Dr Michelle Freeman
Dr Michelle Freeman has been elected vice president of the Institute of Foresters of Australia and Australian Forest Growers and Jan Newport has joined as a director. Source: Timberbiz
Returning IFA/AFG president Bob Gordon said the new appointments would grow skill capacity and diversity of the board, helping the organisation deliver greater outcomes for its members.
“The IFA/AFG has worked tirelessly over the last few years to change our mode of operating to build our reputation, provide more benefits to members and earn a seat at the table to speak on behalf of Australian forest management and forest science,” he said.
“The election of two vice presidents, Dr Michelle Freeman and re-appointed vice president Dr Kevin Harding will assist us as we continue to adapt and deliver for our members and the broader forest sector.”
IFA/AFG CEO Jacquie Martin said that she was delighted to be working with Dr Freeman as vice president and Ms Newport as a director,
“Michelle and Jan are long-time supporters of the IFA/AFG and are passionate about the future of the profession and the sector,” she said.
“Their knowledge, perspective and experience will assist the IFA/AFG as we continue to pursue our very ambitious strategic plan and continue to reposition ourselves to meet the needs of our members and ensure that we are a contemporary member-based organisation.”
Dr Freeman, who joins the re-appointed Dr Kevin Harding as one of two vice presidents, is a forester and consultant with a passion for native forest management.
Her qualifications include a double degree in Science (Ecology) and forestry, and a PhD from the University of Melbourne completed in partnership with CSIRO Darwin looking at savanna fire and tree dynamics of northern Australia, as part of the Tiwi Carbon Study.
In addition to being an IFA/AFG director since 2019, her board experience includes chairing the Future Foresters Initiative, sitting as an independent council member on the Federal Governments’ Forest Industry Advisory Council and as a director with FSC Australia.
Jan Newport brings to the board over 25 years’ forestry experience in Australia, New Zealand and Canada working in both the public and private sector in plantation establishment and management, forestry education, research, farm forestry and policy.
Ms Newport also previously served as a director of the AFG for four years. She has a Bachelor of Forest Science, Graduate Diploma of Business, Graduate Diploma of Education and completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors – Governance Foundations for NFP Directors.
