Our team
Sustainable Timber Tasmania Board
As a fully State-owned Government Business Enterprise, the Board of Directors is directly responsible to its shareholder Ministers, the Minister for Resources and the Treasurer, for its operations.
The Board is responsible for the overall corporate governance of the organisation. This includes setting strategic direction, overseeing financial performance and business affairs, setting management goals and monitoring management’s performance. To download our Board Charter, click on the tab below
The Board of Directors of Sustainable Timber Tasmania includes five independent non-executive directors. Directors are appointed in accordance with the Government Business Enterprises Act 1995.
Rob de Fégely
Chairman
Rob de Fégely is a founding Director of Margules Groome Consulting P/L a forest and forest industry consulting company based in Australia and New Zealand. He is Co-Chair of the Commonwealth Governments’ Forest Industry Advisory Council with Senator The Hon. Anne Ruston and is also the Forestry representative on the Agricultural Industry Advisory Council Chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Barnaby Joyce.
He is Chairman of Cape York Timber in far north Queensland and formerly a Non-Executive Director of VicForests. He is also the former National President of the Institute of Foresters of Australia. A committed conservationist he is a member of Greening Australia and on their Victorian Advisory Board and is a member of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Services’ regional advisory council for the Far South Coast.
He has worked in the Australian forest industry for 37 years and is a Registered Professional Forester with a Bachelor of Science (Forestry) degree from the Australian National University and a Master of Science (Forest Business Management) from Aberdeen University in the United Kingdom.
He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Rural Leadership Program. Having grown up on a farm in Victoria his other love is agriculture and he and his wife Sarah run a beef, prime lamb and forestry enterprise on the far south coast of New South Wales.
Kathy Schaefer
PSM, GAICD, MBA
Board Member
Kathy Schaefer is an award winning, high performing non-executive Director and former senior government executive with a successful track record driving strategy, building strong corporate governance, engaging with stakeholders and developing the talent capability of workforces.
Kathy is currently a non-executive Director of Cradle Coast Authority, Tasmania and Flying Arts Alliance (FAA), a regional arts organisation based in Queensland. Kathy is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Tasmanian Divisional Council and an Independent Committee member of the Department of Treasury and Finance Audit and Risk Committee. She is also an Independent Member of the Local Government Code of Conduct Panel.
Kathy has worked across government portfolio areas of economic and industry development, infrastructure and major projects delivery, tourism, education, training and employment, land use planning and local government.
Suzanne Baker 
BBus, BFA(Hons), DipFP, AdvDipNat, MFAD, FCPA, FAICD
Board Member
Experienced Non-Executive Director, Chairperson and Committee Member with extensive board experience across a range of sectors including Financial Services (Insurance), Health Administration, State and Local Government, Primary Industries, Waste Management and Arts industries.
A qualified accountant with primary expertise in financial management, Fellow CPA Australia, Fellow Australian Institute of Company Directors with a Bachelor of Business and Masters in Fine Art and Design.
Professor Mark Hunt
B.ASc (Hons), D.Phil, MBA, IFA
Board Member
Professor Mark Hunt is currently Professor of Forestry Science at the University of Tasmania and Director of the Australian Research Council Training Centre for Forest Value. Mark has over 25 years' experience in research and research management working with state and federal governments and universities mainly in Tasmania and Queensland.
His experience has primarily been based in the forestry sector, including domestic and international work in industrial and small-scale contexts. Mark holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Hon) degree, is a Doctor of Philosophy and also holds an MBA.
Mark is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of the Institute of Foresters of Australia.
Kathryn Westwood 
BCom, GAAICD, FIPA, ASA, MRMIA
Board Member
Kathryn Westwood is an experienced non-executive Director, Chairperson and Committee member and is currently the Chair and President of RACT Ltd, RACT Holdings Pty Ltd and RACT Pty Ltd, and is an independent Director of RACT Insurance and Blue Line Laundry Inc. Kathryn is a national council member of the Australian Automobile Association.
Kathryn is currently Manager Finance of Nyrstar, Hobart and has over 20 years' experience in commercial, finance and risk management roles within forestry, water, metals processing, insurance industries and local government in Tasmania. Kathryn is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Accountants, a Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of Risk Management Institution of Australasia and holds a Bachelor of Commerce.
Therese Ryan 
LLB, GAAICD,
Board Member
Therese Ryan has extensive experience in the fields of commercial, legal and governance roles, having spent over 40 years as a lawyer. Therese's last role was Vice President and General Counsel of General Motors International Operations in Shanghai. Since retiring from this role in 2010, Therese has built her experience as a non-executive Director. She serves on several boards as a non-executive Director of WA Super, VicForests (Deputy Chair), Gippsland Water (Chair) and Bapcor Ltd.
Therese also serves on several committees including the Buxton Contemporary Museum Management Committee and the City of Melbourne Audit and Risk Committee. She has a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Melbourne and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Sustainable Timber Tasmania Management Team
Chief Executive Officer
Steve Whiteley
General Manager Business Development and Strategy
David Bartlett
General Manager Corporate Services
Chris Brookwell
General Manager Conservation and Land Management
Suzette Weeding
General Manager Operations
Greg Hickey
