South West NRM appoints Australian conservation champion as new CEO

The South West’s biggest environmental body has appointed a new CEO with more than 30 years of dedicated conservation work stretching from WA to Queensland.

Manda Page will be heading the natural resource management organisation from this month. She said it was a privilege to create change in a region internationally recognised as a global biodiversity hotspot.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity this role will afford — being closer to the ground level of action occurring to address the threats of climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation in this precious location,” she said.

Before being appointed to the role, Dr Page was the director of threatened species operations at Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation for five years.

She has also actively worked between WA government roles and private conversations agencies.

Dr Page has worked as a lecturer at the University of Queensland and as an Associate Professor at both Murdoch University and University of Southern Queensland.

South West NRM board chair Karen Boyce thanked outgoing CEO Sally Wilkinson for her service to the organisation over the past four years, although she will remain in a new part-time role as development lead.

“Through Manda’s appointment we are seeking to amplify the impact of our work while continuing to develop our influence as the region’s peak environmental experts with a proactive approach to co-designing solutions to significant challenges,” Ms Boyce said.