Christine Goonrey, President

As well as being President of the National Parks Australia Council, Christine is currently President of the National Parks Association of the ACT, Vice President of the Conservation Council of the ACT Region and a member of the ACT Bushfire Council. She is also a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas.

Christine has enjoyed walking and skiing in the bush with her family for many years and is particularly fascinated by native orchids in the bush. She spent fifteen years as a teacher and even longer as a public servant working in social justice areas such as housing, homelessness and family policy. Since retiring she has been able to devote much of her time to working for the conservation of our national parks and biodiversity.

Kevin McCue, Honorary Treasurer and Public Officer

Kevin is immediate past President of NPA ACT and a member of several bush care groups in the ACT including; Gudgenby Bush Regeneration Group (committee member), Friends of Aranda Bushland (committee member) and the Field Naturalists Association of Canberra Inc. He is also President and life member of the Australian Earthquake Engineering Society.

Fred Gerardson, Honorary Secretary

Fred is a partner of Colville, Williams and Co., a long-established three-partner accounting firm based in Lower Plenty. He joined the firm in 1988 and became managing partner in 1989. A VNPA member for 24 years, he has travelled the state extensively, visiting many of our national parks. Over this period he has been a BWAG leader, attended base camps and been an active participant in Friends groups. He is a member of Friends of the Prom and past Convenor of Friends of Bogong.

Anne Reeves, Immediate Past President

Anne has been an active campaigner for the environment over many years in NSW and previously in South Australia, focusing especially on nature conservation. She is a member and supporter of a number of environment and heritage groups including the Australian Conservation Foundation (since 1967) and the National Trust, a past President of the NSW National Parks Association and current President of the Inland Rivers Network, serves on the NSW Nature Conservation Council Executive and is a member of the IUCN's World Commission for Protected Areas. Anne represents NPA NSW on the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council, and is also the Minister for the Environment's nominee to the Bush Fire Coordinating Council.

Matt Ruchel, Member

Matt became VNPA Executive Director in July 2007. He brings exceptional strategic planning skills to his role coordinating campaigns and also liaising with governments, parliamentarians and a range of interest groups. Matt has a strong skill base and on-ground knowledge of the Victorian environmental scene from his experience in his past roles, most recently at ACF where he was Manager Land and Water, and Acting Campaigns/Strategies Manager. He also coordinated the ACF’s role in the Victoria Naturally project. Before this he worked for almost ten years with Greenpeace Australia and Greenpeace International as a campaigner, team leader and project manager, working mostly on toxic pollution and waste issues. This was followed by three years with Hume City Council as Manager - City Sustainability and Environment Coordinator with a team of 10-15 staff undertaking conservation planning, sustainable rural land management, community greening and waste education activities.