Operations Managers

Andrew Whitford

Operations Manager - Greater Western Sydney & Restoration Ecology and Land Management Lead,  NSW

Andrew is a restoration ecologist with over twelve years of experience who manages restoration ecology within ELA and our land management implementation team based in Harrington Park. He has extensive experience writing management plans and directing their implementation, including strategic and landscape-level management, in-perpetuity management, pest management and threatened species protection and translocation.

Anne Gibson

Operations Manager Southern NSW / Principal Environmental Consultant,  NSW

Anne’s passion lies in bringing people together to solve complex technical problems and achieve positive environmental outcomes. She has extensive experience in undertaking groundwater investigations and in developing policies and regulation in relation to groundwater management, including the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, Great Artesian Basin, and the development of policies that enabled regulation of the coal mining and coal seam gas industry in relation to impacts on water resources. Anne’s experience also includes water approvals, environmental regulation, compliance, the agricultural sector and the design and implementation of nature-based solutions and regenerative agriculture. She manages a diverse team across Canberra, Huskisson and Narooma in NSW, who specialise in ecology (including BAM Accredited Consultants), environmental planning, and bushfire advice and planning.

Kalya Abbey

Operations Manager - Mudgee & Senior Environmental Consultant,  NSW

Kalya's interests lie in strategic environmental and land use planning at a regional level. She project manages a range of projects from small scale local government planning requirements, through to major project approvals and operational monitoring programs. Kalya has experience in environmental regulation and compliance, environmental impact assessment, approvals and planning, mine site environmental management, project management and environmental auditing. Kalya’s experience covers a diverse range of environmental management areas and industries, including local government, mining and extractive industries, ports, coastal development, heavy industry, civil projects, water and waste management and rehabilitation.

Deanne Hickey

Operations Manager - Sutherland & Wollongong, GIS Discipline Lead, Senior Environmental Senior Consultant,  NSW

Deanne is a Senior Environmental Consultant, working across a diverse range of disciplines including GIS, bushfire, arboriculture and environmental planning and assessment. She is an experienced project manager and utilises her multi-disciplinary knowledge to achieve positive project outcomes. As the lead of the ELA GIS team, Deanne enjoys opportunities to facilitate knowledge transfer and the development of junior consultants.

David Bonjer

Operations Manager - Sydney, Principal Planner NSW & Planning and Approvals Lead,  NSW

David has worked in the planning and environmental field for the last 20 years, with extensive experience both in local and state government. He provides senior project management and strategic planning advice for our government and private clients. David’s early work focused on environmental management projects, before moving into the planning field and working on regional strategies, local environmental plans and developer contributions.

Mike Green

Office Manager - Melbourne & Geelong, Principal Heritage Advisor,  VIC

Louise Swann

Operations Manager - Adelaide & Principal Environmental Consultant,  SA

Jeremy Mitchell

WA Operations Manager & Principal Environmental Consultant,  WA

Andrew Walsh

Regional Operations Manager NSW/ACT/QLD, Acting Operations Manager (Brisbane) & Principal Consultant, NRM,  NSW

Andrew has 19 years of experience in environmental and heritage management across Australia, as an environmental consultant and in various government roles. His technical focus has been on planning and approvals, invasive species management, conservation, restoration ecology, environmental impact assessment and mine closure and rehabilitation. Over his career, he has developed significant experience in senior leadership, effective stakeholder engagement and project management, focusing on delivering high quality solutions. One of his strengths is developing and maintaining long-term relationships with staff, clients, regulators and other stakeholders based on trust, integrity and mutually beneficial outcomes. For the last four years, Andrew has been the Project Manager for the $16M Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project. The project was one of the largest single conservation actions undertaken in NSW. Prior to this role, Andrew has 8 years’ experience consulting experience, leading a diverse team of environmental scientists, ecologists and planners across five offices in North Queensland and the Northern Territory. As a consultant, Andrew has delivered a range of technically diverse projects for a variety of clients across most Australian States and Territories. Sectors include Conservation, Defence, Resources and Energy, Transport and Property. Andrew also worked for a number of years as a supervising quarantine and export inspector for the Australian Quarantine and inspection Service preventing and monitoring for exotic invasive species.

Konrad Grinlaubs

Principal Planner / Newcastle Operations Manager Newcastle,  NSW