Director
Professor Sharon Lewin
An infectious disease expert at the forefront of the research and public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, Professor Sharon Lewin is the Director of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute), a centre of excellence where leading scientists and clinicians collaborate to improve human health globally. She is the inaugural director of the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics.
As well as leading the Doherty Institute, Sharon is the Chief Investigator of APPRISE - the Australian Partnership for Preparedness Research on Infectious Diseases Emergencies - bringing together leading experts in clinical, laboratory and public health research to enhance Australia’s pandemic response capabilities.
Sharon also co-chairs the National COVID-19 Health and Research Advisory Committee - the peak advisory group to Australia’s Chief Medical Officer - and was a member of the Victorian Government COVID-19 Advisory Group alongside leaders in banking, construction, retail and logistics that informed the safe easing of pandemic response measures for Victorian industry.
An internationally renowned researcher in HIV cure, Sharon was the President of the International AIDS Society from 2022-2024.
Sharon is also a Melbourne Laureate Professor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne, a National Health and Medical Research Council Practitioner Fellow and a Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Director, Strategy and Operations
Marian Boreland
Marian brings over a decade of experience in executive and strategic leadership working, and has returned from seven years in the United States where she was the CEO of a global international development and major program management business. She has extensive experience in leading and managing new initiatives, multidisciplinary teams and large-scale program development. She holds a Masters of Public Health from Monash University.
Project Manager
Sarah Mortley
Sarah Mortley spent just over four years in the United States, where she was working as Finance and Program Manager for the Benioff Centre for Microbiome Medicine at the University of California San Francisco. She holds a Masters of Business Administration from Melbourne Business School.
Marketing and Communications Manager
Mitchell Blincoe
Mitchell has advised global corporate companies on marketing and communications strategy including Infosys (NYSE) and Experian (LSE), as well as ASX100 company Charter Hall. He has also worked on public awareness campaigns with government and non-profit organisations on issues relating to transport safety, education and reconciliation. He holds a Bachelor of Communications (Public Relations) from RMIT University.
