The Regional Development Australia (RDA) Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast Incorporated committee was created in March 2024. It consists of 10 members with an executive team that includes the Chair, Deputy Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary.
Gavin Keeley
Chair
Gavin Keeley is an experienced technologist and business leader with a career spanning nearly 40 years in international consultancy and executive corporate roles across a diverse range of industry sectors, working in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.
He has consistently supported the Sunshine Coast region having researched, then lobbied Federal, State, and Local Government for seven years, to establish an undersea fibre optic connection direct to the internet from the Sunshine Coast, with the network finally commissioned and operational in March 2020.
Gavin co-founded the Silicon Coast group in 2014, which has over 2,000 supporters, where he continues to mentor founders and support the growth of the Sunshine Coast Digital Economy, and has also served as The President of SunCoast Angels.
He is an Adjunct Associate Professor at The University of The Sunshine Coast, serving as a current member of the Planning and Resources Committee of the University Council. In 2023 he joined Flower Group as Venture Partnerships Director at Australia’s first venture capital backed Venture Studio.
dalene wray
Deputy Chair
Dalene is a recognised and highly skilled communicator with the experience to engage effectively at all levels and sectors. She has lived and worked overseas for half her working life and has studied Spanish, Chinese and French abroad.
Dalene has a proven track record in contributing to strategic change, stakeholder engagement, a high-performance organisational culture, and delivering policy, advocacy and governance excellence.
Dalene grew up in the outback Queensland town of Birdsville. She started her career as a radiographer in regional Australian hospitals and in hospitals in the United Kingdom before spending three seasons in Europe as a tour guide.
She joined OBE Organic, a certified organic beef exporter, in 2003. Between 2009 and 2015 she gained invaluable international business experience whilst living in Beijing and then Hong Kong, driving business opportunities in Asia and the Middle East. Dalene returned from overseas to the Redcliffe Peninsula in 2015.
As Managing Director of OBE Organic, Dalene Wray is a major force for improving the sustainability of Australian agriculture by driving change, innovation and digital adoption and she acts as a role model for the rest of the industry. She has been a strong advocate of causes, such as mental health, indigenous reconciliation, diversity & inclusion.
With grit and smarts and compassion, she has made a difference. She is a champion of both people and planet.
Murray McCarthy
Treasurer
Murray McCarthy is the Project Director for Walker Corporation on the Maroochydore City Centre development – a $3 billion project between Walker Corporation, SunCentral and Sunshine Coast City Council to create a new city heart for the region.
Murray has held development positions at a range of major property developers in the UK and Australia, including Stockland and Multiplex. During this time he was responsible for the design and delivery of numerous built form projects including Strata SE1 – one of London’s tallest and most iconic residential towers.
He has also worked in a corporate and legal capacity at QGC and Allens Arthur Robinson (now Allens Linklaters) in Brisbane.
Melinda bryant
Secretary
Melinda Bryant is a senior associate at MacDonnells Law. Melinda is currently a Governor in Council Appointment to the University of the Sunshine Coast Board, a member of the Planning and Resources Committee and the Major Projects Advisory Group. She has served in numerous non-executive Director, advisory and leadership positions in community organisations in the Noosa Sunshine Coast and Moreton Regions since 2011.
Melinda has more than 15 years experiences in the areas of Governance, Commercial Transactions, Property Law and Government Advisory. She has worked with private development clients, State and Local Government, Government Owned Corporations, Property Trusts and Financiers to achieve commercial outcomes both nationally and internationally. In her professional capacity she advises Councils and business professionals throughout the Region in matters of policy, development and business growth. In her volunteer capacity she serves the community in areas of education and community development.
She is passionate to see the Region continue to grow and evolve and to see our business communities supported.
Amanda Wilson
Committee Member
Amanda Wilson is the founding Director of Kings Lane Architects, a small though dynamic architectural firm located in Noosaville, which she established in 2016.
Amanda is an A+ Member with the Australian Institute of Architects and a member of the Design Institute of Australia.
After completing her Bachelor of Built Environments and Bachelor of Architecture at Queensland University of Technology, Amanda relocated to the Middle East to expand her career. This cross-discipline experience led the way to further opportunities in Singapore, her role as Regional Project Manager within the LVMH Group she lead new retail and commercial projects and construction work to emerging markets throughout South East Asia. Her position as a leader entailed social and environmental responsibilities and achieving high standards of integrity to stakeholders and governing bodies.
Amanda also currently holds a position within a local working group committed to the betterment of the community and positive social impact through building and design.
Andrew Eves-Brown
Committee Member
Andrew Eves-Brown is the inaugural CEO/Project Director of F&B precinct Turbine. He was also recently successfully appointed as Chairperson of the Sunshine Coast Regional Jobs Committee and on the board for RDA Moreton Bay & Sunshine Coast.
Andrew has more than 20 years of FMCG experience across general management, supply chain and operations, and most recently, as head of economic development at the Sunshine Coast Council, where he supported the region through the Regional Economic Development Strategy review, its post-pandemic recovery, and championed the ‘fabric’ industry group collaborative framework for the region and the UNESCO sustainability goals through the Sunshine Coast Biosphere.
In his previous role of CEO of COYO, Andrew drove the strategy that established its products as a premium brand and saw the company quadruple in volume during his three-and-a-half-year tenure.
Before COYO, he held the role of COO at Gourmet Garden for 11 years, where he helped grow the business from $20 million to $100 million before the company sold to McCormick. Andrew is passionate about driving strategic, sustainable and successful growth and outcomes across the Sunshine Coast region.
Frank-Armin Faller
Committee Member
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Lenore Smith
Committee Member
Lenore Simpson is Manager Strategy and Operational Planning for the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service. She is also Chair of Blackall Range Care Group Ltd (BRCG) a medium-large community organisation providing aged care and disability services to the Sunshine Coast and Hinterland and recently appointed a member of the Registration and Compliance Committee of AHPRAs, Dental Board of Australia.
Lenore is a graduate of the Australia Institute of Company Directors (AICD), and holds a degree in Health Administration and Masters degrees in both in Business Administration and Public Health.
Lenore has over 30 years in leading and governing organisations and extensive experience in the Health, Community and Infrastructure sectors across government, private enterprise and the Not-for Private sector, in Australia and internationally.
During her tenure as a Senior Executive in the Commonwealth Government Lenore oversaw a substantial portfolio of Government Health and Social Service Programs. She led the health compliance function of Medicare and PBS and played a pivotal role in the development of the Unique Healthcare Identified (foundation of the My Health Record).
As an advisor and consultant, Lenore provided expertise on Health Sector rationalisation for the Asian Development Bank and World Bank, throughout Eastern Europe and contributed to service delivery through Australia’s Aid program in the South Pacific, China, and Vietnam. Notably, she led the team responsible for establishing the first Australian-standard private hospital in modern Vietnam, a groundbreaking joint venture project.
Throughout her career, Lenore has championed client and community-centredness, striving to deliver positive outcomes and services within the health and community sectors. Her strategic, collaborative approach emphasises strong leadership, good governance, innovation, and effective policy implementation.
Sarah Morgan
Committtee Member
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Stacey Turnbull
Committee Member
Stacey Turnbull is a passionate and dynamic leader with nearly 20 years of experience across a range of sectors, including for-purpose organisations and the private sector. As a long-term resident of Moreton Bay, Stacey is committed to the development and prosperity of both Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast, leveraging her extensive experience to contribute effectively to the growth and enhancement of these unique and beautiful regions.
Throughout her career, Stacey has provided employment solutions to some of Australia’s largest employers and to some of the nation’s most vulnerable job seekers. She is a lifelong learner, holding a Master of Organisational Development, a Bachelor of Business (Human Resources), Diplomas in Project Management and Marketing, and is a Graduate of the Institute of Community Directors Australia. In 2024, Stacey is proud to be a Fellow of the Social Impact Hub of Australia exploring Social Enterprise as a meaningful pathway to sustainable and ongoing employment.
Stacey believes that providing people with opportunities for training, education, and employment can be life-changing and her passion lies in helping as many people as possible achieve these goals. As a board member of RDA MBSC, Stacey is devoted to fostering economic development and driving initiatives that benefit these regions, creating sustainable growth and opportunities for all residents.