Healthy Rivers Australia

Chairperson: Dr Mark Siebentritt

An ecologist by trade, Mark spent five years researching wetlands at the University of Adelaide followed by a further five years working on the Living Murray program at the Murray-Darling Basin Commission. Between 2003 and 2005, Mark was also a lead author in the United Nations sponsored Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. This was followed by his appointment in December 2006 as the inaugural Chief Executive of the not-for-profit environmental organisation, Waterfind Environment Fund – now known as Healthy Rivers Australia.

In November 2007, Mark commenced as Operations Manager at Waterfind Pty Ltd, where he was responsible for managing the daily operation of this national water brokerage firm. As a Director of GreenFusion, he has now been consulting for the last 18 months on a range of projects focusing on sustainable water management and climate change adaptation.

Secretary: Mr Tom Rooney

Tom Rooney has been involved with the water trading industry since 1989. He grew up on his family’s property on the river Murray in South Australia’s Riverland region. Tom gained important trading knowledge through work at a country real estate agency responsible for establishing Australia’s first water market in the mid-to-late 1980’s. Tom later specialised in water brokerage activities continuing on to found Waterfind Pty Ltd and become Chief Executive Officer in 2003.

Tom has been instrumental in maturing Australian’s water market, educating irrigators, facilitating trades and creating market transparency and liquidity. He is an active and strategic contributor to water policy discussions at both national and state levels, and often presents key addresses at conferences on the issues surrounding water trading in Australia.

Treasurer: Mr Dion Newell

Dion is currently a Director in the Advisory Services division of Ernst and Young's Adelaide office. He has over thirteen years of experience in commerce and consulting, including providing advisory services to the private and public sector. Dion has gained commercial expertise through finance and corporate services roles in a number of industries gained with international companies such as Lloyd TSB, Exxon Mobil and Pernod Ricard. Dion has held roles in all aspects of finance functions within these organisations.

Born in the Riverland and growing up in the Murraylands Region, Dion has personal interest in the health and well being of the Murray Darling Basin.

Committee Member: Professor Mike Young

Mike is Executive Director of the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute and Professor of Water Economics and Management at the University of Adelaide. A Member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, Mike has played a key role in the development of water policy in Australia.

In 2008, Mike was named South Australian of the Year in the Environment category. Earlier in the same year, the Sunday Mail identified Mike as one of the 50 most influential people in South Australia and the person most likely to change the place South Australians live in. In 2007, the Canberra Times identified Mike as one of the 10 most influential people in water policy reform. In 2006 Mike was awarded the Land and Water Australia Eureka Award for Water Research and in 2001 a Centenary Medal for his contribution to environmental economics.

Committee Member: Ms Carmel Dundon

Carmel is Chief Executive Officer of Trees For Life, South Australia’s pre-eminent community environmental organisation. She joined TFL in 2006 after 12 years in major event management including positions as General Manager, Come Out Youth Arts Festival 1993-97 and Director of South Australia’s Centenary of Federation celebrations 1998-2002.

Established in 1981, Trees For Life members have grown 29 million native plants for revegetation projects in SA and currently manage 4000 hectares of valuable remnant vegetation. Combining revegetation planning with watercourse management will be essential to the long term sustainability of our river systems.

Committee Member: Ms Alina Lebed

Alina owns and manages a boutique consulting business. Prior to starting an independent venture, she was a Senior Manager and a co-leader of Ernst&Young’s and Arthur Andersen’s Business Advisory practices in Adelaide, worked with a multinational water / utilities company and held management positions in R&D, manufacturing and consulting companies.

Alina is a highly regarded lecturer at business schools and professional development programs. Her relevant areas of expertise include strategic analysis, business and marketing planning, feasibility studies, project management, risk management, economic and industry development, strategic procurement and management of change.

Committee Member: Mr Matthew Harding

Matthew is a Senior Environmental Advisor to a publicly listed mining company, and has spent the last 14 years advising business on environmental matters, predominantly in the mining and industrial sector.  Matthew was instrumental in establishing the precursor to HRA - the Waterfind Environment Fund, through funding of the then National Water Commission. He also established Pollution Prevention Programs with a focus on stormwater and wastewater management for Adelaide Catchment Water Management Boards.

Matthew has a strong belief in the integration of environmental concerns into business considerations, and the power of people and business sphere of influence in providing good environmental outcomes. His background in environmental management, monitoring  and impact assessment enables these skills to be brought to the table in the management of Health Rivers Australia.

Committee Member: Mrs Pauline Rooney

Info to come