Our board has been carefully created so that we are able to achieve the highest level of governance and professionalism for the Foundation.
Matt Cronin
Chair (Founder)
Matt is Pat’s father. Matt has been a partner in a financial planning business since 2004. Matt has been a board member of the AMP Financial Planners Association and Chair of Our Lady Help of Christians’ school board. Matt has served on the Committee of the Research Junior Football Club for 9 years including 3 years as President and as Secretary of the Lower Plenty Football Club. Matt is also a current member of the Victorian Government’s Victims of Crime Consultative Committee. Matt spends much of his free time cycling to stay fit and with his wife Robyn and children Emma and Lucas.
Robyn Cronin
Board Director (Founder)
Robyn is Pat’s mother. Robyn has been involved in many different community roles such as President of the Parents and Friends of Our Lady’s Primary School, merchandise manager at Research Junior Football Club and Lower Plenty Football Club and Team Coordinator at Eltham Calisthenics College. Robyn enjoys spending her spare time with her family Matt and her children; Emma and Lucas.
David Hrovat
Board Director
David is a secondary teacher at Ivanhoe Grammar School Plenty Campus where he has gained experience in developing and implementing curriculum through his roles as wellbeing coordinator and deputy head of year. He comes to the Foundation with a knowledge of the education system, further studies in adolescent counselling and a passion for the wellbeing of young adults.
David became involved in the Foundation after facilitating one of the first trials of the classroom education programs in 2018. After seeing firsthand the impact Pat’s story has on young adults, he wanted to assist in the growth of the Foundation and development of its educational programs.
Michael Bishop
Board Director
Michael is a partner with Pointon Partners Lawyers and has been practicing as a commercial lawyer for over twenty-five years. His practice areas include mergers and acquisitions and employment law.
Apart from his role with the Foundation, he is a long-standing committee member of several other not-for-profit bodies. As part of his legal practice, he regularly establishes not-for-profit entities for clients and provides advice to charities and not-for-profit bodies. In his spare time, Michael enjoys golf and running.
Phillip Ralph
Board Director
Phil is the CEO & Founder of The Leadership Sphere. Phil’s capability and passion is working with senior leaders and teams to achieve high levels of individual, team and organisational performance.
Through his personal connection to the family, Phil and TLS have been longtime supporters of the Pat Cronin Foundation. He is proud to have partnered with the Foundation on numerous occasions and recognises the impact the Foundation has on young people across Australia.
Stella Pruscino
Board Director
Stella is an Account Director and Shareholder at Edgewise Insurance Brokers, bringing over 30 years of expertise in Global Placement, Client Service, and Business and Product Development within the Risk and Insurance sector. Renowned for her passion for continuous learning and fostering connections, Stella empowers individuals and organisations to achieve their business and personal objectives.
A confident speaker and presenter, Stella has over 12 years of board experience and her leadership extends beyond professional achievements, as she champions community engagement and inclusivity through strategic governance and advocacy. As a mother of two young men, Stella’s commitment to child safety has been a lifelong priority. This dedication has evolved into a broader mission to create safe, supportive environments across her professional and community endeavours.
Grant Nichol
Board Director
Grant runs the Wholesale Operation for The Flavorite Group, Australia’s largest glasshouse producers of fresh produce. Grant has traded in the Melbourne Fruit Markets for almost 40yrs seeing many industry changes. Grant holds board positions on a variety of industry groups supporting the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable industry.
Grant, a father of two boys Lachlan (25) & Liam (22) living in the Diamond Valley followed Pat’s story and that of Matt & Robyn Cronin. Meeting Matt & Robyn at the Be Wise Ball in ’22 inspired Grant & his close friend Rick to set about preparing to take on the challenge of riding their push bikes from Alice Springs to Darwin (1,496km) in May ’23 in the “Ride 2 Be Wise”. The ride raised over $126,000.00 for the Foundation. Quite a challenge given Grant didn’t even own a bike when he agreed to the challenge let alone having never ridden any distance.
Joel Sardi
Board Director
Joel is a veteran and more importantly, a local. He grew up in Eltham and has connections throughout the community through sport and leisure.
Now involved with the Department of Veteran Affairs he finds purpose in improving the lives of those who have served and their families. No stranger to adversity, he brings a unique lens and perspective joining the Pat Cronin board to contribute to the incredibly impactful work already being done.
Geoff Dickson
Board Director
Geoff is a professor of sport management at La Trobe University. A Brisbane boy, Geoff started his academic career at Central Queensland University before a 14-year tenure at Auckland University of Technology. While in New Zealand, Geoff was a director of Gymnastics New Zealand, Tennis Northern, AFL New Zealand, and President of the Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand.
After failed sporting careers in Australian football, triathlon, and ultra-marathon, he considers golf to be his last chance to attain sporting mediocrity.
