Directors

Dr Andrew Jacobs is the former Chief Technical Officer at Forico Pty Limited with oversight of R&I, tree breeding, quality assurance, sustainability (including compliance) and environmental works. He has worked in the Research, Development and Innovation space for more than 20 years. He has a PhD, MBA and is a graduate of the AICD. Dr Jacobs has been a director of STBA/TBA since 2017 and is currently Chair of TBA.

Dr Philip Lacy Dr Phil Lacy is the Research and Consulting Manager for PF Olsen Australia. In this role, Phil manages all research and consulting projects, supported by a small team. Phil has been a Director of TBA since 2019 and has represented the interests of The Forestry Investment Trust as a member of the STBA Hardwood Breeding Program since 2013. He was also a member of the Technical Advisory Committee from 2013 to 2018. In 2019, Phil completed a Foundations for Company Directors course through the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Simon Gatt brings three decades of experience in forest resource based management to his current role as Resource Manager at AKD Softwoods in Colac, Victoria. He is a qualified Forester, having graduated from The University of Melbourne in 1990. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University. Simon’s career spans 30 years working in the forestry industry in both the public and private sectors across a range of native forest and plantation settings. Simon joined AKD Softwoods in 2021 and is responsible for the management of AKD’s Victorian, South Australian and New South Wales plantation estate, and the procurement of fibre for AKD’s Victorian sawmills in Colac, Irrewarra, and Yarram and its post and poles operations in Portland. Prior to AKD, Simon worked for Hancock Victorian Plantations (and its predecessors) most recently as the General Manager of the Gippsland Region. Over the 7 years as General Manager, Simon was responsible for the delivery of HVP’s silviculture, harvest, haul, sales and nursery operations from across the region’s 80,000 hectare plantation estate. Simon is currently the Chair of the Gippsland Forestry Industry Hub and he has a passion for the positive way that forestry and the wood products industry contributes to the well-being of our communities and the environment.

Dr Anthony (Tony) O’Hara retired from HVP Plantations in late 2022, having undertaken a range of General Manager roles. He has experience in natural resource management from field to senior management level. Dr O’Hara has a Forest Science degree and PhD in operations research from the University of Washington. He was on the Executive Committee of the FWPA GRAC, with an advisory role until his retirement.

Sharon Occhipinti has combined Bachelor of Forest Science (Honours) and Bachelor of Science (majoring in Environmental Science) degrees from the University of Melbourne, and a Graduate Certificate in Biometric Analysis from Charles Sturt University. For the past 23 years, Sharon has worked in native and plantation forest management and land management, across government, private and not-for profit sectors. Sharon's work has largely been in the areas of forest inventory, data analysis, strategic planning and plantation valuation, and more recently in plantation operations as regional General Manager at HVP Plantations. In her current role as General Manager Forest Services at HVP, Sharon oversees the management of the company's nurseries, plant deployment, research, GIS, and forest resources functions. Sharon is a committee member of the Gippsland National Institute of Forest Products Innovation and Growers Research Collaborative Executive Committee.

Charlene Riley holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Marketing from Deakin University, with a background primarily in government and media. Her previous roles include Media and Communications Coordinator at the Limestone Coast Landscape Board (formerly NRM Board) with a focus on engagement, copywriting for print and web, and social media, and Digital Communications and the SA Government Office for Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs MP focussing on social media content creation. Her experience in digital media also includes freelance social media management and graphic design. Charlene is passionate about connecting the community with the unknown stories of the forestry industry and its people.

Glen Rivers is the former Chief Forester with OneFortyOne Plantations Pty Ltd and is currently a forestry consultant. He brings a mix of forestry, commercial and strategic skills to the board, with a forestry degree and an MBA. He was on the Executive Committee of the Forest and Wood Products Australia Limited (FWPA), Growers Research Advisory Committee (GRAC) and the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI) Mount Gambier Hub committee. Mr Rivers is also a former director of AFPA. He has been an active member of the STBA/TBA Board for 9 years and was a Chair of TBA. Mr Rivers is also a director of PlantPlan Genetics Pty Ltd.

Information current as at August 2022..