Learn more about our staff
Staff bios

Drew McKenzie
General Manager

Cass Jury
Program Manager / Biodiversity Officer
Cass is working across several roles and projects including Program Manager and Biodiversity Officer. She has 20+ years experience working in environmental management with a focus on waterway and bushland assessment and protection and restoration. She has previously been a co-ordinator of the group and authored the Boodjidup, Wilyabrup and Quinninup river action plans. She brings a wealth of experience in the Capes landscape and the community.

Lauren Scanlon
Our Patch Officer / Friends of Wooditjup Bilya Coordinator
Lauren has dedicated most of her life to getting outdoors and exploring our wild spaces. For the past 20 years she’s worked with young people, from classrooms to the forests to the wild deserts. Lauren believes children and nature are natural partners, and delights in bringing them together, helping them to build understanding for and connections to our planet earth. She holds an honours degree in environmental science, and a postgraduate in education. Her programs at Nature Conservation engage youth and the community become important caretakers of Wadandi Boodja. In her spare time, you’ll find her with her family in the ocean or in the garden.

Jodie Passmore
Special Projects Officer

Peta Lierich
Woody Weeds Coordinator

Lyndsey Cox
Spatial Data Officer

Trevor Paddenburg
Communications Officer
Trev spent two decades as a journalist covering state and national news for newspapers across Australia. He did stints as a London-based travel writer, worked at an animal rehabilitation centre in the Costa Rican jungles, and is a surf-travel magazine correspondent. Trev fell in love with Margaret River’s epic nature, incredible biodiversity and raw Indian Ocean. At Nature Conservation, he writes media releases, blog posts and new stories, shapes campaigns, posts on socials, looks after photography and website updates, and keeps the community informed of the work we do. In his spare time, he’s a hiking guide on the Cape to Cape Track, runs the Edible Gardens Festival, grows his own produce and teaches permaculture.

Mandy Polley
Coastal Officer / Cape Naturaliste Conservatiion Enterprise Officer
Mandy has been protecting the beautiful local environment for two decades. Her first job out our university was with the Cape to Cape Catchments Group, and nearly 20 years later she’s returned to the same group which is now Nature Conservation Margaret River Region. In between, she spent seven years working for the City of Busselton and Meelup Regional Park Management Committee. After taking time out when she had two children, she volunteered with community groups and delved into placemaking – or community-led design creating vibrant places for people. When she’s not working to protect the places she loves, you’ll find Mandy exploring, learning, connecting, being active in nature and bringing up her two energetic young boys.

Obelia Walker
Arum Lily Blitz Coordinator / Biodiversity Officer
After growing up and completing her studies in Perth, Obelia spent 10 years in the South-West with a deep appreciation for its rich, natural beauty. Her career has been a whirlwind adventure with plants as the common thread. She went from ecotourism research in Borneo to plant nurseries and productive gardens locally. Obelia also worked with the Capes Foundation as a guide and conservation officer doing environmental restoration including at several tourism caves. Now she’s at the helm of the Arum Lily Blitz – an ambitious project with strong community support to protect biodiversity in the region. She’s also a landscape designer creating fun, plant-focused and resilient native gardens.

Ben Howell
Arum Lily Blitz Officer / Biodiversity Officer
Since dipping a toe into the environmental space as a koala ‘wrangler’ on Kangaroo Island, Ben has enjoyed developing his bushland conservation craft over 20 years across private, local and state government sectors. A seasoned native seed collector, he will often be out and about boring his kids with useless titbits in the hope they too will jump on the green bandwagon. With over a decade of environmental service provision in the South-west region, Ben has joined the biodiversity team to support the ongoing success of the Arum Lily Blitz. He’s a very welcome addition to the Nature Conservation team!

Kathi Galeani
Adopt a Spot Coordinator / Our Patch Officer
Kathi grew up in Germany but Margaret River has been her home since 2002 after she fell in love with the forests and coast while trail running and hiking. To gain a deeper understanding with Australia’s environment, she completed a degree in environmental science. Earlier, Kathi completed a master’s degree in fine arts and her art focused on nature and the threats it faces. But she decided teaching was a more direct and impactful way to support people and nature, and she worked as a primary and secondary school teacher for 10 years. She says environmental education is vital, and loves presenting science in a way everyone can understand – and then feel empowered to act.
Chloe Deakin
Waatu Kaatijin (Ocean Learning) Coordinator
Chloe studied environmental science at Deakin University and spent three years teaching marine education in her native Victoria, while assisting with whale shark research in Mozambique, Africa — an experience that led her to WA’s Ningaloo Reef, where she worked in whale shark ecotourism for three seasons. Chloe recently completed an Honours project in Marine Biology at UWA, investigating coral damage caused by snorkellers at Ningaloo. Passionate about marine conservation, she is dedicated to fostering scientific curiosity, environmental stewardship, and a deep sense of connection between children and the ocean. In her spare time, she loves surfing, diving, hiking, camping, playing music, gardening, and spending time with her blue heeler.

Nathan Hammer
Bush Regeneration Team
Address
Community Resource Centre
33 Tunbridge Street
Margaret River WA 6285
Postal Address
PO Box 1749 Margaret River WA. 6285
Contact Us
Phone: (08) 9757 2202
Email: info@natureconservation.org.au

