Hotspot Fire Project

Staff profiles

Kate McShea
Kate McShea
Healthy Ecosystems Program Coordinator - 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 Coordinator of the Healthy Ecosystems Program and has been working at the Nature Conservation Council of NSW since 2008. Kate manages delivery of the on-ground programs, including coordination of the Hotspots Fire Project (Hotspots), and oversees delivery of the Bush Fire Program and the Large Forest Owls Project, and well as the broader and longer-term aspirations of the Healthy Ecosystems program.

With a background in conservation and experience working across Government and Not-for-profit organisations, Kate has developed a keen interest and experience in fire ecology and environmental management, conservation, community engagement and the practical implementation of programs for multiple outcomes.

Office location: Sydney, Nature Conservation Council of NSW

Zofie Lahodny-Gecso
Zofie Lahodny-Gecso
Acting Hotspots Co-Ordinator - NSW Rural Fire Service
Phone: 0407 204 323
Email:

Bachelor App. Sci. Parks & Wildlife, Cert. IV Front Line Management, Cert. IV Human Resource Management

Zofie has worked as a Rural Fire Service Fire Mitigation Officer, District Technical Officer, and District Assistant for the past 18 years. She is a a Hazard Reduction (Environmental) Certificate Issuing Officer, Prescribed Burn Planner and Supervisor, Community Liaison Officer and Mapper.

Zofie's previous role in the RFS was primarily to issue environmental approvals for hazard reduction works, handle hazard complaints and conduct community engagement. She has and continues to work closely with Aboriginal Communities in north eastern NSW. In 2009 Zofie, Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council, Simon Heemstra, Marcus Ferguson, Laurence McCoy, the late Julie Woodroffe, and others, worked to facilitate the first Indigenous Hotspots program run in NSW, which was carried out on Jali lands at Wardell.

Office location: Sydney, NSW Rural Fire Service Head Office

Kevin Taylor
Kevin Taylor
Hotspots Fire Project Coordinator/Ecologist North - Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Phone: 02 6655 6539
Email:

Bachelor of Applied Science (Coastal Management)

Kevin Taylor is a project ecologist with the NSW Hotspots Fire Project, a role he has held since 2011. He has been employed in the fields of conservation assessment, natural resource management and environmental protection planning in various roles since gaining a Bachelor of Applied Science (Coastal Management) degree in Lismore in 1991. Kevin has a passionate interest in the use of fire as a land management tool and how this might link to traditional and contemporary cultural practices and conservation and risk management actions.

Office location: Urunga, Nature Conservation Council of NSW

Peter Fitzsimmons
Peter Fitzsimmons
Hotspots Fire Project Coordinator - North - NSW Rural Fire Service
Phone: 0436 377 037
Email:

Peter joined the NSW RFS in 1991 as a volunteer, becoming a staff member in 2015 via the Operational Officer Program. As an Operational Officer level 1 for the last 9 years Peter has gained experience in roles as environmental assessments, community resilience and Learning and Development. Peter is passionate about community resilience and in bringing his skills to the Hotspots Fire Project's northern communities.

Office location: Coffs Harbour, NSW Rural Fire Service

Belinda Kenny
Belinda Kenny
Hotspots Project Ecologist Central - Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Phone: 02 9516 0359
Email:

PhD (Fire Ecology), B. Sc. (Environmental Biology), Cert III Conservation and Land Management

Belinda has expertise in both fire ecology and fire behaviour and has recently joined the NCC as a Hotspots Ecologist. She has over 20 years experience working with both the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the NSW Rural Fire Service in fire ecology research, research utilisation, fire management, and park management planning. She has worked on the NSW Guidelines for ecologically sustainable fire management, the Bush Fire Environmental Assessment Code, and the Australian Fire Danger Rating System.

Belinda is a Fire Behaviour Analyst and has experience as a remote area firefighter. She is also a keen BushCare volunteer. Belinda is passionate about finding the best balance between conservation and risk in fire management planning.

Office location: Sydney, Nature Conservation Council of NSW

Neale Watson
Neale Watson
Hotspots Project Ecologist South - Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Phone: 02 9516 0359
Email:

B. Science (Forestry), Dip For (Creswick)

Neale is a project ecologist supporting delivery of the NSW Hotspots Fire Project in southern NSW. He has over 40 years working in natural resource management in NSW and Victoria, mainly in fire, pest and visitor management in National Parks and other conservation reserves. He has helped develop and implement fire management plans for NPWS, including planning and supervision of prescribed burns for hazard reduction and ecological management.

Operationally, Neale has wide experience in bushfire control over a range of environments, both on the fire line and in the performance of incident management roles. He is also a regular local Bushcare volunteer and keen bushwalker.

Office location: Narrawallee, Nature Conservation Council NSW

Martin Lloyd
Martin Lloyd
Hotspots Co-Ordinator, Central Region - NSW Rural Fire Service
Phone: 0418 436 807
Email:

Bachelor Engineering

Martin has worked in the Rural Fire Service as a Mitigation Crew Leader and as a member of the Central Coast staff for the past 6 years and, from a small island in the Hawkesbury River, as a volunteer and as a member of the local Remote Area Firefighting Team (RAFT) for the past 13 years. While at Central Coast he was a part of the Community Risk Team involved in Hazard Reduction Burn Planning and is a Hazard Reduction (Environmental) Certificate Issuing Officer (HMO and CIO), Prescribed Burn Planner and Mapper. Martin's previous role in the RFS was primarily to plan Hazard Reduction Burns, issue environmental approvals for hazard reduction works, handle hazard complaints and conduct community engagement. He has and continues to work closely with Aboriginal Communities in Central and Coastal NSW.

Office location: Sydney, NSW Rural Fire Service Head Office

Ruby Adams
Ruby Adams
Hotspots Project Ecologist Central - Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Phone: 02 9516 0359
Email:

Ruby is a project ecologist supporting delivery of the Central NSW area of the Hotspots Fire Project. She has over 5 years experience working in natural resource management and ecology, including weed management with NPWS, bush regeneration, research assistance, and consulting.

Since completing her Bachelor of Science (Geography) at the University of Melbourne in 2022, Ruby has volunteered regularly as an organiser with Intrepid Landcare, and recently completed an internship at Arid Recovery, deepening her passion for community engagement in conservation. She is keen to increase her experience in fire ecology and contribute to the Hotspots Project.

Office location: Sydney, Nature Conservation Council of NSW

Cassandra Harvey
Cassandra Harvey
Healthy Ecosystems Program Officer
Phone: 02 9516 0359
Email:

B.Sc. Hons (Wildlife Conservation)

Cassandra is the Healthy Ecosystems Program Officer and provides support to all of Nature Conservation Council’s Healthy Ecosystem programs including the Hotspots Fire Project, the Bushfire Program and the Large Forest Owls Project. Her Honours research examined microbat assemblage responses to the 2019/20 ‘Black Summer’ Bushfires.

After finishing her degree at the University of Sydney, Cassandra has interned with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and worked as a Casual Academic at the University of New South Wales. She is passionate about ecology and conservation and is excited to be engaged with fire management practices throughout NSW.

Office location: Sydney, Nature Conservation Council of NSW

Steve McKinnon
Steve McKinnon
Hotspots Fire Project Coordinator - Southern
Phone: 02 4472 0600
Email: