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Executive

Everlasting. Image: P Castle

Chief Executive Officer: Professor Owen T Nevin

Owen is an experienced conservation biologist and research leader.  As a population and behavioural ecologist with more than 20 years’ experience in the conservation and management of large carnivores globally, Owen has extensive experience in senior leadership in higher education and research.

Previous positions include Head of the National School of Forestry (UK), Dean of Graduate Research, and, most recently, Associate Vice-Chancellor at CQUniversity Australia.  Owen is the Independent Chair of the Port Curtis Integrated Monitoring Program and Associate Editor of Ursus. He holds an Adjunct Professorship at CQUniversity.

Owen held the prestigious position of Stokes-Leopold Memorial Scholar at Utah State University from 2002 to 2003.  In 2003 he was elected to the Society for Conservation Biology’s European Board where he served for six years and later served on the Global Board of Governors from 2010 to 2013.  In 2008 he was elected as a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London and 2017 was appointed as Anniversary Visiting Professor of Conservation Biology at the University of Cumbria.

Much of Owen’s research work has been focused around advancing the conservation of threatened species and their habitats through developing better management and understanding of behaviour and ecosystem function, and human impacts including ecotourism and resource exploitation. In conducting this work, he has applied a combination of behavioural, spatial and economic tools to gain novel insights into population processes.  Techniques applied in these studies range from satellite telemetry and spatial modelling, through to remote camera trapping, genetic sampling, and direct ethological observation.

Owen holds a BSc (Hons) in Biology and Ecology from the University of East Anglia (UK) and a PhD in Wildlife Ecology from Utah State University (USA).





Strategic Engagement Director : Preeti Castle

Preeti has expertise in building strategies that engage stakeholders and build trusted partnerships. With specialist expertise in transforming complex scientific and technical concepts into plain language, Preeti has more than 25 years’ experience in strategic communications and engagement across business, science and technology, environment and sustainability.

Preeti’s previous experience includes senior engagement and operational roles in the financial services sector, with non-profit organisations and a secondment with the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Preeti established a successful niche consulting firm which, for more than seven years, assisted resource companies, and science and technology organisations to communicate and successfully engage with target stakeholders, both nationally and internationally.

As a member of the National Council of the Australian Science Communicators, Preeti has a focus on maximising opportunities for communication and translation, for the effective transfer of knowledge to science end users. Preeti is on the Board of the Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia, contributing to restoration practice in the region. Previous board roles include Deputy Chair of the Munda Biddi Trail Foundation where Preeti led strategic planning.

As the Strategic Engagement Director at The Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute, Preeti leads stakeholder engagement and communications strategies that inform the development of end user led, prioritised biodiversity science research.

Preeti is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds an M.B.A. from The University of Western Australia and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Murdoch University.





Program Director, Biodiversity Data and Information Management: Chris Gentle

Chris has over twenty years’ experience consulting at a strategic level within the information management industry for natural resources and government sectors. He has specialised knowledge in developing and implementing location-intelligence strategies and leading ICT strategy and implementation planning for resource infrastructure capital projects. Chris has a focus on customer outcomes with his multi-disciplinary expertise gained through years of working in the data management and systems as well as the engineering services industry.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Science from The University of Western Australia, a Graduate Diploma in Technology Management and an M.B.A. from La Trobe University.





Program Director, Conservation and Restoration: Dr Renee Young

With specialised knowledge in ecological restoration, Renee is an environmental scientist with over 15 years’ experience across academia and the mining industry.

Most recently, Renee managed the ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration and previously led a botanical team at an environmental consultancy.

Renee’s on-ground knowledge, experience in restoration and understanding of the limitations and challenges currently faced by the industry, assists her to facilitate and coordinate the multi-disciplinary programs of work required to overcome some of the biggest barriers to ecological restoration.

Renee has a BSc in Botany and Zoology and a PhD in ex situ conservation which she completed with Kings Park.





Program Director, Subterranean Fauna, Ecosystem Threats and Processes: Sonja Mennen

Sonja is an environmental scientist and communicator with 23 years of substantial work experience in both private industry and public service, in Australia and overseas. Her background covers project management, environmental science, water resource management, policy and program development and science communications, and she previously held roles at the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, BHP, CSIRO and Chevron.
Sonja has a Master of Environmental Science degree (Environmental management and GIS) from the University of Western Australia, and a Bachelor of Communications degree from Fontys University in the Netherlands.





Program Director, Biodiversity Economics and Finance: Associate Professor Ram Pandit

Ram is an environmental and resource economist with over 20 years of teaching, research and professional experiences in the field of conservation and development in both developing and developed countries.

Ram also holds a position of Associate Professor at the UWA School of Agriculture and Environment where he teaches courses on environmental, resource, and development economics. He has an active research agenda in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services fields, including economics of threatened species conservation, and socio-economic impacts of protected area policies.

Ram has contributed to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Assessments as an expert in different capacities, including as a Coordinating Lead Author of Land Degradation and Restoration Assessment (2018) and as a Lead Author of Values Assessment (2022). He currently contributes to IPBES’s ongoing Transformative Change Assessment as a Lead Author.

Ram is a member of the Editorial Boards of journals Forest Policy and Economics (Elsevier), Ecosystems and People (Taylor & Francis), and Wetlands Ecology and Management (Springer). He is the founding coordinator of the Unit 9.04.05 Economics of Biodiversity and Protected Areas of the International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO). He also holds a visiting faculty position at the Hokkaido University in Japan.

Ram holds a PhD in Applied Economics, MS in Economics, and MS in Probability and Statistics from Auburn University, USA. He also holds a MS in Forest Resources Management from SUNY College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry, USA.





Research Fellow: Linda Abdo

Linda is an Environmental Management professional with more than 17 years’ experience working in government organisations, private industry and NGOs in various natural resource management and stakeholder engagement roles. She has previously held positions and represented organisations on a number of technical advisory working groups and is currently a Board member of the international charity Positive Change for Marine Life, and a member of Parks Australia’s South-west Marine Park Advisory Committee.

Linda has specialist skills in the development of biodiversity offset strategy, impact assessment, approvals, planning and design of restoration/revegetation/management and monitoring programs, and evaluation and reporting. She has a specific focus on the development and implementation of nature-based solutions for sustainable development, net-gain biodiversity offsets and nature credits.

Linda has a Bachelor of Science (Marine Science) (Honours), a Diploma of Management (project, people and financial), and a PhD on the contribution of biodiversity offsets to sustainable development.





Executive Assistant: Eilin Mangan

Eilin has extensive experience providing high level executive and administrative support to senior executives. Her strong administrative background covers education, information technology and banking.

Eilin’s previous roles include that of Executive Assistant at the Energy and Minerals Institute’s International Mining for Development Centre, as well as positions in the Vice-Chancellery, Public Affairs and the School of Business at University of Notre Dame, Fremantle and Vice-Chancellery at The University of Western Australia. She has lived and studied in Aix-en-Provence in France and travelled extensively in Europe and Africa.









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