Project Numbat Committee
Our Annual General Meeting was held on 20 August 2020 and the following nominations were received. Please join us in welcoming our new Committee Members!
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
PRESIDENT - ADAM CROSS. Adam is a restoration ecologist who studies the repair of degraded landscapes and the drivers of community resilience to environmental change, and has authored over 40 scientific papers, books and book chapters. Adam has loved numbats since childhood, and joined Project Numbat in 2018 to help preserve this unique species.
VICE PRESIDENT - EMILY SAFE. Emily joined the Project Numbat Committee in 2017, bringing with her seven years of experience as an environmental regulator. She has a passion for the protection and preservation of Western Australia's unique biodiversity, and joined Project Numbat in order to apply this passion to the conservation of our state's faunal emblem. In her spare time, Emily also runs a business promoting and educating people about ecological sustainability and the use of environmentally suitable product alternatives.
TREASURER - CHRISTINE SHAO. Christine is the newly appointed Treasurer of Project Numbat. She holds a Bachelor of commerce degree in Accounting and Economics from University of Westerns Australia. She has also completed her study in Certified Practicing Accountant program.
Christine works full time as an accountant at a Perth local construction company which sells recycled timber products. She is passionate about animal welfare and biodiversity conservation. She is interested in all aspects of the Project Numbat, and particularly with assisting in financial matters. As well, Christine volunteers at UWA Guild volunteering and Breast Cancer Care WA to help support fundraising events.
SECRETARY - MICHAEL WILLIAMS. Michael has been passionate about protecting our threatened species since a young age, such as trying to find Quendas at his high school. Michael graduated from Murdoch University after studying Conservation and Wildlife Biology and has since volunteered with the AWC, WWF and DBCA with native mammal trapping programs. He now works in the mining sector as an environmental scientist, which includes field trips to the Pilbara on Northern Quolls and Ghost Bats. Michael has been a long-time follower of Project Numbat and is excited to join the Committee and help protect our special WA fauna emblem.
GENERAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
JULIA BURR. In my early childhood in Germany I dreamed of coming to Australia, fascinated by its flora and fauna that I was reading about in the biology and science books my grandpa gave me. However, I started a career as a creative TV producer; and after 5 years in the industry and several trips to Australia I was finally brave enough to follow my heart. I quit my job and moved countries! When I did regional work in Williams, Dryandra became my safe place and it was there that I also heard about Project Numbat. I made the decision to finally change careers and contribute into helping the Australian environment survive. I started studying Environmental Monitoring & Technology at TAFE and volunteered with a few environmental organisations. Since Dryandra and numbats have a special place in my heart, I am very excited about the opportunity to be part of Project Numbat.
Karen (Centre) representing Project numbat along with Perth Zoo and PARKS AND WILDLIFE staff at the 2014 Numbat release AT DRYANDRA WOODLAND.
KAREN CAVANOUGH. A love of wildlife led Karen to a variety of studies including Certificates in Captive Animals and in Veterinary Nursing, an undergraduate degree in Conservation & Wildlife Biology and postgraduate degree in Captive Vertebrate Management. She joined the Committee in 2013 to assist in raising awareness and conservation efforts for WA's unique mammal emblem.
Karen is fortunate to work in the Native Species Breeding Program at Perth Zoo as a Technical Officer (Zoology) assisting with the breed for release programs of our beloved numbats and several other endangered WA species. She is also a volunteer at Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and for the Turtle Oblonga Rescue and Rehabilitation Network.
CATHLEEN DIAMOND. Cat achieved her Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Conservation Wildlife Biology from the University of Western Australia. Currently she is training to be a Veterinary Nurse whilst volunteering for Project Numbat and Free The Bears. Cats one passion in life has been to help all wildlife and her dream is to eventually work for an NGO rescuing and rehabilitating endangered species. She is excited and ready for a long fulfilling career in wildlife conservation where ever that may take her.
JO DREW. Jo has always had a passion for animals and anything involving nature, in particular marine environments. She studied Zoology and Botany at UWA and then completed a teaching qualification to specialise in teaching Primary Science. She has taught as a Primary Science Teacher for twenty years and has specialised in Biology and Sustainability Education. Jo was extremely fortunate to be employed by Perth Zoo as a Discovery and Learning Officer in 2017. With her children growing up, she had more time to volunteer and wanted to assist with helping local endangered species. She had heard of Project Numbat and their amazing work and dedication through Perth Zoo and so decided to volunteer in the area of education. Jo also volunteers for Mandurah Wildlife Rescue, Estuary Guardians and Seabird Rescue in Mandurah. She is looking forward to volunteering out in the field and seeing her first numbat in the wild!
BRIAN HADWIN. Brian’s profile to follow.
CLARE MACNISH. Clare is a passionate advocate for protecting Australia's unique flora and fauna and has dedicated her career to fostering this passion in the community around her. Clare worked as a Community Campaigner on the Create Ranger Parks and Range Lands Reform Campaign where she advocated for the need for more National Parks in WA, more Indigenous Rangers looking after country and less environmentally damaging policy governing the Range Lands. As the Community Engagement Officer for Conservation Volunteers Australia she continued to champion the beauty of WA's natural environment while encouraging the people to get their hands dirty helping out with a wide range of hands-on conservation projects. Clare now works as the Volunteer Hub Officer at UWA's Guild Volunteering Department where she connects students with for-purpose organisations, coordinates a diverse range of volunteering projects, runs social-impact events and liaises closely with not-for-profit partner organisations all over Perth.
Clare is passionate about the plight of the Numbat and works to support this amazing team who are ensuring the survival of this curious marsupial. She hopes to one day actually see a numbat in the wild after several failed attempts while camping at Dryanda.
JUSTIN MULHAIR. Justin has always had a great interest in the outdoors, the environment and all the wild and wonderful things that live in nature. After emigrating to Australia in 2014 he became more familiar with all the strange little “critters” that call Australia home. He now considers himself a naturalised West Aussie yet still gets excited about seeing kangaroos…. even though he sees them every morning on his work commute! He has previously volunteered as a Dog Walker for POOPS (Pets of Older Persons) and has been involved in beach and coastal cleanups organised by Sea Shepherd Australia and their local partners.
Justin is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ), a Registered Company Auditor (RCA) and an Associate Director in Nexia Perth’s Audit and Assurance department in Perth’s CBD. In his professional life, he has been a professional advisor to a number of Not-for-Profits involved in conservation in Perth and regional WA. He hopes that his skillset will come in handy assisting Project Numbat with their financial reporting and governance obligations ensuring that the organisation can continue it’s amazing work!
PREETI RAWAT. Preeti’s profile to follow.
AMY ROBEY. Growing up with parents who rehabilitated injured wildlife, Amy has always had an interest in conservation. For a number of years after school however, she could not figure out what to do with her passion. Amy decided to go to university and in mid 2015 graduated from UWA with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Conservation Biology (Honors).
During and since her studies Amy has participated as much volunteer fieldwork as possible and has been lucky enough to be involved in a range of fauna trapping projects in areas such as the Pilbara, Dryandra Woodland, Rottnest Island, Busselton and Manjimup. Amy previously volunteered for a number of organisations including WWF, the Munda Biddi Trail Foundation and Native Animal Rescue which allowed her to lend her skills to important not-for-profit organisations whilst learning about different industries and gaining additional skills. She now works for the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Amy joined Project Numbat in order to help out a worthy cause and in the hope that it would allow her to see a numbat in the wild - she has now seen three!
