Executive team

Kathryn Borkovic

BA, MLLP
Chief Executive Officer

As CEO of SpinalCure, Kathryn is passionate about funding and developing quality, cutting-edge research and incredibly, under her stewardship, SpinalCure has raised close to $30 million towards spinal cord injury research so far.

Kathryn became personally compelled to dedicate herself to the cause after being exposed to the daily realities and impact of living with a spinal cord injury through a close friendship.

Kathryn is well-versed in bringing complex projects to successful fruition and brings a wealth of experience from her previous legal career. Prior to joining SpinalCure, she was a post-GFC disputes lawyer and represented banking and financial services clients in litigation and regulatory investigations. She also worked for government regulators advising Commissioners and Ministers in Australia and in the United Kingdom. She has an undergraduate degree majoring in Anthropology, a Master of Law and Legal Practice, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

At SpinalCure, Kathryn drives the vision and strategy of the organisation, working closely with stakeholders, including government, philanthropists, SpinalCure’s Patron and Ambassadors, business and researchers. She feels very connected to SpinalCure’s community and thoroughly enjoys each day working alongside a team of dedicated individuals as they inch closer to SpinalCure’s vision.

Kathryn is honoured to be working in such an innovative space that is on the cusp of changing people’s lives. Importantly, her focus is on ensuring research translates into treatments that are readily accessible and cost-effective for the spinal injured community and looks forward to seeing the roll out of the first treatments in Australia.

In her down time, Kathryn loves the outdoors, fitness and community building projects. Most days she can be found either at her local gym or taking her paddle board out on the harbour. Kathryn is also an avid gardener and is a member of her local community garden. She can also be found curling up with a good book or cooking up a feast for friends and family.

Duncan Wallace

BSC (Hons)
Executive Director

Duncan is Executive Director at SpinalCure, elected to the Board in 2016 after successfully serving the organisation as CEO from 2011. His priority is to ensure that no one suffering from spinal cord injury today needs to spend their life in a wheelchair, as he has done.

Originally from the UK, Duncan studied agriculture at Reading University which led to a career in plantation management in Papua New Guinea. Almost 40 years ago, while managing coffee plantations in the PNG highlands, Duncan was hit by a drunk driver, which left him a C4/5 quadriplegic. The prevailing dogma at the time was that a spinal cord injury was practically impossible to fix. However, thanks to the incredible work of people like Duncan, that cure is no longer a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.

After his injury, Duncan was transported by truck and then plane to Sydney, where he has lived ever since. He refocused his energies on the emergent IT industry and owned and managed a successful digital media agency. He received recognition for the development of multimedia literacy programs and co-developed Australia’s first major travel website.

When Duncan received a call from SpinalCure asking him to join the team, he felt he could contribute to something that would live on longer than himself. He is excited by the prospects of the latest research being funded by SpinalCure, which promises to change the lives of thousands of people in the not-too-distant future.

Since handing the CEO reins to Kathryn Borkovic in 2020, Duncan has focussed on guiding SpinalCure’s research aims and promoting the cause through speaking engagements—using his slightly irreverent sense of humour and lived experience to shine a light on the very real prospects for a cure.

Outside his work life, Duncan is proud to have helped raise some wonderful kids and is currently engaged to be married. He lives with his fiancé and her two young sons. They leave precious little time for hobbies other than a glass of fine wine with a good meal.

Sophie Cooley

PR & Communications Lead

Sophie brings over 20 years of experience in marketing and communications specialising in the not for profit healthcare sector. With a special interest in leveraging marketing to make a difference to people’s lives, Sophie is passionate about developing and executing marketing communications strategies that raise awareness, mobilise communities and make an impact. Prior to working at SpinalCure, Sophie had a limited understanding about the ground-breaking research being conducted in spinal cord injury space and is excited to have the opportunity to help raise more awareness and funds for this important area of research to help transform health outcomes.

In previous roles, Sophie has worked on a multitude of campaigns that have successfully raised awareness and driven change for a variety of disease areas including heart disease, stroke, arthritis, different types of cancer (including breast, prostate and pancreatic), brain injury and mental health.

Sophie balances her working life with being a Mum to her two young children and enjoys keeping fit and spending time with family and friends.

Carol Abela

Community and Events Manager

Carol joined SpinalCure Australia in 2019 and has over 18 years experience in office management and providing high-level executive support. Originally from the UK, she moved to Australia in 2006 to live on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. After working in the corporate world and having children, Carol made the switch to the non-profit sector where she has enjoyed using her skills to make a difference. Becoming a mum changed her perspective on life and what she wanted from it, motivating her to contribute through her work.

Carol enjoys the variety of her role and being exposed to so many incredible people and opportunities. No single day is the same and can include speaking to donors, working with community ambassadors, coordinating fundraising events or planning content for social media. She also really enjoys recognising a spark in people and nurturing their involvement in the cause.

Prior to working at SpinalCure, Carol had little insight into what life is like living with paralysis and feels she has benefitted greatly from her involvement with the organisation and the SpinalCure community. She is particularly proud of establishing the community ambassador program, encouraging young people with spinal cord injury to share their stories and advance the research cause.

When away from keeping the engines running smoothly at SpinalCure, Carol can be found running around after her three young children, on the sidelines of a soccer field, or walking her much loved dog Millie.

Pauline Georges

Philanthropy Manager

Bringing diverse experience in the not-for-profit industry, Pauline is driven by the impact created when visionary goals and investment intersect. She loves to build rewarding partnerships, bringing members of our community together to achieve true transformative change and believes strongly in the process of collective giving. Unlocking that inevitable treatment for spinal cord injury is a major hope shared by so many Australians and one which Pauline is excited to share with philanthropists to provide them the opportunity to be involved on the journey to get there.

She has worked in the US and Australia, and also designs handmade knitwear which she sells in boutiques around Australia.

Her career has allowed her to work on a variety of campaigns helping to fund reforestation work in Indonesia, climate change advocacy, recovery programs for Australia's most endangered species, and helping to address food insecurity in New York City. She has had the privilege to work on events for the Royals, Jane Goodall and US Ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy.

Grant Millington

Strategic Advisor (Independent)

Grant is a company director and business advisor with 35 years extensive senior executive experience in strategic business, marketing, communications and customer experience. His executive management and board roles span a wide range of business sectors both internationally and locally including FMCG, healthcare, fashion, entertainment, finance, tourism, digital technology, media, Federal and State Government, e-commerce, startups, joint ventures, and a range of charity and social marketing agendas. He is currently Managing Director of Osmosys Pty Ltd.

Grant first had insight into life with a spinal injury after meeting Sam and Cameron Bloom. Sam’s story of becoming paralysed after an accident in Thailand - and the unlikely arrival of an injured magpie aiding her recovery - is now world famous through books and a movie. Grant lent his support and experience to Sam and Cam in the early days, both personally and commercially, following Sam’s return home from hospital, and has strongly felt the importance of shattering stigma, shifting attitudes by offering his services for positive impact in this space.

Grant was subsequently introduced to SpinalCure and got to know Duncan Wallace, the organisation’s previous CEO, who had a profound personal impact on him. Since then, Grant has brought his commercial discipline to providing strategic support to the organisation. He is passionate about SpinalCure’s focus on emerging research and is driven to take the ‘un’ out of ‘unbelieveable’ when it comes to finding a cure. He enjoys applying his entrepreneurial spirit to these endeavours and strives to make major connections that will drive this agenda forward. He feels if we can put a man on the moon, then curing spinal cord injury is entirely possible…and already happening.

In his downtime, Grant can be found catching a wave on the northern beaches of Sydney and spending time with his beautiful family.