He is a Director of the Victorian Neurotrauma Initiative (VNI) Pty Ltd, a Victorian government brain and spinal cord injury research fund, of which he was the inaugural Managing Director. Alex trained as a clinical neuroscientist and has a PhD in psychology.

Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 18. Following years of ill health and after experiencing significant complications of medical treatment for the condition, Alex had his colon removed (total colectomy) in January 2008 and an ileal-pouch anastomosis (j-pouch) peformed in two further operations during that year. Alex joined The Gutsy Group in 2009 to help raise funds for inflammatory bowel disease research.

After obtaining his fellowship in General Medicine, Ross undertook further studies in the UK as the Sir Halley – Stewart Research Fellow at St Mark’s Hospital, London into IBD. Previous board appointments of Ross’ include, the Mercy Private Hospital, Melbourne, the Gastroenterological Society of Australia’s Endoscopy Committee and the National Day Surgery Committee.

In 1992 Lorraine was elected to the Victorian Parliament for the electorate of Mooroolbark.  From 1996 – 1999, Lorraine was the Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts and from 1999 to 2002 she was Shadow Minister for Community Services and the Arts.  Since leaving Parliament in 2002, Lorraine has been a Board Member of St Vincent’s Health Melbourne, of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Melbourne, of the Australian Children’s Television Foundation and of the Melbourne International Arts Festival.  Lorraine has a particular interest in the value of the arts in enhancing the lives of all people, particularly those living with disability.  During 2006, the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the Honourable Mal Brough, invited Lorraine to chair the Commonwealth Disability and Carers Ministerial Advisory Council.  This concluded in 2007 with the change of Government.  Lorraine is now a Board member of Melba Support Services which provides services to people living with intellectual disabilities.

Tony qualified in medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, undertook training in paediatrics in the UK, then Melbourne and Perth, and obtained experience in indigenous medicine in Port Hedland (WA).  Tony then undertook further training over 3 years in Paediatric Gastroenterology in Calgary, Canada as a Fellow of the Canadian Association of Ileitis and Colitis.  Tony’s main clinical interests are in inflammatory bowel disease, bowel motility disorders and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.  Tony is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers and has active clinical and research interests.

Prior to this position, Penny practised for 17 years as a lawyer at national law firm Clayton Utz, the last 8 as a partner.  Penny’s areas of expertise include equity capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, ASX listing rules, corporate governance and in general, the Corporations Act.  Penny holds a Bachelor of Commerce, a Bachelor of Law, Masters of Law and a Gradate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment.  She was admitted to practice in 1988.  Penny is member of the Law Institute of Australia and a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia

Leslie has extensive experience in administration and has undertaken various secretarial roles in the local government and human resources sector.  She also served for two years as the Secretary of the Greenvale Uniting Church.

Clare has also worked in change management and business development roles for the Coles Myer Group and for Omega Performance and she is presently on the University of Melbourne’s Committee of Convocation.  Clare holds a Masters of Business Administration; various finance qualifications and is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia.

After finishing gastroenterology training in Melbourne he undertook a clinical research fellowship in inflammatory bowel disease at The University of Chicago and then Mount Sinai Hospital, New York.   Currently Miles attends inflammatory bowel disease clinics at The Alfred and Box Hill Hospitals and works in private practice at Brighton Gastroenterology Associates.  Miles’ research interests include the use of experimental agents in clinical trials and the optimal use of immune modulating medications in inflammatory bowel disease.

Jane has relevant experience as resource coordinator and marketing officer for The Young Ostomates United (Y.O.U, Inc) and has experience in public speaking.