Dr Rick Llewellyn is a Senior Principal Research Scientist  and  Research Group Leader with CSIRO Agriculture & Food based at the Waite Campus in Adelaide. His research spans farming systems, agricultural economics and innovation adoption. He joined CSIRO from the University of Western Australia where he lectured in agricultural systems and conducted research into herbicide resistance management strategies and no-till cropping systems. He has published extensively on crop-weed management, including as co-author of the Weed Science Society of America official position paper Herbicide Resistance: Best Management Practices and Recommendations, and led the 2016  national grains industry report into the impact of weeds on Australian grain production.  He is currently leading research into developing new strategies and technologies for sustainable agricultural weed management including the potential application of virtual fencing and area-wide weed management approaches.

As the Threatened Species Commissioner Fiona’s role is to champion the implementation of strategies and practical conservation actions to recover our most imperilled plants and animals. Using the principles of science, action and partnership, Fiona works with First Nations people, conservation organisations, governments, communities and the private sector. Fiona has a PhD in threatened species and fire ecology in northern Australia. She has worked for the Australian Government for over a decade playing lead roles in Indigenous caring for country and natural resource management, international environment policy and 
co-led the bushfire wildlife recovery response. Before joining the public service, she worked with First Nations organisations in northern Australia on caring for country programs and joint management of protected areas. Fiona is Australia’s third Threatened Species Commissioner and is supported in her role by a small team that is equally committed to and passionate about threatened species recovery.

Shalan Scholfield is the Principal Director of the Environmental Biosecurity Office, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Her current role is focused on reducing the impact of exotic and established pests, diseases and weeds through a range of policies and programs. This role includes strengthening Australia’s environmental biosecurity outcomes by responding to incursions of environmental pests and diseases, building community understanding of environmental biosecurity and supporting research, development and extension.  She also liaises between government and the community to raise awareness and build Australia’s capacity to manage biosecurity risks. Following an honours degree in marine science and several years as a research scientist, Shalan joined the Commonwealth public service in 2004, initially at the Australian Fisheries Management Authority working in fisheries management, co-management and compliance before joining the department. Outside of work, Shalan is a diehard Birds of Tokyo fan and an avid water skier. 

Dr Robyn Cleland has held senior leadership roles in the Australian Public Service for more than a decade, working in policy, compliance and regulation across the agriculture, health and environment portfolios. She has shaped regulatory policy in biosecurity, environmental, chemical and biotechnology assessment and overseen compliance activities. Her scientific expertise spans biosecurity, plant health, biotechnology, food, ecology and agriculture.

Dr Cleland has worked extensively with state and territory jurisdictions across a number of national regulatory schemes. She has been involved in national and international discussions on synthetic biology and other new technologies, research integrity and a variety of national security issues.Dr Cleland has represented Australia internationally in bilateral and multilateral fora, at APEC, the OECD, the International Plant Protection Commission, the Food and Agriculture Organization and in national security. She has provided input into Australia’s position on negotiations in the Convention on Biological Diversity, and has extensive experience in engaging with diverse stakeholders across contentious issues. As a regulator, her focus has been to achieve practical outcomes that contribute directly to protecting Australia’s unique environment through efficient and effective regulation. She has a PhD in plant biochemistry and spent many years as a research scientist at the University of Cambridge and Sheffield in the UK and at the Australian National University.

Currently, Dr Cleland is the Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. In this role, she is responsible for strengthening Australia’s environmental biosecurity outcomes through leading the committee that responds to incursions of environmental pests and diseases, building community understanding of environmental biosecurity and supporting research that contributes to these outcomes. She also liaises between government and the community to raise awareness and build Australia’s capacity to manage biosecurity risks.