Our team
Fitzroy Basin Association is a medium-sized, non-profit organisation. We boast a friendly and motivated team, working on meaningful regional projects.
Our staff are characterised by their ability to plan, coordinate, collaborate, negotiate, and adapt quickly to change. Many employees are natural resource management professionals with qualifications in land management, agronomy, environmental science, biology or marine sciences. Our engagement team includes talented communication, engagement and education staff. Skilled business, finance and administrative staff make up our corporate services team.
We care about sustainability, and delivering projects in a professional and timely manner to benefit our partners and the Fitzroy Basin community. Our varied team consists of
- Natural resource management professionals with qualifications in land management, agronomy, environmental science, biology or marine sciences
- Talented communication, engagement and education staff
- Skilled business, finance and administrative staff.
Our Team

Paul Birch
Chief Executive Officer
Paul joined FBA’s Senior Management Team in 2008 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2012. Paul represents FBA on numerous committees and boards including – Fitzroy Partnership for River Health; Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership; Grazing and Grains BMP Partnerships; Reef Alliance; Queensland Sediment working group; QNRM Strategic Reform; Australian NRM, Queensland NRM and Reef CEOs; and Rangelands NRM Alliance.
Phone: (07) 4999 2827

Elyse Riethmuller
Chief Operating Officer
Strategic planning, systems thinking, and a passion for natural resource management are at the core of Elyse’s career, which spans more than 18 years in both government and non-profit sectors. She has a Bachelor of Natural Resources with Honors and a Master of Enterprise.
Phone: (07) 4999 2818

Pam Jeffery
Corporate Services Manager
Pam has a strong background in business administration. She became the manager of FBA’s administration and finance team in 2011 and Corporate Services Manager in 2015 taking on Human Resources and Workplace Health and Safety Responsibilities.
Phone: (07) 4999 2824

Rebecca French
Engagement Manager
Rebecca’s passion is to connect people through information and opportunity. Through strategic coordination of FBA’s communication, education and engagement services and by drawing on 17 years’ experience, Rebecca is keen to raise FBA’s public profile and create additional engagement, collaboration and partnership opportunities.
Phone: (07) 4999 2830

Barbara McKechnie
Water and Agriculture Manager
Barbara draws on 25 years experience in high-level office management roles to manage FBA’s knowledge and data, including our Geographic Information Systems (GIS). She has specialist knowledge of accounting and project management systems, and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
Phone: (07) 4999 2833