Our Board

Louise McMeeking is a dedicated and results-driven leader with a deep commitment to the Mid North Coast Region and Regional Development. With over 20 years of experience in various roles, including Director and Executive Director at the Department of Regional NSW, Louise has a strong track record in government, business, and community sectors. After leaving the public sector in 2023, she continues to run a small business alongside her husband in the MNC.

Throughout her career, Louise has built an extensive network across all levels of government, business, and the community, collaborating with diverse stakeholders to deliver high-priority projects in community wellbeing and economic development. Known for her solution-focused approach and customer-centric mindset, she has consistently driven impactful outcomes.

Louise also has significant leadership experience, having served as Chair of the Regional Leadership Executive and as the NSW Government representative on the Joint Organisations of Councils. Her in-depth knowledge of government operations and board governance is supported by her academic qualifications, including a Master of Public Administration and a Diploma of International Business. She is also a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Richard is a Shareholder 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 also a member of the NSW Farmer’s Macleay Valley branch. 

Richard is a member of the Executive Council of NSW Farmers, 4th Generational Beef & Cattle Farmer (and is the Trustee for the family farm Trusts) and involved in many community organisations, including Rotary.

Tracy Singleton, Principal Consultant, Girrwaawa Barrwayay (TAS Consultancy), is a proud Gumbaynggirr woman committed to facilitating change in the health, economic, and social prosperity of Aboriginal people. Tracy has a Diploma in Management and Leadership with Distinction and a Graduate Diploma in Leadership with the NSW Higher Education Award for Outstanding Student, and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Tracy’s work focuses on Aboriginal communities and organisations, where she builds strength and business acumen through policy, strategy, co-design, planning, and facilitation. 

For over 30 years, Tracy’s professional career has been disparate. She has worked in health, housing, education, planning, and community development in government, non-government organisations, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations. The latter 20 years have been spent in management and leadership roles. Tracy is also a Board Director of Gaagal Wanggaan (South Beach) National Park, Regional Development Australia Mid North Coast, and Bularri Muurlay Nyanggan Aboriginal Corporation.

Tracy is passionate about Aboriginal advocacy and influence and is committed to the Closing the Gap priorities.

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 is also involved in the agricultural sector, particularly beef cattle.

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, holds a masters degree from University of New South Wales and is a member of his local Rural Fire Service brigade.

Currently Commercial Manager for Gowing Bros Ltd based in Coffs Harbour, Sturt has held a range of national and international CEO responsibilities underpinned by executive roles across a variety of functional verticals and industries.

Sturt has extensive NED experience across diverse industry sectors and international geographies and is a systemic, strategic thinker with excellent people and complex programme delivery skills.

His specialties include strategy, transformational leadership, sales growth, culture & performance, customer centricity, outsourcing and partner management.

Holding both a B.Bus (marketing & economics) and MBA, and having worked with the likes of Gowings, Diabetes Australia, Fujifilm, Vodafone and Telstra, Sturt has executive P&L experience in the Development, NFP, Medical, Graphics, Cloud, Telecoms, IT and M&A environments.

Anthony Jephcott is a seasoned business leader with 20 years of experience in finance, banking, telecommunications and IT. With previous leadership roles at Lloyds of London (London), HSBC, Westpac, and Unisys, Anthony brings global experience in finance and banking.

As the former owner of multiple Telstra Franchises and IT businesses in Coffs Harbour, he oversaw operations across the region and has won awards for employee satisfaction, sales, and customer service. Anthony holds an undergraduate business degree and a Masters of
Business Law.

Anthony has held various non-executive director roles for NDIS, manufacturing and services businesses and has represented the business community as Vice President of the Coffs Harbour Chamber of Commerce. He currently sits on the Due Diligence Committee for
Sydney Angels and provides leadership through board appointments of multiple early-stage businesses, where he actively invests and mentors entrepreneurs and founders.

Lauren Douglass is the Chief Executive Officer of Australian Regional Tourism (ART), the national peak body representing regional Australia’s visitor economy. With extensive experience in tourism leadership, stakeholder engagement, and strategic policy development, Lauren works closely with government, industry, and communities to strengthen regional tourism outcomes. She is a leading voice on shifting tourism success metrics beyond economic return to include social impact, has led national initiatives in agritourism to support farm diversification, and is driving the development of a national framework for crisis response in regional tourism. She works to deliver initiatives that drive sustainable growth, enhance community wellbeing, and build long-term resilience across Australia’s regions. 

James is an experienced senior executive, advisor and board member who has held appointments in the Australian Regular Army, NSW State Emergency Service, and in the NSW Government. Highly regarded for his proven leadership in complex and uncertain environments, James now provides strategy, policy and engagement support to businesses and organisations in regional Australia. 

James has undergraduate degrees in science from the University of NSW and Charles Sturt University, a Graduate Diploma of Management in Defence Studies from the Australian Defence College, and a Graduate Certificate in Business from UNSW. James is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Australian Defence Force Academy, Royal Military College Duntroon, Australian Defence College, and TAFE NSW, and is member of the Australian Engagement Institute. Uniquely, he has been recognised in the Australian Honours System with the highest available awards for meritorious and conspicuous service in the Australian Army (Conspicuous Service Cross, 2010), State Emergency Service (Emergency Services Medal, 2013) and public service (Public Service Medal 2023).