Our Leadership Team

Our Leadership Team (aka our Board of Directors) is committed to success in all areas of
support, education and research for GBS, CIDP and related conditions.

Kath Donaldson
CEO, Founding Director

Diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome in August 2011.

Jeff Ibbotson
Founding Director

Diagnosed with CIDP in
mid-2014.

Gina Lawrie
Secretary, Founding Director

Diagnosed with CIDP in December 2020

Chris Nemeth
Chair, Founding Director

Diagnosed with CIDP in August 2021

Joanne Colonnello

Director

My CIDP journey likely began decades ago with vague symptoms, but they didn't significantly impact me until I started consistently running in 2007, when I developed a slight foot drop. I was then diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. I accepted this diagnosis and got on with life, staying very active and attributing all my symptoms to CMT. In 2016, a sudden, severe deterioration brought a shopping list of symptoms: extreme fatigue, widespread numbness, shooting pains, balance issues, and countless others. By the end of 2016, I was diagnosed with CIDP. Genetic testing years later ruled out CMT.

Finding the GBS CIDP support group gave me a greater understanding of CIDP and the myriad symptoms associated with it. Learning from others living with the condition validated my experience and opened my eyes to different treatment options.

I responded positively to IVIg, but despite improvement, I wasn't thriving. Although extremely grateful for the treatment, the 3-weekly cycle left me very restricted. Transitioning to weekly SCIG was transformative. I regained independence, dramatic improvement in symptoms, and the ability to exercise and engage fully in life again.

Today, I'm passionate about helping others achieve positive treatment outcomes and advocating for SCIg access. I understand that finding "your people" - others who truly understand your condition - changes everything. CIDP symptoms are many and often difficult to explain until you meet someone else living with them. I also understand the unique challenges of managing chronic illness while raising children and sustaining an income.

I am eternally grateful to the generous blood donors and Lifeblood for my life-altering treatment. Ironically, for many years, I worked for the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. I educated people about plasma and how it was used to make immunoglobulin (Ig). I explained that 1 in 3 people will need blood or blood products in their lifetime. Now, that's me.

My mission is to ensure others know they're not alone, and that finding the right treatment and community can transform your life, just as it has mine.

See Our Founders for personal stories of our Founding Directors.

Nicole Tait

CFO

My journey with CIDP has been anything but straightforward — and it’s far from over.

I’m a mother, a wife, and a business owner. I’ve always lived life fully — constantly on the move, connecting with friends, exploring new experiences. Travel has always been a big passion of mine.

In November 2023, I began experiencing numbness and tingling in my feet. I knew something wasn’t right. I saw many doctors to no avail or official diagnosis. It wasn’t until a chance conversation with a friend and colleague that I first heard of Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. That moment changed everything. In May 2024, I was formally diagnosed with CIDP.

The path since then has been incredibly challenging. Constant ups and downs. I haven’t responded to conventional treatments, started chemotherapy, and am barely walking at this stage. In the meantime, I saw a haematologist to discuss Mexico stem cell treatment as I am barely walking at this stage. Between my neurology team and haematologist, they have found some rare cells that are affecting my neuropathy. I will be starting a new chemotherapy later in the month (July 2025) to target these cells and hopefully improve my mobility.

This experience has been confronting in many ways, but I have learnt so much through it. My daughter discovered this support group as a way to support me, and through it all, I’ve been continually reminded of the power of friendship, community, and resilience.

I want people to know that self-advocacy is so important in navigating complex health issues. Trust your intuition. Ask questions. Keep searching. And above all, surround yourself with people who lift you up. It makes all the difference.

Natalie Ng

Director

My Multifocal Motor Neuropathy journey started in 2013 while I was pregnant with my twin boys. My right thumb started experiencing weakness and by the time I gave birth my whole hand was effected - I kept dropping things, couldn't carry anything heavy and I'd get a sore wrist after writing or typing for only a short while. I was misdiagnosed with carpal tunnel, told it was permanent nerve damage after a B12 deficiency.. nobody could really help and nothing I tried to alleviate the issue helped.

Fast foward to late 2021 - I woke up several days after my covid vaccine and couldn't move my right foot. That was a scary trip to the ED! But it led me to the right neurologist who finally did the right testing and diagnosed me with MMN. Now I have IVIG every 3 weeks and have recovered quite a bit of functionality. Which is good as I'm a busy mum of 3 teenage boys and one naughty (but cute!) Labradoodle.

The hardest part for me has been not being able to work as my lack of fine motor skills and inability to stand for long periods means my degrees in Adult Learning and Psychology go unused! So to help my brain be productive and to give back to the foundation that helped me learn all about MMN, I am passionate about volunteering with GBS CIDP Support and making sure no one else with MMN goes without support.