ANZUP Employees
The ANZUP office is a small team who work closely with the multi-disciplinary membership, both nationally and internationally. All staff are focussed on supporting the research and fundraising activities of ANZUP, raising awareness of prostate, bladder, penile, kidney and testicular cancer, as well as the need for better treatments and outcomes for patients with these cancer types.
Samantha Oakes
Chief Executive Officer
Professor Samantha (Sam) Oakes PhD FRSN AAICD brings over 20 years of experience in the Health and Medical Research and Not for Profit sectors to the role of Chief Executive Officer, ANZUP Cancer Trials Group Ltd. With an established career in medical research, Sam’s research has led to important discoveries including new therapeutic and anti-metastatic strategies for hard-to-treat breast cancers and other cancers including pancreatic adenocarcinoma. In 2019-2020, Sam established and led the Long-Term Clinical Follow Up Unit in the Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre (AGCMC), now known as OMICO, one of Australia’s largest precision medicine programs. As Director, Research Investment, and member of the Senior Executive Leadership Team at the National Breast Cancer Foundation 2021-2024, Sam has led and overseen the distribution of over $45 million dollars in investment in world class breast cancer research, the development and implementation of the 2023-2028 NBCF Pink Horizon Research Strategy and contributed to organisation-wide change and growth. Sam is a passionate advocate and communicator of Health and Medical Research that will ultimately save lives, alleviate suffering, and improve quality of life and is committed to helping ANZUP continue to deliver on its mission of improving the lives of those diagnosed with Below the Belt cancers through practice-changing multidisciplinary collaborative clinical trials.
Sandra Jeffers
Administrator
Sandra Jeffers joined ANZUP in 2025 as the ANZUP Administrator. Sandra is responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of the office and providing high-level executive support to the CEO, senior management team, and the ANZUP membership. Previously, Sandra served as Research Grants Administrator at the National Breast Cancer Foundation for 8 years, where she oversaw a large portfolio of grants, coordinated grant rounds, liaised with researchers and committees, and ensured accurate reporting and compliance across all funding processes. Sandra holds a BSc in Public Health and Health Promotion from University College Cork, Ireland and brings expertise in executive support, stakeholder engagement, and process management across complex and fast-paced organisations.
Jenny Arkell
General Manager, Marketing and Engagement
Jenny recently joined ANZUP as General Manager, Marketing and Engagement. She brings over 25 years of marketing and communications experience spanning local and state government, the not-for-profit sector, and private enterprise. A strategic and results-driven leader, Jenny has a proven track record of developing and executing integrated marketing and communications strategies that drive awareness, engagement, and measurable outcomes. She has deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, known for building trusted relationships, navigating complex environments, and aligning diverse interests to achieve shared goals. Jenny has led high-impact membership engagement programs, using targeted campaigns and data-informed insights to enhance member value and retention. Her strengths include managing brand integrity, mitigating reputational risk, and delivering initiatives that balance commercial objectives with community priorities. Jenny is committed to raising brand awareness of the ANZUP Vision and Mission to help improve the lives of people diagnosed with Below the Belt cancers.
Nicole Tankard
Membership and Engagement Manager
Nicole has over 15 years’ communications experience, and has worked across a range of industries including financial services, professional services, telecommunications and energy.
Nicole holds a Bachelor Degree in Communications majoring in Public Relations and Marketing and joined ANZUP in 2019.
Min Liu
Membership Communications Specialist
Min has over 7 years’ experience in the media industry, which involves journalism, production, social media and digital marketing. She joined ANZUP in March 2023. Min is a skilled writer and storyteller, with a knack for distilling complex ideas into compelling narratives. She is also adept at creating multimedia content, including videos, graphics and infographics, to help bring our work to life for our audiences. Min holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and a Master’s Degree in Digital Communication and Culture.
Belle Healy
Marketing and Fundraising Officer
Belle has a Bachelor's degree in Cognitive and Brain Sciences and a background in nonprofit marketing and communications. A wordsmith with a passion for science, she digs into research to find the stories that matter, spotlighting the human side of cancer research and the real-world impact of clinical trials. Belle joined ANZUP in July 2024 and is driven to raise awareness and inspire action to help change lives.
Liz Peetz
Database Specialist
Liz is an experienced professional in database management and membership administration, working within the not-for-profit sector for over 16 years. Prior to joining the ANZUP team in July 2021, Liz worked in membership associations, including Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA). Being experienced in CRM database management and customisation, she brings a variety of beneficial skills to ANZUP.
Marcel Svatos
General Manager, Business and Philanthropy
Marcel has over 15 years of management experience in large and small organisations across seven different industries in Australia and Europe. As a true generalist, Marcel's key competences include people management, leadership, customer/member/donor/stakeholder engagement, implementation of new systems and technology, and efficiency improvements as well as streamlining of processes. Marcel has corporate governance experience, including reporting to board of directors and the development of strategy and business plans.
Sarah Johnson
Grant Development Officer
Sarah joined ANZUP in January 2025 as Administrator and has recently transitioned into the role of Grants Development Officer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and brings extensive experience in research compliance, research support, administration, and project management. Before joining ANZUP, Sarah worked at the National Breast Cancer Foundation in Sydney and, during 10 years overseas, in the Research and Education Department at the Equine Veterinary Medical Centre in Qatar. In her new role, Sarah is responsible for strengthening ANZUP’s fundraising efforts by identifying and securing grants from trusts and foundations to support ANZUP’s investigator-initiated clinical trials.
Jennifer Thompson
General Manager, Cancer Research
Ms Jennifer Thompson holds a Masters in Health Policy and is an experienced research operations manager and manager of research strategy and partnership. Jennifer has built her career across multiple settings including pharmaceutical clinical trials, cooperative group clinical trials, site management of research, and management of research and research governance in the not-for-profit sector. Jennifer leads the research management team at ANZUP, supports research project development activities, and ensures ANZUP’s research maintains high levels of oversight and adherence to regulatory requirements.
Tom Cusick
Senior Clinical Trials Project Manager
Thomas has an academic background in medical sciences and research. The excitement, challenges and opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of others inspired Thomas to pursue a career in clinical trials research. Prior to joining the ANZUP team in June 2020, he previously worked at The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre and the St Vincent’s Prostate Cancer Centre; where he accumulated substantial research experience managing multiple clinical trials.
Antoinette Fontela
Senior Clinical Trials Project Manager
Antoinette has an academic background in science and has worked in the health industry for over 20 years, with the majority of that experience being in medical oncology clinical trials research. Prior to joining the ANZUP trials team in March 2022, she worked at St George Hospital, Cancer Care Centre as a Senior Trials Coordinator managing a number of clinical trials in different cancer types and phases including ANZUP sponsored trials. Antoinette wanted to continue working in oncology clinical trials and loves how ANZUP transitions concepts and ideas into clinical trials. She finds it highly rewarding knowing participants have access to clinical trials and are able to benefit from research.
Archana Nair
Senior Clinical Trials Project Manager
Archana has been working in the field of clinical research for the last 12 years, with an academic background in biochemistry. Being a recipient of the New Zealand Association of Clinical Research Scholarship in 2015, she was able to achieve a certificate of proficiency in Introduction to Clinical Research and Clinical Trial Practice, Ethics and Clinical Research, and Qualitative Methods in Clinical Research, offered by Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand. Her experience in clinical trials spans across medical oncology, radiation oncology, haematology, CAR T-cell, DMD and achondroplasia clinical trials. Prior to moving to ANZUP, she worked as a clinical research team lead at the Clinical Research Centre, in The Children’s Hospital at Westmead managing a portfolio of DMD and achondroplasia clinical trials. She also worked as a Clinical Trials Start Up Officer for early phase/complex – advanced therapeutics portfolio in secondment at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Vinod Subhash
Translational Research Operations Manager
Vinod Subhash, PhD is a biomedical scientist with over 10 years of experience in cancer research, specifically focusing on solid tumors. At ANZUP, Vinod leads the Translational Research Operations, bringing a unique combination of academic research expertise and operational insights to cancer clinical trials. Prior to joining ANZUP, Vinod's post-doctoral research focused on biomarker studies for early detection and response monitoring in cancers.
Stephanie Attwell
Clinical Trials Coordinator
Stephanie is the Clinical Trials Coordinator for ANZUP. She holds a doctorate degree in clinical psychology and a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy. She joins the team with more than five years' experience in oncology clinical trials having worked in various roles in both academic and hospital settings. She has also previously worked on other research areas, such as mental health and musculoskeletal conditions. Prior to a career shift to clinical trials, she was previously an educator for ten years, having taught both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Alex Paine
Clinical Trials Assistant
Alex completed his Bachelors of Medical Science from UNSW in 2022, majoring in medical microbiology and pharmacology. Prior to joining ANZUP, he spent 3 years developing and revising health policies and procedures within the education sector. At ANZUP, Alex provides support to our Project Managers, manages trial finances and liaises with trial sites, staff and vendors to ensure smooth trial operations. Alex is passionate about clinical trials and is dedicated to advancing medical research and fostering innovation in the development of cancer treatment.
ANZUP FELLOWS
Nadia Hitchen
ANZUP WEHI Joint Fellow
Dr Nadia Hitchen is an ANZUP Clinical Research Fellow, contributing to the development and delivery of investigator-initiated clinical trials aimed at improving outcomes for people with genitourinary (GU) cancers. In this role, she works closely with multidisciplinary teams across Australia and New Zealand to support innovative trial design, trial management, and collaborative research initiatives. Alongside her ANZUP role, Dr Hitchen is a medical oncologist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, specialising in GU cancers, colorectal cancer, and phase I clinical trials. She also holds a Clinical Research Fellowship at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, where she focuses on real world GU oncology research.
Martha Gerges
ANZUP/TGI Project Development Manager
Miss Martha Gerges is the Oncology Development Senior Project Manager at The George Institute for Global Health, working in a dedicated partnership role with ANZUP to support the development of high-quality, operationally robust oncology clinical trials. She leads early-phase trial development, feasibility assessment, costing, and operational readiness to ensure concepts are strategically shaped and delivery pathways are clear across sites, governance, data management, and statistics. Martha brings extensive experience from Cancer Australia, where she contributed to national clinical trials initiatives, trial development processes, and strategic funding programs. A strong advocate for practical, well-designed operational systems, Martha focuses on strengthening trial readiness, feasibility assessment, and sustainable delivery models that position CTGs for long-term impact. Martha holds a Master of Science in Medicine from UNSW, where her research examined health literacy and oncology outcomes, and a Bachelor of Psychology from Macquarie University and is committed to advancing ANZUP’s capacity to deliver practice-changing trials in urogenital and prostate cancer.