The GACD Board of Trustees has ultimate responsibility for the operations of GACD, is governed by the constitution of GACD and is accountable to the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The role of the Board of Trustees is therefore to oversee the management of GACD in pursuit of its mission and ensuring it complies with the appropriate legal and regulatory requirements.
On 1 January 2019, GACD Action was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1174867). GACD Action operates under the working name GACD.
As a CIO, governance for GACD lies with a Board of Trustees, which is usually comprised of five trustees, two of whom are appointed by the GACD Associate Members. The Board of Trustees works closely with the GACD Strategy Board, which is formed of senior staff of the Associate Members of GACD.
The Board includes trustees with expertise in medical research and science funding, investments and charity management. Trustees act in a voluntary capacity and do not receive any compensation for the work they do on behalf of GACD.
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Jon is a Chartered Accountant with more than 30 years’ experience in financial services, investing and charity sectors. His varied career included two decades overseas in Bermuda and Canada, before he returned to Scotland in 2013. He has served as Finance Director, non-executive director or trustee for a number of charities and commercial organisations, with particular interest in community, education and medical research causes. He was most recently CFO at Worldwide Cancer Research, an Edinburgh-based charity which funds innovative cancer research all over the world.
Jon joined the Board in May 2022 and is currently Chair of the Board.
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James is a global health professional with over 15 years of experience consulting with organizations including the WHO, Médecins Sans Frontières, as well as NGOs and governments, on issues related to diabetes, wound care, self-management education, and access to medicines. He is a person living with type 1 diabetes, as well as other chronic diseases. His prior trustee experience was as a founding trustee of T1International, a charity dedicated to advancing the rights of people living with type 1 diabetes. Canadian by birth, James has lived and worked in Sweden, Lebanon, Oman and Morocco.
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Maria’s expertise includes strategic development, financial management, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement, with a strong commitment to addressing global poverty and social inequality.
Maria is a forward-thinking senior executive with three decades of experience across the profit and not-for-profit sectors. She is known for her ability to drive organisational growth and implement strategic change, with a proven track record in establishing new entities and optimising mature operations.
Maria currently serves as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at GSG Impact and as Deputy Chief Executive Officer at The Sociological Review Foundation.A lifelong learner, Maria was recently awarded an Executive MBA and holds professional certifications in leadership, project management, and change management. Her commitment to continuous professional development reflects her dedication to operational excellence and her ability to lead effectively in a rapidly evolving global environment.
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Professor Ntobeko Ntusi is the President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC). He is a qualified physician and cardiologist, and holds numerous additional qualifications, including a DPhil in Cardiovascular Medicine from the University of Oxford, St. Cross College, and an MD in Cardiology from the University of Cape Town. He is a distinguished and highly respected figure in the medical community as a key global opinion leader. His lifelong passion for evidence-based healthcare, health systems research, noncommunicable disease multimorbidity, and universal health coverage has positioned him as a trailblazer in medical research.
Prof. Ntusi is committed to advancing medical research and innovation; and is passionate about improving healthcare outcomes aligned with the SAMRC’s mandate to advance the nation’s health and quality of life. His leadership spans various national, regional, and international platforms, where he has played pivotal roles in shaping academic agendas, postgraduate medical education standards, and advancing key national strategic priorities. His commitment to mentoring young professionals and supervising postgraduate students underscores his passion for nurturing the next generation of medical leaders, instilling hope for the future of medical leadership.
Ntobeko is also the current Chair of the GACD Strategy Board.
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Kasia Jurczak is the Head of Unit “Combatting diseases” at European Commission’s Directorate General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD). Together with her team, she provides strategic steer for the funding for health research and innovation under Horizon Europe, covering both infectious and non-communicable diseases.
Kasia has 20 years of experience in the EU-level policy development and implementation in the areas of public health, labour and social policy, civil protection and humanitarian aid. Prior to joining DG RTD, she worked in the private office of the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, advising on response to COVID-19, global health emergencies and EU’s humanitarian aid in Latin America and the Caribbean. She also advised the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility on skills policy. Kasia has been working for the European Commission since 2012.
Kasia studied social science at the London School of Economics and Political Science (BSc) in the UK and University of Leuven (MA) in Belgium. She is a Polish national.
Kasia is also the current Vice Chair of the GACD Strategy Board.
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