CEO
Revolving Fund Department
Fundraising & Communications Department
Covenanting Department
Finance & Administration Department
Members of Staff
Paul Toni - Chief Executive Officer
Paul has recently been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Nature Conservation Trust of NSW. More information about Paul will be uploaded soon.
Revolving Fund Department
Adam Dawson - Property Sales Manager
Lismore Office
Before joining the Nature Conservation Trust, Adam worked as a real estate agent in Northern NSW specialising in rural and agricultural property sales. Adam brought to rural real estate a firm grounding in all facets of farming and rural property management with a passionate love of the land. He has a long diverse family farming background in dairy, cropping and grazing throughout NSW.
One of Adam's concerns as a farmer and Sales Manager is ecological sustainability. It is his belief that for farming to continuing viably in our changing climate it must be done in balance with nature. Private conservation is one key element to ecological sustainability at the landscape level.
It is his close connection to traditional land management practices and his understanding of eco system functions and the role of private conservation that places him ideally as the Nature Conservation Trust Property Sales Manager.
Mal Scott - Property Manager Northern NSW
Carwell Station
Richard Walker - Property Manager Southern NSW
Hartwood Station
Richard has spent his entire life on the land. He began his career as a Jackaroo for 6 ½ years in the Central Tablelands and Riverina, then progressed on to become Manager of Toorale Station, Bourke, for Naroo Pastoral Co in the early 1970s. During his employement with Naroo Pastoral Co, Richard also managed Jemalong Station, Forbes and Oxley Station near Warren.
Since then, Richard has managed Euroka Station, Conargo for more than 35 years. Euroka, an agricultural property of predominantly merino sheep and beef cattle, neighbours Hartwood Station, north of the Yanko Creek. Richard's extensive experience with managing stock, conservation areas and irrigation sites has recently led him to join the Nature Conservation Trust as Property Manager for Hartwood Station.
Fundraising and Public Relations Department
Jodie Lewin - Fundraising and Public Relations Manager
Sydney Office
BAppSc (Biotechnology); GradDip Communications (Public Relations)
Jodie has over 15 years' experience in public relations, fundraising and corporate sponsorship, gained in the not for profit and tertiary education sectors. Prior to joining the NCT in August 2009, Jodie spent four years working for employment services organisation Job Futures in a marketing and program management capacity, focusing on the organisation's delivery of the Green Corps program. She also spent over three years working in public relations for Landcare Australia. Other roles have included working in Queensland University of Technology's Development Office and in public relations for The George Institute of International Health.
Jodie grew up surrounded by nature on a property near Wagga Wagga and, as a result, has always had a strong interest in conservation and the environment. She spends as much of her spare time as possible outdoors enjoying nature.
Covenanting Department
Kate Smillie - Northern Regional Manager
Lismore Office
BLaw (Hons), AssDegLaw, ConsLandMgt (Cert III)
Kate began working with the Nature Conservation Trust in 2005, developing the organisation's first covenant program for private land conservation in NSW. Prior to this, she spent six years working in in local government. Her roles have included Manager for Legal Services, Compliance Team Leader, and Project Manager for State of the Environment Reporting.
Kate has an active and professional interest in the natural environment, operating her own ecological restoration business. She has worked within National Park estate, private property and in World Heritage areas.
Kate has also provided academic tuition to students at Southern Cross University as a tutor in Local Government and Planning Law, Environmental Law and Aboriginal legal issues.
Dave Crooks - Central Regional Manager
Orange Office
BSc, Bush Regen (Cert IV)
Dave has worked in the Nature Resource Management industry since 1997 in Sydney, the Illawarra, the Blue Mountains and the Central West. He has worked for non-government organisations (Conservation Volunteers - Team Leader and Green Corps Leader); local Government (Orange City and Bathurst Regional Councils in parks and gardens, as a horticulturalist at the Orange Botanic Gardens and in community environmental engagement); State Government (National Parks and Wildlife Service Field Officer and Ranger for the Royal National Park, Botany Bay National Park and Blue Mountains National Park) and private enterprise.
Dave's career has focused on natural area management, engaging the community to protect the environment, environmental education and empowering individuals to help conserve Australia's unique flora and fauna.
Dave started working for the Nature Conservation Trust in 2007 and says the best thing about his job as Central Regional Manager is working with landholders from Sydney to Broken Hill, who want to protect the bush forever. In his time off Dave enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, loves bushwalking and is trying to perfect the art of making compost.
Nicky Bruce - Southern Regional Manager
Albury Office
BSc (Hons), PhD
Nicky joined the Nature Conservation Trust's Southern office in late 2007. She has a background in native grassland management, sustainable grazing and vegetation ecology, and her PhD research focused on monitoring native grasslands for biodiversity outcomes using satellite technology. Nicky is the Regional Manager of the Nature Conservation Trust's Southern Office
Nigel Jones - Conservation Manager
Albury Office
BAppSc (Parks, Recreation & Heritage)
In his role as Conservation Manager, Nigel provides input into conservation strategies and priorities for the Nature Conservation Trust across NSW. Nige is currently managing the Nature Conservation Trust's role in the Hume Highway Biodiversity Offsets Program and is based in Albury.
Nigel joined the Nature Conservation Trust in 2007 and has a wealth of experience in conservation on private land, including three years with the Tasmanian Private Forest Reserve Program. Previous roles include working with Holbrook Landcare Group, the development of Bush Tender & Habitat Hectares (Vic), Greening Australia, Land for Wildlife, native seed collection, and research into pre-European condition and structure of the woodlands of the NSW sheep-wheat belt. Nige is especially passionate about working with farmers and land managers to conserve threatened vegetation communities in fragmented landscapes.
Damian Wall - GIS Manager
Albury Office
BAppSc, MEnvMgt, MEIANZ, CENVP
Damian has 10 years experience in community consultation and facilitation, social research, community and regional planning, stakeholder facilitation and liaison. He is an experienced Project Manager and Environmental Compliance Auditor and has completed the Environmental Auditor Certification Workshop, which has been designed to meet the RABQSA accredited competency units for Environmental Auditing.
Skilled in the use and management of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Damian has many examples of excellent products and services provided through extension of this skill set. Having worked in rural areas for most of his life, Damian takes a practical approach to all tasks and prides himself in being able to deliver on time, on budget whilst exceeding expectations.
Georgia Beyer - Covenanting Project Manager
Lismore Office
BAppSc (Hons)
Georgia began working with the Nature Conservation Trust in 2007. She manages the covenant programs in northern NSW, has contributed to the development of the organisation's Plans of Management for covenanted lands and has been involved in the development of the conservation assessment methodology and general procedures for the state wide program.
Pior to this, Georgia spent 10 years undertaking fauna assessments and research, and completed undergraduate and honours studies at Southern Cross University. Most recently, Georgia has been a Research Assistant in fauna studies and Tutor at Southern Cross University for Ecology, Wildlife and Plant Identification units.
With an active and professional interest in forest policy, Georgia was a community participant in the development of the North East Regional Forest Agreement. Her involvement included operating as a Regional Coordinator for the North East Forest Alliance; as a community representative for the North Coast Environment Council on the North East State Forests Harvesting Advisory Board; and as a community representative for the North Coast Environment Council on the Upper North East Forest Forum.
Danielle Smetana - Covenanting Project Officer
Orange Office
BNatRes (Hons)
Danielle has a Degree in Natural Resources with Honours (Class 1) from the University of New England. She has worked as a Team Leader for Conservation Volunteers Australia on practical conservation projects across Central New South Wales.
Danielle has also worked in the Murrumbidgee catchment, developing Incentive Property Vegetation Plans with landholders and supporting community groups manage their natural resources. In 2005 and 2006 she spent several months volunteering with rural development non-government organisations in Sri Lanka and India.
Sam Niedra - Slopes to Summit Facilitator
Albury Office
BAppSc (Natural Resource Management)
Sam joined the Nature Conservation Trust in mid 2010. Sam has ten years experience working in the NRM industry in three regions of Victoria and now southern NSW. Prior to taking on his current role, Sam worked with Moreland City Council as their NRM Officer responsible for managing bushland maintenance and revegetation contracts, and developing partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders including community groups, management committees and government agencies. He also worked for five years with Greening Australia (Victoria), including two years working with landholders in Gippsland on remnant protection and revegetation projects. Sam has a broad range of experience in community facilitation, having run direct seeding workshops, organised community planting events and delivered training in weed management.
Finance & Administration Department
Barbara Miller - Accountant
Lismore Office
BBus (Accounting)
Barbara has 14 years of accounting experience across a range of small to very large organisations. Her roles have included financial management and planning; financial system management, human resources and administration.
Barbara joined the Nature Conservation Trust in 2005. During this time, she has established financial management systems that have enabled the Nature Conservation Trust to operate as a professional not-for-profit conservation organisation.
Denise Allen - Program Support Officer
Orange Office
AdDip Event Mgt, DipBus (HR Mgt & FL Mgt), Workplace Training & Assess (Cert VI)
Denise comes to the Nature Conservation Trust with extensive experience in various administrations roles within the University of Sydney and Charles Sturt University. She has also held management roles for OTC within the international communication industry.
