Our Team
Each member of our team brings unique expertise and a shared passion for the Cradle Coast region. Together, we address challenges and seize opportunities to foster economic, social, and environmental well-being.
Driving Regional Growth and Community Success
Dedicated to Natural Resource Management, Economic Growth, and Exceptional Corporate Services for a Thriving, Investable Community
Sheree Vertigan
Chief Executive Officer
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In July 2021, Sheree took a leave of absence from her roles on CCA’s Board of directors and Regional Economic Development Steering Group Chair to fulfil the position of CEO, Sheree will continue in the acting role until July 2023.
Sheree was born in Tasmania, studied at the University of Tasmania (BA, Dip Ed, M ED), and worked for the Tasmanian Department of Education in a variety of roles across the State including serving as Principal of Reece High School in Devonport. Sheree left the Department to take up the position of Executive Director and National President of the Australian Secondary Principals Association, and Executive Secretary for the International Confederation of Principals.
Prior to joining Cradle Coast Authority as the Interim CEO, Sheree worked as a consultant and project manager across education, community development and strategic planning and implementation within individual private and NFP businesses and government departments.
Sheree’s experience, expertise, and commitment to the region, shape her leadership and are key, to ensuring that the CCA strategic intent to build stronger councils and a stronger region is the centrepiece of the Authority’s work.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Grace El Murr
Executive Assistant to the CEO
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Grace joined the CCA in September 2022 as an Executive Assistant to the CEO. Grace joined the team with a Finance background and has experience in banking, speculative trading, admin and retail sales.
Grace holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance, Cert. III in Community Services and a Cert. III in Education Support.
After relocating to Australia in 2019, Grace chose the Cradle Coast to call home due to its stunning nature, friendly community and better opportunities.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Patrick Harvey
Finance Manager
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Patrick has held a number of accounting positions in businesses on the Cradle Coast for the last 25 years, before joining CCA in August 2020 as the Finance Coordinator/Accountant, in November 2021, Patrick took on the role as Finance Manager.
Patrick has experience in the wholesale/retail, manufacturing and not for profit sectors. He was also previously the team leader of the finance hub at Cradle Coast Campus of the University of Tasmania and is a member of the Institute of Public Accountants.
EMAIL [email protected]
Veronica Terry
Program Manager – Regional Development
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Veronica is a qualified economic developer, holding a Bachelor of Business and a Graduate Diploma, with a financial background. Her role involves identifying and enhancing economic strengths and opportunities within the Cradle Coast region. This includes creating opportunities to build on and cross-pollinate local expertise in key sectors, such as agriculture, renewable energy, and manufacturing.
Veronica will work with CCA Member councils to contribute to regional economic development through strategic initiatives and partnerships.
Veronica and her husband, Rob, run a dynamic farming business that focuses on vegetable and grain production. Over the years, other farming activities have included winter dairy cow agistment for local dairy farmers, contract grain harvesting, spray contracting, contract potato planting, and contract potato harvesting.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Jenny Donovan
Program Manager – Regional Planning
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Jenny joined CCA in 2022 and is overseeing regional planning and will be working closely with our member councils to manage systematic approaches to planning and economic development within our region.
Jenny is a planner and urban designer and has recently returned from Afghanistan where she worked for the UN delivering a program facilitating community inspired improvements to the built and social environments for women, children and people living with disabilities in Afghan cities.
Before this Jenny has worked with our Member council with Waratah-Wynyard Council on their settlement strategy, and before that she was a private consultant, member of the ministerial advisory panel on transport in Victoria and a lecturer at several universities in Victoria.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Jessica Berechree
Media & Communications Officer
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Jessica was born and raised in Burnie, Tasmania, in 2018 she relocated back to the Coast with her young family, after spending time living and working on the mainland. She completed a Bachelor of Business from the University of Tasmania and prior to employment at CCA she worked predominantly with small businesses in digital marketing and e-commerce.
In 2021, she joined CCA as a Communications Officer, taking maternity leave in late 2022 to welcome her third child. Jess has returned to CCA to work across Communications, Media and assist with Regional Development, taking on the role of Future Energy Facilitator in mid 2023.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Iona Flett
Biodiversity Program Manager
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Iona joined CCA in 2017 and is responsible for CCA’s Three Hummock Island project (protecting Hooded Plovers from feral cats) and now as Biodiversity Program Manager she is responsible for oversight of selected biodiversity projects.
Iona has been working in science and natural resource management since 2002. In Queensland, she worked on several large waterway restoration projects, managed water quality monitoring activities across the region, delivered an update to the region’s Water Quality Improvement Plan, and coordinated stakeholder engagement groups. Iona has a BSc (Hons) Environmental Science, Master of Resource Management (Coastal and Marine Management), a Cert IV in Project Management, and experience in the public service, academia, and consultancy.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Spencer Gibbs
NRM Business Manager
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Spencer joined the CCA in 2011, delivering sustainable agriculture programs for the Cradle Coast farming community. He progressed to become the Regional NRM Manager for CCA and more recently has taken on a new role within the team as the Program Manager – Regional Land Partnerships. Spencer’s new role sees him overseeing the delivery of the Australian Government funded environmental and agricultural projects under their Regional Land Partnerships Program. Spencer has a Bachelor of Engineering (Naval Architecture) and a Graduate Diploma in Environmental Manager as well as many years’ experience in management in both the travel and food industry.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Fox Ransom
NRM Aboriginal Project Officer
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Fox joined CCA in 2022 as a NRM Trainee Project Officer, working alongside NRM staff and gaining experience in the field whilst also undertaking a Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management.
Fox has worked in a few sectors including land management, trade, retail, and agriculture. While working as a pakana Ranger for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre at preminghana, Fox gained experience and a passion for cultural land management, weed eradication, maintaining the health of wetlands, and monitoring threatened species. Fox also holds a Cert II in Agriculture and is a qualified horticulturalist.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Hannah Sadler
Land Program Manager
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Hannah Sadler has held a couple of different positions in the NRM team at CCA, NRM Facilitator, Engagement Officer since September 2019 and most recently as Land Program Manager. Hannah has worked in natural resource management, agriculture, and local government in Western Australia and around Tasmania. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Natural Environment and Wilderness Studies and a Certificate III in Digital Media. Hannah has extensive experience in working with local government, industry, farmers, volunteers, and school groups. Hannah grew up on a dairy farm at Flowerdale and has a passion for this region, its community, and natural resources.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Tom O'Malley
Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator
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Tom has been working at CCA since 2014, currently coordinating the small landholder property management planning programs including facilitating workshops for farmers. He is qualified to deliver agricultural subjects in University, including soil health management and pasture identification and was previously a microbiologist in the dairy industry with an in-depth understanding of food-borne pathogens, and pathogens in pyrethrum.
Tom holds a Bachelor of Applied Horticultural Science, Bachelor of Applied Agricultural Science with Honors, and a Doctorate of Philosophy (Agriculture, Plant, Pathology). He has experience in whole farm planning (property management), soil health and pasture identification (for animal nutrition), natural fertilizer application (compost teas and extracts), agricultural research (designing and managing research projects in field, glasshouse, laboratory techniques, DNA/RNA extraction, virus testing), microbiology/mycology (microscopic and biochemical identification and detection of numerous microorganisms pathogenic to both plants and animals and teaching agricultural science.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Nick Jamson
Biodiversity Coordinator
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Joining CCA in July 2021 as an NRM Project Coordinator, to deliver CCA’s Rice Grass control projects in the Rubicon Estuary and the Circular Head Region. In July 2022 Nick began a new role as Soil Extension Officer and also provided support for the Tasmanian Weed Action Fund Program.
Nick now is responsible for delivery of selected biodiversity projects.
Prior to joining CCA, he worked as a consulting environmental scientist for the mining, agriculture and infrastructure industries in the fields of land rehabilitation and management, soil science and environmental chemistry. He has also worked as an environment advisor on a major rail project spanning multiple states. Nick has a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) majoring in Natural Resource Science.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Kylie Ashley
Regional Cat Management Coordinator
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Kylie joined CCA in 2022 as the Regional Cat Management Coordinator. She completed her Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Biosciences degree in 2012, looking at stress in shelter dogs as an honours student. From here she spent 6 years working in Victorian shelters, working both hands-on and in an engagement capacity as an advocate for responsible cat ownership. She has also fostered cats for RSPCA Victoria and dogs with the Australian Working Dog Rescue Inc.
Passionate about biodiversity, Kylie has also volunteered with Birdlife Australia, Zoos Victoria and Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater, and more recently completed a 3-month internship with Phillip Island Nature Parks monitoring feral cats on the island. She is also a certified wildlife rescuer with Wildlife Victoria, having completed a certificate in Wildlife Husbandry and Rehabilitation.
In 2021 Kylie completed a Master of Environment degree with the University of Melbourne, after which she took on a short-term role with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning as a Forest and Wildlife Officer prior to joining CCA.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Fiona Marshall
Biodiversity Program Manager
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Joining CCA in September 2019 as an Agriculture Project Coordinator, Fiona delivered environmental improvement programs for the Giant Freshwater Crayfish in targeted Cradle Coast rivers 2019 – 2023 and protecting and enhancing saltmarsh communities in the Circular Head region.
Fiona is now responsible for oversight of selected biodiversity projects.
Fiona has over 30 years’ experience in the natural resource management field at both operational and management levels. She has had extensive on ground experience in soil erosion, river management, and river erosion works, property planning, and community engagement. Fiona has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Physical Geography and a Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Science. She is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Claire Jinnette
NRM Engagement Officer
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Claire joined the CCA in August 2022 as an NRM Project Coordinator, with a focus on Rice Grass management in the Rubicon Estuary and Circular Head region to protect and enhance our valuable salt marsh habitat in the Northwest. Claire is now appointed as NRM’s Engagement Officer.
Claire is a marine biologist and environmental scientist and is well versed in environmental education and interpretation, community engagement, behaviour change campaigns and ocean plastic clean-up. With experience working within terrestrial and coastal environments, she has spent the last decade working with marine mammals, invertebrates, seabirds and threatened species around the country, and brings her passion for conservation and natural resource management to the Cradle Coast.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Ben Correy
Soil Extension Officer
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Ben joined CCA in 2022 as an NRM Planning and Project Coordinator to oversee the delivery of the Maugean Skate Project. Ben is now appointed at NRM’s Soil Extension Officer.
Ben has worked for a range of different groups and agencies throughout his 33-year career ranging from Uni researcher in Disaster Management, bush regenerator, catchment management coordinator and TAFE teacher in Environmental Studies. The bulk of my experience comes from working with Parks & Wildlife Services in QLD, NSW, N.T. and Tas where I have been employed in a variety of roles including Interpretation Ranger, Project Officer, Ranger and Ranger-In-Charge.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Jason Cullen
Healthy Harbour Project Officer
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Jason recently joined CCA in 2024 as our Healthy Harbour Project Officer, aimed to raise awareness and increased community engagement and support towards the recovery of the Maugean skate, endemic to Macquarie Harbour.
Extremely passionate about protecting native flora and fauna, Jason has worked for numerous conservation and environmental organisations with roles varying from supervising a bush-regeneration crew, running environmental workshops, community planting and clean-up days, native nursery operations, wildlife sanctuary keeper and operated a Southern-brown Bandicoot and Long-nosed Potoroo breeding program.
Before moving into the conservation field and completing a Cert 3 in Conservation & Land Management, Jason attained a Bachelor of International Studies and a Bachelor of Spanish before completing his Post-Graduate Certificate in International Development while simultaneously working on a waste-management development project in Guatemala, Central America.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Harriet Brinkhoff
Healthy Harbour Project Officer
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Harriet joined the CCA in 2024 to assist with the delivery of the Healthy Harbour Project, which aims to engage the local community with the recovery of the Maugean Skate and the environmental health of Macquarie Harbour.
Harriet is an active community member in Strahan and has represented the Strahan Aquaculture Community Forum on the National Maugean Skate Recovery Team since its formation in 2023. She completed a Bachelor of Science at UTAS before moving to Strahan to work as a tour guide. Passionate about science communication, she is excited about sharing her knowledge of Macquarie Harbour and the Maugean Skate. Harriet is a co-founder and current vice president of Strahan’s local volunteer Wildcare group, Friends of the Henty, which works towards removing weeds from local reserves.
EMAIL: [email protected]