Place-based planning

Claire has more than a decade’s experience in strategic planning, facilitation and community engagement in a range of industries. Claire’s people and strategy skills are underpinned by a strong understanding of engineering and policy. She helps communities and organisations deal with complex issues, supporting insight and constructive strategy. Claire has delivered quality projects including investigations of community concerns related to mining, regional strategic planning, socio-economic impact studies and strategic planning for a wide range of organisations.

Deb’s key areas of expertise are in community engagement, facilitation and strategic thinking. She has experience in both public sector and corporate organisations and her relevant training underlies a commitment to build team and community capacity, sustainable health and wellbeing and improving equity and diversity. Deb has led regional and corporate teams, formally and informally, in community engagement and activation to reach decisions and efficiencies around strategic action planning, cultural diversity, performance planning, workforce diversity and inclusion and stakeholder mapping. Her experience in working with diverse communities including people with disabilities, Aboriginal staff members, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities to roll out programs and enable joint direction setting provide her with a deeper understanding into people’s values, experiences and needs.

Shelley has strongly developed strategic planning skills and an ability to develop and apply logical methodologies to complex problems resulting in workable, robust strategies and policy solutions. With over 25 years’ experience she has an in-depth understanding of rural communities, industries, environments and natural resources, their inter-relationships and inter-dependencies. Her skills and experience have been applied to rural and regional strategic land use planning, agricultural industry analysis, assessment of land capability and suitability, land use conflict and environmental planning.

Adrian has more than 30 years’ experience in agricultural business and natural resource management research, policy, education and extension. He is a specialist farm business management adviser, who consults to medium to large-scale private farmers, agribusiness investors, agricultural industry groups and government agencies.

Adrian has specific skills and experience in strategic planning, business analysis, impact and loss assessment, facilitation, and training and education in rural Australia.  Adrian chairs the advisory boards of a number of family farming operations in south-eastern Australia and has undertaken due diligence exercises for several domestic and international investors.

In addition to this, his most recent industry project work includes the development of an Investment Attraction Program for Rural Councils Victoria, an agricultural impact assessment of the Western Highway bypass of Ararat and the development of a business planning program (Our farm, our plan) for the Australian dairy industry.

Mel is working primarily in the facilitation and strategy area of the business. She has completed a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Environmental Management and Sustainability) at Deakin University. Prior to joining RMCG, Mel was employed in conservation projects around Victoria. For her honours project, Mel worked with an Aboriginal Cooperative to evaluate their grassland management strategies in the You Yangs.

George is recognised as a leader in the rural water sector. After ten years in the commercial construction industry, George became the inaugural General Manager and CEO at Murray Irrigation from 1992 onwards, leading the reform processes in water management, environmental responsibility, infrastructure management and water service delivery in southern NSW. George has also been responsible for major change management within organisations whilst dealing with severe water shortages caused by droughts-of-record.

Emily is a multi-skilled professional with experience in design, delivery and review of programs and projects in the environmental and agricultural sectors. She combines excellent strategic thinking skills with a proven ability to problem-solve and effectively communicate with colleagues and stakeholders. Emily has particular skills in relationship building and collaboration with individuals, teams and industry groups to lead and implement change and deliver on outcomes.