Andrew Coghlan

Head of Emergency Services, Australian Red Cross

Head of Emergency Services, Australian Red Cross Andrew has over 20 years’ experience in emergency management. He is responsible for ensuring Red Cross can promote resilience and build community capacity (in preparation and response) to disasters throughout Australia. He was pivotal in development of REDiPlan; coordinating response to Cyclone Larry (2006), Black Saturday Victorian Bushfires (2009), Queensland Floods and Cyclone Yasi (2011) and 2019/20 Bushfires.

Andrew was involved in development of the IFRC Global Resilience Strategy, is Chair of the Australian Emergency Management Volunteer Forum, and a Board member of Volunteering Victoria and the Creative Recovery Network.

Greg Leach AFSM

Commissioner, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services

Greg Leach’s emergency services career commenced in 1986 with the Country Fire Authority (CFA) in Bendigo, Victoria. After holding many senior operational roles during his 21-year career with CFA, Greg then spent seven years with Ambulance Victoria where he held senior executive positions, including Regional Manager, Grampians Region.

In 2014 Greg joined the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board (MFESB) as Deputy Chief Officer and Executive Director, Organisational Learning & Development and was appointed by the MFESB Board as Chief Officer / Chief Executive Officer in June 2019.

Greg holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Emergency Management. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Member of the Institute of Fire Engineers.

Greg is an experienced and accredited Level 3 Incident Controller and has managed large wildfires, major structure fires and emergencies across Victoria and interstate since 1993.

Greg was appointed Commissioner, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, commencing on 02 December 2019. Since his commencement he has led the department through a prolonged period of operations, not experience before, including two severe bushfire seasons and response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

In October 2021, Greg was appointed as a board member on the Australian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) and is the Queensland Government Champion for Coen, working with other Queensland Government departments and the Coen community to better support local families, businesses, and community organisations.

Elly Bird

Councillor, Lismore City Council and Coordinator of Resilient Lismore

Elly Bird is a Councillor on Lismore City Council and the Coordinator of Resilient Lismore, a community organisation leading recovery efforts in the Northern Rivers after the region’s worst disaster in living memory. Elly is a prominent community leader with lived experience in recovery across multiple events; flooding in 2017 and 2021; bushfires in 2019-20; the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2022 floods. She is deeply engaged in the complexities of building community resilience to better enable communities to withstand the shock of disasters and is passionate about the critical need for effective partnerships between governments and communities as climate change becomes increasingly prevalent in our daily lives.

Georgie Cornish

Deputy Chief Officer, South Australian Country Fire Services (CFS)

Georgie is the Deputy Chief Officer with the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS), where she drives the strategic direction and operations for an agency of over 13,500 volunteers.

Georgie has over 15 years’ experience in State and Commonwealth governments working in operations and national policy development across the country on emergency management, national security, and counter terrorism.

As Director, State Disaster Recovery, Georgie led the South Australian operational recovery of the 2019/2020 bushfires, chairing the multi-agency recovery operations program, and delivering $9million to impacted communities as part of the State Emergency Recovery Fund.

As a member of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) Board, Georgie seeks to enable strategic and evidence-based decisions. Georgie is committed to challenging the status quo, building good governance and diverse thought to build strength and knowledge across emergency management.

Ricky Archer

Chief Executive Officer, North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance

Ricky Archer is a Djungan man from the Western Tablelands region of North Qld.

Ricky has a strong network of on ground land and sea managers across northern Australia from which to draw from and has demonstrated an ability to connect on-ground work of Indigenous organisations with regional, state and commonwealth priorities.

In his current role, Ricky is the Chief Executive Officer of the North Australian Indigenous Land & Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA). He is involved with numerous organisations and committees enabling strategic input across a diverse field, these include;

• CRC for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) - Board Director
• North Commonwealth Marine Park – Board Member
• NT Aboriginal Land Management Advisory Group - Chairperson
• National Feral Pig Action Plan Implementation Committee – Chairperson
• National Forestry Stewardship Council, Indigenous Working Group – Member
• Indigenous Innovation Alliance - Member

Previous engagements include:

• Australian Committee IUCN – Executive Member
• Minister for Environment, Indigenous Advisory Committee – Member
• National Landcare Advisory Committee – Member
• Commonwealth Environmental Biosecurity Advisory Group - Member

Ricky has a background in geographical information systems, Indigenous knowledge management, and natural & cultural resource management. He is passionate about the advancement and improvement of Indigenous livelihoods across the north.

Dave Wild

Futurist, NZ

As a Creative Futurist living on the edge of the world in New Zealand, Futurist Dave Wild has presented on stages and screens across the globe from San Francisco to South Auckland to Sydney. He’s inspired and guided audiences at industry conferences, government meetings and team events for clients such as Microsoft, L’Oréal, Toyota and Red Cross.

Dave inspires audiences with future insights and tools that open minds to new possibilities ahead. His engaging and uplifting approach reaches beyond stages and screens to challenge and energise audiences with keynote talks and workshop events – creating a greater future for all.

Geoff Evans

Chief Executive Officer, Disaster Relief Australia and Team Rubicon Australia

Geoff Evans served for nineteen years in the Australian Army’s Special Operations Command as both a commissioned and non-commissioned officer. During this time Geoff served on four operational deployments before being wounded in action in Afghanistan in December 2010.

Geoff also had a thirteen-year career as a fire-fighter with Fire and Rescue NSW. In 2014, Geoff was appointed to the Prime Ministerial Advisory Council on Veterans Mental Health where he served for six years. In January of 2016, Geoff was appointed as the CEO of Disaster Relief Australia. Geoff holds an international relations degree from Deakin University, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Superintendent Joe McNulty

Australian Institute of Police Management, NSW

Joe McNulty has over 30 years of maritime law enforcement and emergency management expertise. His experience extends to international projects for United Nations Maritime Crime Program, Indian Ocean Commission and INTERPOL, developing operational marine capacity. Joe has coordinated responses to NSW’s major floods, maritime covid responses across NSW waters and coordinated the dispersal of cruise ships in April 2020. Joe holds a Bachelor of Professional Studies, Masters in Maritime Policy/law and Grad Cert in Applied Management. Joe is currently a Senior Honorary Fellow at the University of Wollongong and a Visiting Fellow at the Australian Institute of Police Management.

Bruce Byatt AFSM

Deputy Chief Officer, Tasmania Fire Service

A second-generation firefighter who began his career on 14th January 1977 with the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade and after 15 years relocated to Queensland, serving with the Queensland Fire & Rescue Service for almost 21 years, this coincided with a significant period of change across that organisation after the amalgamation of 81 boards into a single State Fire Service.

Also serving as Deputy Chief Officer with the Northern Territory Fire Service, Victoria’s Country Fire Authority and currently serving as Deputy Chief Officer with the Tasmania Fire Service, a cumulative service of over 45 years across 5 jurisdictions.

As part of a growing team in the Tasmania Fire Service, he is working to improve operational service delivery expected of a contemporary emergency service provider with a focus on leadership & training for career and volunteers firefighters.

In 2005 he was awarded the AFSM.

Joanne Greenfield

Panel Member
Commissioner, Quarantine Taskforce, Queensland

Joanne has over twenty- five years senior executive leadership experience starting her career in the United Kingdom, National Health Service, has held senior executive roles at AusAID/Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and recently at Queensland Health.

Joanne has wide ranging international experience working in countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe for the UK Government and the United Nations. Joanne has been the UN Cluster lead or UN Coordinator for events across hazards ranging from earthquakes, cyclones, landslides, civil unrest and pandemics as well as national recovery operations in Kosovo and Pakistan.

Joanne is currently on secondment from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services into the role of Quarantine Commissioner. In this role Joanne has led the quarantine and isolation program across the state through the COVID pandemic including the construction and operationalisation of a purpose-built facility.

Iain Mackenzie AFSM

Panel Member
Advisor, Strategist, Change-Maker – Unearth

Iain MacKenzie AFSM is Queensland’s former Inspector-General Emergency Management, Deputy Commissioner of Queensland Fire & Rescue Service and Senior Advisor to the Commonwealth Minister for Emergency Management through the ‘black summer’ bushfires. Iain is currently an Industry Fellow with Griffith University and works part time for a Risk Consultancy and serves on NFP Boards including GIVIT and Natural Hazard Research Australia.

He is recognised for expertise in the fields of disaster management, disaster risk reduction and resilience building, having led reviews into some of the Nation’s largest natural disasters.

Ceri Evans

Consultant Psychiatrist

Dr Ceri Evans is a consultant psychiatrist from New Zealand who helps leading organisations, businesses and teams perform under pressure. Ceri graduated in medicine with distinction from Otago University, completed a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University while playing professional football in the English Championship, and specialised in forensic psychiatry while completing a PhD in traumatic memory.

Ceri has served as Clinical Director of a Forensic Psychiatric Service, appeared as an expert witness in major court cases, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Now in private practice, Ceri has worked across the spectrum in high performance sport, corporate, medical, education and government environments. Author of Perform Under Pressure, he is perhaps best known for his work with the New Zealand All Blacks since 2010.

Margaret Moreton

Resilient Communities Mission Lead, Minderoo Fire and Flood Resilience

Dr Margaret Moreton’s current role is Resilient Communities Mission Lead, Minderoo Fire and Flood Resilience (MFFR) initiative.    In this role Margaret leads work to lift disaster resilience in communities across Australia.  She is an advocate for ‘community agency and voice’ and for community led processes. Margaret and the MFFR team partner with communities, non-government organizations, all levels of government, emergency services organisations, and both the business and philanthropy sectors.

Margaret has previously worked as an independent consultant working in the field of disaster resilience, and for the federal government in leadership positions across a range of social policy and program areas.  Her recent experience includes advising federal and local government and large NGOs and working directly with communities.   Her PhD research gathered information and stories from community members and leaders of disaster recovery, unpacking the key factors contributing to disaster resilience and recovery in Australia.

Andrew Short

Assistant Commissioner, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Andrew Short was appointed Assistant Commissioner (AC), State Emergency Service (SES) in July 2019. Previously Andrew operated as the AC, Human Capital Management, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES), for the period 2016-2019. Andrew's career in emergency management within Queensland spans over 35 years. Following the period between 1986 and 1995 where he operated as a frontline firefighter, he commenced his first senior role in 1996 at Inspector level within the then QFRA, where he was responsible for regional operational planning within South Eastern Region. In 2000 he was promoted to Superintendent within Strategic Policy and Planning - heading up the organisation's strategic performance and assessment capability. His promotion to Chief Superintendent then occurred in 2009, as the Director of the School of Fire and Emergency Services, with this role accountabilities including operating as the CEO of the QFRS then QFES Registered Training Organisation. Andrew's interest in how people best function in support of organisational objectives is central to his motivation and focus in undertaking the role of an AC. Andrew has a Master of Leadership and Management tertiary qualification, as well as post graduate qualifications in applied management and executive leadership, and in 2017 completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course. For his organisational commitment and efforts, in 2007 Andrew was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) for a wide range of operational and business improvements. In 2019, Andrew was awarded the Commissioner’s Distinguished Service Medal for his work in reforming organisational culture and workplace conduct, as part of creating a contemporary human capital lifecycle within QFES. He is also an active Police-Citizens Youth Club volunteer, having a strong interest in youth development. Andrew is humbled by the generosity and commitment of QFES volunteers who consistently seek to ‘give back’ to their community. As the AC for SES, Andrew sees his responsibility as enabling and supporting the volunteers in the important contribution they make to Queensland communities. To this end, Andrew is seeking to help build on the exceptional work that is already being performed in QFES and the SES. Andrew is married with two adult children, and he and his wife Julianne enjoy travelling the world in pursuit of new scuba diving experiences. Andrew uses his diving as a means of gaining respite from those work occasions where people walk in and ask, “have you got a minute to discuss a tricky issue”? He also enjoys the fact that iPhones don’t do too well 20 metres underwater.

Chief Superintendent Kenneth Murphy

Strategic Capability, Fire & Rescue NSW Experienced Executive, broad understanding of the emergency management sector. Extensive crisis leadership experience leading through large scale high visibility emergencies and other organisational challenges. Strong advocate for sharing the knowledge and experience gained in the management of large organisations that deal with firefighting, emergencies and disaster events,  helping to improve the performance and results for other emergency organisations.
Leadership  of FRNSW NSW COVID-19 Incident Management Team, providing leadership and guidance throughout the  pandemic. Accountable for determining  FRNSW prevention, preparation , respondence and recover from COVID-19. Ensuring continuity of service, meeting government and community expectations, ensuring business continuity and the delivery of emergency services.

Ms Sascha Rundle

Sascha Rundle Consulting Experienced Executive, broad understanding of the emergency management sector. Extensive crisis leadership experience leading through large scale high visibility emergencies and other organisational challenges. Strong advocate for sharing the knowledge and experience gained in the management of large organisations that deal with firefighting, emergencies and disaster events,  helping to improve the performance and results for other emergency organisations.
Leadership  of FRNSW NSW COVID-19 Incident Management Team, providing leadership and guidance throughout the  pandemic. Accountable for determining  FRNSW prevention, preparation , respondence and recover from COVID-19. Ensuring continuity of service, meeting government and community expectations, ensuring business continuity and the delivery of emergency services.

Mr Todd Miller

Emergency Management Advisor, St John Ambulance

Todd Miller, Master in Emergency Management- AUT University, is the Training and Capability Advisor for St John Ambulance, NZ.

Todd’s portfolios have included managing the Ambulance specialist response capabilities, the response and review of the Whakaari/White Island Eruption, providing guidance to the National Ambulance COIVD-19 Crisis Centre and, most recently, the implementation of the National Operational Effectiveness Centre, which provides 24/7 operational coordination, escalation and leadership to ambulance operations.

Todd’s areas of interest include lessons management, adult education and enhancing the capability of response agencies across the 4Rs of comprehensive emergency management.

Mr Jamie Ruwhiu

Programme Lead – Whānau & Emergency Response, Te Rūnanga o NGĀI TAHU

After studying at the Christchurch College of Education (University of Canterbury) Jamie moved to Wellington, Pretoria and London, working in various roles in education, event management and hospitality for over 20 years. Jamie joined Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu as a Project Lead in the Emergency Management Team. His role for Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu is to prepare the office to respond to emergencies, then take these learnings and skills out to the 18 Papatipu Rūnanga (marae) in the Ngāi Tahu takiwā. In the 2 years Jamie has been with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, the team has responded to a number of declared emergencies, including the tribal response to COVID 19 and he often speaks at a number of engagements in regard to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu’s responses to disasters.

Mr Aaron Turner

Australasian College of Paramedicine Representative - Critical Care | HAZMAT Paramedic

Aaron started his education at the University of Otago by completing his BBioMedSc (Hon) in infection and immunity, specialising in cancer vaccine development. During these years he was heavily involved in the NZ Red Cross response team based in Dunedin, which primarily had a SAR focus. This exposure led to the development of youth emergency management programs and representation at national and international levels for the Red Cross. He progressed to completing a PGDip in Emergency Management before settling on a BHSc (Paramedicine) at the Auckland University of Technology. He is currently progressing his enrolment in a MPhil with a potential focus on trauma management and the use of prehospital point of care ultrasound.

Prior to his current role as a Critical Care / HAZMAT paramedic in Ōtautahi (Christchurch), he has held roles as a frontline paramedic and manager in Counties Manukau, Coromandel, and Dunedin. This has led to extensive exposure to incidents within metro, rural and remote environments, while crossing all socio-economic populations and ethnic groups.

In his spare time he enjoys playing squash, tramping, and drinking good quality gin.

Dr John Bates

Research Director, Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC (VIC)

Dr Bates joined the CRC as Research Director in 2017, where he is responsible for managing the research and utilisation program. Before joining the CRC, he was the founding Director of the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience.He has formal qualifications in health and life sciences and has worked extensively in the development, translation and commercialisation of research. He has significant experience in tertiary education in Australia and overseas. He has worked in defence, public health, animal health, transport, and food. John is an active volunteer in the Victoria State Emergency Service and Editor-in-Chief of the Australian Journal of Emergency Management.

Mr Des Hosie

National Operations Advisor at Fire and Emergency New Zealand (NZ)

Jason Heffernan

Chief Officer, Country Fire Authority Victoria

Chief Officer Jason Heffernan commenced volunteering with the NSW Rural Fire Service in the Wagga Wagga area, undertaking Fire Fighter training in May 1999.
Since volunteering and his commencement with the NSW RFS as a salaried officer, he has undertaken a variety of roles within rural and regional NSW, as well as the metropolitan areas including operational roles of Inspector, Superintendent and Regional Manager.
In March 2015, he was made an Assistant Commissioner and appointed to the role of Director Regional Services responsible for oversight of the NSW RFS 4 Regions and 2100 Brigades.
Then in 2017, was appointed to the role of Director Response and Coordination, where he oversaw the operational function and capacity of State Operations, Aviation, Emergency Management and Coordination, Operational Doctrine, and Operational Business and Procurement sections. In addition to his RFS duties assisted the NSW Volunteer Rescue Association, to renew and transition to a modern and effective volunteer rescue service on behalf of the NSW Government.
Whilst Director Response and Coordination, provided operational oversight, leadership, and guidance including as State Operations Controller, for the devastating 2019/20 bush fire season.
Following a period as Acting Deputy Commissioner, was appointed as the Chief Officer of the Country Fire Authority of Victoria in November 2020.
He has tertiary qualifications in Emergency Management, Policing and Business Studies.
An avid supporter of rural and regional areas, Chief Officer Heffernan has spent considerable time in rural, regional and urban interface area and brings this perspective to his role within the Country Fire Authority.

Ricky Archer

Chief Executive Officer of the North Australian Indigenous Land & Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA)

Ricky Archer is a Djungan man from the Western Tablelands region of North Qld.

Ricky has a strong network of on ground land and sea managers across northern Australia from which to draw from and has demonstrated an ability to connect on-ground work of Indigenous organisations with regional, state and commonwealth priorities.

In his current role, Ricky is the Chief Executive Officer of the North Australian Indigenous Land & Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA). He is involved with numerous organisations and committees enabling strategic input across a diverse field, these include;
• CRC for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) - Board Director
• North Commonwealth Marine Park – Board Member
• NT Aboriginal Land Management Advisory Group - Chairperson
• National Feral Pig Action Plan Implementation Committee – Chairperson
• National Forestry Stewardship Council, Indigenous Working Group – Member
• Indigenous Innovation Alliance - Member
Previous engagements include:
• Australian Committee IUCN – Executive Member
• Minister for Environment, Indigenous Advisory Committee – Member
• National Landcare Advisory Committee – Member
• Commonwealth Environmental Biosecurity Advisory Group - Member

Ricky has a background in geographical information systems, Indigenous knowledge management, and natural & cultural resource management. He is passionate about the advancement and improvement of Indigenous livelihoods across the north.

Raphaele Blanchi

CSIRO

Dr. Raphaele Blanchi contributes to community safety improvement through her work on community vulnerability assessment and her engagement with national and international stakeholders and research community. Her principal interest lies in the understanding and reduction of risk posed by bushfire to communities and infrastructure. She has a background in geography, risk assessment and land-use planning working with CSIRO Land & Water in the bushfire urban design team since 2004.
She has been involved in post bushfires surveys data collection and analysis following major bushfires in Australia. She also participated in the development of a comprehensive life/house loss database for Australia. She developed and led a project funded by the Natural disaster Resilience Grants Scheme to investigate the circumstances and challenges experienced by residents when sheltering during bushfires.
The research outcomes have been used by fire agencies to develop policies and formed the basis of regulatory reform, and guidelines. Raphaele recently led the development of bushfire resilient building guidance for Queensland homes for Queensland government. The guideline is based on extensive research into building and surrounding landscaping vulnerabilities during bushfire. It uses a best practice framework, consolidating existing advices, but going beyond regulations and providing innovative and affordable solutions.

Doug Smith

Deputy Commissioner, Queensland Police Service

Doug’s career in policing commenced in 1973 when he joined the Victoria Police as a police cadet.  After serving in several metropolitan locations in Melbourne he joined the Queensland Police and served in locations in Brisbane, Nambour and Roma (including the Roma Stock Squad), Brisbane Water Police, Prosecutions and the Legal Section.  Doug was involved in the drafting and implementation of several major pieces of legislation including the Drugs Misuse Act, Summary Offences Act and major amendments to the Queensland Criminal Code as well as comprehensive legal training material for police prosecutors and investigators.  Doug also played a major role in a number of major investigations into drug trafficking and serious crimes through the 1980s and 1990s.  He also had a major role in the planning for and operational delivery of the Brisbane Commonwealth Games in 1982, Expo ’88 and assisted with the Fitzgerald Inquiry.  Following the acceptance of the recommendations from the Fitzgerald Inquiry, Doug headed the Fitzgerald Implementation unit and was responsible for the drafting and implementation of the Police Service Administration Act and a number of other major reforms to Queensland’s ethics and accountability framework, and police powers and practices.
After operational service in Oxley and Wynnum as a regional inspector, Doug was promoted to Chief Superintendent in 1995 and was tasked with the establishment of the Inspectorate and Internal Audit Branch with responsibility for major integrity enhancements to the Queensland Police Service.  This was followed by a transfer to the South Eastern Police Region based on the Gold Coast as the Regional Operations Coordinator.
In 1997, Doug was promoted to Assistant Commissioner in the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services where he had responsibility at various times for Operations, Crime, Specialist Support and Corporate Services.  During this time, Doug was the responsible officer for a number of major investigations and responses to natural disasters and was responsible for providing support to various major incidents including police from Australia deployed to East Timor (UNTAET).  During his time in the NTPFES, Doug also acted as Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police.
In 2005, Doug went to the Solomon Islands with the Australian Government led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI).  During his time in Solomon Islands, Doug had a major role in the rebuilding of the nation’s policing and security institutions.  In 2011 Doug was selected by Australia’s Police Commissioners to lead CrimTrac.  CrimTrac, now part of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, is Australia’s national information-sharing service provider, creating solutions that enable Australia’s police and law enforcement agencies to share information across our state and territory borders.
In 2015 Doug was appointed as Deputy Commissioner (Chief Strategy Officer) with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and took a key role in the creation of the department with responsibility for the Fire and Rescue Service, the Rural Fire Service and the State Emergency Service.  In the time there he was involved in several major operational events responding to natural disasters and major events.  In July 2019, Doug was seconded to the role of Chief Operating Officer at PSBA.  Commencing in February 2020, Doug is the Deputy Commissioner for Strategy and Corporate Services in the Queensland Police Service.
Doug’s service has been recognised with a number of awards including the Australian Police Medal, the Police Overseas Service Medal, the National Medal and bars, National Police Medal, Commonwealth Games Medal, AFP Commissioner’s citation for hazardous overseas service, and the QFES Commissioner’s Distinguished Service Medal.  Doug holds graduate and post-graduate qualifications in government, public administration, human resource management, legal studies and is a University of Queensland Post Graduate Prize winner in the field of public administration.  Doug is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Justice of the Peace (Qualified).  Doug is also a Board member of Natural Hazards Research Australia (formerly the Bush Fire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre).

Collin Sivalingum

State Emergency Services Manager, Red Cross

Bio coming soon.

Andrew Haywood

Director, Evaluation and Reporting Bushfire Recovery Victoria

Andrew Haywood has over 25 years’ experience in agriculture, climate change and indigenous, disaster recovery and community development, in both international and domestic arenas, which has provided him with a unique mixture of social, ecological, and economic perspectives.

During this period, he has held a range of senior leadership positions held in the private and public sectors. More recently, Andrew has been using his skills and knowledge to lead the Recovery Strategy and Planning Division at Bushfire Recovery Victoria.

Andrew has an interest in promoting evidence-based practice and policy within emergency management and closing the research-policy-practice gap.

Ms Christine F Miller

Emergency & Business Continuity Manager

Christine F Miller AMBCI cABCF MAIES M.ISRM
Emergency & Business Continuity Manager

Chris began her career in emergency management (EM) with the 1974 Brisbane Floods, and as a Queensland Police Officer. In the years since she has worked on all aspects of EM and on many emergencies including health emergencies since AIDS/HIV in the mid-1980s; the first SARS (2002-2004) pandemic; the Swine flu pandemic (2009-2010); and now the current SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic. For the past 15 years, Chris has specialized in business continuity management (BCM) or emergency management for ‘one business at a time’. She injected prevention, preparedness, response and recovery (PPRR) into BCM. Chris is currently President of the ACT Chapter of Australasian Institute of Emergency Services (AIES); National Vice-President, AIES; and a member of the Australasian Women in Emergencies (AWE) Network. She has presented more than 70 Conference papers within Australia and beyond; both face to face and virtually.

Dr Fabienne Reisen

Atmospheric Research Scientist, CSIRO

Dr Fabienne Reisen is an atmospheric research scientist at CSIRO with a strong research expertise in atmospheric and analytical chemistry, ambient air quality measurements of gases and particles, and personal and population exposures to toxic hazards. Her primary research focus is on biomass burning emissions and delivering industry-driven research outcomes to improve air quality, population health and our understanding of aerosols-climate interactions.  She is a lead researcher in the development, validation and improvement to the Air Quality Forecasting System (AQFx), a decision-making tool designed to forecast the transport and chemical reaction of emissions from biomass burning.