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 2019 to 30 June 2021.

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 2019 to 30 June 2021.

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

Before taking up his current position in May 2014, Mr Circelli was Deputy CE for 2 years. He has worked in the EPA since its establishment in 1995, holding a variety of senior executive positions, including leading national and state policy and strategy development, operations, and corporate governance functions.

He has led on significant and nation-leading reforms including establishing South Australia’s site contamination legislative system, and introducing legislative and policy framework to underpin and support the state’s billion-dollar resource recovery sector.

Mr Circelli has significant knowledge and experience in regulatory science and building better regulatory practice into EPA policy, operations and organisational culture.

He is the current Presiding Member of the SA Radiation Protection Committee, and a member of the national Asbestos Safety and Eradication Council. 

Mr Circelli has an honours degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Adelaide and a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Fellow of the Governor’s Leadership Foundation.

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 another year from 8 August 2019 to 7 August 2020.

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 2 years, from 8 August 2019 to 7 August 2021.

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 2020.

Caroline Kerkhof is an experienced director and senior rxecutive with an extensive background in global companies. 

A passionate communications, marketing, stakeholder engagement, event management and business development professional, Ms Kerkhof possesses experience across public and private sectors. She also has extensive commercial experience and a skilled contributor at Board and Executive management level.

Caroline is the Head of Communications for Trility, who provide service to government and private sector counterparties, for wastewater and environmental solutions. Her role is to lead and work in collaboration with the Managing Director, Board and Senior Leadership Team and various business streams to develop and implement a corporate communications and branding strategy.

Ms Kerkhof 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.