Hotspot Fire Project

Staff profiles

Waminda Parker
Waminda Parker
Hotspots Manager - Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Phone: 02 9516 0359
Email:

B.Sc (Hons), AssocDipRes

Waminda fills the position of Hotspots Manager at the Nature Conservation Council. Waminda has been part of Hotspots since its inception over six years ago. She brings to the project a passion for fire management within an ecological context, and a clear understanding of the need for integration of its various elements. With a particular interest in strategic planning and project management, Waminda’s role is to explore the longer term directions of the Hotspots program - seeking opportunities for expansion and program embedding into relevant policy and planning instruments.

Office location: Sydney, Nature Conservation Council of NSW

Brodie Rafferty
Brodie Rafferty
Acting Coordinator Hotspots Programme - NSW Rural Fire Service
Phone: 02 8741 5381
Email:

Bachelor of Environmental Science (Environmental Management) majoring in Earth Science

Brodie joined the Hotspots team in January 2011 with 4 years experience working for the Country Fire Authority in Melbourne, Victoria. Having implemented the Victorian Fire Risk register across the state of Victoria, and also working operationally in the State Control Centre through the Black Saturday period, she has an extensive knowledge of environmental management and working with stakeholders and the community.

With experience and qualifications in GIS, Fire Weather Training and Facilitate Emergency Risk Management and Treatment Options, Brodie is a key player in supporting the delivery of Hotspots in new areas across the state.

Office location: Sydney, NSW Rural Fire Service

John Allen
John Allen
Environment Officer (Hotspots) - NSW Rural Fire Service
Phone: 02 6655 7002
Email:

Bachelor of Science (Biological Sciences) majoring in Ecology, Land Management and Paleontology.

John has over twenty years experience with State and Local Government and in consultancy.  He has worked in the fields of biodiversity conservation, threatened species management, Aboriginal cultural heritage, fire management and environmental planning.  Prior to joining the Hotspots team in July 2011, John worked as a Senior Environment Officer for the RFS, with the primary role of undertaking environmental assessments for complex hazard reduction proposals, providing advice in regard to the implementation of the Bush Fire Environmental Assessment Code for NSW and delivering environmental training programmes for RFS staff.

Office location: Coffs Harbour, NSW Rural Fire Service

Dr Phil Borchard
Dr Phil Borchard
Environmental Officer (Hotspots) - NSW Rural Fire Service
Phone: 02 4424 4424
Email:

B.Sc,BLM (First Class Hons), PhD (Biological Sciences).

Phil has nearly twenty years experience with State Government. He has contributed to several different fields of science as an independent and collaborative professional scientist at universities.  His work on wombat ecology has resulted in eight peer reviewed international publications and many interagency and community group presentations. He has had a successful career in research with NSW Agriculture and the application of the Environmental Assessment Code for the NSW Rural Fire Service. In his spare time he continues to independently manage and run research projects in collaboration with universities. Prior to joining the Hotspots, Phil has worked as a Fire Mitigation Officer for the Rural Fire Service since 2003. He has also been senior deputy captain of the Shoalhaven Heads Rural Fire Brigade since 2003.

Office location: Shoalhaven, NSW Rural Fire Service


Bruce Hansen
Bruce Hansen
Environmental Officer (Hotspots) - NSW Rural Fire Service
Phone: 02 8867 7972
Email:

Grad Dip (Bus), Assoc Dip Env Cntl, MECA (NSW) JP

As an Environment Officer with the NSW Rural Fire Service, Bruce joined the Hotspots team in July 2011 after spending over two years in the Development Assessment and Planning Section of the Rural Fire Service and 14 years as a volunteer and Deputy Captain in the Orange Brigade. With over 20 years experience in the area of Environmental Impact Assessment with specialisations in Flora & Fauna Survey, Bush Fire Management and Environmental & OH&S Noise Assessment, Bruce brings an impressive mix of experience to the Hotspots program.

Office location: Glendenning, NSW Rural Fire Service 

Brian Milsom
Brian Milsom
Environmental Officer (Hotspots) - NSW Rural Fire Service
Phone: 02 4980 7300
Email:

Diploma of Natural Resource Management and Graduate Diploma in Design for Bushfire Prone Areas

Brian has an extensive working history in the Natural Resource Management area originally starting out his career in the Armed forces. From there he developed a career in the diesel mechanics trade before joining the ACT Fire and Emergency Services where he remained for 11 years. Brian has also had extensive experience with the Housing and Community Care services in Queensland, NSW Police, Environmental Field technician, TAFE teacher in Bushfire Management and a bushfire consultant. He has 25 years of fire fighting experience and has been employed with the RFS for 7 years, and now is currently undergoing training in bushfire analysis and fire behavior.  Brian brings a wealth of knowledge in both natural resource management and community education to the Hotspots Team.

Office Location: Lower Hunter, NSW Rural Fire Service

Phil Paterson
Phil Paterson
Environmental Officer (Hotspots) - NSW Rural Fire Service
Phone: 02 4472 0600
Email:

Adv Dip. Science (Horticultural Science)

Phil has over thirty years experience working in various Horticultural and Agricultural enterprises and consultancy and has managed both wholesale and retail nurseries and large rural properties. He has also worked extensively with the symbiotic relationships of vesicular-arbuscular mycorriza and native flora in the biological pest management of both horticultural and agricultural enterprises.

Phil has been and continues as a volunteer with over thirty years experience having held many positions including Brigade Captain and Deputy Group Captain and has worked in Community Safety in the Shoalhaven, Tamworth and the Northern Tablelands. He has a long history in Community Engagement and Facilitation. Before Hotspots Phil was the Community Safety Officer for the Northern Tablelands Team. Phil also has extensive operational experience and is qualified as an Incident Management Operations Officer and Planning Officer.    

Office location: Batemans Bay, NSW Rural Fire Service

Mark Graham
Mark Graham
Hotspots Ecologist - Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Phone: 02 9516 0359
Email:

B. App. Sc  - major in Environmental Resource Management

After studying Environmental Resource Management at Southern Cross University Mark has worked for the last 15 years as an ecologist within government, industry and non-government sectors. He has mostly worked across the north of New South Wales from the coast to beyond the Darling River. Mark has worked in biodiversity assessment, environmental planning, threatened species management, landscape analysis, environmental education and on-ground environmental management and restoration in this time. This experience has provided him with a good understanding of the management needs of our internationally significant biodiversity.

Office location: Bellingen

Kevin Taylor
Kevin Taylor
Hotspots Ecologist - Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Phone: 02 9516 0359
Email:

Bachelor of Applied Science (Coastal Management)

Kevin has been involved with conservation assessment, natural resource management and environmental protection planning in various roles since 1991. He has undertaken ecological assessment at the property level and on a landscape scale.  His ecological knowledge comes from conducting field surveys for fauna and flora, working with electronic natural resource management systems for state and local government and as an environmental consultant. He will be providing ecological input for fire management planning in Central west and Southern Rivers CMA Regions.

Office location: Bellingen

Greg Banks
Greg Banks
Northern Rivers Fire & Biodiversity Consortium Coordinator - Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Phone: 02 9516 0359
Email:

BAppSc, PGDipLGovLaw

Joining the Hotspots team in September 2010 Greg has taken on the roles of Hotspots facilitator and Northern Rivers Fire & Biodiversity Consortium coordinator. Greg has worked in natural resource management since 1990, with extensive experience in the assessment and implementation of fire management strategies to achieve risk management and biodiversity outcomes. A range of fire management roles in a variety of landscapes has provided him with a considerable understanding of consultation approaches with communities in bush fire prone areas

Office location: Port Macquarie

Kate McShea
Kate McShea
Hotspots Project Officer - Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Phone: 02 9516 0359
Email:

M.App.Sc Wildlife Health & Population Management, B.Sc Animal Behaviour, Ecology and Conservation.

Kate is the Hotspots Project Officer and has been working with the organisation for almost 4 years. With a keen interest and experience in fire ecology, environmental management and both terrestrial and marine conservation Kate supports delivery of the Hotspots program as well as the longer term aspirations of the project.

Kate is currently undertaking a PhD in behavioural and physiological adaptation to changing environments using zebrafish as a model species.

Office location: Sydney, Nature Conservation Council of NSW