Chair & Directors

Independent Chair

Prof. Allan Dale (JCU)

Allan Dale is a Professor of Tropical Regional Development at The Cairns Institute, James Cook University and Chief Scientist for the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA). Allan has a strong interest in integrated societal governance, with a particular focus across the tropical world, northern Australia and the Great Barrier Reef. He leads JCU’s contributions to Queensland’s Rural Economies Centre of Excellence (RECoE), Queensland’s Communities in Transition Program and emerging new approaches to Collective Impact for Social Development. He works extensively with governments, regional and local communities on issues related to economic, social and Indigenous development, water and natural resource management. Allan is Deputy Chair of the Premier’s Queensland Plan Ambassador Council. He was previously the Chair of Regional Development Australia Far North Queensland and Torres Strait (RDA FNQ&TS) and the ex-CEO of Terrain NRM.

Allan also has an extensive experience in government-based policy and delivery in several natural resource management fields. He was Queensland’s first Social Impact Assessment regulator. He then took on the role of General Manager of Strategic Policy in the Department of Natural Resources and Mines. In this period, he established Queensland’s regional Natural Resource Management system, as well as leading policy changes in forestry, water, mining and water management. In between these roles, Allan worked as a Senior Scientist in CSIRO Tropical Crops and Pastures, establishing significant research in regional approaches to rangeland management. Allan’s original PhD studies explored factors influencing the success or failure of Federally funded rural development projects in Indigenous communities in Cape York Peninsula.

Throughout his career, Allan has developed deep partnerships with most key industry sectors in Queensland, Local government, the conservation movement and both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land and sea institutions. He has previously served as a Director on the RRRC Board. Before studying Agricultural Science at the University of Queensland, Allan grew up at Trinity Beach, spending much of his spare time in the region’s reef and rainforest environments. With his partner Michele, he raised his family in both the Miriwinni and Speewah communities in the Wet Tropics. As a Far North Queenslander, he is deeply dedicated to the sustainable development of Northern Australia, as well as ensuring a strong relationship between our communities and our nearby Indo-Pacific neighbours.

Managing Director & Company Secretary

Adj. Prof. Sheriden Morris (JCU)

Sheriden Morris has had a strong connection to and focus on northern Australia her entire life: from growing up in Batchelor in the Northern Territory, through her studies in tropical agronomy, and her professional career working with sugar, banana, aquaculture and tourism industries and agencies such as CSIRO and GBRMPA. For the past ten years she has been the Managing Director of the Cairns-based non-profit Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC). She has always strongly believed in intelligent, sustainable development for northern Australia using the region’s tropical expertise – the knowledge of living, building and working most effectively in the tropics.

Under her leadership, RRRC has successfully attracted more than $200 million in grants and investment to support research and development projects in northern Australia. This includes the Australian Government’s Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility, the Tropical Ecosystems Hub of the National Environmental Research Program, the Tropical Water Quality Hub of the National Environmental Science Programme and the Crown of Thorns Starfish Targeted Control Program.

Sheriden is deputy Chair of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef and has served on numerous government advisory committees for land and water management, including Queensland and Commonwealth committees for agriculture, coastal development, wetlands and indigenous opportunity. An extensive contributor to land and sea management policy, she has also spearheaded the development and implementation of an innovative aid development program on Australia’s northern borderlands with Papua New Guinea.

She lives on the family farm at Babinda, just south of Cairns.

Non-Executive Director

Daniel Gschwind

Daniel Gschwind was the CEO of Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) from 2001 to 2022, representing the industry in numerous committees and forums.

In 2022, he was appointed as Professor of Practice for the Griffith Institute for Tourism at Griffith University and Chair of Trade and Investment Queensland. Daniel has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland since 2002, and is also a Director of Tourism Whitsundays, a member of the board of Jobs Queensland and the Chair of the Tourism Reef Advisory Committee of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).

Daniel is the Honorary Consul for Switzerland in Queensland and the Dean of the Consular Corps.

Earlier in his career, Daniel was involved in yacht charter operations in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean before relocating to Australia, where he completed an Honours Degree in Economics at the University of Queensland. He worked as a Senior Economist for the Queensland Treasury for six years before taking on his tourism roles.

Non-Executive Director

Gareth Phillips

Gareth has always had a passion for the oceans. With a post graduate degree in Zoology specialising in marine environments and animals, he is also a skipper, marine engineer and business owner.

Early on in his 20+ year career, Gareth developed a passion for the link between tourism and science. He currently owns and runs a Great Barrier Reef research, training and consulting company in Cairns ann is also the CEO of the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators (AMPTO).

Gareth believes through collaboration, we can make the strongest and most genuine changes for the environment and all communities; locally, nationally and internationally.

Non-Executive Director

Dr David Wachenfeld

Dr David Wachenfeld has worked on the Great Barrier Reef for over 30 years in a career spanning tourism, marine park management and science. David is currently the Research Program Director for the ‘Reef Ecology and Monitoring Program’ at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. He leads a team of 40 scientists who study the coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, including long term ecological health, impacts of climate change including changes to ecological function, new technologies to monitor reef ecosystem health, tracking movements of large reef animals, and modelling and decision support for reef restoration. His team also work with communities in coral reef countries around the world to improve global monitoring of reef health.

Non-Executive Director

Dr Chris Chilcott

Dr Chris Chilcott is the Deputy Director of CSIRO Environment and leads CSIRO’s work on developing Northern Australia. CSIRO Environment delivers impact-driven science to address environmental challenges such as climate change, extreme events, resource sustainability, and legacy impacts. With over 700 staff, it hosts Australia’s national capability for observing and modelling the atmosphere and oceans, advancing earth system models, and supporting climate change adaptation and emission reduction. Chris’ most recent research has focused on identifying the scale and location of opportunities for developing Northern Australia including work relating to mosaic irrigation, transport logistics and biosecurity.

Chris has professional experience in animal industries, pastoral production and rangeland management. He has been instrumental in leading complex industry developments, development of strategic policy and advising on international trade and market developments to enable growth in key sectors. Chris has a PhD in ecology and a Bachelor of Science. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is currently a non-executive Director and Chair of RSPCA Northern Territory, and has representative roles with Australian Climate Services, and the Goyder Institute for Freshwater Research Management Board.

Non-Executive Director

Scott Buchanan

Scott is an accomplished environmental leader with over two decades of experience in natural resource management and strategic environmental programs. As the Executive Director of the Wet Tropics Management Authority, Scott partners with Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples, the community, industry and the Government to protect and present the unique values of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. A recipient of two Australia Day Achievement Awards, he is recognised for his leadership in change management and conservation initiatives. Scott is enthused about the capacity of good research to inform better management, especially in face of increasing threats from a changing climate.

Scott has over 20 years’ experience in the Queensland public service with previous roles including responsibility for Queensland’s World Heritage Areas, biodiversity policy implementation, Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers and more. Scott sits on the Skyrail Rainforest Foundation Public Fund Management Committee, which oversees the dispersal of funds to student research projects which support tropical rainforest research and education.