Leadership Team

Professor Nick Gottardo is Clinical Director of the WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre, Head of the Paediatric Oncology and Haematology Department at Perth Children’s Hospital, co-leads the Brain Tumour Research team at The Kids Research Institute Australia and is a Professor at The University of Western Australia.  

Associate Professor Joost Lesterhuis is Scientific Director of the WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre, Head of cancer research at The Kids Research Institute Australia, Head of The Kids Sarcoma Translational Research team and Adjunct Associate Professor at The University of Western Australia. Associate Professor Lesterhuis has a background as a dual-trained medical oncologist and researcher in tumour immunology and cancer biology. 

Emma Stone is the General Manager of the WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre, and holds a joint position between The Kids Research Institute Australia and the Child Adolescent Health Service. Previously, as Senior Program Manager of Cancer Research at The Kids, Emma played a pivotal role in driving the Centre's strategic and operational direction, leveraging her dual background in science and business.

Will is the Program Manager, Paediatric Oncology and Haematology at Perth Children's Hospital and the Clinical Operations Lead for the WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre. He was formally trained through the Senior Leadership Management Programme, a competitive development pathway within the UK's NHS.

Dr Santosh Valvi is a Paediatric Oncologist at Perth Children’s Hospital, leading WA's first Oncology Early Phase Clinical Trials Unit.  Dr Valvi drives translational and clinical research capacity through strong collaborations across local, national, and international networks.

With more than 20 years of experience in paediatric oncology nursing, Liz is currently Nurse Coordinator for the Perth Children's Hospital Oncology and Haematology Department, where she co-leads the service alongside the Program Manager and Head of Department.

Professor Kotecha is a highly qualified clinician-scientist. He has been working as a Consultant in Child and Adolescent Haematology/Oncology in Perth, Western Australia since 2012, is Co-Head of The Kids Research Institute Australia Leukaemia Translational Research team and is a Professor at Curtin University.

Dr Jessica Buck is an emerging leader in childhood cancer research, with a particular focus on cancer in First Nations children and childhood brain cancer.

Professor Nick Gottardo is Clinical Director of the WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre, Head of the Paediatric Oncology and Haematology Department at Perth Children’s Hospital, co-leads the Brain Tumour Research team at The Kids Research Institute Australia and is a Professor at The University of Western Australia.  

Associate Professor Raelene Endersby is an internationally recognised cancer researcher with extensive expertise in translational research in paediatric brain cancers. She co-heads The Kids Research Institute Australia Brain Tumour Research team and is an Associate Professor at The University of Western Australia, driving innovative studies to identify therapeutic targets and design smarter treatment combinations for childhood cancers.

Associate Professor Joost Lesterhuis is Scientific Director of the WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre, Head of cancer research at The Kids Research Institute Australia, Head of The Kids Sarcoma Translational Research team and Adjunct Associate Professor at The University of Western Australia. Associate Professor Lesterhuis has a background as a dual-trained medical oncologist and researcher in tumour immunology and cancer biology.