Our Board

Carolyn Loton

Chairperson

A Nature Conservation Council board member since 2021, Carolyn is passionate about nature and Australia’s biodiversity. She believes that immediate action to address climate change is imperative. Prior to becoming the Chair of NCC in 2022 she held the role of Treasurer. As Treasurer, she led the formalisation of the NCC Evans Wetlands Bequest policy and associated initiatives; and was also involved in developing clearer internal reporting formats. Carolyn is a co-founder of Professionals Advocating for Climate Action, established in response to the 2019/2020 Australian Bush fires, and with a membership of over 400 people in NSW and across the country. Carolyn works fulltime in the marketing agency she founded in 2006. She is a Qualified Practicing Researcher (Australian Research Society) and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She originally trained and worked as an Occupational Therapist and holds an MBA from the University of Edinburgh Scotland.

Julie Taylor Mills

Vice Chairperson & Southern Regional Representative

Julie has spent the last 20 years of her professional life working in the field of Environmental and Social Governance - assessing, monitoring and advocating for better sustainability practice by corporations globally, and in Australia. She has long held a passion for the forests of the South East and holds the firm belief that they should be left standing and this commitment was strengthened from lived experience in the 2019/2020 fires. Julie joined the NCC Executive after the fires in 2020 as representative for the South of the State, held a former role on the Board of WIRES and is involved in a range of other environmental causes, ranging from impact investment, fostering independent candidates, committed to climate change outcomes, Australian Wildlife Conservancy support and membership of the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network.

Dr Sally Townley

Sally is an ecologist with thirty years experience whose special fields of interests are arboreal mammals and small ground mammals. She is passionate about conservation and has worked in the public sector as well as private pursuing conservation aims. For the past twelve years, Sally has been an elected Councillor and for four of those years was Deputy Mayor of Coffs Harbour City Council. She served on the Board of Casuarina Steiner School, including a period of two years as Chair. She believes consensus decision-making is a powerful tool and believes that strong governance frameworks make healthy organisations

Sally completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Coastal Management and a Ph.D in the field of wildlife ecology. She recently completed a Bachelor of Laws.

Luke Austin

Treasurer

Luke is a senior finance executive who has spent 21 years working to help multinational IT companies optimise their financial performance, including responding to changing stakeholder requirements, regulatory changes and other external events. He has a deep belief in the importance of sustainability and climate change action, including the key roles that individuals, corporations and governments need to play. He is a member of Professionals Advocating for Climate Action and brings a wealth of financial management and corporate governance skills and experience to the NCC board.

Justine Bucknell

For the last 21 years Justine has been director/secretary of Quambone Pastoral Co. with her husband Dugald, who run a beef cattle production enterprise on the eastern side of the Macquarie Marshes and floodplain. Justine is also Secretary for the Macquarie Marshes Environmental Landholders Association, a group of floodplain graziers in and around the Macquarie Marshes who are concerned with preserving the RAMSAR listed wetlands with the challenge of ever diminishing flows in the lower Macquarie Wambuul River. Justine is a member of Healthy Rivers Dubbo, and the Great Artesian Basin Protection Group, and helped with the No CSG and pipeline campaign in Coonamble and participated in the campaign against a proposed re-regulating weir at Gin Gin in the Macquarie River.

Justine has advertising and marketing experience along with communication, customer relations and organisational skills, is politically motivated and strongly believes in the power of grassroots advocacy, focusing on the sustainability of the Murray Darling Basin as a whole. She has on ground experience with the challenges of retaining flows in the lower Macquarie Wambuul River and has observed changes in ecosystems as a result of reduced flows and climate change. Justine hopes for a sustainable and viable future for her children, and that is a key driver for her motivation.

Lynette Ryan

Lynette has over 20 years experience as an executive in leading global and Australian companies. She is a sustainability and ESG specialist with a legal background. She has worked across sectors including in the not-for-profit sector with First Nations led organisations focused on community and economic development including Jawun and as the establishment COO of the organisation leading the YES23 campaign. Lynette brings her cross sector collaborative leadership style to a governance role creating impact for the environment and community.

Jo Davey

Jo Davey is an experienced executive and non-executive company director on commercial, NFP and government boards including membership-based organisations, in the food manufacturing, standards, research and innovation sectors. She has served on board sub-committees for Finance, Audit and Risk Management, and People and Culture. Jo has held national leadership positions for two food industry professional associations. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and commits to her continuing professional development.

At a personal level, Jo is recognised for her drive, professionalism and collaborative style.

Jo joined Manyana Matters Environmental Association (MMEA) Inc after the Black Summer bushfires, becoming their Secretary in 2022. She has brought her leadership and executive skills to MMEA and supports the ongoing campaign through key correspondence and meetings with politicians and preparation of submissions.

Peter Singleton Coughlan

Peter is a recently retired Chartered Accountant and business consultant. He is an active volunteer with both Hunter Renewal, a project of Lock the Gate, and the Hunter Community Alliance. He currently sits on the boards of Lock the Gate and the New South Wales Alliance for Community Building. He completed the AICD Company Directors course in 2016. In recent years he has also beeni a board member of several Hunter based not-for-profit organisations including Hunter Basketball Assocation, Connectability and Lifeline Hunter Central Coast.

David Marquard

David is the Chair, Treasurer, and on the Conservation Committee of the NFP BirdLife Southern NSW. With a core passion for birds he is involved in advocacy campaigns ranging from national Nature Laws and NSW Government offshore wind farm submissions to local neighbourhood grassroots campaigns fighting for green corridors. David is a regular surveyor in regional NSW woodland surveys (Cowra, Grenfell) and is involved in various community outreach and engagement events. He is a member of 2 birding clubs and participates in Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle events.

David's professional experience is built on business strategy, operations and consulting in large organisations (Accenture, IBM, EY), a water sector start-up and consulting in ESG compliance.

Julie Barnes

Julie is passionate about conservation. She campaigned with the Stand Up for Nature Alliance against the Biodiversity Act, and volunteered with TEC and the NCC subsequently on campaigns, fundraising and research. She has volunteered for WIRES for over ten years. She has a background in law and practiced for 20 years. For the last two years she has been on the board of the NCC, and for the past year has acted as secretary and chair of the governance committee.

Winsome Hall, OAM

Winsome is a highly experienced non-executive director with almost thirty years of trustee and corporate board roles, largely in the finance sector. She brings a strategic, member focused outlook, and diverse thought leadership experience to the NCC board. Winsome was involved in the Franklin River campaign, has campaigned against forest logging and as a part of various climate actions. She is a member of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Australian Plant Society NSW, WinZero, various bush care groups within the Southern Highlands, a supporter of native habitat groups and a member of Friends of Wingecarribee.

Terry Korn

Terry has been involved in water management since 1979 through management of the Macquarie Marshes. Terry has sat on catchment management committees, regional vegetation management committees, national parks advisory committees and boards for West 2000, West 2000+ and Mutawintji national park. From 1999-2006 Terry was Director Western for NSW NPWS during which he acted as director general. Terry established a water reform unit for western NSW which negotiated water sharing plans for western rivers. Since retirement Terry has held positions on the committee of the Australian Floodplain Association (primarily floodplain graziers), including the presidency for six years during which time he lobbied for healthy rivers. Terry has sat on the Productivity Commission's stakeholder working party which undertook the 5-year review of the Murray Darling Basin Plan and was a member of the Commonwealth Environment Water Holders Stakeholder Reference Group. In 2007, Terry was awarded the Public Service medal for conservation in western NSW, Aboriginal joint management, establishing the protected area system in Timo-Leste and managing the Brigalow Belt South bioregional assessment process. Terry has consulted to the NSW Natural Resources Commission as an independent expert on pest management.