National Board

Fantastic Staff

Dr Dave Mitchell – Landscape Ecologist

Dave has been working with the AKF as a landscape ecologist since 1996. In this vast role he works on our Koala Habitat Atlas, project planning, field site selection, field data selection, data statistical/GIS analyses, map production and report writing, plus offering scientific advice to our Chair. Mapping is a huge part of the AKF, which Dave really enjoys, along with aerial photo interpretation and our Tree list. Dave likes the AKF’s single focussed approach of ensuring the sustainability of Koalas in the wild, and loves working with the great people involved. In 2024 Dave was awarded a PhD from RMIT. Dave’s research interest is to improve Koala habitat mapping, and his passion is to see habitat mapping incorporated into meaningful government policy.

Clare Oldfield – Koala Projects

Clare started with the AKF in early 2014, managing our Save The Koala Shop at 40 Charlotte St in Brisbane, plus managing all online orders and buying or merchandise. She now also manages partnerships, the Harrold’s ‘Plant a Tree’ program and Adoption program. Along with meeting all types of people day to day, she loves the fact that every day that she’s at the AKF, she’s contributing in some way to help save the Koala. Clare has also completed a Bachelor of Justice majoring in Criminalology and Policing.

Dani Heraud – Communications Officer

Dani has an innate enthusiasm for conservation which stems from her parents being dedicated wildlife carers and from a young age she was instilled with a compassionate ethos and attitude towards Australia’s iconic wildlife. With a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and previous professional background in Marketing and Public Relations, Dani feels incredibly fortunate to be able to use her skills to contribute towards saving the Koala.

Christopher Kwan – Retail & Online Shop

Christopher has always been interested in sustainability. His years have been filled with physical growth and spiritual growth, and with those strategies he has had the pleasure of sharing with others. In that pursuit, with his family now, he found himself in Warialda. Christopher saw the Koala Manifesto and knew he had to be part of the AKF team. How many chances do we get to save a world renowned Aussie Icon?

Ian Harling – Quinlans ‘Jack of all Trades’

Ian, originally from England, works regularly at the AKF’s property Quinlans, after starting as a volunteer. Sharing the same vision for the property as Deborah, Ian works closely with AKF staff and volunteers to bring ideas to fruition. From landscaping to building to plumbing, Ian loves that he’s able to put the sustainable and creative ethics that both the AKF and he believe in as part of his working day. He loves that he’s able to help the AKF with it’s primary goal: protecting the natural environment that the Koala and other native species so desperately need to survive.

Jon-Michael Mooney – Cinematographer

Jon-Michael is an accomplished filmmaker, storyteller and TV producer whose deep love for Koalas was ignited while working with them in 2006. Over the past 15 years, his dynamic career in film and television has included producing and directing series for Disney, channel 10, SBS, Fox 8 and Channel 5 in Singapore, as well as editing and animating for Nickelodeon, Foxtel, Channel 9 and many others. JM directed a feature-length documentary that was screened in 13 countries, including at the American Documentary Film Festival and the Transitions Film Festival, with a shorter version showcased at the Cannes Film Festival. His portfolio encompasses feature films, documentaries, TV series, and high-end commercials for major brands such as Bonds, Oral B, Nintendo, Samsung, Big W, Eb Games and Subaru. JM has collaborated with renowned talents from interviewing world class directors like Quentin Tarantino to working with Michelin star chefs like Heston Blumenthal and Tetsuya Wakuda as well as Aussie talent like Danny Clayton, Erin Mc Naught and Andrew Daddo. Leveraging his creativity and versatile skill set, Jon-Michael is now focused on conservation efforts to help save the Koala and bringing Urban to life.

Shaun Wilson – Design & Strategy

Shaun began working for the AKF as a consultant graphic designer in early 2017. He enjoys the creative aspect of graphic communication. With an eagerness to learn new skills, Shaun has gone on to fill various roles with the AKF, such as writing, marketing, managing projects, co-ordinating events, and developing strategies.

David Staines – GIS Mapping

David has returned to work with the AKF in 2018 as a GIS/Mapping consultant. In the early nineties his role was as a GIS/Mapping Officer in the pilot research project the Joint Regional Koala Habitat Study that evolved into the Koala Habitat Atlas. With a 40 year history in Cartography, David enjoys the GIS analysis that underlays the Koala’s habitat mapping. He also assists in the data statistical/GIS analysis and map production. Dave likes explaining to people the importance of mapping and how it contributes to ensure the sustainability of Koalas in the wild.

Mitchell Peake – GIS Mapping

Mitch joined the AKF in 2023 as a GIS officer, working on the many mapping needs of the organisation including the AKF’s Koala Habitat Atlas. While studying for his Bachelor of Animal Ecology, Mitch learned the importance of having a strong spatial component to any type of environmental project, completing a minor of Geospatial Analysis (GIS). Mitch has hands on experience rescuing koalas for many years throughout the Moreton Bay region and has seen first-hand the plight our endangered marsupial friends are facing. Mitch also has experience in environmental project management, overseeing multiple revegetation projects throughout Moreton Bay. He’s looking forward to using his technical and practical skillset to help the koala Australia-wide and continue the great efforts made by the AKF in reversing the downward trend of our national icon.

Cesar Alvardo Rivera – Finance

Cesar is Colombian, he moved to Australia in 2019. His natural environment is full of plants and light. He loves all animals in general and Australian wildlife in particular. He enjoys long walks, reading, listening to music and as a good old school guy he loves going to the cinema. Cesar is an international accountant with experience in different industries and he has worked with AKF since 2021. He is a BAS Agent and currently applying for his Tax Advisor registration.

Jill Brocklebank – Save the Koala Shop

Jill has been with AKF from the beginning of 2019 initially working in our shop in Brisbane. Jill now assists with Koala Adoptions, consignment orders and various other Administrative tasks in Brisbane HQ as well as being the Coordinator for the AKF Shop now based in Warialda, visiting there several times each year. She loves all kinds of animals; large—like her Great Dane ‘Tessa’— and small, like the Koala.

Volunteer Position – Musical score notation

The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) are looking for a music student or similar to assist with a small project that requires the transfer of 19 pages of handwritten piano musical score notation into a digital version. The short-term project is to be undertaken at AKF’s Brisbane CBD headquarters at 40 Charlotte St. Please send expressions of interest to akf@savethekoala.com

Key Service Providers

• Edd Cross: Cartoonist and Illustrator Edd Cross Illustrator
• IT support Managed Solutions
• Jon-Michael (JM) Mooney : Video director & editor

Honorary Appointments

• Solicitor: Craig Smith
• Auditors: PKF Hacketts
• Creative Director: Dick Marks OAM