Our people

Nikki is a passionate Regionalist and was the Australian Town Planner of the Year (20/21), an acknowledgment of her advocacy work across Regional Queensland. Nikki is a champion for place-based solutions and is highly regarded for her work with Local Governments and community groups, identifying opportunities and solutions that respond to local issues. Working closely with Regional and Remote communities provides opportunity to conceive and implement projects that have significant social benefit for relatively little capital outlay.

Nikki’s known for her ability to see opportunities for great community outcomes. Her capacity to see and think strategically is the value she contributes to projects and organisations. Nikki is a Churchill Fellow, Planning Institute of Australia Fellow, mentor and Adjunct Senior Lecturer at JCU. These roles demonstrate her commitment to connecting industry, research and community.

Nikki says that her best work is done in cross-disciplinary teams and over the last 5 years she has been recognised at the State and National level for her work including the National Community Wellbeing & Diversity Award for road safety programs with JUTE Theatre, Improving Planning Processes Award with Terrain NRM and FNQ Regional Organisation of Councils, Public Engagement & Community Planning Award with JCU and UN Habitat, and the inaugural Queensland Outstanding Female Planner. Nikki has a unique set of experiences and skills that enable her to assist Regional and Remote communities to translate their messages and plans into actions that are realistic, adoptable and readily implemented.

An expert at community and stakeholder engagement, Susie has worked internationally with private and public sector clients and across corporate, not-for-profit, and local government organisations, most recently on community development projects in Far North Queensland. 

Susie is excited about creating positive change in regional and remote communities and has the ability to unite people with diverse expertise and backgrounds, toward one common goal. Susie works with small communities and regional Council's to understand their issues, needs and opportunities and works with them to develop a quality management strategies. 

Susie will ask the right questions to find connections across projects and professional disciplines that result in well-rounded and exceptionally strong outcomes. She has been recognised at the State level for her work including the Queensland Community Wellbeing & Diversity Award for climate change and resilience.

As one of few Indigenous planners in Queensland, Jesse applies an in-depth understanding of the aspirations and challenges facing Indigenous communities, and balances client needs with legislative requirements and streamline the planning, approval and completion of various development projects. Jesse is a proud advocate for Indigenous culture and knowledge, drawing on personal experience living and working in regional and rural areas to influence the development of locally relevant and culturally considerate solutions, particularly when working with government representatives and Indigenous people.

Jesse applies an in-depth understanding of the aspirations of, and challenges facing, Indigenous communities and balance client needs with legislative requirements and streamline the planning, approval and completion of various development projects. This has involved writing Development Applications, siting dispensations, feasibility reports and public notifications in consultation with a diverse range of clients. Jesse has been awarded for his work on ae has been Planning Institute Australia - Outstanding Student Project University Award (2021), and he hopes to take his Planning skills to improve the livelihoods of Indigenous peoples across the country.