The Tasmanian Land Conservancy employs a dynamic, highly skilled staff who collectively boast a vast array of expertise. The team predominantly work part-time and achieve enormous results, always with conservation at the heart of every task.
Dr Katherine Tuft
Chief Executive Officer
Kath is a conservation scientist with a passion for connecting communities to care for nature together. After completing a PhD in threatened species ecology, she has worked in the environmental NGO sector over 15 years, ranging from the remote Kimberley, western NSW and arid South Australia. She likes to be at the pointy end of conservation challenges, harnessing robust science and bringing people together to find solutions.
Dr Cath Dickson
Head of Conservation Science And Planning
Cath is an experienced ecologist who has been working in natural resource and threatened species management in regional South Australia and Victoria, for government and NGOs, since 2004. She completed her PhD at Monash University on the response of a dominant threatened plant to climate change on Macquarie Island – which ultimately led to her move south to Tasmania. Cath’s passion is working with people and science in nature conservation to achieve great conservation outcomes, while getting out into wild Tasmanian landscapes.
Jonathon Ricciardello
Head of Operations
Jonathon's conservation journey began in the early 2000s when he studied Natural Resource Management and Conservation Ecology. Since then he has worked in Victoria on land management initiatives and threatened species recovery, including monitoring and managing brush-tailed rock wallabies in the Snowy River National Park, and translocation programs for southern brown bandicoots. Now back in Tasmania, Jonathon is eager to focus on community engagement to foster practical conservation efforts. When not working, Jonathon enjoys spending time with his family, exploring the natural beauty of Tasmania, from the mountains to the ocean and everything in between.
Mel Eyes
Head of Finance and Governance
Mel grew up in Tasmania - she spent ten years of her life in the stunning NSW Snowy Mountains, but is delighted to be back. Working for the TLC gives Mel the chance to meticulously apply order in a workplace that, like her, values science and conservation. She is well on her way to her goal of visiting ten TLC reserves each year.
Nicole Sherriff
Head of Conservation Programs
Hailing from the west coast of Tasmania, Nicole has been working in environmental management, conservation and tourism across Tasmania and New Zealand for the majority of her career. From many years as a bushwalking guide, through to managing Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area she has a passion for working with people to make a difference in conservation. Within TLC, Nicole is excited to lead our conservation efforts with private landholders across the state.
Todd Nation
Head of Business
Todd looks after TLC’s business operations and helps make sure the organisation has the people, systems and resources it needs to do its work well. Before joining TLC, he worked in senior roles across environmental services, research, government and higher education. He particularly enjoys supporting good people and good ideas, and finding practical ways to help organisations grow stronger. Todd is a graduate of the Tasmanian Leaders Program and a member of AICD and AHRI. Outside work, he spends time with his family and wrestles with his garden and home improvement projects.
Aimee Bliss
Conservation Ecologist
Aimee has a background in ecology and has experience conducting scientific research and fieldwork in Tasmania, Macquarie Island and Antarctica. Aimee loves the outdoors and learning about Tasmania’s ecosystems and is especially interested in plants and fire management. She is excited to use her field experience to contribute to the TLC science teams’ work monitoring and managing the TLC reserve estate. When not in the field for work you’ll most likely find her trail running, rock climbing or gardening at her home at the foothills of kunanyi.
Aimee Bound
Senior Reserves Officer
Aimee’s path in conservation has taken her through land management roles with Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service, along with studies in natural environments and conservation. She loves getting out on TLC reserves and getting stuck into practical land management work that helps protect their natural and cultural values. Outside work, Aimee is happiest outdoors – bushwalking or volunteering with Landcare and Wildcare groups. Her idea of a pretty good morning is tackling a patch of weeds, then sitting down for a cuppa with like-minded people and a great view.
Anna Povey
Land For Wildlife Coordinator (North)
Anna is an ecologist with broad, practical experience over 30 years, including growing native plants, controlling weeds and revegetating, flora surveys, a consulting business, environmental education and small mammal research. She enjoys working with conservation-minded private landholders, and learns something from every landholder.
Annabelle Sweetman
Planned Giving Coordinator
Annabelle’s love of nature began while growing up on a sheep farm in the Western District of Victoria. In her twenties she settled in the wilds of Alaska for a few years, and 20 years ago moved to Tasmania, taking up work hosting on the Freycinet Experience Walk. After a career at Tourism Tasmania, Annabelle is excited to be at the TLC, connecting people with nature and hearing their stories.
Belle Cloudsdale
Reserves Officer
Belle has a degree in Natural Environment and Wilderness Studies from UTAS. Before joining TLC, Belle worked at Greening Australia as a project officer. She also has several years’ experience as a volunteer firefighter. Belle wants to follow her passions for working outdoors and being part of practical efforts to look after and improve natural places.
Carly Plant
Project Officer - Ecosystem Resilience
Carly has worked in conservation and natural resource management across Tasmania for more than 12 years, with experience spanning threatened species conservation, reserve management, and environmental assessment. Carly enjoys working with landholders and communities to protect Tasmania’s unique landscapes. She is particularly interested in landscape-scale conservation and ecological resilience, and is excited to contribute to the Silver Plains project.
Outside of work, Carly enjoys spending time in her veggie garden, volunteering with her local Landcare group and exploring her interest in ceramics.
Dr David Hamilton
Conservation Ecologist
David grew up in the Tasmania of the northern hemisphere (Scotland), but moved here in 2014 to start a PhD on Tasmanian devils and their transmissible cancer. After this experience morphed him into an accidental quoll scientist, he fell in love with Tasmania’s landscapes and wildlife and started with the TLC in 2021. David can be found out and about on our reserves searching for signs of quolls (and everything else), or stuck in front of his computer figuring out what makes them tick.
Elise Jeffery
Conservation Management & Planning Coordinator
Elise joins the TLC team with 25 years’ experience in conservation and land management. Starting off as a Land for Wildlife assessor, Elise has come full circle, back to private land conservation. Scientifically trained as a zoologist, Elise is grateful to have the opportunity to work with TLC to conserve the incredible diversity of fauna that Tasmania has to offer. Elise moved to Tasmania five years ago from Victoria’s surf coast to immerse her family in nature, whether it’s exploring new wild places or quietly holding a cup of coffee amongst the grassy woodland on their Land for Wildlife property on North Bruny.
Emma McPhee
Engagement Systems Coordinator
Emma McPhe administers our engagement systems, with the aim of making community involvement with the TLC's work easier. Our supporters participate in many diverse ways; Em ensures that their important involvement is well supported through our data and communication systems.
Errin Poligaj
Communications Lead
Errin joins TLC after three years leading marketing and development at Beaker Street, Australia's nerdiest cultural organisation. During that time, she supported the expansion of Beaker Street Festival by building new audiences, shaping programming, and strengthening relationships. Before joining Beaker Street, Errin worked as a brand strategist, copywriter, advertising account director, evaluation coordinator, and process analyst. She also illustrated a book featuring the Tasmanian bettong as a creative COVID-era distraction. At home, Errin enjoys a backyard full of bandicoots, a beginner's veggie patch, and the delightful soundtrack of native birds. She's looking forward to strengthening TLC's relationships with supporters and helping more people connect with private land conservation.
Dr Eve White
Communications Coordinator
Eve combines a science background and a love of words in her role as Communications Coordinator. She holds a PhD in ecology and has more than 15 years’ experience in science writing and editing. She works across the TLC to share stories that connect people with nature and inspire support for private land conservation. Born and bred in Lutruwita/Tasmania, Eve spent much of her younger life exploring the island’s wild places. These days she finds joy in spending time with her kids, growing veggies and trying to anticipate her naughty dog’s next move.
GEMMA DYKE
VISITATION COORDINATOR
Gemma is our Visitation Coordinator and joins us from the Australian Antarctic Division where she worked in maintenance and field operations. She spent her pre-Antarctic years with plants in indigenous nurseries and reserves and got her hands dirty and ate cake with Bushcare and Landcare volunteers, basically anything she could find that had to do with plants and plant people! Gemma is learning to surf in between bushwalks and thinks it’s very cool that she has a family of Tasmanian devils in the bush at the end of her street.
Georgie Cummings
Engagement & Events Coordinator
Georgie comes from a diverse professional background, with experience in high level operational, employee & logistic management and design. After establishing a career at a local tech start-up Georgie decided to pursue her deep care and understanding of the natural world by studying conservation management. At TLC, she combines these skills to deliver events and opportunities for our supporters to engage with our Reserves. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking in Tasmania’s wilderness or tending to her native garden.
Dr Glen Bain
Conservation Ecologist
Glen joined the TLC after a stint as a lab manager and health and safety guy at the University of Tasmania, where he also completed his PhD on woodland birds of the Tasmanian Midlands in 2019. Glen is interested in birds (of course), restoration ecology and citizen science. He will spend most of his time behind a computer screen further developing the WildTracker platform but very much looks forward to meeting TLC supporters on field days and at workshops with the occasional foray into our reserves.
Hayley Kingsley
FIELD ECOLOGIST
Hayley developed a love for nature growing up with a Eucalyptus regnan forest at her back doorstep. Helping people connect with and understand the wonderful workings of nature has been a lifelong passion that led to a career in outdoor education and expedition guiding, exploring the vast landscapes of central and northern Australia and New Zealand. Hayley moved to Tassie in 2018 to pursue a career in conservation, completing a degree in Natural Environment and Wilderness Studies at UTAS. In her spare time you can find Hayley looking for birds through a camera lens, kayaking, on kunanyi nerding out on plants, or in her garden.
Kenna Reid-Clark
Reserves Officer
Kenna is a Tasmanian with a deep connection to the island and its incredible landscapes, having worked and recreated in the outdoors for most of his life. Coming from a decade of wilderness bushwalking and canyoning guiding, as well as a decent stint as a native wildlife keeper, Kenna has formed a deep respect for this land and all that it provides. With experience in activism and grass roots movements championing the conservation of Lutruwita/Tasmania’s wild places, Kenna enjoys working with the diverse Tasmanian community. Kenna loves the hands-on aspects of conservation land management and spending time in the field with the quolls.
Manderlee Anstice
Marketing Coordinator
Manderlee has developed and honed her design and campaign skills to engage audiences and communicate complex ideas for campaigning, advocacy and change-making within socially and environmentally aware organisations. This has led her to work for and gain valuable experience and insight into organisations in the not-for-profit sector and in politics. When she is not busy designing she likes reading, visiting art galleries, traveling and spending time with her adopted fur babies, friends and family, especially if a glass of rose is involved.
Meredith (Mez) Wilson
Business Coordinator
Mez has a background in events management combined with a lifelong connection to the land and a deep appreciation for Tasmania’s wild beauty. Raised on a cattle farm and later raising her own family on a regenerative farm in Glen Huon, Mez understands the value of community, stewardship, and living closely with nature. She is especially excited to explore TLC’s reserves and discover the diverse landscapes and stories that make each place unique. Outside of work, Mez delights in the beautiful chaos of family life, spending time with friends, and the simple joys of everyday living.
Nathan Sidney
Business Coordinator
Born in Hobart, Nathan started as a volunteer with the TLC, before joining the fundraising team and eventually moving into administration. Nathan’s the person most likely to answer the phone when you call the main office or respond to your general enquiries via email. Growing up during a time of increased environmental consciousness in Tasmania and around the globe, Nathan chose the right side of history, inspired by the beauty and complexity of the natural kingdom and his formative years exploring the caves and streams at Chauncy Vale.
Phil Wise
Land For Wildlife Coordinator (South)
Phil comes to the TLC from the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, where he spent 12 years working on aspects of devils around the state, and he has previously been a park ranger in the NT, working with traditional owners. Phil has been a member of the LFW program himself for over 10 years and displays his green sign with pride! He's also the father of three busy boys, and a keen musician (and host of community music events).
Pierre Defourny
Midlands Conservation Partnership Coordinator
After a first career as an economist with the European Union in Canberra and Belgium (where he is from), Pierre decided to specialise in nature conservation. He moved to Tasmania with his family to study environmental management and raise his kids among beautiful natural places. Pierre is passionate about achieving conservation outcomes in productive landscapes, where multiple interests and land-uses coexist. He is delighted to contribute to the improvement of biodiversity in the Midlands. Pierre loves spending time outdoors, bushwalking, camping and gardening as well as cooking food for his friends and family.
Rebecca McFarlane
Conservation Programs Ecologist/Gardens for Wildlife Coordinator
Rebecca’s deep connection to nature began in the Adelaide Hills, where she spent her childhood hiking through South Australia’s national parks with her family. This inspired her move to Tasmania in 2020 to pursue a career in conservation. She studied plant biology and ecology at the University of Tasmania, where her honours research focused on climate adaptation in grassland communities across Tasmanian Land Conservancy’s Five Rivers and Silver Plains reserves. Now based in Hobart, she is passionate about protecting Tasmania’s special places through a blend of scientific research and community engagement. When she’s not in the field or behind a desk, you’ll find her reading in the sun or exploring Tasmania’s wilderness, always keeping an eye out for a platypus.
Shaun Thurstans
Data Systems Coordinator
Shaun grew up in southern Tassie, later working in nature conservation and Aboriginal land management. He relishes the daily opportunities to support programs across the TLC, applying his creative and practical approach to using technology, particularly through mapping. He loves the diversity of landscapes and ecosystems we are fortunate to live in and being part of enabling preservation through community support. He plays music, boardgames, water-basketball and loves a good bike ride too.
Thomas Whitehead
Reserves Officer
Tom has been working in private land management on a range of properties around Lutruwita/Tasmania for five years with a focus on conservation, prioritising protecting natural and cultural values. From invasive species control in the central highlands, to restoration projects and insurance populations of threatened species on the east coast, Tom is passionate about the state's native flora and fauna and his ability to make a positive impact on conserving and improving our reserves.