Board

Nadine Gaskell, Chair

Nadine is the Biodiversity Coordinator at Knox City Council. Nadine worked with the Knox Environment Society to design and implement the highly successful Knox Gardens for Wildlife Program. Nadine is passionate about the value of urban biodiversity. She believes conservation of nature supports a happy, healthy and connected community and gardens for wildlife programs exemplify this.

---

Helen Corney, Member

Helen is an ecologist with environmental consultancy Alluvium. As a research affiliate at RMIT University she explores the relationship between human well-being and nature and the implications this has for environmental management. A passionate gardener and lover of wildlife, Helen is also on the Committee of Management for the Burke Rd Billabong Reserve.

---

Lee Harrison, Member

Lee Harrison is an urban ecologist with an interest in integrating ecological theory into city strategy and operations. She has a background in ecological consulting and research, with a particular emphasis on the impacts of urban and linear infrastructure on wildlife. She believes management of novel ecosystems requires novel thinking.

---

Ray Ison, Member

Ray is Professor of Systems, The Open University, UK and a Director of the Systemic Development Institute Australia. He has made significant research contributions with practical application in fields of systemic governance, environmental decision making, natural resource management, and agricultural/food systems. His interests include: Where do people and their social needs fit within economics? How can local governance work for local people?

---

Irene Kelly, Member

Irene is a member of the Knox Environment Society Committee. She is a co-founder of the Knox Gardens for Wildlife Program and is a strong community champion and mentor for the network.

---

Anne Makhijani, Member

Anne is a community member with a strong commitment to nature conservation and biodiversity. She volunteers in many community groups and Council initiatives in the Whitehorse area. Anne is passionate about the potential and scope that habitat improvement on private land can make for biodiversity. This has driven her interest in Gardens for Wildlife Victoria and her role in helping to establish Whitehorse Gardens for Wildlife.

---

Laura Mumaw, Member

Laura researches about and builds urban community capacity in land and native biodiversity stewardship. She has had scientific and executive roles in zoos and aquaria internationally and on boards responsible for environmental stewardship. Laura’s PhD focused on how to build community capacity to conserve biodiversity through council-community partnerships focused on wildlife gardening. Laura serves on the governing Committee of the Victorian Environment Friends Network. 

---

Ricardo Simao, Member

Ricardo is the Environmental Systems Manager at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Starting his career in local government, he has worked in the field of conservation and land management for over 18 years. Ricardo believes that we cannot rely only on government agencies and protected areas to conserve species. To prevent the current extinction crisis, we must become enamoured with nature and create habitats in our own gardens, linking patches of bushland habitat that are currently fragmented by the urban and rural environment.

---

Lawrence Tai, Company secretary

Lawrence is the Company Secretary of Gardens for Wildlife Victoria.

---

Philip Wallis, Vale

Phil was a project officer with the Victorian Catchment Management Council. He brought a practical approach to working collaboratively, as well as deep expertise in using systems thinking and social research methodologies. With deep sorrow we note the passing of Phil early in 2018 and thank him for his legacy in establishing our network and its foundation principles. Vale Phil.

---