education sector. Having joined the Epilepsy Queensland Board in 2009, her insights and expertise around inclusive education and high level experience in strategy and program/service design have been invaluable.

Charmaine continues to make a huge contribution to the organisation’s work, and the achievement of positive outcomes for those impacted by epilepsy across Queensland.

A passionate and experienced public relations professional, Louise supports organisations and businesses to build and maintain a meaningful public profile on the issues that matter to them, with the people who matter most. Working with the non-government sector in campaigns, strategic planning, evaluation, stakeholder engagement and volunteer development, Louise has developed extensive consultancy and Board expertise.

Having undergone brain surgery at the age of 14, Louise went from 100+ seizures a day to being seizure free for almost 21 years. Despite experiencing a generalised seizure in 2024, just days later she was Epilepsy Queensland’s highest fundraiser for the Bridge to Brisbane 10k run. Determined to spare others from the isolation and stigma she endured growing up, Louise proudly shares her own story in the drive to raise awareness, effect policy change and create a more compassionate society.