The VCCC Alliance is pleased to announce Dr Christine De Nardo, Chief Operating Officer of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI), has been awarded this year’s Jo Leonard Memorial Scholarship.
The $14,500 scholarship enables the recipient to undertake the Senior Women in Leadership Program at the Melbourne Business School from 8–12 October 2025.
Dr De Nardo leads ONJCRI’s Research Support portfolio, which spans finance, legal, people and culture, IT, communications, philanthropy, ethics and governance, and laboratory operations.
She is an active member of the Institute’s Clinical Trials Governance Committee and provides leadership in biobanking governance and workforce development. As part of the Executive Team, she serves as a guest on the ONJCRI Board and contributes to several Board Sub Committees, including People and Culture, Marketing and Fundraising, Investment and Finance, and Audit and Risk. Dr De Nardo also overseas the Institute’s Student, Postdoc, EDI and Sustainability committees, among others.
Dr De Nardo said by undertaking the Senior Women in Leadership program she hoped to further develop her authentic leadership skills, and to bring learnings from the program to support progress in gender equity and diversity across all aspects of the Institute and the broader business community.
This scholarship is in honour of Jo Leonard who was a long-standing and valued member of the Melbourne Business School. A mother to a teenage daughter and son, wife, and loved friend and family member to many, Jo lost her battle to ovarian cancer in August 2016.
Jo first commenced with the Melbourne Business School in 1999 supporting Executive Education programs as a facilitator and executive coach. She worked with many public and private sector clients including the highly successful BHP Billiton Graduate Program where she was instrumental in its delivery for a number of years. Jo was also a key facilitator and feedback specialist on the MBS Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) programs.
Anyone who had the privilege of knowing Jo will know she was incredibly professional and highly dedicated to her work. She had an engaging personality, a curious mind and a very special warmth. Colleagues and participants alike benefited from her passion and focus on developing others.
