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Co-design

Our team works closely with clients to co-design projects that are tailored to each community and stakeholder group's unique needs and concerns.

We like to co-design projects. And we mean real co-design, that goes beyond consultation by building and deepening equal collaboration between people affected by or engaged in resolving a particular challenge.

We can support co-design by training your team or by working directly with your communities and stakeholders through creative, purposeful and empowering partnerships.

Team

Claire Flanagan-Smith

Claire Flanagan-Smith

Principal

B.Env.Eng. (Hons)

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.

Jamie Rooney

Jamie Rooney

Senior Consultant

M.A. (Archaeology & History)(Hons)

Jamie is a consultant in our community and strategy work area. He has been actively involved in the research and management of archaeological and Aboriginal cultural heritage projects throughout Australia and Europe since 2015. He specialises in the management of complex cultural heritage projects and has extensive experience of cultural heritage management in the resources, urban development, and infrastructure sectors across Victoria; and the development of mining infrastructure and Indigenous community consultation in remote areas of Cape York, Queensland. 

During his time working in Australian archaeology, he has developed strong working relationships with a number of Registered Aboriginal Parties, Traditional Owner groups, government agencies, and both private and public corporations throughout Victoria and Queensland. During this time he has gained a unique insight into the ways in which major corporations, small businesses and indigenous communities can work together to ensure mutually beneficial outcomes.

Jamie is experienced in project management, community outreach and Traditional Owner engagement, and has successfully project managed a number of Cultural Heritage Management Plans, and specialist heritage assessments throughout Australia. 

Shayne Annett

Shayne Annett

Principal

B.Ag.Sci., M.Res.Admin. (NRM)

Shayne has over 25 years working in land, water and biodiversity management, and during that time has developed the ability to see things from many perspectives, to anticipate issues that might arise and to draw on his experience to develop pragmatic and progressive solutions. He understands on-ground work, private and public land management, planning and managing programs and projects, and policy at local, state and national levels.

Melissa Ludeman

Melissa Ludeman

Senior Consultant

B.Env.Sci. (Hons)

Melissa is a Senior Consultant in the Community and Strategy team at RMCG, with extensive expertise in natural resource management, sustainable agriculture, strategy development, evaluation, and stakeholder engagement. She has a proven track record in working with diverse clients, including catchment management authorities, state and Commonwealth governments, and industry bodies. Mel is skilled in developing and implementing strategic plans that address environmental challenges and promote sustainability. Mel has also assisted clients with evaluation planning as well as mid-term and final program evaluations to assess whether they have met their objectives and deliver continuous improvement. Additionally, Mel is experienced in stakeholder and community engagement, facilitating collaboration and participation to ensure that strategies and initiatives are inclusive and effective.

Brooke Hermans

Brooke Hermans

Associate

B.App.Sci, NRM (Hons)

Brooke has over 20 years strategic planning, management and stakeholder engagement experience in the public and private sectors. Her experience in natural resource and waste management sectors, where she has used her communication, leadership, facilitation, governance, and project development skills, has led her to support governing boards and community-based organisations to set strategy and attract significant investment. Since 2021, Brooke has been working in the private sector supporting community and stakeholder engagement, strategic planning and operational reviews for local and state government and other not-for-profits. Her recent work has provided experience in social and community planning, including work with CALD communities, people living with disability, landcare and on place-based community planning.

With her roots firmly planted in the small north east Victorian town of Eldorado, Brooke values the natural beauty of regional areas and is passionate about empowering people to share their views and values to influence public decision making.

Marg Sangalli

Marg Sangalli

Associate

B.RurSc., B.L.Arch.

Marg is an accomplished leader and strategic thinker. She has demonstrated proficiency in the development and execution of strategy to improve quality and business performance. Marg possesses highly developed skills in people and project management, strategy development and stakeholder consultation and facilitation. Her emotional intelligence, interpersonal and communication skills enable her to build strong relationships. She is able to devise unique practical solutions to complex problems throughout the life of a project and deliver projects in a timely and efficient manner.

Steph Drum

Steph Drum

Associate

B.Nat.Res. (Hons)

Steph Drum is a highly experienced and passionate natural resource management professional with almost 20 years’ experience working across government, not-for-profit and community sectors. Based in New South Wales, Steph brings a deep understanding of the local landscapes, challenges and opportunities that shape sustainable land and water management in the region.

Her expertise spans natural resource management and sustainable agriculture, policy and strategy development, program design and evaluation, and stakeholder and community engagement. She has led the design, delivery, and evaluation of a wide range of NRM programs — from threatened species conservation and landscape restoration to community-based conservation initiatives.

Steph is known for combining strong technical knowledge with a collaborative, community-centred approach. She is skilled at building trust and capability in diverse stakeholder groups, and tailoring strategies that deliver measurable environmental and social outcomes. Her work is grounded in real-world insight and a commitment to practical, lasting change.

Clinton Muller

Clinton Muller

Senior Consultant

M.Sust.Ag., B.Bus. (Hons), B.A.

Clinton has extensive experience in sustainable agriculture, with a specialist focus on horticulture and intensive production systems. With a strong agricultural industry focus, Clinton has worked across a range of agricultural commodities and natural resource management issues in Australia and internationally.  Clinton’s diverse range of capacities including program design and management, stakeholder engagement, partnership management, monitoring evaluation and reporting, extension, facilitation, action research and science communication.

Carl Larsen

Carl Larsen

Principal

B.Env.Sci., B.Soc.Sci. (Env.), PG.Cert.CCPI.

Carl is a socio-environmental scientist with 15 years’ experience in planning, delivery and evaluation of agriculture and natural resource management programs, integrated water management, climate change and stakeholder engagement. He understands the practical implications of policy and science on communities and agriculture. Carl has worked with a range of government departments, resource management agencies, research and development corporations, private organisations and communities around Australia on catchment management, sustainable water use, resource management in agriculture/horticulture, land use, climate change, strategic planning, industry development, extension and practice change.

Dr Anne-Maree Boland

Dr Anne-Maree Boland

Associate

PhD., B.Ag.Sci.

Anne-Maree has 25 years’ experience in dealing with natural resource and water management in agricultural industries. This has included research and development and consulting in the areas of sustainable management practices, water use efficiency, recycled water and environmental management systems. Anne-Maree has been a Non-Executive Director for GWRDC and IAL, is a Churchill Fellow and recipient of the University of Melbourne Chancellors Prize. She has extensive experience as a knowledge broker and establishing partnerships with diverse stakeholder groups including government, water and agricultural industries.

Sasha Brightman

Sasha Brightman

Consultant

BA., MPAGovtMgt., GradCertAgBus (current)

Sasha has a background in protected area governance and management with a focus on planning, leadership and change management, ecosystem conservation and reserve system design. She has supported the delivery of virtual and in-person Healthy Country Planning and Conservation Standards (adaptive management frameworks for natural resource and community led planning) workshops in Australia, Timor Leste and Canada, has experience in project reporting and information analysis, and the creation of strategic, monitoring and operational plans.

Anna Kilborn

Anna Kilborn

Senior Consultant

B.Sc., GAICD

Anna has 30 years’ experience across Government and in private industry, working on a diverse mix of natural resource planning, infrastructure, agriculture, emergency management and regional development challenges.

She is an analyst who works across complex and uncertain issues, engaging closely with responsible authorities, knowledge-holders and communities to develop adaptive responses to contemporary and future challenges.

Dr Anna Carew

Dr Anna Carew

Senior Consultant

PhD., B.Sci. (Hons)

Anna has worked in senior strategy roles within government, and in the education sector in policy, communications and stakeholder consultation.

She is an experienced analyst, investigator, communicator and project manager across a range of agricultural, technical, educational and theoretical research areas.