Our Team

Sandra leads our TAS Farm Innovation Hub team to ensure key obligations under the hub’s Federal Government Deeds are met, as well as managing the hub’s stakeholders in particular the Industry Advisory Board and government relationships. As a long-term project manager with a legal background, Sandra has strong leadership experience and demonstrated ability to enable change and drive innovation through many roles within the University of Tasmania, including the Industry 4.0 Testlab Project and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Mission Integration Program. Sandra has extensive knowledge of Tasmanian agriculture and helps manage a mixed-farming family enterprise.

Professor Mohammed is a Senior Research Fellow with the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture and Centre Leader (Agricultural Systems). She has led an eclectic variety of agricultural and forest research projects in both developed and developing countries, including Australia, France, UK, Trinidad, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Congo, Indonesia, Vietnam and China. She is a pioneer of new areas of science such as exploring host defence responses in eucalypts, the development of a biocontrol to a tropical fungal pathogen, modelling the impact of pest and diseases as climate changes, investigating the potential of potatoes in Kenya and Tasmania and developing a whole-farm systems game.

As a knowledge broker with the hub, Liana works to ensure our programs and activities meet the needs and priorities of the Tasmanian agricultural community while contributing to the national-level objectives of the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund. Before joining the hub, Liana was a social scientist at the CSIRO, working on various agricultural research projects to bring together different perspectives and knowledge for positive change.

Tony is responsible for the hub’s operational and financial management, regulatory reporting, contract management, and compliance. Holding an Executive MBA, Tony has more than 30 years of leadership experience in investment banking and finance, start-ups and scale-ups, management consulting, and corporate governance predominantly in the private sector.

Melissa manages the hub’s communications and engagement strategies, which include stakeholder relations, media liaison, event management, marketing and branding. Melissa is a communications and engagement specialist with more than 28 years’ experience including roles as a journalist in print, online, radio and television, specialising in rural affairs and the environment. She has also held senior management positions in natural resource management (NRM), politics and local government.

Hannah works with hub and partner staff involved in project activities to ensure that drought resilience and innovation outcomes are achieved. A highly experienced project manager, she previously worked at the north west farm and project management business West Pine, where she led the development of climate-smart strategies for farm business and impact growth. Hannah also has experience in agricultural policy, agtech development and farm business management.

Alison is responsible for the planning, coordination and delivery of hub events. A dedicated professional with more than 25 years committed to community engagement and event coordination, Alison has worked across the not-for-profit, state government and corporate sectors. She has over 13 years’ experience working with advisory boards, providing executive level and administration support.

Erin supports hub projects through project management and coordination, project liaison, governance and reporting. She has held project and administrative positions in key Tasmanian rural and logistics businesses including the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association and Rural Business Tasmania. Erin has first-hand knowledge of Tasmanian agriculture through helping to shape her family's niche truffle business.

As knowledge broker with hub, Lauren works to ensure our programs and activities meet the needs and priorities of the Tasmanian agricultural community while contributing to the national-level objectives of the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund. Lauren has a diverse background in project management, strategic engagement, social enterprise and not for profit leadership and has a keen interest and passion for social impact and transformational change. With a particular love for agriculture, Lauren believes the sector and its people are a critical cornerstone for the whole of society and knows that the Hub has an essential value proposition to ensure Tasmania grows thriving, climate resilient, agricultural communities.

Alex engages with farmers and other stakeholders with a focus on resilience and innovation in Tasmania’s agriculture industry. Alex grew up on an irrigated grain farm in the Riverina region of NSW. After completing a Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management, he gravitated back to working in agriculture in various roles from farmhand to operations manager. More recently, Alex has pursued work in international agricultural development, managing projects in India and Vietnam, something he maintains a passion for. In aid of this, he completed a Master of Agricultural Sciences with a strong focus on extension.

Belinda Nielsen is Tasmania’s Regional Soils Coordinator (RSC). As a part of Australia’s National Soils Strategy, Belinda’s role identifies regional priorities for soil management that support landholders, industry and the environment. The RSC role also connects Tasmania into other state and national activities and is funded in partnership with the hub and NRM South. With a background in agricultural science specialising in soils and horticulture, Belinda can be found out and about across the state, getting to know anyone and everyone involved with Tassie soils.

Craig’s role was established through a partnership between the TAS Farm Innovation Hub and the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA). He works with government, industry, research bodies, and RDCs to identify emerging biosecurity threats and support agricultural preparedness through targeted research projects. He is a key liaison with the Tasmanian Government during biosecurity emergencies, supporting TIA’s role in pest and disease outbreak responses. With a long career in both public and private sectors, Craig has led surveillance, compliance, and emergency response programs across Australia, covering animal, plant, and environmental biosecurity.

Saideepa (Deepa) Kumar works with the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture as a lecturer and researcher in agricultural systems. In her role as Cultural Engagement Lead with the TAS Farm Innovation Hub, Deepa is focussed on building capacity within TIA and the Hub to engage more meaningfully with the Tasmanian Aboriginal people of Lutruwita. She is especially interested in identifying and supporting opportunities for Tasmanian Aboriginal people to work with the Hub and its partners, with self-determination, to achieve positive outcomes for their communities.

Pam is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Geography, Planning and Spatial Sciences, University of Tasmania. She is the chair of NRM North, the past Independent Chair of the Southern Regional Planning Panel (responsible for statutory planning determination across southern NSW) and a former NSW Environment Minister. She is a member of the Northern Tasmanian Development Corporation Circular Economy Working Group and a member of the Tasmanian Ministerial Waste Advisory Group. Pam has extensive governance experience in the public and commercial (Australian Securities Exchange) sectors and has worked directly with community groups, industry and local government.

Elizabeth has been Chief Executive Officer of Rural Business Tasmania since 2006 and also holds an extensive board directorship portfolio. As well as her role with the hub, Elizabeth’s current portfolio includes Deputy Chair, Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia (national peak advocacy body), Director of Tasmanian Agricultural Productivity Group, Director of Tasmanian Small Business Council, and Advisory Board Member for TIA.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Business in 1993 and as a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand and Graduate Member of the Institute of Company Directors, Elizabeth worked for many years in private practice accounting firms and held senior positions in large commercial enterprises together with short-term consulting, audit and Chief Financial Officer projects for multiple businesses.

Michael is Director of the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA). He has scientific research interests in the nutrition and health of farm livestock and has held numerous research and teaching appointments around the world after he obtained his PhD in 1993. He has a particular interest in the widespread on-farm adoption of research advances, and the difficulties that this can present. He also has an interest in the pedagogy of teaching in higher education.
Michael led the development of the strategy for TIA, 2021–2026, which emphasises the connection of TIA’s research with industry, both in the shaping of the research questions and also with the industry development that follows that research. The strategy also emphasises the connection of TIA with the other agricultural education providers in Tasmania, with the aim of articulating the provision and exciting more people to consider a career in agriculture.

Ian has been actively involved in agriculture, natural resource management, policy formulation, project development, management and community development over the past 30 years. He has represented community groups at state and national government policy level, as well as being a representative of national and state committees and boards. This has enabled Ian to present informed advice on issues affecting community groups and government, as well as allowing him to have significant input into the development of appropriate courses of action, evaluation and implementation of programs and policy across a range of jurisdictions. At local and regional levels Ian has been responsible for and involved with the development, implementation and monitoring of priority research projects, practical application projects and pilot projects that have secured government and private industry funding for their development and execution.

Directly involved in family business, Belinda’s skills span businesses in a multitude of sectors. Belinda’s leadership is demonstrated through her active participation at executive level on national and state boards and committees. She is the Emeritus Chair of Tasmanian Women in Agriculture and Director on the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens Board. Belinda is Principal Consultant with Optimum Standard, a business management system consultancy building better futures for business across a range of industry sectors, including primary industries. In 2022 Belinda was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to primary industries.
 

Angela is the Pro Vice-Chancellor, College of Sciences and Engineering at UTAS. She has experience in regional development and governance, community engagement and development and strategic and land use planning. She has worked at senior management level in local government and as a consultant managing and/or contributing to major projects. Angela has also worked on place focused projects for a number of organisations and has a PhD focused on regional development, planning and agriculture. Angela is interested in transformation and innovation and their consequences for policy making and change in rural and regional communities.

Adam is an experienced legal and water management professional with over 15 years of expertise across a range of regulated industries. He currently serves as the Manager, Water & Contracts at Hydro Tasmania, where he has spent the last five years specialising in the management of Hydro Tasmania's Special Water Licence. Adam is dedicated to building strong relationships and understanding the needs of the irrigation community.

Being Australia's largest water manager, Hydro Tasmania oversees more than 13,500 gigalitres per annum. Adam has a unique grasp of the complexities involved in managing 52 lakes, 54 large dams, and 30 power stations, and is skilled in balancing the energy generation needs of Tasmania with the requirements of other water users across the state.

David is the Chief Operating Officer at Tasmanian Irrigation. He was raised on a fine wool and beef cattle property on the New South Wales Northern Tablelands and has held senior agribusiness management roles in Australia over the past 30 years, including Managing Director of Tasmania’s largest private grain storage and marketing company, Assistant General Manager at Top Cut Foods, Sydney, and financial controller at OzTaste, Melbourne, Australia’s largest fresh stone fruit co-operative marketer. David is a member of the Institute of Public Accountants, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a Degree in Agricultural Commerce from the University of New England.

Bonnie is the Regional NRM Manager at Cradle Coast Authority (CCA) and represents Tasmania’s regional NRM organisations on the Tasmanian Farm Innovation Hub Advisory Board. At CCA she leads a team focused on building partnerships between farmers, researchers, industry and government to support resilient landscapes and improve biodiversity outcomes.