Our Team

Julie McLellan has been the Chief Executive Officer of Healthy Land and Water since its inception in 2013. Julie has over 25 years’ experience leading high-performance organisations and is an expert in waterway management, governance, strategy, risk and company finance.

Prior to her role at Healthy Land and Water, Julie held senior positions at Queensland Urban Utilities and Brisbane City Council and was responsible for portfolios including research and businesses development, innovation, service delivery and design.

Julie is passionate about improving the quality of landscapes and waterways in South East Queensland through strategic initiatives and productive partnerships. She understands the importance of collaboration and enjoys working closely with all levels of government,  industry groups and community members on initiatives that ensure South East Queensland is protected for future generations.

Faye Lee is Healthy Land and Water’s Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for overseeing the organisation’s finance and accounting  matters. Faye is an expert in business operations, compliance and standardisation and has over 20 years’ experience in senior financial positions at both not-for-profit and commercial organisations. She has previously held senior positions at C&K, Queensland Teachers’ Union Health Fund and Del Monte Fresh and her expertise ensures Healthy Land and Water.

Faye is skilled at identifying new revenue streams and industry opportunities and was crucial in the development and roll-out of go2zone, a social enterprise launched by Healthy Land and Water to provide an alternative to single-use plastic bottles.

In his role as Chief Operating Officer, Scott is responsible for overseeing Healthy Land and Water’s operations and the delivery of numerous programs and projects. Scott has more than 20 years’ experience in project management including 10 years at the senior leadership level, and holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Scott is a problem solver with extensive experience in successfully transforming a range of organisations in challenging environments. As an expert in business strategy, Scott has studied, designed and established successful ventures and projects for organisations throughout the world and is passionate about leading Healthy Land and Water through the next stage of its evolution.

Ross Bigwood is Healthy Land and Water’s Natural Asset Management and Protection Team Leader. Ross has over 20 years’ experience in grazing land management, soil conservation, stream rehabilitation and stakeholder engagement.

Ross is responsible for coordinating and delivering rehabilitation programs and projects in rural catchments throughout South East Queensland. Utilising his expert engagement skills, Ross collaborates closely with stakeholders and landholders to build their capacity, knowledge and skills to sustainably manage land and improve water quality in the region.

Mark Waud is a Senior Scientist with Healthy Land and Water and specialises in large scale restoration projects. Mark works with the Natural Assets Management and Protection Team delivering erosion control, ecological restoration and invasive species control projects to restore and protect our environment. Mark is passionate about integrating technology into projects to make better decisions and bringing people with common objectives together to share ideas and get stuff done.

In 2018, Mark completed a Diploma of Project Management through Australian Institute of Management (WA).

Paul Daly is a Senior Engineer in Healthy Land and Water’s Natural Asset Management and Protection team. Paul works with other staff to manage and deliver projects for a range of clients in South East Queensland and beyond. Paul collaborates with clients, contractors and landholders to help build their skills, knowledge and capacity.

Paul Has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and has worked for the organisation since 2015.

Dennis Gannaway is a Senior Scientist at  Healthy Land and Water who manages projects in the southern and western regions of South East Queensland. Dennis is an expert in invasive species management, habitat restoration and community engagement, and has decades of experience managing large-scale projects.

Dennis works alongside researchers and academics to translate science into practical delivery tools for on-ground projects. He also collaborates with landholders and catchments groups to develop their land management skills and empowers them to help improve and protect South East Queensland’s environment.

Nathaniel is a Senior Scientist at Healthy Land and Water with extensive experience in managing streambank and gully erosion projects utilising best practise management solutions, including pile fields and engineered log jams for stream bank stabilisation.

As a registered professional engineer, Nathaniel works closely with landholders, government and environmental consultants providing advice and training for gully and stream bank restoration and riparian weed control programs.

Vanessa Durand is an engineer at Healthy Land and Water who specialises in land management and conservation. Vanessa works within the Capacity Building and Knowledge Brokering team and helps deliver projects that maintain productive and ecologically sustainable landscapes in South East Queensland’s rural catchments. Vanessa collaborates with landholders and the wider community to build their capacity, knowledge and skills to sustainably manage land and improve water quality.

In 2016, Vanessa completed her Masters in Integrated Water Management.

Dr Andrew O’Neill is Healthy Land and Water’s Capacity Building and Knowledge Brokering Team Leader. He is responsible for driving innovation and guiding Healthy Land and Water’s talented scientists and engineers as they work to improve South East Queensland’s environment. Andrew is an expert in sustainable urban water management and water sensitive urban design and is recognised globally for his innovative work in building leadership and technical skills in professionals and students.

Andrew has a proven track record of designing and delivering award-winning integrated water policy and water sensitive urban design projects and has researched and delivered projects in many countries around the world. Andrew is passionate about collaboration and utilising science to improve education, policy and services in the community.

Liz Gould is a Senior Principal Scientist at Healthy Land and Water who specialises in nature conservation. Liz works within the Capacity Building and Knowledge Brokering team and has almost 30 years of experience in natural resource policy and practice. Throughout her lengthy career, Liz has worked within state and local governments and is one of Healthy Land and Water’s longest-serving employees.

Liz is skilled in stakeholder engagement and project delivery and is an expert at using her networks and knowledge to leverage additional resources from corporate, government and philanthropic partners. Liz is deeply passionate about conservation and has a proven track record of delivering complex, multi-year and cross-regional programs and projects that help preserve South East Queensland’s environment.

Paul Donatiu is a Team Leader at Healthy Land and Water who manages projects in the Gold Coast region. Paul is a conservation expert and oversees critical projects which help protect lowland subtropical rainforest, restore threatened species habitat, improve water quality and monitor the health of marine and forest ecosystems. Paul also delivers educational workshops on a range of natural resource management topics which are designed to build the skills of landholders and the community.

Paul has a background in architecture, psychology and environmental management and has worked in community development and for conservation groups including the National Parks Association of Queensland and Protect the Bush Alliance.

Adrian Crocetti is a qualified plumber and drainer and an expert in water management who works as a Principal Engineer for Healthy Land and Water. A key member of the Water By Design team, Adrian has almost 15 years experience in stormwater engineering and has also applied his expertise in policy and planning for local government organisations. Adrian is skilled at conceiving, designing and maintaining innovative stormwater and rainwater harvesting systems and applying efficient irrigation techniques.

Adrian is passionate about showcasing the benefits and importance of stormwater management and regularly travels throughout Queensland sharing his extensive knowledge and collaborating with industry and government groups.

Glenn Browning is a Civil Engineer at Healthy Land and Water and an expert in stormwater management and water-sensitive urban design. Glenn has over 15 years experience in the water management industry and has worked on major projects including the Gold Coast Desalination Plant, the Brisbane River Flood Study, the Clem Jones Tunnel and the Brisbane River Flood Study.

Glenn is part of Healthy Land and Water’s Water By Design team and is responsible for working with the community and industry to encourage sustainable water management and develop innovative frameworks water-sensitive urban design. Glenn regularly leads training courses to showcase the benefits of sustainable waterways and he helps design, construct and manage community projects to restore waterways in South East Queensland.

Dr Samantha Lloyd is the manager of the South East Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium (SEQFBC), a program administered by Healthy Land and Water. Dr Lloyd has 20 years’ experience in research and environmental management with a focus on ecology, entomology, bushfire, disaster recovery and natural resource management.

Since joining SEQ Catchments in 2005 as the Environmental Partnerships Manager, Sam travelled between roles when she undertook two stints as an Entomologist for the New Zealand Fire Ant Control Program. In 2009, Sam became the Coordinator of the Moreton Bay Oil Spill Environmental Restoration Program with SEQ Catchments. Sam has a keen interest in land management, fire ecology, plant-insect interactions, weed and pest management and entomology.

Susie Chapman is a Senior Scientist and Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator for Healthy Land and Water. Susie is based at the University of the Sunshine Coast where she is an adjunct lecturer and Honorary Senior Fellow.

Susie has worked in community-based natural resource management and integrated catchment management at a range of scales in SEQ for over 25 years, working across biodiversity, water quality, agriculture and coastal management and specialising in collaborative climate adaptation and citizen science.

In 2019, Susie received a Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in recognition of her lifelong service to conservation and the environment.

Craig is a Senior Scientist and the coordinator of the South East Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium (SEQFBC), a program administered by Healthy Land and Water. Craig has worked in the Natural Areas Management field for over 25 years, developing extensive skills and knowledge in fire management, weed and pest animal control, restoration works, flora and fauna surveying and disaster management. 

Craig has a bachelor’s degree in Applied Science – Protected Area Management and Wilderness Reserves and Wildlife from the University of Queensland. He is currently a volunteer firefighter with the Rural Fire Service Queensland, and in his spare time enjoys the challenge of maintaining his family’s bushland property which is registered as part of the South East Queensland Land for Wildlife program. 

As a Senior Scientist in Healthy Land and Water’s Capacity Building and Knowledge Brokering Team, Bruce has a pivotal role in guiding the organisation’s on-ground projects. Bruce has over 22 years’ experience in natural resource management, project management and community engagement, and is one of Healthy Land and Water’s longest-serving employees.

Bruce is responsible for coordinating projects and activities in the northern area of SEQ, including delivery of the Grazing BMP workshops and other projects such as the Green Army program and the 20 Million Trees program. He is also a Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator for South East Queensland.

Bruce is deeply knowledgeable about soil health, erosion and salinity management, vegetation and habitat management, riparian restoration, weeds and pest eradication.

Rachael Nasplezes is a Senior Scientist at Healthy Land and Water with over 20 years’ experience in natural resource management and sustainable business development. She is an expert in project delivery and has a proven track record of managing projects and programs that improve the quality of waterways in South East Queensland.

Rachael is passionate about collaboration and she works closely with government, industry, the community and schools to drive innovative projects that deliver environmental, social and economic benefits for South East Queensland. Rachael has worked around the world on various capacity-building initiatives and she is due to complete a masters in Business Administration in 2018.

Karen is a Senior Scientist at Healthy Land and Water and is an expert at working with community groups to achieve positive changes for the environment. Karen has almost 15 years’ experience in environmental project management and has worked throughout North Queensland, South East Queensland and NSW for a number of organisations.

In her role at Healthy Land and Water, Karen works closely with community groups, stakeholders and organisations and provides them with the skills, capacity and knowledge necessary to successfully complete environmental restoration projects in the Brisbane, Redlands and Moreton regions. Karen is also skilled at coordinating, delivering, monitoring, evaluating and reporting on projects in close consultations with government, corporate and commercial partners.

Shannon is Healthy Land and Water’s Team Leader for Science, Information and Monitoring. He is responsible for driving innovation and working with Healthy Land and Water’s scientists and engineers to harness data and knowledge and use it to inform the next generation of natural resource management.

Shannon is an expert in data mapping, analysis and interpretation. He utilises his experience and knowledge to interpret complex data, and provides his findings to internal and external stakeholders which enables more insightful planning and decision-making.

Naomi Soustal is an environmental scientist at Healthy Land and Water who specialises in collaboration to address water quality issues across South East Queensland. Naomi is the Assistant Team Leader for the Science, Information and Monitoring team that delivers projects to build an understanding of environmental condition through monitoring and reporting as well as partnering in essential research to build knowledge to protect ecosystem health.

Naomi has over 16 years’ experience in education for sustainability, water quality and catchment management supported by a Bachelor Degree in Ecology and Environmental Science, Graduate Certificate in Natural Resource Management and Diploma in Project Management.

Dr Paul Maxwell is an experienced marine ecologist and a Senior Principal Scientist at Healthy Land and Water. Paul has over 15 years’ experience in aquatic monitoring and research with a focus on assessing the ecological response of waterways to changing stressor levels. Paul is an expert at designing, implementing and managing monitoring programs and has developed Report Card-style programs for a range of waterways around Australia.

In his current role, Paul coordinates a research and monitoring program that delivers the Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program and the annual Report Card for catchment health. Paul maintains a research portfolio focussing on the relationships between catchment runoff, the condition of coastal habitats like seagrass, corals and mangroves and the health of the fish communities that depend on them.

In her role as Senior Scientist at Healthy Land and Water, Dr Emily Saeck monitors social benefits, human health and waterway condition in South East Queensland. This research and data contributes to the annual Healthy Land and Water Report Card.

Dr Saeck has almost 15 years experience in marine science. Upon graduating with a degree in zoology and ecology, Dr Saeck joined Healthy Waterways in 2004 to assist with the management of its science program and the development of science communication products.

In 2012, Dr Saeck completed her PhD in marine science which focused on evaluating the impacts of nutrient pollution on phytoplankton communities in Moreton Bay. Dr Saeck has made notable contributions in the research of coastal systems in Australia and the US and continues to hold an adjunct research fellow position at Griffith University.

Dr David Manning has an Honours degree in Soil Science / Quaternary Studies and a Ph.D. in Geology studying volcanic deposits in New Zealand.  He has over five-years’ experience studying Queensland’s soil/landscape/geology/vegetation relationships, including groundwater and salinity issues.  David also has 15 years’ experience working to improve the environment of SEQ, reviewing research to identify knowledge gaps and prioritising areas where on-ground interventions would have the greatest impact on the health of SEQ’s environment and the ecosystem services it provides.

In his role as Senior Scientist at Healthy Land and Water working within the Science, Innovation and Monitoring team, David prepares program-wide Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) plans, and reviews the reporting of multiple on-ground projects, collating information from multiple sources to answer the Key Evaluation Questions in the MERI plans.  He also delivers to funders written reports and spatial information regarding on-ground activities undertaken, outlining progress against the desired outcomes and milestone targets of the funding agreements.

Melissa Walker is a Scientist and Knowledge Innovations Officer at Healthy Land and Water. Melissa helps implement and manage HLW’s open data portal, which provides complex information in a clear and easy to understand format for clients and the community. She also works to support several HLW initiatives including Grazing BMP, the Environmental Health Monitoring Program, the Natural Resource Management Plan, citizen science, habitat modelling and fire management planning.

In 2011, Melissa completed a Bachelor of Environmental Management (Hons) in Sustainable Development.

Sivakumar is a data management scientist at Healthy Land and Water specialising in spatial analysis and cartography. Siva works within the Science, Innovation and Monitoring Team to help build and maintain maps and spatial applications for a variety of projects and for the organisation’s website. Siva performs analysis, and displays and distributes spatial and other outputs to members and partner organisations.

In 2017, Siva completed his Masters in Geographic Information Science.

Nick Politylo is a experienced business and marketing manager who works as the Business Development Manager for go2zone, a social enterprise owned by Healthy Land and Water. Nick has worked across many industries including banking, real estate, music, insurance and cinema, and prides himself on his expert communication skills and his ability to build strong and productive relationships with clients.

Nick is passionate about reducing single-use plastic pollution and he works collaboratively with clients to expand go2zone’s reach in South East Queensland and beyond. Nick has overseen the installation of over 20 permanent refill stations and has developed a network of clients who regularly hire refill stations for community events.