Meet Our Board
Professor Catherine Crock AM,
Chair and Founder of the Hush Foundation
Professor Catherine Crock is a medical pioneer, producer of music and theatrics, humanitarian, mother and advocate for change.
A Physician at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Catherine has successfully implemented a raft of positive changes to healthcare in organisational culture, services and patient/family support. She is a Professor in the Faculty of Health, Deakin University.
She is Chair and Founder of The Hush Foundation, a charity working to transform healthcare by improving partnerships, culture and the environment to support health and wellbeing. Hush, in collaboration with some of Australia’s finest musical talent, has commissioned nineteen albums of music specifically for application within healthcare.
Working in collaboration with renowned playwright Alan Hopgood, Cath has produced three theatrical plays, “Hear Me”, “Do You Know Me” and "What Matters". These productions have been performed in hospitals and Aged Care settings across Australia and at International conferences, to raise awareness of patient-centred care, communication and patient safety issues and to encourage a shift in the culture of healthcare.
An influencer in the areas of medical innovation and the Arts, Catherine is also an acclaimed presenter and speaker on patient-centred care.
Cath is married to Rod Phillips and they have five children, Ben, Michelle, James, Catherine and Richard.
Dr Frank Daly, Board Member
Dr Frank Daly is currently the Chief Executive Officer of NT Health
Prior to this Frank was Chief Executive of the Child and Adolescent Health Service and Perth Children’s Hospital Commissioning. He was also responsible for leading the $1.2 billion PCH Project, which opened in May 2018. Importantly, Frank led a number of initiatives to better understand and improve the experience of young patients and their families.
Prior to his executive roles he was a specialist in Emergency Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, and an academic at the Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine University of Western Australia.
Philip Mortlock, Board Member
Phillip Mortlock is a music aficionado, graphic artist and photographer, record producer, business owner and patron of the arts.
Appointed to The Hush Foundation board in 2015, Phillip has worked in the Australian music industry for over 40-years and was one of the founders of the ARIA (Australian Record Industry Associations) awards.
With a background in the creative industries, Phillip has built his career working with such industry giants as Warner Music (17 years) and Alberts (9 years), as well as developing the ORiGiN Music companies (with business partner Philip Walker) which incorporates publishing, recording and theatrical licensing.
Philip has been on the Board of ARIA (10 years), AIR (Australian Independent Record Label Association – 15 years) as well as the NFSA (National Film & Sound Archive – 3 years) and as a founding patron to The AMP (Australian Music Prize).
Lara Giddings, Board Member
Lara Giddings spent over eighteen years in politics becoming the first female Premier of Tasmania in 2011. In her time as a Minister, she presided over the Health and Arts portfolios among others. Following her retirement from parliament in 2018, Lara followed her interest in health by taking on the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Medical Association of Tasmania. Her passion for improving the health system through strong leadership and policy combined with her passion for the role the arts play in improving people’s health and well-being have led her to the Board of Hush.
Lara also sits on the Boards of Salveo, a not-for-profit provider of health services in the home, and Festival of the Voices.
Going from no children to five after meeting her husband Ian, life is busy for Lara keeping up with Oliver, Kiki, Ginger, and Jack as well as their daughter, Natasha. Music is encouraged in their home with a piano, guitar, violin, and saxophone all available for anyone keen to learn. Lara hopes to one day find the time to try to learn some piano too.
Emma Poland, Board Member
Emma Poland is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Limestone Coast Local Health Network.
A Chartered Accountant and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Emma has extensive executive level leadership experience across public health and the not-for-profit sector. In her roles as CEO, COO and CFO of complex organisations, she has combined a strong commercial focus with a profound commitment to the provision of safe, high quality and person-centred care.
Emma has a passion for health care and dreams of a more human and compassionate health care system, in which
simple acts of kindness matter.
Earle Johnston, Board Member
Earle has more than 13 years’ experience as a fundraising professional, initially working in community radio, then began a specialist focus on major gift fundraising at one of Australia’s most loved charities, The Salvation Army. Now, more than eleven years into this role, he works as Senior Relationship Manager Philanthropy, Queensland with a number of high net worth (HNW) individuals and families and trusts and foundations both in Queensland and nationally.
As a fundraising professional, his focus is simple: to help donors realise their own personal mission and impact in the lives of others through their charity partners. His commitment to continual personal and professional development is best captured through his ‘lifelong learning’ philosophy and this runs concurrently with his passion for promoting growth, leadership, professionalism and best practice in the ‘for purpose’ sector. He currently mentors a number of fundraising professionals in higher education, community services and the arts in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
His previous corporate experience as a senior business analyst at Telstra Corporation, administrator at Retail Traders’ Association (Vic.) and accounts professional at Zurich International Insurance provided a great foundation with both complimentary and transferable skills for his fundraising career.
Running parallel with his day job, Earle’s interest in corporate governance exceeds 20 years with experience in education, community radio and banking. He currently holds a board role at Bendigo Community Bank Acacia Ridge franchise (since 2008), and recently completed terms as global President and Chairman of QUT Alumni Board (2017-21) and as a member of QUT
University Council (2017-21).
As a proud QUT and Australian Centre for Philanthropy & Non Profit studies (ACPNS) alumnist, Earle joined the ACPNS Alumni Chapter in 2009 becoming President in 2011 & 2012 before putting his hand up for successful election to QUT Alumni Board in 2012.