Our Team
Born from passion and a purpose to be the voice for Australians affected by skin cancer.
Board Of Directors
Jay Allen OAM
Cancer survivor, patient advocate, fundraiser, motivational speaker
Since being diagnosed with Stage 3 melanoma in 2008, and throat cancer in 2021, Jay witnessed gaps in the system in terms of patient voice and lack of support for many on their cancer journey.
“Coming together to form the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation, the team and I hope to bridge this gap so no-one goes through a skin cancer diagnosis alone. We will continue to raise awareness and generate funds; because more research means more successful treatments.”
-
Cancer survivor, patient advocate, fundraiser,
motivational speaker
2014
Walked 900km in 16 days from Sydney to Melbourne, raising $160k for research - Top 25 Not for Profit’s Most Influential People in Australia by Pro Bono Magazine 2015
Outstanding melanoma Advocate of the Year by melanoma Patients Australia
Lobbied and banned commercial sun beds across Australia campaign
2017
Walked 1200kms in 29 days from Brisbane to Sydney, raising $261k for research - Finalist for Australian of the Year NSW ‘Local Hero’ Category
Outstanding melanoma Advocate of the Year by melanoma Patients Australia
2018
Finalist for Pride of Australia medal
UK speaking tour initiating UK sun bed banning campaign with melanoma UK
2019
Walked 2000km in 50 days from Adelaide to Sydney, raising $606k for research
Melanoma Advocate of the Year by Skin Health Institute
2021
Presented with the Medal for the Order of Australia
Founded Australian Skin Cancer Foundation
Eve Brown
Lawyer and financial services executive
Eve Brown is a lawyer and financial services executive who focuses on national policy issues that impact on Australian retirees. Eve has previously worked as a Senior Adviser to the former Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, the Honourable Kelly O’Dwyer MP, and was a lawyer Herbert Smith Freehills.
“Like many people, I have experienced first-hand the devastating loss of a loved one to cancer. Patients and their families often don’t get the support and care that they need and I am proud to be involved with a charity that elevates the patient voice and improves the patient experience.”
Sally Everett
People & Culture Business Partner
In November 2021 Sally lost her Dad, Lionel, to melanoma. melanoma was such an unknown, and Lionel’s was an internal melanoma, which we didn’t even know was possible.
Lionel passed three months after his diagnosis & after seeing the pain & suffering her Dad endured Sally has made it her mission to create awareness of melanoma, being proactive about your health, if something doesn’t look or feel right get it checked, sun safety and the importance of regular skin checks.
Advisory Committee
Dr Ken Dutton-Regester
Scientific + Medical Education Advisor
-
Dr Ken Dutton-Regester is the founder and Executive Creative Director of Excite Science, a creative studio using immersive experiences to explain complex cancer biology in fun ways. From escape rooms to extra reality, Excite Science invokes nostalgic and pop-culture themes to make scientific content relatable and memorable.
A highly recognised science communicator and keynote speaker, Ken is constantly exploring different communication platforms to make science engaging and accessible to diverse audiences. In recognition of his achievements, Dr Dutton-Regester was ministerially appointed to the Questacon Advisory Council in 2019 (Australia’s National Science and Technology centre).
For over a decade, Ken has also served on national and international professional leadership bodies, advocating for early career researchers for organisations including the American Association for Cancer Research and National Postdoctoral Association.
A cancer researcher of over 14 years and past Harvard Medical School Research Fellow, Dr Ken Dutton-Regester still retains an active research program and has been exploring new ways to prevent and treat late-stage melanoma.
Dr Charles Ayesa
Medical Advisor
-
Charles is an experienced skin cancer practitioner and educator. He has been an invited speaker for the Australasian Skin Cancer Congress on several occasions and the Australasian Melanoma Conference.
Charles has several roles in teaching doctors and medical students through courses and placements provided through Skin Cancer College Australasia, University of Queensland and Macquarie University.
Charles holds leadership and board positions and has experience in setting up skin cancer clinics. This benefits ASCF in its mission, particularly with regard to the provision of skin checks on the truck by providing clinical direction and advice in his Medical Advisor role.
Dean Beaumont
-
I sadly lost my wife ‘M’ Melinda Beaumont to melanoma in 2018. With over 25 years experiencing developing and implementing infrastructure solutions and strategies, I’ve helped many organisations bring there communications and building services vision to reality. Now I’m committed to helping Jay and the foundation for life.
Lawrence Polga
-
Melanoma has played a big part in Lawrence Polga's life, experiencing first-hand the uncertainty and various emotions this disease can bring to everyone involved. Lawrence Polga made a very special promise to one person to continue the legacy to help educate people on how to prevent melanoma and with supporting those you love who are also affected by this disease.
Lawrence sees Australian Skin Cancer Foundation as one of the strongest and most effective foundations in Australia in preventing melanoma from taking more lives.
Lawrence's background is with being actively involved within the community, and understanding people is something that he wants to bring forward to the foundation. He wants to work hand-in-hand with people that care about saving lives and spreading awareness.
Janette Daley
-
Over 10 years ago, Janette had a melanoma on her upper back, after several surgeries, removing her left adrenal gland and all her right neck lymph nodes, Janette commenced treatment for many tumours in her body in 2018. By 2019, due to horrendous side affects and having exhausted all treatments including targeted, radiation, chemo and immunotherapy, doctors told Janette to get her affairs in order as there no more treatment.
Janette went home and quietly reflected on the time she had left. However, Janette kept getting better and stronger and went back to work within the year. Janette is not only a melanoma survivor, but a mother, wife and Queensland public servant for over 27 years. In her spare time, Janette is a volunteer for the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation.