Education
After a career break with the birth of her two children, Morand returned to university and completed her Arts degree at Louisiana Trobe University with an honours year in Sociology, majoring in statistics.
After a career break with the birth of her two children, Morand returned to university and completed her Arts degree at Louisiana Trobe University with an honours year in Sociology, majoring in statistics.
Prior to joining BCNA, Morand was Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development and Minister for Women"s Affairs in the Brumby Ministry, and held the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Mount Waverley. Before being elected to Parliament, she was a researcher at Cancer Council Victoria and ministerial adviser. Prior to entering politics she was a nurse and transplant coordinator.
Morand was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011.
Morand has a background in health, research and politics. After commencing her career as a general nurse, Morand was one of the first organ transplant coordinators in Victoria.
This led to a research role at the Centre for Behavioural Research at the Cancer Council Victoria and work on a diverse range of projects including evaluation of the Quit program and cancer patient needs. Morand went on to become an advisor to John Thwaites, the newly elected Victorian Minister for Health and Deputy Premier, working across a range of public health policies and programs and health practitioner regulation.
During her time in Parliament, she served for four years on the board of the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) and held a range of senior government positions including Parliamentary Secretary for Health.
On 2 August 2007, newly appointed Premier John Brumby announced a cabinet reshuffle in which Morand was elevated to the newly created portfolio of Children and Early Childhood Development. She was also appointed Minister for Women"s Affairs. As Minister for Women"s Affairs she was a passionate advocate for women"s equality of opportunity and the prevention of violence against women, and led major legislative reform in women"s health.
In 2008, Morand introduced the Abortion Law Reform Bill.
The passage of the bill decriminalised abortion in Victoria up to twenty four weeks and up to the moment of birth if two doctors grant approval. As a consequence of her pro-choice advocacy she was targeted by Right to Life organisations before and during the campaign for the 2010 Victorian election.
At that election, she lost her seat to the Liberal candidate, Michael Gidley. Morand was appointed as BCNA"s Chief Executive Officer in November 2011.
Her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment earlier in the same year has provided her with an intimate knowledge and understand of the issues and challenges faced by women with breast cancer and their families around Australia.
Morand took over as Chief Executive Officer from BCNA founder Lyn Swinburne in November 2011. Morand ran unsuccessfully as the Australian Labor Party (ALP) candidate for the federal electorate of Kooyong in the 1998 election, achieving a 2.4% swing towards the ALP. She won the Liberal-held Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Mount Waverley in the 2002 election, at the age of 43.
