Member Profiles

The Members of the Tribunal are variously drawn from superannuation, insurance, government, law, medical and actuarial backgrounds. They are part time and appointed by the Minister. The current members are listed below. Click on each name to view a more detailed profile of each member.

+ Mrs Jane Abbott

(13 November 2008 - 12 November 2011)

Mrs Abbott has worked in corporate superannuation for over 20 years as an administrator, consultant and trustee. She provided advice to Trustee Boards on legislative, administrative and member issues. She has been involved with the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia's education program for 15 years.

+ Ms Katy Adams

(27 April 2009 - 26 April 2012)

Ms Adams is a lawyer who has, since 1989, worked in corporate, tax and superannuation related areas in both the United Kingdom and Australia. In the UK, she worked for Clifford Chance as a tax and pensions lawyer. She was a lecturer at the College of Law, where she taught tax, wills and probate, and business law. In Australia, she has worked in private practice, as in-house counsel for superannuation fund administrators and as a senior lawyer at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

+ Dr Michaela Anderson

(10 November 2008 - 9 November 2011)

Michaela Anderson worked in the Australian superannuation industry for 23 years. She was the Director, Policy and Research at the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) from 1994 to June 2007 and, prior to this, Manager of Policy Advice to the trustees for superannuation funds for NSW public sector employees. She was an inaugural member of the Board of Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation. She represented ASFA on the ASX Corporate Governance Council from it inception in 2003 to 2007 and she is currently on the board of the Responsible Investment Association Australasia.

+ Mr Colin Cassidy

(1 December 2008 - 30 November 2011)

Colin Cassidy has over 30 years experience in the superannuation and life insurance industry. He has been a qualified underwriter, claims assessor and also worked in management with a number of insurance companies. For the past 12 years, Colin has worked in the superannuation industry in many roles in both administration and for the trustee. He currently sits on a number of superannuation funds Claims Review Committees and has an in-depth knowledge of the roles of the trustee. Colin also provides consultancy advice to the industry.

+ Mr Ross Christie

(27 April 2009 - 26 April 2012)

Mr Christie worked as a financial planner until December 2002 holding his Proper Authority from Industry Fund Services Pty Ltd. His previous experience has been as a trustee of Public Sector, Local Government and University superannuation schemes. Mr Christie is a former General Manager of the State Superannuation Office (SA), Chief Executive of the Local Government Superannuation Board (Vic), and Federal Councilor of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia.

+ Mr Noel Davis

(1 December 2008 - 30 November 2011)

Noel Davis is a Sydney barrister specializing in superannuation. He has practised in that area for in excess of 30 years.

He is a director of a large superannuation trustee and of a large superannuation administrator. He is also a director of a public financial services company and is chairman of 3 compliance committees. He was formerly a director of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia and has a distinguished service award from it.

He is the author of the book The Law of Superannuation in Australia, which he first published in 1985, and is editor of The Australian Superannuation Law Bulletin.

+ Dr Catherine Dean

(13 November 2008 - 12 November 2011)

Dr Dean is a physiotherapist with expertise in rehabilitation. She has extensive clinical experience and has also undertaken rehabilitation research in both Australia and North America. She currently works at an academic institution and is involved in teaching, research and clinical education.

+ Ms Ella de Rooy

(27 April 2009 - 26 April 2012)

Ms de Rooy worked as an independent superannuation consultant until 2006, providing technical, compliance and best practice advice and services to superannuation funds and industry organisations such as ASFA. Her 20 years of superannuation experience span public sector, industry and corporate funds including senior management roles in technical advice and business development as well as fund secretarial and trustee functions. She was previously a full-time member of the State Compensation Board (NSW - now WorkCover) and started her working life as an economist.

+ Mr Scott Ellis

(1 December 2008 - 30 November 2011)

Scott Ellis is a barrister at Francis Burt Chambers in Perth. He practises in the areas of commercial, employment and construction law and as an arbitrator, mediator and adjudicator. Prior to becoming a barrister, he was a partner in Freehills for a number of years.

+ Mr Colin Grenfell

(27 April 2009 - 26 April 2012)

Mr Grenfell is an actuary with wide experience in superannuation. He is an Associate Director of SuperEasy Pty Ltd and, until January 2002, was a director and trustee of the AXA Australia Staff Superannuation Plan and a director of N.M. Superannuation Pty Ltd. Mr Grenfell is a former director of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) and is a member of the ASFA Victorian Legislation Discussion Group. Until 1996 he held various managerial, superannuation, actuarial and investment roles with National Mutual (now AXA Australia) and from 1997 to 1998 he worked as a superannuation consultant and actuary for William M Mercer.

+ Professor John Hart

(10 November 2008 - 9 November 2011)

Associate Professor John Hart is an Orthopaedic Surgeon based in Melbourne. He was Head of the Orthopaedic Unit at the Alfred Hospital from1980 until 2003 and is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at Monash University. He has published numerous articles relating mainly to joint replacement and joint resurfacing. He was President of the Australian Orthopaedic Association in 1988/99 and was awarded the L.O. Betts gold medal of the Association in 1997. He was Chairman of the international Girdlestone Orthopaedic Society from 1995 to 1996. He is an Honorary Member of the Australian College of Sports Physicians, The Knee Society in the USA and The North American Association for Arthroscopy.

+ Mr Jeff Humphreys

(1 December 2008 - 30 November 2011)

Jeff Humphreys is an actuary with 18 years' experience consulting to superannuation trustees, employers and employee organisations. He is also a specialist in the group risk market. He is a presenter at seminars and conferences, including ASFA and CMSF and has written Sessional papers for The Institute of Actuaries and had several articles published in superannuation industry magazines. Jeff is an active participant in The Institute of Actuaries of Australia and is a member of the Superannuation and Employee Benefits Practice Committee. He was Convener of the Education Subcommittee and Faculty Chair of the Superannuation and Planned Savings professional course from inception to 2006. Jeff assists ASFA from time to time on Best Practice papers and occasional issues.

+ Mr Paul Kierce

(10 November 2008 - 9 November 2011)

Paul Kierce, Orthopaedic Surgeon, practised in Ballarat for 29 years where he was involved in the training of orthopaedic surgeons. For the past 6 years, he has been residing in Portland, Victoria, and is the Orthopaedic Surgeon to the Portland Hospital. In addition, he is involved in medico-legal work and is a regular Medical Panels member.

+ Mr Brian Lacey

(10 November 2008 - 9 November 2011)

Mr Lacey is a lawyer with over 30 years experience in in-house general counsel roles, mainly in the financial services and superannuation areas. He has acted as independant director of several funds management companies and approved trustees. Brian currently consults to financial services organisations and industry bodies such as IFSA and FPA and is a panel member of the Financial Ombudsman Service (formerly Financial Industry Complaints Service).

+ Ms Janet Martin

(13 November 2008 - 12 November 2011)

Mrs Janet Martin is a farmer and lawyer in country practice. Until October 2003, she was Registrar of the Supreme Court of Western Australia for 12 years. Previously, she spent 5 years lecturing at the Law School of the University of Western Australia in property, civil procedure, corporate governance and agency and was the Sub-Dean.

In over 30 years in the legal profession, Mrs Martin has practised on her own account and held senior positions with the Legal Aid Commission and the Department of Corporate Affairs (WA) as well as being a member of the Parole Board of Western Australia and the Social Security Appeals Tribunal.

+ Dr Diana Olsberg

(13 November 2008 - 12 November 2011)

Dr Olsberg is Head of the School of Sociology & Anthropology and a senior lecturer in economic sociology in that School at UNSW. She is well respected and widely published for her research on Australia's superannuation system and on issues concerning Australia's ageing population. Dr Olsberg was named Trustee of the Year for 2002 at the Conference of Major Superannuation Funds. She has been an employee elected Trustee of one of Australia's largest superannuation funds, Unisuper, for 10 years. She is Deputy Chair of Unisuper and chairs the Membership Committee of Unisuper. She has served as Executive Director of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees.

+ Dr Carolyn Re

(27 April 2009 - 26 April 2012)

Dr Re is a medical practitioner who has worked in private general practice for over 17 years. She currently works as a senior lecturer at the Rural Clinical School, University of New South Wales and is a visiting medical officer at Albury Base Hospital. She was a part time member of the Federal Administrative Appeals Tribunal (1995-2001), the Social Security Appeals Tribunal (2002-2005) and a member of the Victorian Casino and Gaming Authority (2001-2004) and works as a part time freelance medical writer.

+ Miss E Anne Shanahan

(13 November 2008 - 12 November 2011)

Miss Shanahan is a Thoracic Surgeon practising in both the public and private hospital spheres. In addition she has a B.Sc. in Pathology and is a Barrister and Solicitor admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1990. She is a part-time Member of the Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal. She was a Fulbright Scholar in 1969-1970.

+ Dr David Thomas

(1 December 2008 - 30 November 2011)

David Thomas has doctorates in Law and Economics. He is admitted to legal practice in Victoria and New South Wales and is currently a Member of the Migration and Refugee Review Tribunals. He was previously a member of the Victoria Law Foundation and formerly Head of the Department of Economics and Law at Swinburne University of Technology.