EPA Board

Ms Catherine Cooper became Presiding Member on 28 June 2018. She brings significant expertise in law and ethics, corporate services, risk management and governance to the Board’s portfolio. In 2000, she established CooperConsult, offering consulting services to a wide range of public and private clientele, primarily in the areas of strategic planning, leadership, governance, risk management and innovation.

Ms Cooper has extensive experience in boards and committees. She is currently Deputy Chair, Commissioner Australian Fisheries Management Authority; Director, Beston Global Food Company (ASX); Director, Australian Egg Corporation Limited; Director, GPEX – Medical Education and Training; Independent Member SA Health Risk Management and Audit (overseeing development of the new hospital and Transforming Health strategy); Director, Energy Consumers Australia Ltd; Chair, Fleurieu Regional Waste Management Authority; Chair, Council Solutions; and provides executive support to the CRC Care Board – Contamination and Remediation of the Environment.

She has been appointed to the Board for another 2 years from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2023.

Dr Stephen Christley was appointed as Deputy Presiding Member on 28 June 2018. He was formerly the Chief Public Health Officer with SA Health. Since retiring from this position he has worked in a number of short-term roles, including as Interim Commissioner, SA Mental Health Commission and Member, Independent Inquiry Panel for Review of Plastics to Fuel proposal for the ACT Minister for Planning and Environment.

Dr Christley’s experience and background in medicine, public health, and business planning has seen him undertake numerous board and executive roles, including President, Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association; and member of the National Blood Authority Board, Nature Play SA Board, North Shore Heart Research Board and Central Coast Community Care Association Limited. He is a current board member of Flinders Reproductive Medicine (Flinders Fertility).

In addition to his experience in science, public health, and management, Dr Christley holds a number of qualifications including MBBS (Hons), Dip (Obst) and Grad Dip Paeds. He brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge around public health issues relevant to the EPA’s charter.

He has been appointed to the Board for another 2 years from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2023.

Mr Keith Baldry is Acting Chief Executive of the Environment Protection Authority, South Australia’s independent environment regulator, and sits on South Australia’s Senior Management Council.

He has worked in the EPA since 2004, holding a variety of executive positions, including leading the environmental science, mining and energy, compliance, and ICT functions.

Prior to joining the EPA, Mr Baldry worked on site remediation and civil nuclear decommissioning projects in the UK and Australia.

With expertise in radiation safety, he is the Chair of the International Atomic Energy Agency Regulators Forum for safety in uranium production and naturally occurring radioactive materials, and a Member on the ARPANSA Radiation Health and Safety Advisory Council.

Mr Baldry has an honours degree in Physics from the University of Manchester in the UK.

Dr Helen Macdonald is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council. She was the General Manager, Environment and Social Responsibility, for a mine project site in Ghana, where she directed and supervised the implementation of an environmental and social responsibility study program and a land access and resettlement program. She has management, strategic planning and policy experience in sustainable development, environment, community relations and development, land access and resettlement, closure and reclamation, local and regional government relations, and communication and media relations.

She has been appointed to the Board for 2 years from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2022.

Mr Mark Withers is currently the CEO of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. He has tertiary qualifications in management and social science and has spent the last 33 years working in local government. Mr Withers has worked in 9 Adelaide metropolitan councils and held previous CEO positions at both Charles Sturt and Unley councils. He has senior executive experience in the development of environmental sustainability strategies for councils, management experience in overseeing environment protection legislation and oversight of waste services. He is a Board Member of LG Professional SA and is a past National President of LG Professional Australian. Mr Withers also holds a Board position on Green Industries SA.

He was appointed to the EPA Board for another 3 years, from 8 August 2021 to 7 August 2024.

Ms Christine Trenorden is currently a Visiting Professor at UCL Australia, and served as a Judge of the District Court in South Australia and the Environment, Resources and Development Court for 17 years including handling a number of EPA and environment protection cases. She adds further expertise to the Board on issues such as environmental policy, governance and regulatory design and enforcement. Ms Trenorden has been actively involved in environmental and natural resources law over many years and brings with her expertise in planning, environmental and local government law. 

Her past experience includes chairperson of the Environmental Defenders Office SA, working in international development with International Union for Conservation of Nature in the South Pacific and she represented South Australia and Australia on various national and international bodies, providing technical training to judges and government officers in Fiji, India, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, the Philippines and Vanuatu.  

She has been appointed to the Board for 3 years from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2023.

Chris Stathy OAM is a highly respected and experienced business leader and company director, with a proven track record in national and global markets across various industry sectors.

He is a leading management consultant, and founded Hazelwood Industry Solutions in 2014 to provide results-driven strategy and development services to business. He was former Chief Executive Officer of Fielders Australia Pty Ltd, a South Australian-based company specialising in the manufacture of steel roofing, flooring and associated products.

Prior to joining Fielders, Mr Stathy was Managing Director of Philmac Pty Ltd, a leading manufacturer and supplier of polyethylene pipe system fittings and valves to global markets. He has also previously worked in senior management roles in the electronics and automotive industries.

He has been appointed to the Board for 3 years from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2023.

Margaret Cross has extensive senior executive experience in the private and public sector, including government statutory authorities. She is Director of the Energy and Water Industry Ombudsman and a member of their Board’s Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. Margaret has previously held senior executive roles in the Essential Services Commission of South Australia, Office of Consumer and Business Affairs, and the Attorney-General’s Department. She brings strong governance and regulatory experience to the Board.

She has been appointed to the Board for 2 years from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2023.