.
DAISI’s Executive Committee consists of a Chair, Deputy Chair, Treasurer, & Secretary. The Executive Committee reports to the Board of Directors.
.
Prof Christophe Berney. Chair
Email Prof Christophe Berney
Prof Christophe Berney is the current DAISI Chair elected on 3rd May 2022. Prior to this he was the Deputy Chair from 2020 until May 2021 and acting Secretary in 2019. Prof Berney is a General surgeon from Sydney with expertise in colorectal, upper GI and thyroid surgery and hernia surgery having both public and private hospital appointments. Prof Berney is head of department of general surgery at Bankstown hospital and also a Conjoint Professor with the University of NSW. Prof Berney has a keen interest in humanitarian work in developing countries and first volunteered with DAISI in Gizo (Solomon Islands) in September 2017, has returned to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and PNG as a DAISI volunteer on a numerous occasions.
Prof Konrad Richter. Deputy Chair
Email a/Prof Konrad Richter CV
Prof Konrad Richter is the deputy Chair of DAISI elected in May 2022. Prior to this from 2019 until May 2022 he was the elected Fiji Program Officer for DAISI. a/Prof Richter is a Colorectal Surgeon, and member of the CSSANZ with a particular interest in cancer surgery. Konrad is also trained in endoscopy/colonoscopy, laparoscopic surgery, upper GI & endocrine surgery. Konrad is originally from Germany but is now an established surgeon in Invercargill Hospital in the South Island of New Zealand. He has is a keen teacher, Associate Dean Southland at the Dunedin School of Medicine and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Otago. Konrad has been an active volunteer with DAISI in Fiji, and the Solomon Islands with a particular interest in the training of surgical trainees and the organisation of overseas electives.
Mr Sam Deylami is DAISI’s elected Treasurer. Sam has experience in Industrial Management and Finance and member of The Institute of Public Accountants. Mr Deylami advises DAisi in all finance matters. In addition Mr Deylami provides pro bono services to a number of other charitable organisations including the Haemophilia Foundation New South Wales, Launchpad Youth Community, Ryde Persian School and some other charities
Dr Gary McKay is the founding member of DAISI, current board member and the elected Secretary of DAISI. A general & colorectal surgeon from Sydney, Dr McKay and his wife Roshini first became involved in development aid work in India in 1993, where they worked as volunteers for several years establishing a health clinic & Vision 2000 Community Health Centre in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. In 2015 Dr McKay and his wife Roshini and surgical registrar Dr Sepehr Lajevardi conducted their first DAISI volunteer trip to Gizo Hospital in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands, with numerous DAISI trips to the South-Pacific since.
Mr Sam Deylami – Treasurer
Dr Gary McKay. Secretary
Dr McKay is passionate about social injustice issues and part of his drive is a desire to address the imbalance in wealth that exists between Australia and its closest South-Pacific Neighbours with regard to access to health care services and basic essential resources.
