Our People

Board of Directors: Steve Jermyn – Chairman

Steve was appointed to the Board of RMHC in 1985 and is a member of the Audit & Finance & Investment committees. His is the former Deputy Managing Director of McDonald’s Australia Limited and currently holds Directorships of Mortgage Choice Ltd and Reverse Corp Limited. Steve was in the Australian Army then worked as CFO for OBrien’s glass before coming CFO of McDonalds Australia.

Magic Moment
"Becoming Chairman of RMHC and with that the increased opportunity to contribute to helping seriously ill children."

Board of Directors: Peter Bush

Peter was appointed to the Board of RMHC in 2003. He is currently the CEO of McDonalds Australia Limited and Divisional President McDonald’s Australia, NZ and South Africa. He was the architect behind the turnaround of the McDonald’s Australia business and has extensive background in fast moving consumer goods having worked at Johnson and Johnson, Unilever, Reckitt & Coleman and Arnotts. Peter was CEO of AGB-McNair and Chairman & CEO of Schwarzkopt Australasia.

Magic Moment:
"There were two moments I especially remember. The first was at an official function seeing the expression of disbelief on the faces of a large group of Australia’s key opinion leaders on learning tht RMHC had 12 Houses, four retreats and a number of family rooms and provded as many as 240 beds every night of the year. The second was seeing the McHappy Day contribution grow by 50% for the third year in a row."

Board of Directors: Julie Flynn

Julie was appointed to the Board of RMHC in 2003 and is currently the CEO of FreeTV (formerly commercial Television Association of Australia). She was formerly the News Director for 2UE Radio and the President of the Canberra Press Gallery.

Magic Moment:
"Without a doubt McHappy Day. There was a real buzz around the day and los of excitement at my sons’s baseball game when he proudly informed everyone that it was McHappy Day and we all set off for the nearest McDonalds at Beacon Hill. It was topped off with the announcement at the Australian idol final at the Opera House that the day has raised a record $1.4 million."

Board of Directors: Jim Johns

Jim was appointed to the Board of RMHC in 2008 and has been a McDonald’s Owner Operator in Bateman’s Bay. He has been supporting RMHC strongly for many years and is the Founding Chair of the Ronald McDonald Retreat in Bateman’s Bay, Fiona Lodge.

Board of Directors: Catriona Noble

Catriona was appointment to the Board of RMHC in 2007 and is the Managing Director of McDonald’s Australia Ltd. Prior to her role as Managing Director, Catriona was the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Corporate Strategy and Business Planning. She was a former Board Member of Ronald McDonald House Parkville.

Board of Directors: Elka Whalan

Elka Whalan (nee Graham) spent the best part of a decade at the top of Australian swimming. A dual Olympian (both Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004), she won Olympic silver in the 4 x 200m Freestyle relay and has come home with medals from many other major events. Elka has clocked both Australian and Commonwealth records including the Australian 400m Freestyle short course record, which she held for over five years. Since retiring from competitive swimming, Elka has made a smooth transition into journalism and the media and has also been in great demand on the speaking circuit. She has recently joined the RMHC Board and is passionate about helping seriously ill children and their families.

Board of Directors: David Felthun

David was appointed to the Board of RMHC in 2008 and is a member of the Audit & Finance and Investment Committees. He is CFO for McDonald’s Australia Ltd and is a member of the McDonald’s Global Financial Management Team which reviews and sets financial policies for McDonald’s globally. He is a Board Director of MAFIP Pty Ltd, a captive insurance company which manages insurance for McDonald’s and its franchisees in Australia and New Zealand.

Board of Directors: Rodney Stone

Rodney was appointment to the Board of RMHC in 2002 and is also the Chair of the Audit & Finance and Investment Committees. He is a Senior Partner at Baker and McKenzie Solicitors and served as RMHC legal Counsel prior to joining the Board.

Magic Moment
"I am amazed by the continuing capacity of Australian to support all forms of charitable endeavour. In RMHC’s case, it operates thanks to the help of everything from state balls through to the significant contributions received from the money boxes in stores."

Board of Directors: Cassandra Turner

Cassandra was appointed to the Board of RMHC in 2008 and is a primary school teacher and former business woman in Griffith, NSW. She and her family have had personal experience at Ronald McDonald House Randwick and have been supporting the Charity ever since.

Board of Directors: Professor Les White

Professor White was appointed to the Board of RMHC in 2006. He is Executive Director of Sydney Children’s Hospital and Director of the Child and Adolescent Stream, SE Sydney & Illawarra Area Health Service. He was awarded a Doctorate of Science for research contribution related to childhood cancer and has a Master of Health Administration. He is convener of the Greater Eastern and Southern NSW Child Health Network and holds the John Beveridge Chair of Paediatrics at the University of NSW. He is on many boards including Starlight Foundation Australia, Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Children’s Cancer Institute Australia.

Magic Moment:
"For kids, the idea of another round of cancer treatment isn’t particularly endearing. But when we tell them that the first thing we’re going to do is book them into the Ronald McDonald House, their face lights up. It’s a place for these kids to play, a place to be away from doctors and nurses- it’s a place to be relatively normal."

Board of Directors and Team