Our Board

Bill Vandepeer is a Director of Manoora Seeds Pty Ltd, an agribusiness based in the Clare Valley region of South Australia’s Mid-North. Bill and his family have been based in this area since 2005 and he has been involved in the Agribusiness sector in SA for more than 25years.

Bill has a keen interest in regional development and has been a member of regional development boards since 2003. He has been on the Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North Board as Deputy Chair from 2009-2015, before being elected as Chair in 2016. The economic and social wellbeing of our regions is of great importance to Bill. He is committed to RDA maintaining the critical role of supporting its funding partners in the continued development of new opportunities across the Yorke and Mid North.

Brenton Vanstone is a vocal advocate for the advancement of SA’s regions. He has 19 years’ experience in local government, 6 being Mayor of the Port Pirie City Council. He was former chair of the Port Pirie, Whyalla, Port Augusta alliance group (Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group), former Deputy Chair of the Provincial Cities Association and is currently Deputy Chair of the Spencer Gulf Uni Hub (Community Owned Tertiary Education Centre). A mixed-farming business owner, Brenton has a keen passion for the agricultural sector.

His time on various boards throughout the region, Brenton has insightful knowledge and skills in the Yorke and Mid North region.

Paul Thomas became a member of Local Government in March 1990 when he was elected as a Councilor of the Wallaroo Ward for the then District Council of Northern Yorke Peninsula. Following amalgamations Paul was elected for Kadina Ward of the District Council of the Copper Coast and elected as Mayor in May 2000, where he served for 18 years. In 2001 Paul received the Centenary Medal for services to Local Government from the Prime Minister. Paul was recognized for his services to local government and his community, being created a member of the Order of Australia in June 2017.

Paul has a keen interest in local Health, having being involved with the Northern Yorke Private Hospital and the Wakefield Regional Health Board. He maintains a strong interest in Regional Tourism and youth opportunities and has been a member of the RDAYMN Board since 2014

Gail Bartel has been employed at an executive leadership level in public and private sectors for more than 30 years across three Australian states. Her specialty is instrategic communication, media, stakeholder engagement and crisis management, and in the development and implementation of messaging and various communication platforms. She has served on several charitable boards and committees and has extensive experience in governance and executive fields. As manager for ABC SA Local Radio, Gail was involved with dozens of state wide local governments and associated entities on an almost daily basis. Her most recent role as Nyrstar Redevelopment and Communication Manager has seen her play a key strategic role in the Redevelopment of the Port Pirie Smelter and direct the delivery of numerous stakeholder and communication strategies associated with the project.

Gail returned to her home town after moving away for her career due to her desire to help make a positive contribution to the region and to a community she considers her home. Her wide range of experience and good relationships with local and professional people enable her to be a strong advocate for the region at the decision making level.

Vivienne Lambert has been in executive and operational positions for the past 30 years. Some of these roles include; councillor of West Tamar Council in Tasmania, News Editor for the ABC, board member of the Fire and emergency Services Authority in Western Australia, Senior engagement advisor at BHP Billiton (including Olympic Dam site) and Director of Community Engagement for the Land Management Corporation (now Renewal SA).

Vivienne sees her involvement on the RDAYMN board as her ability to draw on her wide range of expertise and experience to make a contribution at a strategic and practical level to the region.

Malcolm May is one of the founding members of Balco Australia, which is now one of the country’s leading hay processors and exporters. He has been chairman of the Government Export Council, industry rep on Aquis Grain Industry Board in Canberra, and a member of the Lifecare board for 7 years.

Malcolm is committed and dedicated to making this region “A great place to be”.

Tom Rosewarne is the Director of Rosewarnes Kadina, a family owned motor vehicle company established for 132 years. Since 2011 Tom has also been Zone Chairperson of the Motor Trade Association, and President of the Kadina Chamber of Commerce from 2013-2015.

Tom is heavily involved in the local community, having lived there all his life and participating in, coaching and sponsoring local sporting teams. He has a keen interest in local jobs, in particular addressing the skills shortage in the region, and promoting local career pathways with students.

Lindsay Crouch is currently a Company Director for Pringles Ag Plus, where his role is to provide direction and support for the precision agriculture division across 4 branches on the Eyre Peninsula and Mid North of SA. Based in Crystal Brook, Lindsay is passionate about our region, which shows through his varying roles on community and regional boards and committees, including the National John Deere Dealer Council and the Crystal Brook Tennis Club.

He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Science and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Lyndsey is based in the Yorke Peninsula and is a strategic thinker who is energetic and enthusiastic and has the ability to mobilise and lead others. Her proven abilities include to mobilise communities and to create engagement using technology in a way that is positive, thoughtful and inclusive.

Driven by creating sustainable change and using available resources and opportunities. Lyndsey has experience working on over 100 web projects with 50 communities across Australia, helping social, environmental, Indigenous and youth causes better connect, communicate and embrace digital transformation.

Lyndsey consults and works with a range of Internet technology and start up organisations, including agtech and would love to see the expansion of technical career opportunities into the regions.

Lyndsey is the Chair of Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc. a non-profit national organisation that has been promoting and protecting digital rights (civil liberties) in Australia since it was established in January 1994. Lyndsey is also a founding board member of Gen Junction an organisation focused on intergenerational skill sharing.

Mr Peter Ackland has been the CEO of the Port Pirie Regional Council since November 2018. Prior to this role, he was CEO at the District Council of Loxton Waikerie for 14 years and at the District Council of Minlaton for 3 years. Peter was also the Director of Corporate and community services at the District Council of Yorke Peninsula for 7 years. He was seconded to the position of Director of the State Governments Riverland Futures Taskforce to assist in the development of strategies to diversify the region’s economy.

Peter has skills in strategic planning, Government and customer service, and a passion for regional South Australia.

Dr Helen Macdonald became the CEO of the Clare and Gilbert Valley’s Council in February of 2018, after service as CEO of the Naracoorte Lucindale Council for 6 years. Helen achieved her doctorate in Philosophy in 1997, and has since held leadership roles at various mining companies over Australia and the world. Helen is a member of the EPA Board and the SA Stormwater Management Authority, and her specialties include strategic leadership, risk management, external /public affairs and environmental and social responsibility. She is committed to seeing the Yorke and Mid North region thrive.

Whether it be working in a construction or mining environment, Phillip is accustomed to dealing with complex issues in order to achieving optimum results.

He is delivery focussed as is evident in his current and prior experience as a hands-on production manager, auditor and trainer and has developed skills in inventory and stock control, asset management including financial and KPI reporting.

As a primary producer, Phillip’s experience and learnings over many years has enabled him to make successful decisions and to seize business opportunities and believes best practice is a key area in ensuring product quality and budget savings.
Phillip has contacts with a diverse group of people and has experience in collaborating with a broad range of stakeholders as well as serving on committees, working with indigenous groups and meeting with political representatives.

He has a passion and knowledge of the region having lived there all his life and has good business and strong personal connections within it.

Phillip believes South Australia’s prosperity is inextricably linked to the economic drive of our regions, and regional communities are an integral part of South Australia’s identity and that strong regions are the foundation to South Australia being a strong State.

He also believes our regional communities want real engagement with government and within communities to shape the decisions that matter most. They need resilient and diverse regional economies powered by innovation, and public and private investment.

His ultimate outcome for our regions is to be proud, prosperous, safe and inclusive communities for all.

James is the Chief Executive Officer at Perks Accountants & Wealth Advisers, Adelaide and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and sits on two external Boards as well as various Perks internal
divisional boards and sub-committees, including chair of the risk and compliance committee.

A core skill set James brings to the Board includes stakeholder and change management as well as strategy execution and implementation and has been responsible for implementing and delivering key projects including: Strategy for a new online ag retail business (Agsure, a division of Elders); successfully launched and ran a fin-tech for agriculture start up in Australia called Figured Limited; and at Perks has implemented a whole of business cloud software transformation project; created a new risk and compliance function; and finalised an acquisition of a significant financial planning business.

James was born and raised into a farming family on the Yorke Peninsula (4th generation). His grandparents and relatives on his mother’s side have been farming in the Mid North (Jamestown/Orroroo) for 4 generations.
He and his wife own a property near Edithburgh, Yorke Peninsula and along with their young family come across at every opportunity.

Having ties within the region, gives James a love and appreciation for the Yorke Peninsula and Mid North regions and he is passionate about their economic development and long term sustainability of the local communities that live in these regions.