board and trustees

Phil Orchard spent five years as Chief Executive Officer to RSLWA before retirement in September 2016 due to the onset of Parkinson’s Disease. His Naval career spanned 34 years serving the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy in all ranks from Junior Seaman to Commander.  On completion of his appointment as Commanding Officer of HMAS STIRLING he left the RAN taking on the role as Head of the British Consulate in WA for five years before becoming CEO.

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He was appointed a Trustee in July 2017 becoming the Chair of Trustees in August 2023.  Additionally, Phil is Patron to three  Ex Service Associations and has recently been appointed as a Director to the BrainWaves Trust, a not for profit agency dealing with neurological diseases. He remains on the Consumer Advisory Panel with the School of Medical and Health Sciences at Edith Cowan University conducting research in Systematic Profiling in Neurological (SPIN) conditions.

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In the 2018 Australia Day honours list Phil received the Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for significant service to Veterans and their families in Western Australia through administrative roles. He received further recognition in 2021 when receiving a National Australia Day Council Achievement Medallion for his significant contribution to veterans and their families during his continuous service at RSLWA.