• Manager, Tourism and Economic Development Services, Newcastle City Council
• Director, Strategic Projects, Mawland Group
• General Manager, Q Station
• Project Director, Quarantine Station Redevelopment
• General Manager of Haciendas, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
• Director, Missing Link Tourism Consultants
• Tourism and Natural Area Planner – Manidis Roberts Consultants
• Earlier work history

October 2009 – Present

Newcastle City Council plays a major role in stimulating economic development and tourism activity in the city. Council’s Tourism and Economic Development unit coordinates the marketing of Newcastle, economic development and tourism product and business development. The unit also operates the Newcastle Convention Bureau to attract major conferences and conventions.

Achievements

• Restructured Council’s 25 person Tourism and Economic Development unit to a 16 person team that are more market orientated and flexible, and better resourced to achieve reform.
• Prepared a Tourism Development Plan for Newcastle to capture new opportunities and reduce barriers to business growth
• Converted the Local Tourism Association from a local government to an industry driven group, known as the Newcastle Tourism Industry Group.
• Transferred the operation of the city-based Visitor Information Centre from a local government operation to one operated by the Maritime Centre attraction, cutting Council costs and increasing visitation to the Maritime Centre.
• Coordinated the development and implementation of 16 touch screen kiosks across the city, providing continuously refreshed content where visitors want to access it.
• Coordinated the development of a new brand for Newcastle that has widespread industry support.
• Reformed the governance for six commercial centres from a local government Committee to an autonomous and more flexible Business Improvement Association model.
• Assisted determine the location for a long term cruise terminal for Newcastle.
• Merged Australia Day and Maritime Festival to increase the appeal of the event to attract overnight visitors in Newcastle’s lowest occupancy month of January.