Who we are: Trustees

Diane completed her education at Seymour College in Adelaide followed by a period as a social worker. After becoming a bookseller in 1970, she married Neil Balnaves in 1971 and moved to Mosman.

With a passion for helping others Diane continues spent many years volunteering in the Mosman community and sits on the Ensemble Theatre Foundation board.

From her background as a bookseller, and years of community service, Diane has a keen interest in supporting literacy projects and programs that promote equity.

Hamish is the son of Neil and Diane. Hamish graduated from Sydney University with a degree in Economics (Social Science) and later did a diploma of Education at UNSW. Hamish worked as a teacher for ten years in Sydney and overseas. In 2009 he began work at the family office and is the CEO of The Balnaves Foundation.

Victoria is the youngest daughter of Neil and Diane. For the last 15 years Victoria has worked primarily in the PR & Events industry for various agencies and most recently has established her own consultancy firm which specialises in Luxury/Lifestyle PR & Events. Victoria has a Bachelor of Arts (Sydney University), Diploma in Fashion Business (FBI Fashion College), Certificate in Image Consulting (Istituto Marangoni - Milan) and is currently completing her Bachelor of Interior Design.

A practicing Physiotherapist, Brad owns and is Managing Director of Sydney Physiotherapy Solutions, encompassing two state-of-the-art clinics in Sydney’s CBD with a team of 10 expert clinicians.

Brad completed his Bachelor of Science (Brigham Young University), Master of Physical Therapy (University of Utah) and Doctor of Physical Therapy (University of Saint Augustine) degrees while playing competitive tennis in the USA. His clinical and research interests focus on knee injury and rehabilitation, and he has authored publications in peer-reviewed journals, including the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine and the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. He has lectured internationally and is currently an adjunct faculty member at Ohio State University.

Brad sits on both the Medical Committee and the Investment Committee of The Balnaves Foundation and has been a Trustee since the Foundation’s inception in 2007.

Philip was a General Practitioner in Mosman for over 40 years. He was also a Director of the Mosman Rowers Club.

The daughter of Alexandra Balnaves and the eldest grandchild of Neil and Diane, Caillean joined the Foundation’s Board of Trustees in 2017.

Caillean’s childhood was spent on the NSW Mid-North Coast, before moving to Sydney where she attended the University of Sydney, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with a focus on Socio-Legal Studies. She completed an Honours Year in Sociology through the University of New England.

In 2024 Caillean moved overseas to Scotland, living and working in Edinburgh until her return to Sydney in early 2026 where she joined the Foundation as a Communication and Grants Officer.

Caillean is passionate about the work of the Foundation, most particularly grants which focus on supporting young people through education and the arts. In addition to her work with the Foundation, she is enthusiastic about supporting the environment, social and legal policy and enjoys increasing her knowledge on a wide variety of topics. She is currently undertaking a part-time Masters in Ancient History.

Deborah has over 35 years’ experience in consumer businesses including media and entertainment in Australia and United States. Currently Deborah is Chief Executive Officer of national charity, Camp Quality. Prior to this, she was Chief Executive Officer of Ardent Leisure Group. Deborah is regarded as one of Australia’s most successful and respected media executives having managed some of Australia’s most popular magazine brands including Editor-in-Chief of The Australian Women’s Weekly, Elle, Cleo and Mode. An experienced director, Deborah was a council member of the National Library of Australia for three terms, and Deputy Chair for three years.