KTF - Board of Directors

Patrick Lindsay - Chairman

Author and documentary maker, Patrick has been a passionate advocate of the story of Kokoda since he first visited the village in 1983 and first walked the Track in 1992. He wrote the best-selling book The Spirit of Kokoda ... Then & Now in 2002. It was an exploration of the Kokoda spirit. He has since written the best sellers: The Spirit of The Digger; Back From The Dead; The Essence of Kokoda; The Spirit of Gallipoli; the It’s Never Too Late series; Cosgrove, Portrait of a Leader; Heart of Champion; and, his latest book, Fromelles, which was released in November 2007. Earlier, he wrote and produced two documentaries on the Kokoda story – Kokoda, The Bloody Track in 1991 and Kokoda, The Last Parade in 1999, along with numerous stories for network television in Australia. Patrick has been chairman of the Foundation since July 2006.

Dr Genevieve Nelson - Executive Director

Genevieve’s psychological background led her to complete her PhD on education in developing countries and the psychological influences of student achievement for students in PNG. Genevieve was recently appointed the Executive Director of the Foundation. She is also a registered psychologist with the NSW Psychologists Board and has worked for organisations including the University of Western Sydney and The Benevolent Society. She is passionate about the people of Papua New Guinea and creating opportunities for those who live along the Kokoda Track and has walked the Track 9 times.

Yahoo Serious

A founding director of the Kokoda Track Foundation, Yahoo has trekked the Track many times, is a friend of local villagers and of many Aussie veterans of the New Guinea campaign. Yahoo Serious was the first Australian to write, direct, produce and star in a major motion picture and has earned an international reputation as one of Australia’s most original and successful independent filmmakers. In 1989 he was the cover of Time magazine. He studied at the National Art School, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters at Newcastle University for his contribution to cinema arts and received the Celebrated Filmmaker Award from Harvard University for his acclaimed worldwide hit Young Einstein.
Yahoo has produced double platinum music albums and created award-winning documentaries. He wrote, directed, produced and starred in the movies Reckless Kelly (Warner Bros) and Mr Accident (United Artists) and wrote and starred in his primetime TV show on MTV in New York. An advocate for a Republic, Yahoo designed the all-Australian flag. Dedicated to celebrating the Australian tribe, he finds no story more profound or compelling than the men who save Australia. Serious Productions is currently producing Yahoo’s 4th and most ambitious movie. The sweeping World War 2 epic opens with The Fall of Singapore and the Thai-Burma Death Railway then dramatically journeys the Kokoda Track in an epic adventure of mateship, heartbreak and triumph. Yahoo is passionate to repay Australia’s nearest neighbours, the wonderful people of Papua New Guinea for their help to our young country in its darkest hour.

Peter Thomas

Chartered Accountant and Tax Adviser in private practice, based in Sydney. Prior to going into private practice, he was, for nearly 25 years, a partner of the Accounting and Advisory firm, KPMG, where he specialised in corporate and international tax and, latterly, in the taxation of international executives and professional partnerships. For a number of years he was also leader of the firm’s “research and development” practice, advising clients on the R&D tax concessions.  From 1988 to 1994 Mr Thomas led the firm’s Australian tax practice and was a member of the KPMG global Tax Committee. Mr Thomas’ extra-curricular activities have seen him as a board member of The Museum of Contemporary Art, and of the Australian branch of the World-Wide Fund for Nature, a major non-government environment/conservation group.  He walked the Track in 2001.

David Frecker

David Frecker is ranked as a "leading individual" by Chambers Global (2007). David practises as a corporate and commercial lawyer specialising in mining, oil and gas, resources and energy law. He has worked extensively in Papua New Guinea and is one of the leaders of Blake Dawson Waldron’s PNG practice, servicing clients both in Australia and in PNG. David currently acts for major petroleum and mining companies, advising on the development and financing of resources, energy and infrastructure projects. From his past experience of working within and for government, he has a good understanding of governmental instrumentalities and agencies and well-honed legislative drafting skills. David is a member of AMPLA (the Resources and Energy Law Association) and of the Resources, Energy and Environmental Law Committee of the Law Council of Australia.

Dr Stephen Wearing

Dr Stephen Wearing is an Associate Professor at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). He has been responsible for a variety of projects in the area of Leisure and Tourism Studies at an international and local level. He has served as Chair and on the Board of Youth Challenge Australia (YCA) for over 16 years and on a range of steering committees including the wildlife steering committee for the CRC Sustainable Tourism, Australia; WICE advisory committee on training, Netherlands and the Australian Conservation Training Institute advisory committee. Dr Wearing has directed a number of leisure and tourism community base projects in Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica, Solomon Islands, Guyana and Australia and is the author (co-author) of 7 books and over 100 articles dealing with issues surrounding leisure and tourism. He has published books on Volunteer Tourism and Ecotourism and been responsible for over 1.5 million dollars worth of research/consulting work.

Graeme Carroll

After starting out his career in journalism he has gained over 20 years experience in media relations, including a stint as a Ministerial Press Secretary and has an extensive background in development of industry codes of practice and compliance; event organization and music copyright. Graeme Carroll took up the role of Chief Executive Officer of the RSL & Services Clubs Association in February 2002. Graeme joined the Association from Commercial Radio Australia, the peak national industry body for commercial radio operators, where he was responsible for Corporate & Regulatory Affairs. Graeme has a comprehensive understanding of the objectives and management of industry associations with nine years experience gained in the commercial radio industry, and prior to that three years in the national meat industry association where he was primarily focused on government relations and public affairs activities.

Content © The Kokoda Track Foundation 2009   |   Email : gen.nelson@kokodatrackfoundation.org for more information