Canteen board

I joined Canteen in 2020 after my dad relapsed and passed away from central nervous system lymphoma. His first diagnosis came in 2018, during my first year of university. I put my studies on hold to care for him and support my two younger sisters, while my mum and I stood by his side through every stage of treatment. Those years were incredibly challenging. I was just beginning to figure out who I was as a young adult while also trying to balance university, care for my family, and navigating my dad’s diagnosis.

I joined Canteen in 2016, 3 years after my mum’s breast cancer diagnosis.  Ever since then, Canteen has been as much a part of my life as my friends and family.  Canteen, after all, is the reason for my closest support network.  My Mum passed away in 2018 as I was completing Year 11 (at high school) and I have no doubt that without Canteen, that very important period of my life would have been so much harder.  My biggest fear has long been the idea of another young person attempting to navigate cancer in any form without Canteen in their corner.

Christopher Chandran is a seasoned audit and assurance professional with nearly three decades of experience, including leadership roles at Pitcher Partners where he has been a Partner since 2006. Over the years he has worked with ASX-listed companies, multinational subsidiaries, privately held groups, and Not-for-Profit organisations, with a strong focus on governance, risk, and compliance.

Over her career, Andrea has led large brand and reputation, stakeholder, and corporate social responsibility functions for some of Australia’s most iconic brands including Australia Post, National Australia Bank, Fosters and Telstra. 12 months ago, she made a leap into sports administration when she joined Netball Victoria as Chief Executive Officer. 

I joined Canteen in 2017, a year after my mum’s ovarian cancer diagnosis. Before Canteen, I was convinced that no one would understand what I was going through. My first few counselling sessions were a revelation, as I learned about this charity which helped thousands of young people just like me. I had counselling with Canteen for four years. It was a space for me to be scared, to be sad, and to be hopeful.

Stuart is the Managing Partner at Hourigan International, an independent, Australian-owned executive search firm. With more than 35 years of leadership experience – over 10 at the CMO or CCO level – he brings deep expertise in marketing, customer, and commercial strategy.

He has worked with some of Australia's most recognised brands, including KFC, Optus, Aussie, CommBank, and hipages, building a track record of brand evolution, customer engagement, and growth acceleration.

Kieran has been on the Board of Directors with Canteen since May 2014.

He is a highly respected government affairs practitioner with more than 30 years direct experience in Canberra.

Kieran has worked for global companies, Australian institutions, and all levels of government, including in federal ministerial offices and the bureaucracy. This gives him a unique perspective on how to interact with government and importantly, understand the differences between how Government, business and the Not-for-Profit sectors operate.

In March 2020, my dad was diagnosed with two distinct types of cancer. I was seventeen, in my final year of high school, and just a week later the world went into its first lockdown. Around the same time, my beloved Aunty Phi was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. While my dad is now thankfully in remission, we lost my aunt later that year while the borders were still closed, leaving us unable to travel to say our goodbyes.