Our Team

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.

Julie McLellan has been the Chief Executive Officer of Healthy Land and Water since its inception in 2016. 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.

Jaimie is the General Manager of Marketing and Sponsorship and is responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction for the communication of Healthy Land and Water’s numerous projects, services and events. Jaimie oversees the development and delivery of Healthy Land and Water’s most critical products, including the annual Awards and the marketing component of the annual Report Card. Jaimie works closely with Healthy Land and Water’s partners and stakeholders to maximise the value of their investment.

Jaimie has a proven track record of improving the value of brands and has worked with some of Queensland’s most high-profile companies including Golden Casket Lotteries, Treasury Casino, Suncorp Stadium, The Gabba, Vodafone, QPAC and QAGOMA.

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.

Ross Bigwood is Healthy Land and Water’s Rural Team Manager. 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.

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.

Deborah Metters is a conservation expert who has led the Land For Wildlife program in South East Queensland for the past 14 years. Deborah works collaboratively with local governments, landholders and researchers to ensure that Land for Wildlife offers innovative and practical assistance to landholders. In that time, the South East Queensland branch has become Australia’s fastest growing private land conservation program with over 250 new properties joining annually.

Deborah is passionate about ecology and is adept at problem solving. She has extensive experience managing private and nonprofit organisations and steering them through challenging times. Deborah is midway through a post-graduate course at the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies where she was awarded the inaugural Myles McGregor-Lowndes Scholarship.

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.

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.

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 overseeing projects and programs that improve the quality of waterways in South East Queensland, including the Clean Up Program and Water By Design.

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.

Paul Donatiu is a Senior Scientist 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 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.

Liz Gould is a 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.

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 Andrew O’Neill is Healthy Land and Water’s Knowledge and Capacity Building 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 for our community.

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.

As Northern Area Manager for Healthy Land and Water’s Rural Catchments 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.

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

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.

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.

Dr Paul Maxwell is an experienced marine ecologist and currently Healthy Land and Water’s Senior Principal Scientist. 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 run off, 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 of 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.