Meet our staff
Elyse Riethmuller
Acting Chief Executive Officer
I’m inspired on a daily basis by the truly amazing things we achieve through working together and the positive difference that makes to our families and our region.
Jeff Krause
NRM Manager
Making a positive contribution and sharing my experience and insights to assist staff and FBA stakeholders across the region is what excites me about working with FBA.
Pam Jeffery
Corporate Services Manager
At the end of the day I just love the people I work with and the challenges and learnings I gain along the way – they’ve all helped shape who I am today.
Rebecca French
Engagement Manager
More than anything I enjoy working with others to make a difference. Influencing positive outcomes for people and building goodwill and reputation is what I’m all about!
Andrew Lewis
Extension Leader
I am inquisitively observant and am continually looking for the opportunity to create efficiencies, effectiveness and most importantly value. I enjoy sharing my practical and authentic insights of the grazing industry to empower others.
Barbara McKechnie
Business Systems Leader
I enjoy being able to mentor and empower new and younger staff in our organisation to go out and achieve great things.
Charisse Anderson
Delivery Leader
I feel blessed to live in rural Queensland on a cotton property with my husband and kids, and work with a passionate team of people and landholders to protect and improve our region’s natural assets.
Craig Davenport
Strategic Projects Leader
I’m stupid enough to try most things! (Ironman and a sustainable veggie patch are the next challenges.) At work, creating opportunities for those who are keen and restoring community focus.
Shannon van Nunen
Environment Leader
I approach NRM like I approach life… it’s a marathon, not a sprint… you can’t accomplish without help from others… every problem is an opportunity… think big picture!
Bernie Claussen
Senior Land Mgt Officer
Halting erosion, and improving the fertility and hydrology of our soils to benefit natural ecosystems and our food production is what I’m most passionate about.
Bethlea Bell
Community Participation Officer
I love working with people on projects that enhance our natural assets… I have a particular soft spot for our amphibian friends so am known as ‘the frog lady’ in some circles!
Bronwyn Brunton
Ag Services Coordinator
Owning and running a beef cattle operation with my husband makes me a passionate advocate for the industry and best practice, and ensuring what our children inherit is well kept.
Camille Conway
Regional Engagement Officer
We can have all the science in the world, but if we can’t work together to protect what sustains us – our environment – then we’re all in trouble. Finding our common ground is what drives me.
Casey Spencer
Land Management Officer
Sustainable agriculture is what excites me, especially finding management practices that provide economic, social and environmental benefits to landholders and the broader community.
Cassandra Tracey
Senior Project Officer
My passion is for conserving threatened species and special places, and restoring habitat. I love that our work makes a real difference to our environment.
Catherine Parfitt
Governance Officer
Embraced by all things governance, risk and compliance – I enjoy the challenges that come with reviewing systems and process to improve business. Solving problems is what I live for!
Daniel Rea
Science Engagement Officer
Science is all about learning how the world works and my passion is helping people understand and have those ‘aha!’ moments. Remember, it’s not magic… it’s science!
Ebony Battersby
Communications Coordinator
I’m passionate about using multimedia to tell the stories of regional and rural Australia – sharing the success stories of people who live in our region is the highlight of my job.
Ellie Carter
Senior Land Management Officer
I’m from the UK and have worked on properties around Australia – nothing beats the landscape here. I just love CQ people and helping them boost production and restore the land.
Hannah Kaluzynski
Project Officer (Environment)
Listening to peoples’ life stories and experiences just fascinates me, and I’m a big believer in working with local people to tackle our environmental challenges – it’s the best way to build a sustainable future.
Jo Kurpershoek
Regional Engagement Coordinator
My favourite question is ‘why?’, followed closely by ‘what if…?’ … it drives some folks nuts but it’s how we make useful connections, learn and grow.
Johanna Beningfield
Communications Officer
Working each day with a team of passionate people to safeguard our region’s special places and unique species is a dream come true!
Joseph Stapleton
Project Officer (Environment)
I studied hard so I could work in NRM… nobody does 3 years of uni just because they ‘love it’. I’m really glad to be putting my qualifications to use with FBA!
Kate Jackson
Land Management Officer
Central QLD is the place I’ve lived longest and I love our slice of paradise. Learning and passing knowledge onto others, and working in agriculture are my passions.
Kate McLucas
Land Management Officer
I’ve lived in rural areas most of my life and love everything it brings. Regional areas have so much to offer and I have a real passion for connecting with its people, lessons and history.
Katie Crozier
Senior Extension Officer
Having a chat over a cuppa and finding a way to move forward with your business is a big driver for me. I say what I think and it’s always from the heart.
Katrina Edwards
Contracts Officer
Working with a large goal-oriented team, and taking ownership of the contract process to make it consistent is what I enjoy. After hours belongs to my family and that’s still the best job.
Leanne McLurcan
Finance Officer
I enjoy helping others get their heads around the finance requirements… but when it comes down to it, being a Mum, wife and netball coach is what I love.
Lisa Del Riccio
Community Participation Officer
I’m all about connections and bringing people, information and resources together to achieve environmental sustainability for our region.
Meg Anderson
Land Management Officer
Coming from a grazing and cropping background, I just really enjoy working with landholders to improve their land. Sustainable agriculture, healthy soils, horses and photography are my passions.
Nikkea Jenkinson
Corporate Services Officer
Jumping in the deep end even if it seems scary at first excites me – I love learning and finding creative solutions to support FBA staff so they can provide top services to our region.
Peter Smith
Senior GIS Officer
In a nutshell, I do maps and love providing GIS support to assist others with their work. I’ve been involved with things geospatial for more than 35 years and I’m still learning!
Rachel Bryan
Systems Repair Coordinator
Nature is amazing and complex at every scale: landscape to microscopic. My job is the perfect place to share insights with others and integrate care for nature and our human endeavours.
Reece Brooks
Land Management Coordinator
Having grown up in the grazing industry, I enjoy helping landholders improve their business and restore their land through best practice, and help them increase their production and profits.
Vicki Horstman
Regional Agricultural Landcare Facilitator
I love my family, horses and camping… almost as much as I love working with local groups and producers to achieve Sustainable Ag in our big and beautiful region (just don’t tell the family!).
Leigh Stitz
Fitzroy Partnership for River Health - Executive Director
Together we are providing a more complete picture of river health. The commitment of our partners, our passionate team and vision for the future is what inspires and motivates me.
Sam Hall
Fitzroy Partnership for River Health - Communications Coordinator
Inspiring hearts and minds through visual and written communication is what drives me. I want to see people caring for the environment so every child has a future to look forward to!
Kash Walker
Fitzroy Partnership for River Health - Web Developer
I take pride in ensuring our website is easy to use. By presenting complex science in a simple way, everyone can understand river health and access results.
Mac Hansler
Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership - Science Officer
I am passionate about preserving the natural world to the best of my ability. I think with everything in life there exists a happy medium for all interested parties. Easy to say, difficult to practice, but well worth the effort.
Mark Schultz
Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership - Science Officer
I am passionate about conceiving, developing and conducting a diverse range of environmental investigations designed to improve environmental outcomes. Additionally, working with GHHP’s independent science panel is particularly rewarding as it presents an opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of our report card.
Ajay More
Engineer (Contractor)
I am passionate about understanding how river catchments in Australian outback behave hydraulically. My educational background in civil engineering and water resources, allows me to design water related infrastructure which work towards improving river health.
Michelle Black
Graphic Designer (Contractor)
I thrive on visually communicating messages about healthy ecosystems, biodiversity protection and sustainable land management and knowing my work is helping make a difference.


