Meet the board

BA, MA

Thomas Grinter is the Surveyor-General of New South Wales and Director of Survey Operations at DCS Spatial Services. With a surveying career that began in 2005, Thomas brings nearly two decades of experience in land and spatial sciences, public sector leadership, and regulatory oversight.

He holds a Bachelor of Surveying, a Master of Engineering, and a Master of Law. reflecting his strong technical foundation and multidisciplinary expertise. Thomas has held several senior roles within the NSW Government, most recently serving as Deputy Surveyor-General, where he led strategic initiatives to modernise survey practices and support industry innovation. 

Thomas is also:

• President of the Board of Surveying and Spatial Information (BOSSI)
• NSW representative on the Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping (ICSM).

BA, MPA

James is an Executive Director at the NSW Department of Customer Service. The focus of the Department's work is to make it easier to deal with government by driving improvements in customer service.

Since joining the NSW public service in 2009 James has worked in a variety of public policy and implementation roles, including Chief Data Officer, Executive Director of Customer Data & Insights, and Director, Premier's Implementation Unit.

BTP (Hons), RPIA (Fellow)

Aoife has spent her career in the NSW planning system in local and state government as well as private practice. She has comprehensive development assessment and statutory and strategic planning experience across NSW.

She has worked extensively on land use planning policy with a focus on systems improvement and planning reform.

Aoife is currently Executive Director of Panels and Housing Delivery, Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. Her team manages the Housing Delivery Authority pathway and has oversight of planning panels across New South Wales.

BA (Hons), MA (Hons)

Richard is the Mitchell Librarian and Director of Engagement at the State Library of NSW.

With a research background in 19th century Australian art and culture, he has curated many exhibitions and published widely on colonial art and society.

He has been extensively involved in the acquisition, arrangement, description and promotion of the library's renowned Australian research collections.

BS, BArch (Hons)

Simon is the Director and founder of Art Atrium, an art gallery exhibiting contemporary Australian, Asian and Aboriginal art. He is a practising architect and Director of SCA Architects.

Current and recent roles include:

• Chair of VisAsia Advisory Council at the Art Gallery of NSW
• Director on the board of the Australian National Maritime Museum Foundation
• Council member of the Power Institute Foundation at The University of Sydney
• Director and former Chair on the board of the Aboriginal Benefits Foundation
• President of the Chinese Australian Forum

BA, BEd

Alice began her career as an Instructor Officer with the Royal Australian Navy before becoming a franchisee.

Her current and recent roles include councillor, Deputy Mayor and 4 terms as Mayor of Albury City Council. Alice is a recipient of the 'Paul Harris Fellow' Rotary award and is an active member of Rotary.

BA (Hons), PhD

Carol is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Western Sydney University.

Her research covers early colonial history in NSW, with interests in people (convict, colonial born and free immigrant), local history, heritage and the built environment.

Her publications include histories of Campbelltown, Parramatta and Liverpool.

Former roles include:

• President of the RAHS
• Co-editor of the RAHS journal

BA, BSc (Hons), PhD)

Alanna is Senior Lecturer in Geography and Urban Studies, School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University (WSU).

Her teaching and research focus is Australian multiculturalism and cultural diversity, experiences of migration and settlement, racism and anti-racism, historical geographies, and intersectional experiences of belonging/exclusion.

Alanna's current and recent roles include:

• Academic Program Advisor, Geography and Urban Planning (WSU)
• researcher at the Challenging Racism Project (WSU)
• researcher at the Young and Resilient Research Centre (WSU)
• researcher at the Centre of Resilient and Inclusive Societies
• Academic Member of the NSW Education Standards Authority Technical Advisory Group (7-10 Geography syllabus & HSC Geography elective syllabus)

BEd

Anne was first elected to the NSW Aboriginal Land Council in 2011. She is a Gamilaraay woman with a strong background in education, spanning more than 30 years as a teacher and administrator.

Anne believes in the role of independent and self-sufficient Local Aboriginal Land Councils in delivering better educational outcomes and social justice for Aboriginal people. 

PhD

Jaky advises on language matters.

BA (Hons), MA (Hons), PhD

Terry advisers on historical and geographical matters.

Marina represents Fire and Rescue NSW and advises on Emergency Services matters.