Karen Douglas- Chairman

Karen Douglas has been a member of the Wimmera CMA Board since 2006.

She has considerable experience in governance roles in various organisations, including serving as Mayor for four years during her time as a councillor.  She is Deputy Chancellor of Ballarat University and is involved in several other committees.  

She has recently retired from the North Central Local Learning and employment Network after 10 years as Chair and remains committed to ensuring that young people from rural areas have equivalent opportunities to young people anywhere.  She is the past Chair of Stawell Regional Health and remains a member of Murdoch Community Services based in St Arnaud.

She and her family farm land that has been in her family since the 1870s at Beazleys Bridge and also at Marnoo and Gre Gre.  She is committed to respecting and understanding the environment in which farmers need to operate sustainably.

Jessica Adler

Jessica is an accountant holding a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in accounting and finance.  Jessica has recently completed her CPA studies. She has worked throughout the Wimmera in public practice and is currently expanding her Audit and Risk Management roles. She was appointed to the Board in October 2011 after enjoying 15 months as the external member on the Authority’s Audit and Risk Management Committee.

Jessica and her husband Wayne farm in the Coromby area with their family utilising No-Till methods of farming. Soil health and increasing resilience in the agricultural sector are high on her consciousness. 

Emily Anderson   

Emily has qualifications in geoscience and previously worked as a Community Facilitator and then as Manager of Project Platypus - an initiative of the Upper Wimmera Landcare Network.  She brings skills and knowledge to the Wimmera CMA Board from her most recent position as Climate Action and Drought Recovery Officer, Northern Grampians Shire Council.  Her values lie particularly with the importance of grass-roots community action and engagement and in supporting and recognising rural communities and farming families.

Having a rural background herself, Emily helps manage a property with her husband Nick in Great Western.

Ken Dowsley

Ken Dowsley was appointed to the Wimmera CMA Board in July 2009. Ken has a long association with agricultural science in the region, having worked with what is now the Department of Primary Industries from the early 1970s until 2001. He has a degree of Master of Agricultural Science (Extension) from the University of Melbourne.

Ken is involved locally in several other organisations including the Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria, Christian Emergency Food Centre and the Horsham East Rotary Club, where he is involved with many local and international community projects. He is also a former chairman of the Wimmera Community College of TAFE, now the University of Ballarat.

Amity Dunstan

From project management for a regional development board to now being the owner of a machinery hire and consultancy business, Amity Dunstan welcomes the challenges associated with being a board member of the WCMA.

A year of research on building community capacity, four years post graduate study in sustainable agriculture, three years of planting woodlot trials in saline soil for CSIRO, and four years of teaching and coordinating farm apprentices, has shaped Amity’s world beliefs in transparency, communication, advocacy and respect.  

Damien Holmes

Fifth generation Nurrabiel farmer Damien Holmes brings a practicing farmer’s focus to the Wimmera CMA board. Damien describes himself as ‘an excited, enthusiastic young farmer keen to have a say on the direction farming is going in this part of the world’.
For the past two years he was president of the Wimmera Conservation Farming Association.

His vision for the future of natural resource management is to maintain the land and water assets to ensure they remain productive and viable for future farming families.

Ewan Letts 

With a background in agricultural research and extension across the Wimmera and a sound record of natural resource management, Ewan brings a strong focus on sustainable land management to the Wimmera CMA Board.

 Ewan who farms at Dadswells Bridge with his wife Claire has a bachelor degree in rural management. An active member of Landcare and farmer groups he is committed to the future wellbeing of the Wimmera region.

Geoff Michell

Geoff was the former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Coliban Water. He retired from Coliban Water 12 months ago after 10 years with the corporation.

He has qualifications in civil engineering and business administration.

Emelia Sudholz

Emelia is an agricultural scientist, teacher and partner in a family cropping and sheep farm business at Rupanyup South. She has a strong background in water management and is a member of Victoria’s Basin Plan Advisory Group and GWMW customer committees.

Emelia brings experience in natural resource management, stakeholder engagement, governance and a strong farming background and involvement to the board.  She is committed to the Wimmera after moving here 15 years ago and is heavily involved in local community groups.