The role of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations’ Budget and Finance Committee is responsible for reviewing the integrity of the organisation’s financial reporting and overseeing the independence of the external auditors.
Chair: David Ali, MND Australia
David says it is a real privilege to be elected to the Board of the International Alliance. He brings 25 years’ experience as an executive and non-executive Director on government and not-for-profit boards. Apart from MND, he is currently Treasurer of Communities That Care Australia. In his day job, he is the CEO of a not-for-profit membership-based professional peak association so he understands the importance of member-based organisations like the International Alliance. His professional background is in social policy (health, human services, justice) and corporate services. In his spare time David’s focus is on his family, keeping fit (ex long distance runner, now walker) and learning a new language.
David is passionate about helping to make a difference for people living with MND/ALS. For 18 years, he has volunteered his time and skills to the governance of two MND organisations in Australia, supported research, hosted and attended many events supporting MND/ALS, and participated at eight International Alliance meetings. David has been a Director of MND Australia since 2006 and was elected National President in November 2013. He has continued as a Director of MND Victoria since 2000 and was its State President from 2006 to 2013.
Committee Members
Gorrit-Jan Blonk, ALS Netherlands
I have been the CEO of ALS Netherlands for more than 4.5 years and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations since December 2015. As an Alliance delegate and a Board member, I joined the worldwide fight against ALS/MND because I strongly believe in international collaboration in all the things we do. By working together, we will defeat ALS/MND faster than only working nationally. Sharing ideas and working together in the Alliance is key. That is why I am proud to serve as a Board member.
Nick Goldup, MND Association of England
Nick joined the MND Association of England, Wales and Northern Ireland as Director of Care Improvement in August 2017 and joined the Board of the International Alliance in December 2018. Prior to this he spent 6 years as Director of Partnerships at the children’s charity Whizz-Kidz working alongside senior health commissioners and stakeholders to implement improvements to care and streamline procurement activities. Nick is a member of the UK National Wheelchair Alliance aiming to improve provision of wheelchairs for people living with MND and has worked as a Non-Exec Director of a wound and Lymphedema service for 5 years. Nick has also served as a national advisor for a selection of UK National Health Service and Department of Health improvement programmes.
Prior to his roles in the charity sector, Nick enjoyed a successful corporate career working in a variety of blue chip procurement roles over a 15 year period, including Tesco, AMEC, Mitsubishi Electric Europe and for three years as a buyer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
During his spare time Nick is a keen cyclist and runner having run the London Marathon twice, completed 7 triathlons and numerous cycling events including Land’s End to John O’Groats, 5 UK capitals in 12 days and London to Paris all of which combined raised £½ million for charity.
Nick says ‘ I am honoured to represent the MND Association as a member of the International Alliance and look forward to working with my International colleagues to support and improve outcomes for people living with MND/ALS’.
Andrea Pauls Backman, Les Turner ALS Foundation, USA
Andrea has been Chief Executive Officer of the Les Turner ALS Foundation since 2015. She brings both a professional and personal passion to ALS/MND having cared for and lost her mother, Sally, to the disease in 2010.
Andrea came to the ALS field following a 30 year career in business management as an institutional investment manager, including as a Managing Director at several investment firms. She also brings more than 15 years of nonprofit board management experience. She is honored to serve on the Board of Directors of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations.
Andrea holds a Master of Business Administration from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Loyola University of Chicago and is a certified public accountant. She also received a Professional Development Certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations from the Northwestern School of Professional Studies. Outside of the office, Andrea enjoys spending time with with her family, cooking and biking.
“I am in the ALS/MND fight because I’ve never seen more courageous, determined and selfless individuals than those with this disease. I am committed to do all I can to make their lives better and help find the key to the cure.”
Craig Stockton, MND Scotland
Craig has been involved with ALS/MND since joining MND Scotland in 2000 as Chief Executive. Prior to this he had worked within Local Government as a manager within the education department and as a senior manager with the charity Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), running Scotland’s only residential training and rehabilitation centre for blind and visually impaired adults. He is a past director of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care and is a founding member and immediate past chairman of the Neurological Alliance of Scotland, where he still sits on the executive board. He was part of the group that produced the General Medical Council’s (GMC) guidance for doctors on ‘Treatment and Care towards the end of Life’ and had considerable involvement in the development and review of the Neurological Health Service Standards for Scotland. In his spare time, he enjoys playing veterans rugby and is an active first aider (the two activities are not necessarily related!).
