Andy Donnelly - Deputy Director and Head of Programs
Andy Donnelly is a zoology graduate from UCW Aberystwyth, and has an MSc in Fisheries and Aquaculture from Stirling University. He has 15 years’ experience in biological research management, consultancy and outreach. This ranges from working as a wildlife guide in the Peruvian Amazon and providing under water experimental design for collaborative European Union oceanography projects to developing inter-agency communication products for the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee and leading terrestrial invertebrate surveys in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
A graduate of Cambridge Universities Cross Sector Partnerships and accredited partnership broker (PBAS), from 2001 until 2007 Andy worked for the Australian Museum as a science communicator and program manager developing and delivering a series of projects through corporate partnerships. These included environmental education and community outreach, biodiversity survey and data management systems. He acted as a scientific advisor to the BBC Natural History Unit on David Attenborough’s recent ‘Life in the Undergrowth’ series.
As Director, Science Partnerships, Andy is exploring and developing corporate and cross-sector partnerships and experiential learning programs and working to increase community environmental engagement and education activities in Australia.
Andy joined Earthwatch in June 2007.
Cassandra Nichols - Field Operations Manager
Cassandra has a Bachelor of Animal Science with honours in Ecology. Her research experience includes the ecology of dugongs and studying the sensitivity of rainforest flora and fauna to climate change. Prior to working for Earthwatch, Cassandra had been managing a research station for James Cook University in the Daintree rainforest of far north Queensland. This role saw her become an accredited Work Place Health and Safety Officer and she has since become Oxford Cambridge and RSA (Royal Society of Arts) accredited in Off-Site Safety Management, certified in Leadership Wilderness First Aid, and has training in Incident Management.
Cassandra is the program manager for all Earthwatch Australia projects.
Casandra joined Earthwatch in May 2011.
Rachel Maitland - Research and Learning Coordinator
Rachel Maitland graduated from Sydney University in Marine Science and then completed her honours with James Cook University with Ivan Lawler (through Helene Marsh) on risk analysis of boat impacts on Dugong populations in Hervey Bay.
After university she joined the NSW National Parks bandicoot surveys. She subsequently worked for the Marine and Coastal Community Network based at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science managing communications and participant liaison. The network Marine and Coastal Community Network has 10,300 participants.
With this experience Rachel joined Earthwatch to coordinate the ClimateWatch and Scientist for a Day programs working in the Earthwatch Australia Sydney office.
Rachel joined Earthwath in August 2008.
Rich Weatherill - National Program Manager, ClimateWatch
Rich completed a Bachelor of Science (Cell Physiology) and Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 1999 at the University of Western Australia. After three years developing medical research software at Royal Perth Hospital he started further post graduate studies and completed a Graduate Diploma in Sciences Communication in 2005.
Rich worked for five years at Scitech, WA's leading science centre, first developing activities for visitors to the centre and then moved to managing the outreach team who take science programs to communities across Western Australia. He has developed innovative science communication programs for international audiences, indigenous and regional communities.
Before joining Earthwatch Rich coordinated WA's pre-eminent youth conservation program for the Department of Environment and Conservation. As Program Manager, ClimateWatch, Rich is working with the scientific community, corporate partners and volunteer networks to ensure EarthWatch's online initiative is a success.
Rich joined Earthwatch in February 2010.
Chris Gillies - Research Manager
Chris Gillies graduated with honours from
University of Technology, Sydney in 2004 and has since worked consistently in
the environmental industry for the NSW EPA, Biotrack Australia, Institute of
Water and Environmental Resource Management and the Australian Antarctic
Division before joining Earthwatch in May 2011. Chris has a diverse expertise
in freshwater invertebrate diversity and monitoring, terrestrial landscape
assessment and Antarctic coastal ecology.
Chris has recently spent three seasons
living and working as an Australian Antarctic Expeditioner in Antarctica and on
Macquarie Island as part of the Human Impacts Division, where he was a member
of the of the 2009 Davis dive team. Chris is now in the final stages of completing
his PhD with Southern Cross University where he has been studying shallow water
food webs of coastal Antarctica. Chris has travelled extensively in South and Central
America, holds an ADAS commercial dive licence and private pilot's licence.
As Research Manager, Chris coordinates the
science and development of new Earthwatch projects, liaises with the scientific
community and is part of the ClimateWatch development team.
Chris joined Earthwatch in May 2011.
Geraldine Davis - Program Manager, TeachWild
Geraldine Davis completed a Bachelor of Science with honours in Zoology at Monash University. She has also completed a Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) and a Graduate Diploma in Agriculture. Since then, she has worked in a variety of roles which have combined her passion for environmental education and sustainability. This has included working at the Marine Discovery Centre, metropolitan and national parks and the school camping industry.
Geraldine has also worked as a Volunteer Advisor in Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste. Programs have included community based ecotourism and environmental sustainability programs. During this time she completed a research consultancy with the European Commission exploring effective community based ecotourism programs in Australasia.
As Program Manager–TeachWild, Geraldine is working with CSIRO scientists in engaging schools, the community and corporate partners in a national marine science program. TeachWild explores the impact of marine debris on Australian oceans and wildlife.
Geraldine joined Earthwatch in November 2011.