Meet Our Team
Who makes us, us?
We are a small team making a big difference.
Mat Bowtell
Founder & CEO
Mat worked as a senior engineer at Toyota in Australia and Japan for ten years before the automotive industry shutdown. He is passionate about the global sharing of technology and ideas with the goal of making assistive technology freely available to those who need it most.
Peta Strachan
Operations Manager
Peta has been friends with Mat since kindergarten! She takes care of the many operational aspects of running a charity and supports Mat in his role as CEO.
Yuka Bowtell
Data Manager
Yuka worked as a dietician in Japan before moving to Australia over 15 years ago. Her incredible memory keeps us on track and makes sure nothing falls through the cracks. Her lunchtime treats are greatly anticipated!
Lachie Thomas
Software Engineer
Lachie is writing the software which will power our low cost, multi-grip Bionic Arm. He started as a volunteer during his last year of university and shares a common vision for making assistive technology accessible.
Rebecca Nerosa
3D Print & Assembly Technician
Rebecca started as a volunteer but quickly became a permanent part of the team. Her attention to detail ensures that every device that leaves our lab is fine-tuned and printed exactly to spec. She also keeps our plants alive!
Interns, work experience & volunteers
At various times we welcome interns, work experience students and volunteers.
Governance
Our board consists of individuals who share and understand our purpose and passion. People who have come to us and generously volunteer their skills, time and knowledge to help us grow.
Scott Leis
Director
General Manager Broking – Insurance House Group. Scott reached out in 2019 with the intention of offering his unconditional support. He not only provided his knowledge and time but threw the resources of his entire team behind us. Scott helps Free 3D Hands navigate corporate partnerships and is passionate about keeping our WHY at the forefront of how we operate. Scott’s positivity, kindness and friendship are as highly valued as his skills.
Kale Rigano
Director
Principal – Norman Waterhouse Lawyers. After seeing Mat interviewed on channel 10’s The Project in 2019, Kale immediately identified how he could support Mat in setting up a charity. Kale and his team worked pro-bono to bring Free 3D Hands formally into existence and his expertise has been invaluable ever since.
Kim Jenkins
Director
Director Software Sales Operations Asia Pacific Japan – Micro Focus. Kim came to us through Mat’s relationship with the software company Micro Focus. Kim brings many years of experience in the corporate finance and operations sector to the board, as well as true generosity and a willingness to help oversee financial operations.