Kieren Dell
Kieren Dell is Chair of Regional Development Australia Mid North Coast.
Kieren has extensive experience in business, including 18 years founding and running his own business, Majestic Cinemas, which has operated in Port Macquarie since 2006 and has 7 other sites. Kieren has almost 35 years experience in financial services at senior and CEO level, including running 2 industry bodies. He was also President of Independent Cinemas Australia for 7 years and has been Vice-President for the last 6 years. Kieren also has extensive Board experience in the private sector and in industry bodies. He was recently appointed to the Town Centre Master Plan Sub-Committee in Port Macquarie.
Kieren has an Arts Degree from Sydney Uni and a Law Degree from UTS.
Kieren started Majestic Cinemas in November 2002 by purchasing, with partners and silent investors, the 3-screen cinema at Nambucca Heads. The business expanded to 4 sites with Inverell, Singleton and Port Macquarie in 2005-6, added The Entrance in 2007, Nambour (Qld) and Sawtell in 2015 and recently Kempsey in November 2019. Both Port Macquarie and Nambour have been significantly redeveloped into larger sites in recent years.
As part-owner, CEO and Head of Programming, Kieren negotiated Majestic’s first metro site in Wynnum in Brisbane which is expected to open in March 2021.
Professor Heather Cavanagh
Professor Cavanagh has a long history in developing and supporting International and Regionally based Education having held positions of Acting Executive Dean of Science and the inaugural Pro-Vice Chancellor (International Education and Partnerships) prior to her appointment as Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Engagement at Charles Sturt University.
Over many years Professor Cavanagh has been instrumental in leading and developing off-shore programs, developing and maintaining strong relationships with local, national and international institutions, including all levels of government, and developing partnerships and pathways for domestic and international students.
Professor Cavanagh has facilitated the development of productive research partnerships resulting in joint funding, publications and staff exchange. She has played a major role in the establishment of Charles Sturt University in the Mid North Cast and the associated strong regional community engagement. She has a strong interest in regional economic development.
Professor Cavanagh has a health research background and holds a BSc (Hons) in Microbiology and PhD (Molecular Virology) from the University of Glasgow, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (with distinction) from the University of Strathclyde, a Graduate Certificate in University Leadership and Management from Charles Sturt University and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
David Harvey
David Harvey’s career experience includes senior roles in a broad range of industries covering advanced technology development and manufacturing for maritime, geophysical, defence and aviation industries. He had also led businesses delivering complex services in communications, facilities management and aviation repair and maintenance.
His experience includes periods based in the United Kingdom and France, and in developing business with clients in a number of other countries.
David Harvey is the principal of D.R. Harvey Consulting providing strategy development advice and management consultancy services to major organisations in the aviation, infrastructure and defence sectors.
He has served on the boards of the French Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Simulation Industry Association of Australia and on the boards of several private companies. He is currently a director of Safeskies Australia, the country’s leading aviation safety not-for-profit organisation.
He graduated from the Royal Australian Naval College in 1976 and served in various Australian ships and submarines until 1984.
He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Dr Caroline Hong
Dr Caroline Hong is an experienced company director with deep experience in healthcare and business, spanning 40 years. She runs her own Australian based consultancy business, CH Asia Australia Pty Ltd, and is a company director of various Australian public unlisted and private companies, helping facilitate trade and investments into Australian start-up companies, and regional NSW.
She previously served as a Non Executive Director and Deputy Chair of Healthy North Coast, a Not for Profit Australian government Primary Health Network initiative for the NSW North Coast region, from Tweed Heads to Port Macquarie.
She believes that a healthy region is essential for a productive workforce and a healthy economy. She has been in the healthcare industry for over 30 years, initially as a clinician dental surgeon for 15 years in Adelaide and Sydney, and another 15 years as a senior executive as CEO for three peak associations, the Australian Dental Association (NSW & ACT), the Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (Australia & NZ) and the SME (Small to Medium Enterprise) Association of Australia.
For the last decade, Caroline has worked as a consultant for Australian private sector businesses, helping them access international markets. In recent years she embarked on a global online entrepreneurial movement, focusing on proactive health and wellness, helping people get better healthspan holistically, open to 14 global markets. She lives in Port Macquarie, NSW, with her husband, enjoying the liveability lifestyle in regional NSW.
Richard O‘Leary
Richard is a Director of O‘Leary Partners Pty Ltd a Mid North Coast Public Accountancy firm that has been operating in Kempsey since 1984.
He is the Chairman of the State peak body of Co- operatives, Co-operatives Australia and has held the position since 2015.
Richard is a member of the Executive Council of NSW Farmers, 4th Generational Beef & Cattle Farmer and involved in many community organisations, including Rotary.
John Roydhouse
John Roydhouse GAICD JP is a strong advocate for regional NSW and recognises the essential services provided by Local and State Government.
For many years, John was the CEO of the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia – NSW Division (IPWEA NSW), working directly with local government engineers and asset managers, advocating on their behalf, developing solutions to assist the sector to deliver and maintain all aspects of public infrastructure.
John previously chaired the Australian Industry Skills Council (AISC) Local Government Industry Reference Group during its recent review of the Local Government Training Package providing a focus on skills development and encouraging career pathways in local government.
John currently is a member of the NSW Government’s Regional Road Transfer and Road Classification Review Independent Panel and is also a member of the NSW Local Government Ministerial Advisory Group.
John is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors program and a Justice of the Peace. He resides in South West Rocks, and involves himself in the local Rotary club.
Tracy Singleton
Tracy Singleton is the Chief Executive Officer at Galambila Aboriginal Health Service in Coffs Harbour. A Gumbaynggirr woman from the Mid North Coast, her professional and community leadership experience stems from senior positions in Health, Housing, Education and Aboriginal affairs within the Queensland and NSW Public Sector, Non-Government Organisations, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.
Tracy is committed to Aboriginal social and economic prosperity, advocacy, and influence, she looks forward to working with the Mid North Coast RDA Board to develop a shared understanding of the needs and capabilities of Aboriginal business across the Region.