Team
Claire Flanagan-Smith
Principal
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
Senior Consultant
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.
David Hale
Senior Consultant
David Hale
Senior Consultant
B.A., MPACS
David brings diverse community development experience from time with the Federal Government, across regional Victoria and abroad. Specialising in strategic development, community facilitation and monitoring and evaluation, he is passionate about enabling local change. With extensive work in government planning, conflict negotiation, youth empowerment and social innovation, David is able to adapt and apply his high-quality reporting and facilitation skills flexibly across a range of partners.
Having worked as a Managing Director and Senior Researcher, David brings an array of technical and practical expertise in community development, participatory research, conflict management, strategic planning and monitoring and evaluation. David enjoys working collaboratively to bring about local outcomes. He appreciates taking time to understand and meaningfully connect with those he works with and takes pride in his ability to synthesise information from those he engages.
Melissa Ludeman
Senior Consultant
Melissa Ludeman
Senior Consultant
B.Env.Sci. (Hons)
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.