Board Members

Jonathon Howard - Chair

Dr Jonathon Howard lives on a small farm in Jindera, near Albury. He is deputy head and course director of the School of Environmental Science at Charles Sturt University. His research and teaching focuses on the socio-psychological dimensions of water policy and management.

Jonathon is currently team leader of the Human Dimension Research Group within the Institute of Land, Water and Society, which is the largest group of social scientists working on natural resource management issues in Australia. Prior to this, he worked in natural resource management for the NSW Government for over 10 years, where the quality of his programs was recognised by three Landcare awards.

Jonathon is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has qualifications in business, environmental science and natural resource management.

Michael Williams – Deputy Chair

Michael is the principal of Michael Williams and Associates Pty Ltd, a Sydney-based natural resource management, strategic planning, facilitation and communications company.

With qualifications in geology and geomorphology, Michael started his career tutoring in the School of Earth Sciences at Macquarie University, Sydney, and then worked with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in education, interpretation and natural area investigation. He has been consulting in natural resource management since 1986 and formed his own company in 1988.

Michael has had a long-standing commitment to private land conservation through his involvement with and consultations to South Australia’s Heritage Agreement Scheme, the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement, Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area and private and non-government organisations, natural resource management regional bodies, State, Commonwealth and US-based organisations.

Michael is a former president of the Environmental Institute of Australia and New Zealand (NSW Division) and is a member of the IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas.

Tom Grosskopf

Tom Grosskopf is the director of the Landscapes and Ecosystems Conservation Branch of the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water. He has responsibility for the legislative framework and policy development for native vegetation, threatened species and private native forestry issues; the delivery of innovative programs directed at improving the assessment of biodiversity assets (such as biobanking); the engagement of Aboriginal people in biodiversity management programs; and the design and delivery of programs to create incentives for private land managers to protect and enhance important environmental assets on private land.

Tom had previously worked for more than 15 years in the public sector, mainly in rural NSW. During this time, he worked within primary industries, environment and natural resource agencies.

Tom has qualifications in earth sciences and environmental planning.

Megan Kessler

Megan has qualifications in natural resource management and has worked for both government and non-government organisations.

Her career has included positions focused on Landcare and Coastcare, threatened species management and working with low-income households to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Megan is a board member of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW and an active Landcare volunteer in Sydney’s western suburbs. She is currently working on a PhD designed to improve the management of the NSW whale-watching industry.

Mark Forstmann

Mark Forstmann has a diverse background in investment management, film and television production, science and conservation. He began his career in IT and investment management.

Mark made the awarding-winning feature film Monkey Puzzle and has produced documentaries for the ABC and National Geographic. Among other things, his films explore environmental themes.

Since 2000 Mark has been a non-executive director of Hunter Hall International, Australia’s largest ethical fund manager, where he is part of the risk management, audit and investment committees. From 1987 to 1994 he worked in investment banking with Banque Indosuez, in France and Australia, and prior to that with Bank America.

Mark has demonstrated an active interest in conservation throughout his career. Since 2006 he has been a climate change ambassador with The Climate Project, an affiliation between the Australian Conservation Foundation and Al Gore. He also contributes articles to Ethical Investor magazine.

Mark has qualifications in both science, and film and television production.

Tim Hughes

Tim has qualifications in science, economics and natural resource management. He is a respected figure in the Australian investment industry and currently the chief investment officer of a major industry superannuation fund, as well as being an economics and finance columnist for the Brisbane Courier Mail.

Tim began his career with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, before moving into the finance sector in 1983. He held various senior positions with Rothschild Australia Limited before starting his own boutique investment management business, which managed funds for many of Australia’s largest superannuation funds.

Tim brings strong financial skills to the board, as well as substantial experience in business management, policy development and natural resource management.