Archives: Speakers

Dr Daniel Forwood is an agricultural industry professional with experience in research, government relations and stakeholder engagement.

As Project Manager – Sheep & Goat Productivity at Meat & Livestock Australia, Daniel identifies RD&A needs and opportunities to improve the profitability of lambs, sheepmeat and goat production in Australia, while managing and evaluating research project applications.

Daniel holds a PhD in animal science from The University of Queensland. Previously, he has worked as an Innovation Broker (Agriculture) at The University of Melbourne, and as a Policy Advisor (Farming Systems) at the Victorian Farmers Federation.

Program Advisory Committee First Nations Representative

Luke is a Goreng man from Noongar country in south-west, Western Australia with over 20 years’ experience working in different roles across the Australian Public Service in Canberra.

Luke joined DAFF in September 2023 and is now responsible for managing training initiatives under the Indigenous Ranger Biosecurity Program (IRBP). The IRBP helps protect Australia’s agriculture industries by contributing to the delivery of enhanced biosecurity capability in northern Australia. He is also responsible for managing the Indigenous Biosecurity Traineeship initiative for DAFF, which will provide an opportunity for up to five Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people to attain a nationally accredited qualification and gain experience working across DAFF and other agencies.

Luke has a long background in program, grants and contract management as well as policy development and implementation and has utilised these skills on various Government programs across the health, aged care, employment and First Nations sectors.

Shakira is the coordinator of the Farm Biosecurity Program for vegetables, potatoes and onions at AUSVEG. Her main focus is to raise awareness about pests and pathogens that are not currently present or have recently arrived.

Prior to this role, Shakira coordinated the iMapPESTS Program and completed a case study on the application of an Area Freedom framework. She used the Tomato Potato Psyllid and AUSPestCheck to demonstrate the importance of data-driven decisions concerning the movement of plant products across state and international borders.

Shakira is skilled in strategically coordinating collaborative projects, research extension, and science communication. She is an active member of the research and extension community and has a research background in molecular plant pathology.

A qualified as a veterinarian, specialised in Parasitology, Johann has a few decades’ experience in the global pharmaceutical industry, developing endo- and ectoparasiticides. Johann has fifteen years’ experience as an RDC (AWI & MLA) animal health welfare & biosecurity project and program manager.

MLA’s representative on the National Animal Biosecurity RD&E Strategy steering committee and a member of editorial board for Veterinary Parasitology since 2007, having peer-reviewed >100 manuscripts to date.

Johann has been consulting for Sheep Producers Australia since 2022.

Lucy has 25 years in plant health and expertise in science, biosecurity, innovation, strategy, and policy. Lucy completed her PhD in Phytoplasma genomics in 2007. Lucy joined PHA in January 2022 and in her current role, Lucy leads the diagnostic, surveillance, preparedness and RD&E, fruit fly and partnership teams within PHA. Lucy leads the development of cost effective and sustainable national approaches to partnerships and innovation including member engagement, intelligence gathering, project reporting and contribution to national committees.

Prior to PHA, Lucy worked in the Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade. During her 15 years with the NTG, Lucy established molecular diagnostics within the Plant Industry Division and led the diagnostics in multiple exotic plant pest incursions. Lucy has a passion for science and has led and been involved in several multi-party projects which included leading national projects (i.e., Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus, citrus canker, and Panama wilt) which included supervising large teams and multiple PhD students.

Chief Research Scientist in CSIRO having joined the organisation in 1986 based in France. Based in Australia working on biosecurity and invasive species management.

Since 2006 has been a CSIRO Research leader of three different programs on plant, animal and environmental biosecurity and terrestrial biodiversity management. He was Research Director in the CSIRO Health & Biosecurity business unit from 2015-2021.

Current primary role is a secondment into the Commonwealth Department Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry as Co-Executive Director of DAFF-CSIRO Catalysing Australia’s Biosecurity Initiative after instigating this partnership across both agencies. This $50-$100M Mission is due to launch in mid-2023.

He serves on a number of boards/advisory committees for the Federal Government National Biosecurity Committee and the CSIRO Centre of Australian National Biodiversity Research.

Is the non-residential Director of CSIRO’s European Laboratory in Montpellier since 2002.

Also has a portfolio of research projects in weed and pest and invasive species management based on Australia, South Africa and France. He was elected to the Australian Academy of Technology & Engineering in 2019 and International Fellow of the Académie d’Agriculture de France in 2020.