CHFF Management

Dr Catherine Hamlin was an Australian obstetrician-gynaecologist who went to Ethiopia over 65 years ago to train midwives with her husband Dr Reg Hamlin. Their attention soon turned to the plight of the obstetric fistula patients. Together, the Hamlins perfected the modern technique for obstetric fistula surgery and set up a network of hospitals in Ethiopia to help these women. So far, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia has helped more than 82,000 women.

Dr Catherine Hamlin passed away in March 2020, at age 96. She was a Companion of the Order of Australia and was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Currently Chair of the Board since November 2015, Julie has now been appointed Executive Chair of Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia (Australia) on the departure of longstanding CEO, Carolyn Hardy. An experienced Chair and not-for-profit director, Julie’s portfolio focuses on health and women’s issues. Alongside this, Julie provides strategic advice to businesses on social investment and staff engagement, and to not-for profits on strategic planning, corporate governance, and corporate and community engagement. Julie is passionate about maternal health and the eradication of fistula.

David was appointed to the Board in February 2017. He is one of Australia’s most experienced restructuring and turnaround executives. David is a Chartered Accountant and has more than 30 years’ experience working with organisations to solve financial, operational, and strategic problems. David is currently also the Chief Financial Officer of Australia’s largest charitable organisation, the Paul Ramsay Foundation.

David joined the board in December 2018. He recently retired as a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist after 35 years in practice in Orange NSW. As a nephew of Reg and Catherine Hamlin, he has had a longstanding interest in maternal health in Ethiopia since his elective term there as a student in 1973. He has made many visits to the fistula hospital since and has been a volunteer obstetrician in the Amhara region of Ethiopia since 2010 making visits from one to two months each year. He has also been a volunteer gynaecologic surgeon in the Solomon Islands. David has also served as a director of Hamlin Fistula Australia since 2012, and continues in that role.

Caroline was appointed to the Board in May 2022. She is the Executive Director of The Kids Research Institute Australia and one of Australia's leading health researchers and executives. With more than 30 years of experience as a clinician, educator, researcher and leader, Caroline has made significant contributions to maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health in Australia and globally. She has led major research, policy and health system initiatives focused on improving health outcomes, strengthening health workforces and translating evidence into practice. An Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), Caroline is recognised internationally for her leadership, scholarship and commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of women, children and families.

Alison has over 30 years’ experience in global health research and practice with a focus on maternal and newborn health and is currently a Senior Health Specialist at the World Bank Global Financing Facility in Washington DC. Prior to that she headed the Maternal, Sexual and Reproductive Health Unit at the Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne. Alison has a PhD in health systems planning for maternal and newborn care. She has undertaken consultancies for WHO, UNICEF, DFAT (AusAID), and many international non government organisations and private foundations and was a founding co-chair of the WHO advisory group Mother and Newborn Information for Tracking Outcomes and Results (MoNITOR). Alison is Dr Catherine Hamlin’s niece. She first visited the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital as a medical student in 1982, and her career has been significantly influenced by the example of her aunt.

Sarah joined the Board of Directors in February 2020.  She has been an active supporter in the U.S. since 2015 and has visited the Hamlin Fistula Hospital several times in the last few years.  She was born and raised in Heidelberg, Germany and after going to law school in Hamburg, Germany and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Sarah made her home in Chicago, Illinois.  She is a partner at Quarles & Brady LLP, a national law firm in the U.S., and represents subsidiaries of foreign companies from Europe and New Zealand with regard to corporate, commercial, employment and immigration matters.  Sarah is an avid traveller who has been to the geographic North Pole twice to participate in marathons and who according to available records was the first woman to run a marathon on each of the 7 continents three, four and five times.  For her fifth time running around the globe, Sarah participated in an event that had her running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days and raised donations for the Hamlin Fistula Hospital along the way.

Tigest Sendaba is an Ethiopian-born human rights and humanitarian specialist with over 15 years' experience working across Africa, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Australia at country, regional and global levels. She currently works with the Commonwealth Ombudsman on Australia's implementation of OPCAT. Tigest has held roles with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Transparency International, and the World Food Programme, including as WFP"s first Global Lead on Gender-Based Violence. Her work is grounded in a commitment to 'do no harm', with a focus on ensuring that systems intended to support people are accountable, ethical, and responsive to what communities themselves identify as their needs. Tigest was appointed to the Board in January 2026.