Wildcare Board

Wildcare’s volunteer Board provides governance oversight, including strategic direction, delivery monitoring, and organisational risk management.

Meet our Wildcare Board members:

Donna Burton

Elected Board member (Chair)

Donna spent over 30 years as a senior public servant, in Queensland and then Canberra, working in sectors such as housing and homelessness, disability, international climate change policy, renewable energy and greenhouse programs, and Indigenous and public health. She also spent several years working for the Commonwealth Auditor-General, leading teams that examined government agencies’ performance and adherence to the standards and professionalism expected by the Australian parliament and public. Throughout her personal and professional life, she has worked closely with many volunteer-based community and environment groups, where she valued their expertise, community engagement, innovative approaches, and practical achievements.

She has always been a keen bushwalker, and since moving to Tasmania in 2018 became a Wildcare member. She feels it’s been an honour to serve on the Wildcare Board since 2019, and looks forward to contributing in this capacity to the highly valuable work that Wildcare has done for decades in Tasmania’s unique natural and cultural environments.

Marianne Gee

Elected Board member

Marianne is a keen bushwalker and Wildcare member whose first volunteer experience was as an Overland Track Hut Warden at Waterfall Valley in the summer of 2004. Having volunteered with a number of Wildcare branches since then, she has been President of Friends of the OBP (Orange-bellied Parrot) since 2018. Marianne also represents Friends of the OBP on the OBP National Recovery Team.

After fulfilling various roles over the years including teaching, policy and program development in Aboriginal Affairs, curriculum development with Curriculum Australia and lecturing in Aboriginal Studies at the University of Tasmania, Marianne retired from the public service in 2020. Having worked in Libraries Tasmania’s marketing and communications team for several years prior to retiring, Marianne gained basic skills in graphic design that have enabled her to go on and design marketing material and merchandise for Friends of the OBP.

Marianne looks forward to exploring avenues for branches to grow their membership, to promote active volunteering and to increase their fundraising capacity.

Andrew Flies

Elected Board member

A senior research fellow at the University of Tasmania, Andy leads a team in trying to develop a vaccine to protect Tasmanian devils from the devil facial tumour diseases. His position allows him to merge two of his interests; conservation and immunology. Andy has also been involved in cancer immunology research at the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins University. His Ph.D. was completed at Michigan State University, and he has spent time in the field collecting biological samples and behavioural data from spotted hyenas in the Maasai Mara, Kenya.

Andy moved with his wife (Dr. Emily Flies) to Adelaide in 2013, where together they created the volunteer organisation ‘Science in the Pub Adelaide’ a monthly scientific discussion panel. In 2015 they relocated to Hobart with their son and established ‘Science in the Pub Tasmania’. Andy is also chair of the ‘1^st Derwent Sea Scouts’ group support committee.

As a permanent resident of Tasmania, Andy and his family love visiting the state’s wild places and plan to grow old on this spectacular island. He believes the Wildcare model of organising community members to care for Tasmania’s spectacular wild places, animals, and heritage provides not only direct care for the places but also works towards a stronger environmental ethic in the community.

Brodie Emery

Elected Board member

Brodie joins the Wildcare Tasmania Board with a deep love for Tasmania’s wild places and a strong belief in the power of people working together to protect them.

He lives in Hobart and brings experience in strategy, organisational change and employee engagement. Across his work, Brodie helps teams make sense of complexity, cut through clutter, and find better ways of working always with the goal of creating positive, lasting change.

He has previously served on the board of a Tasmanian conservation organisation, where he helped grow community support and significantly increased fundraising. His approach blends practical problem-solving with a whole-of-system lens, grounded in a passion for biodiversity and sustainability.

For Brodie, Tasmania is one of the most special places on Earth - rich in unique species, landscapes, and deep cultural significance. He believes we have an opportunity to care for this island in ways that set an example for the world, showing how people and nature can coexist sustainably. He sees Wildcare as a living example of what happens when people roll up their sleeves, share their skills and time, and act on their care for the natural world. As a Board member, he’s excited to help support that spirit and shape a strong, sustainable future for Wildcare and the places we love.

Emma Reid

Elected Board member (Deputy Chair)

Emma brings to the Wildcare Tasmania Board passion, energy, and a range of relevant skills and experience to support the organisation and its people in making a genuine difference to Tasmania’s wild places.

Originally from New Zealand, Emma’s association with Tasmania’s wild places began when she arrived here 15 years ago and has continued to be an integral part of her leisure time. It has also been maintained through a close connection to the sub-Antarctic via the Macquarie Island Pest Eradication Project and in particular, her gorgeous rabbit detection dog Hamish who worked there.

She also has strong Antarctic and Southern Ocean links. As Antarctica New Zealand’s Communications Director. Emma delivered a high-profile public awareness program that supported world-leading science and environmental protection. She also spent the summer at Scott Base as station leader responsible for the community cohesion of 85 staff and scientists on the ice.

Emma has worked alongside Chief Executives and Boards in government agencies, not for profits, and corporate entities to enhance their reputation and brand and improve their standing with shareholders, stakeholders, and members of the public. She had over 20 years of strategic communication and governance experience across the private and public sectors, nationally and internationally.

Integral to her current role is communicating Tasmania’s brand values and strengthening partnerships so that everyone can see what makes it such a unique and special place to live, work and explore.

As a Board member, Emma relishes the opportunity to support the organisation during the next stage in Wildcare Tasmania’s journey and looks forward to contributing her creative and innovative approach to its strategic direction.

Andrew Smith

Elected Board member

Andrew is a 5th generation Tasmanian and, despite travelling overseas extensively, believes there is nowhere that compares to Tasmania.

After working on farms on the east and north coasts of Tasmania, Andrew started his career with the National Parks and Wildlife Service in 1978, taking up a four-year Ranger trainee position, working in 14 locations around the state.

He then moved to the position of Education Officer for five years, visiting over 500 school classes, producing educational publications, and leading teacher seminars. Andrew then assumed the role of Education Officer at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. There, his work included international trips to speak at Botanic Garden Congresses in Brazil, Spain, the UK and the USA, and conferences around Australia. He created the Friends of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens Inc., a group of keen volunteers who continue to support the Gardens. In addition to delivering around 900 educational sessions and publishing educational materials, Andrew was also involved in creating staff development programs, including staff exchanges with other Australian botanical gardens.

Andrew then returned to the Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) as Manager of Community Partnerships in 1997, and, among other projects, he created Wildcare Inc. He held the position of Chair, then Co-chair for the next 20 years - a period of enormous growth and amazing results.

In the meantime, a departmental restructure meant Andrew moved to the Resource Management and Conservation Division to manage the facilitator network for Landcare, Bushcare, Coastcare and Waterwatch programs for the next eight years. In 2008 he returned to the PWS as Manager of Community Programs, lading a talented team of interpreters, educators, designers, trainers and communicators in delivering visitor experiences, events and community engagement programs. During this time, Andrew also led the formation and management of the Aboriginal Trainee Ranger Program and had extensive involvement with the Aboriginal community.

In 2019, Andrew retired from both PWS and Wildcare Inc. Since then, he has operated as a marriage celebrant, spent wonderful regular times with grandkids, illustrating and writing, boating, and growing a large vegetable garden.

Andrew looks forward to re-engaging with Wildcare as a Board member, with a passion for building the relationship between Wildcare and its partners and supporting its fantastic members, whose efforts are astounding and vital to effectively managing our National Parks, reserves and biodiversity.

Andrew Harvey

Parks and Wildlife Service Board representative

Andrew is currently General Manager of Landscape Programs in the Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) and is pleased to join Wildcare's Board, having put himself forward as the PWS representative. Andrew has been with NRE Tasmania in a range of technical, professional and managerial roles for over twenty years, covering freshwater management, environmental assessment, project management and reserved land management.

Andrew has lived in Tasmania for most of his life and is deeply interested in its landscapes and natural and cultural values. When he's not working, Andrew enjoys various recreational activities across our incredible island.

Andrew appreciates the great passion and commitment many people have for our unique island. Wildcare allows people to be involved in a shared responsibility for caring for our special places and environment and to connect with others in a community of like-minded people. For Andrew, being involved in the organisation at a strategic level to support this is a great privilege.

Fiona Taylor

Elected Board member

Fiona original hails from the NW Coast of Tasmania but moved to Hobart as as teenager to study at the university where she completed a BSc(Hons) in botany and a PhD in marine micropalaeontology. After her PhD, she lived in the USA for four years, working as a postdoctoral research fellow. This allowed her to fulfill a dream, travelling to Antarctica several times with the Australian and US Antarctic programs for work and research.

In 2002, Fiona and her husband returned home to Tasmania and immediately accepted a post as volunteer caretakers on Maatsuyker Island for three months. So enthused about this special place, they helped found the Friends of Maatsuyker Island (FOMI). Fiona has remained an active member of the FOMI Committee ever since and returned to the island several times on day trips and working bees.

Fiona works at the University of Tasmania as a professional staff member and lives in a lovely little nook south of Hobart with her husband, three alpacas and five chooks. She loves being outdoors and when not travelling, bushwalking, sea kayaking or swimming year-round she can usually be found up to her elbows in the garden. She is passionate about Tasmania’s wild places and committed to their conservation.

As a Wildcare Board member, Fiona is keen to help all Wildcare groups grow their membership, expand their funding opportunities, and be sustainable into the future.

Rachael Alderman

Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (Environment Business Unit) Board representative

Rachael has dedicated her career to threatened species and biodiversity conservation and is fortunate that this passion has taken her to some of Tasmania’s most wild and beautiful places.

Rachael has over twenty years’ experience working within State Government and in a wide range of contexts. In her current role, she works with a wonderful team striving to achieve the best possible outcomes for Tasmania’s 600+ threatened species. This includes applied conservation programs, such as the Orange-bellied parrot and the Tasmanian devil programs, which rely on the contribution of volunteers.

Throughout her career, Rachael has seen firsthand the vital role of philanthropy, whether the volunteering of time or the donation of money, in delivering meaningful conservation outcomes. Rachael is looking forward to bringing her personal commitment and professional experience to the Wildcare board and hopes to contribute to identifying new opportunities for lasting conservation impact, including stronger partnerships and alignment between state government and volunteers.

Wildcare Staff

Wildcare Tasmania’s staff team supports the organisation’s daily operations, member services, communications, fundraising, grants administration, community building, financial services, and governance. Working closely with volunteers, partners, the Board, and the Grants Committee, staff play a vital role in delivering Wildcare’s mission and ensuring the effective coordination of conservation efforts across the state.

Meet Wildcare's staff:

Phillip Laroche
Chief Executive Officer

Phillip Laroche is a passionate leader in community-driven conservation, with over 12 years of experience in the environment sector and a decade in eco-tourism management and guiding. He is committed to collaboratively developing strategies and delivering projects that connect people with nature and strengthen community-led conservation outcomes.

Appointed as Wildcare’s CEO in 2025, Phillip brings a diverse skill set shaped by roles in not-for-profit leadership, community engagement, government reporting, and environmental communications. He was formerly Wildcare's Acting Operations Manager and Member Services Manager, where he led key improvements in fundraising, communications and storytelling, digital platforms and work systems, and stakeholder reporting.

Before joining Wildcare, Phillip worked for over a decade at the Tasmanian Land Conservancy, where he led community engagement programs to support fundraising and conservation outcomes. His broader professional background also includes project management with Ecotec Environmental, where he co-authored the biodiversity theme of Tasmania’s 2024 State of the Environment Report.

Phillip works closely with the Board, staff, Wildcare group leaders, and partners to deliver the 2025–2027 Strategic Plan, support the Tasmanian Nature Conservation Fund, and ensure the organisation’s long-term financial sustainability.

Phillip lives in a celery-top pine house near the beach and bush south of Hobart with his wife and two young sons. He enjoys teaching his boys about nature, as well as camping, nature photography, record collecting, volunteering in his local community, and cooking for friends and family.

Lind Lever Bio Photo Linda Lever
Financial Services Manager

Linda began her journey with Wildcare as an office volunteer before moving into a paid role, starting with just a few hours per week and gradually increasing to full-time at the beginning of 2022. In her role as Financial Services Manager, Linda oversees Wildcare’s financial operations - managing the organisation's operating and Tasmanian Nature Conservation Fund (TNCF) accounts, supporting Wildcare groups with financial administration, managing grant applications and acquittals, stewarding the TNCF Grants Committee, and ensuring operational compliance. She has led the modernisation of Wildcare's financial and administrative processes and reporting, enhanced the TNCF’s operating procedures, and improved our internal customer service.

Linda learned about the work of Wildcare while volunteering as a registered and accredited Bonorong wildlife rescuer, and as a registered NRE Tas wildlife rehabilitator, specialising in critical weight range marsupials including bettongs and bandicoots. She also brings administration and bookkeeping experience from the financial, building, and accounting sectors, which has equipped her with the skills to keep Wildcare’s finances running smoothly and in alignment with best practice.

Linda works remotely from sub-tropical Queensland, but misses Tasmania's natural environment immensely and returns 'home' regularly for work and to visit family, though not in winter if she can avoid it.

Eloise Telford
Community Engagement Manager

Eloise holds a Graduate Certificate of Development Practice (Community Development) and has over a decade of experience working alongside communities across Australia and overseas. Throughout her career journey spanning placemaking, community housing and social impact evaluation, she has found herself most energised by the projects which supported biodiversity, local ecosystems and connection to Country.

Eloise is particularly passionate about work that strengthens community connection, builds climate resilience, and allows people experience the joy and meaning that comes from caring for Tasmania’s wild places. Above all, her goal is to ensure every Wildcare volunteer feels informed, supported and valued - and that their contribution, big or small, has a lasting impact on the places they love.

Wildcare Grants Committee

Donations to Wildcare Tasmania’s gift fund (Tasmanian Nature Conservation Fund) are managed in accordance with our status as a DGR endorsed environmental organisation. Applications are assessed by the Wildcare Grants Committee, who are a group of highly qualified people passionate about Tasmania’s wild places and wildlife. This governance process means that donors can claim a tax deduction for donations. Grants Committee members are volunteers.

Further details about the grants process can be found here: Tasmanian Nature Conservation Fund Grants

Meet the Wildcare Grants Committee:

Beth Rickwood

Appointed Grants Committee member (Chair)

Beth has worked in nature conservation roles for 25+ years across the public, private and academic sectors, including senior roles in the NSW public service. Beth has particular expertise in environmental grants assessment, management and governance, developed while leading the team overseeing the NSW Environmental Trust’s $250m major grants program.

Beth has an Honours degree in Conservation Biology from UNSW and a Graduate Diploma of Environmental Law from University of Sydney. In 2022, she won a scholarship and completed an executive leadership qualification with Women & Leadership Australia.

Beth is passionate about nature and gets out amongst it as much as possible, including tending to her sprawling urban food and flower garden, bushwalking, and recording local species on iNaturalist.

Andrew Topfer

Appointed Grants Committee member

Andrew Topfer is a lawyer by trade and has a background in cultural heritage, land use and property matters.

Andrew has spent several years working with Traditional Owners in the Kimberley, WA as a lawyer and project officer assisting with a range of native title and cultural heritage issues.

On returning home to lutruwita, Andrew became an active member of Wildcare Deslacs who help manage the reserves around Clifton Beach.

Andrew has recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Protected Area Planning at the University of Tasmania.

Phil Watson

Appointed Grants Committee member

Phil brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and networks in coastal planning and management under a changing climate to the organising Committee. This is based on his 40-year background in teaching, local government and coast community engagement.

As a long-standing Natural Resource Management professional Phil is fascinated by the diversity of connections between wildlife and the landscapes they inhabit. His career has provided fantastic opportunities to experience many natural places both in Australia and worldwide, especially USA and UK where he experienced an inspiring insight into park management and interpretation thanks to his Churchill Fellowship. The Fellowship also enabled him to connect with the many passionate people at an international level who also cherish and care for the natural environment.

He continues to be intimately involved in the care and management of natural places across Tasmania, utilising his reservoir of knowledge and experience acquired from decades of Natural Resource strategic planning and management in Clarence City Council, tertiary college lecturing in Natural Resource Management (NRM) and his revealing Churchill Fellowship. As Council’s NRM planner, he has successfully developed and implemented an extensive series of new natural area strategies and management plans.

His passion for the local environment is to be respected, with a deeply held fascination for the many species and their habitats that thrive in Clarence and elsewhere in Tasmania. He has written and published a large and absorbing portfolio of articles focussing on ‘People Plants’ aimed at creating an awareness of the values of Tasmania’s native flora and fauna.

His involvement in community Landcare activities covers decades; his enthusiasm for sharing his knowledge of the environment is infectious and was recognised by being presented with the Individual Tasmanian Landcare Award and Citizenship of the Year award.

When not enjoying his bike riding, kayaking the wild coastlines, rowing on the river Derwent or tramping through Australia’s bush, he can be found soaking up the view at Mt Rumney with both his family and the many furry and feathered friends.

Cynthia Awruch

Appointed Grants Committee member

Cynthia is the Manager of Research ethics and a Senior Researcher at the University of Tasmania. She has built a career focused on ethical research and conservation.

Cynthia is originally from Argentina and moved to lutruwita/Tasmania in 2002 to undertake her PhD. She is a dedicated advocate for animal welfare and conservation. and at the University, she leads the Research Ethics Unit, ensuring that research involving animals meets the highest ethical standards. She is known for her pioneering work in developing non-lethal methodologies to study shark and ray reproduction, which has advanced marine conservation efforts.

Cynthia is passionate about living in lutruwita/Tasmania, where she finds inspiration in the natural beauty of the landscape. An avid bushwalker, she is deeply involved in conservation efforts aimed at preserving species and their habitats.

She believes that involving the community is essential to successful conservation and actively works to engage the community in lutruwita/Tasmania, where she now resides in nipaluna/Hobart.

As a grants committee member Cynthia looks forward to fostering a collaborative approach to preserving the island’s unique biodiversity and support Wildcare Tasmania.

Laura Williams

Appointed Grants Committee member

Laura grew up living immersed in nature on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, fostering a love of the natural environment and going on to study ecology and botany. Having heard of the mystical island Macquarie, in the subantarctic, she undertook a PhD there where she fell in love with the wild, remote speck of land and its animal and plant inhabitants while studying the ecology and management of the island’s weeds.

Over the past 10 years Laura has worked within the ecology and conservation management fields in New Zealand, the ACT and South Australia with the occasional trip to Antarctica as a tourist guide. Two years ago she settled in Tasmania and now works as the botanist at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens and lives on a large bush block in Sandfly with her partner and baby, which they are managing for conservation. Laura looks forward to supporting Wildcare applicants to achieve meaningful conservation work around the state.

Board, Staff, and Grants Committee