As the new financial year commences, we are pleased to share some exciting changes to the running of Shake It Up Australia Foundation. These changes are targeted at future growth and to the acceleration of our quest for a cure.

After four years as CEO of Shake It Up, Ben Young, has transitioned to a position on the Shake It Up board. He has re-joined the commercial construction sector as part of his day job but he is thrilled to commit his time and expertise to support the foundation as part of the board. As CEO Ben oversaw a period of significant growth which saw annual revenue climb from $223,000 to over $1M and the number of Australian Parkinson’s research projects funded increase from 4 to 23. We are grateful for Ben’s contribution as CEO and are delighted that his influence will continue as a Director.

This transition has opened the door for Clyde Campbell, our Founder, to move into the CEO role. Clyde’s passion for Parkinson’s research and his drive for better treatments and ultimately a cure is fierce. His vision in establishing Shake It Up has given real hope to the Parkinson’s community and has accelerated Parkinson’s research in Australia. Clyde is excited about the opportunity to once again Shake Things Up as the CEO of the Foundation and he and Ben look forward to continuing their close working relationship to maintain the stability and continuity that Shake It Up is so well known for.

Additionally, Shake It Up has strengthened its team with the introduction of Vicki Miller as our Executive General Manager, Strategic Partnerships. Vicki has a proven track record in the not-for-profit sector which includes the development and implementation of the nationally recognised Jeans for Genes campaign. Vicki is excited about working with our passionate community and already has many innovative initiatives in store.

These changes represent just another milestone in our quest for a cure. We are confident that they will generate growth – leading to more Parkinson’s research – whilst maintaining our strategic direction and core values.

We look forward to continuing our work to progress research towards a cure with the support of our committed staff and our loyal supporters.