CRC CARE Directors serve a term of two years with one half by number retiring on the date of each Annual General Meeting. The Board includes an independent Chairman who is elected annually.

Chairman Adjunct Professor Paul J Perkins  AM Australian National University B Bus, Dip. LGA, AMP (Harv.), FCPA, FAICD

Professor Perkins is chairman of Kimbriki Environmental Enterprises (Local Gov’t waste mgt and recycling-NSW), Foundation chairman of the Barton group, a national CEO alliance sponsoring Environment Industry Development and member of the Rosenberg International Water Policy Forum Board (University of California - Berkeley). He is independent chairman of the Audit committee of Land & Water Australia. He was CEO of ACTEW Corporation, a unique government-owned holding company which operates electricity, gas, water, sewerage and broadband telecommunications operations through ActewAGL, the first equity-based public-private partnership in multi-utility operations in Australia.

He has held board positions in more than a dozen companies and numerous government and industry committees and taskforces. He was previously a member of the Australian Government’s Business Roundtable on Sustainable Development and Chairman of the National Environmental Education Council. He has served on National Task Forces on Environmental Competitiveness, Export, and Critical Infrastructure, was the long time chairman of the Australian Science Festival and is presently adviser to governments on water, sustainability strategies and resource policy related matters. He is a past chairman of both Environment Business Australia and the Australian Environmental Export Corporation Ltd.

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Managing Director Professor Ravi Naidu BSc MSc PhD FSSSA, FASA, FNZSSS

Before joining CRC CARE, Professor Ravi Naidu was the inaugural Director of the Australian Research Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation. He has researched environmental contaminants, bioavailability, and remediation for over 20 years. Ravi has co-authored over 300 technical publications and co-edited 8 books in the field of soil and environmental sciences including field remediation of contaminated sites. Ravi has worked with scientists from USA, Europe and Asia on environmental contamination including the recent arsenic poisoning of people in Bangladesh, India and China.

Ravi was awarded a Gold Medal in environmental science in 1998 by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, elected to Fellow of Soil Science Society America in 2000 and also Fellow of Soil Science Society of New Zealand in 2004. He is the Chair of the Standards Australia Technical Committee on Sampling and Analyses of Contaminated Soils, Chair of the International Committee on Bioavailability and Risk Assessment, Chair of the of International Union of Soil Sciences Commission for Soil Degradation Control, Remediation and Reclamation, President of the International Society on Trace Element Biogeochemistry and sitting member of the Victorian EPA Contaminated Sites Auditor panel.

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Directors

Emeritus Professor Max Brennan  AO

Professor Brennan is an eminent scientist with his career commencing after graduating from the University of Sydney in 1954 with a BSc (Hons) and a PhD in 1958. His research has focused predominantly on cosmic rays, nuclear physics and plasma physics. Spending several years at Flinders University and Sydney University as Deputy Vice-Chancellor, he has also served on international and national committees, including the International Fusion Research Council (1987-1995), Australian Atomic Commission (Chairman, 1983-1987) and the Australian Research Council (Chairman, 1991-1997). Professor Brennan was the inaugural Chief Scientist for South Australia (2005-2007) and a consultant on higher education and research for The World Bank (1994-2007). He was made an Officer in the Order of Australia in 1985.

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Professor Ian Davey

Professor Davey joined the University of South Australia in 1994 as Pro Vice Chancellor and Vice President: Research and International.  In 2004 he became Pro Vice Chancellor and Vice President: Research and Innovation, until his retirement in late 2005.  A social historian, Professor Davey has a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in History and Geography and a Diploma of Education from the University of Melbourne and a Masters and PhD from the University of Toronto, Canada.  Prior to his appointment at UniSA, he held a number of senior academic roles at the University of Adelaide including Dean of Graduate Studies.

Nationally, he has been Chair of the Deputy and Pro Vice Chancellor (Research) Committee of the Australian Vice Chancellors Committee (1997) and President of the Australia New Zealand History of Education Society (1987). Ian has also been a director for the boards of both the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia's commercialisation companies, Luminis and ITEK.

In his retirement, Professor Davey, a partner in the Nine Gums vineyard, is involved in producing Brick Kiln Shiraz.  He is also Chair of the Mawson Lakes Innovation and Employment Opportunities Group.

 

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Dr Rod Lukatelich Environmental Manager - BP Refinery Kwinana Pty Ltd Water Technology Advisor - BP Refining Technology B.Sc. (Hons),  Ph. D.  MAIBiol.

Dr Lukatelich’s career has spanned academia, environmental consulting and  industrial environmental management. As Environmental Manager he is responsible for monitoring and reporting emissions, providing technical support, environmental impact assessment for new projects, solid waste management, groundwater production, soil and groundwater remediation and Cleaner Production initiatives.

Dr Lukatelich has published 52 refereed papers and book chapters in Environmental Science.

Rod is a member of the Environment Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Kwinana Industries Council; and member of WA Department of Environment Stakeholder Reference Group, WA Environmental Protection Authority Industry Reference Group  and Cockburn Sound Management Council.

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Dr Paul Vogel Chairman, Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia

Dr Vogel has a PhD in chemistry from the University of Western Australia. He is Chairman of the WA EPA which is the primary source of independent advice to Government on the environmental acceptability of development proposals.

Prior to his recent appointment to this position in late 2007, he was the inaugural Chief Executive and Chairman of the South Australian EPA from November 2002, with responsibilities for environmental regulation, development assessment and radiation protection.

Paul has worked across the three tiers of government, business and the community and has extensive experience and knowledge in organisational and regulatory reform and strategic and collaborative approaches to sustainability, natural resources management, waste management, air and marine quality, site contamination and radiation protection.

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Mark Hender

Mark Hender is an experienced Director and senior manager who has been involved with technology-based businesses for over 15 years.  He has a broad range of experience at a senior management level complemented by detailed experience in the strategic management of complex research, technology transfer, commercialisation and investment projects gained during the five years that he was responsible for the operations of ITEK, the commercialisation company of the University of South Australia.

Mark is very familiar with the challenges associated with establishing and managing start-up companies, and the role and responsibilities of acting as a Director of such companies.  His experience as a Director includes companies from a diverse range of technologies spanning the life sciences and physical sciences and he has been involved in raising capital for technology-based companies, both by securing venture capital and by leveraging grant funding.

Mark is a Rhodes Scholar from Victoria and holds a Master of Philosophy (Management) from Oxford University and a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Hons) from the University of New South Wales.  He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a director of a range of technology-based companies including ITEK, Spire Innovations, GroundProbe and GTA.

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Susie Smith Principal Sustainability Adviser Santos

Susie has over twelve-years professional experience in resource and environmental management.  As Santos Principal Sustainability Adviser Susie stewards sustainability management and climate change policy and strategy.  Susie published Santos inaugural Sustainability report in December 2004 and has developed Santos sophisticated approach to integrating and assessing sustainability performance across Santos businesses.  

Susie also stewards Santos climate change strategy, policy and reporting.   Susie represents Santos on the various climate change industry bodies including the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, the Australian Industry Greenhouse Network and the Australian Business and Climate Group.

Prior to joining Santos in 2003, Susie was the South Australia Manager for Ecos Consulting.  At Ecos Susie coordinated major infrastructure approval projects, developed site based environmental management plans and remediation strategies, developed training and induction programs and conducted site audits.  Susie also coordinated cultural heritage and native title approvals including the negotiation of Indigenous Land Use Agreements.

As a regular speaker at industry conferences Susie engages on a broad range of topics from sustainability and ecological footprint studies to climate change policy and emissions trading.

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Company Secretary Cathy Cooper

Cathy Cooper has significant experience as a company secretary, having held a number of positions in both private entities and publicly listed companies. These roles have provided Cathy with extensive skills in both corporate governance and procedural matters.  Incorporating her legal and business background, Cathy has strong expertise in areas including strategic planning, project management, business re- engineering and change management.

Cathy has a strong executive management background (with companies such as Elders LTD, Futuris Corporation, and Fosters Brewing Group) and has expertise in the specialist areas including IT, telecommunications, corporate services and contracts, banking and audit functions and all aspects of corporate governance.  Cathy has enjoyed great recognition as an industry leader and to this end she was a finalist in both the 1997 and 1998 Telstra Business Womens Awards.

Cathy is able to share her executive level experience across a broad industry base. She is a highly successful executive who has particular insight into achieving work/life balance.  Her board level experience also demonstrates her ability in the areas of people management, negotiation and strategic visioning.