Responsible Wood presenting at Sydney Build Expo
Introducing Our Board
All passionate champions for sustainable forest management and experts in their field, the Board of Directors of Responsible Wood includes independent and elected individuals.
Responsible Wood’s Directors are appointed by our members in accordance with our Constitution.
Dr Tony Bartlett
B. ForSci, M.Sc, Ph.D, AFSM
CHAIR (Independent)
Tony has worked in Australian and international forestry for 45 years and is currently the Managing Director of Bartlett Forestry Consulting Pty Ltd. An experienced forester, Tony has been responsible for the development of sustainable forest management practices and forest policy initiatives and has managed a commercial plantation business.
As Forestry Research Program Manager for the Australian Centre for International Research Centre (ACIAR) Tony managed 25 projects in 14 developing countries between 2010 and 2018. He has worked in various forestry and fire management roles for the Commonwealth (Federal), the Australian Capital Territory and the Victorian governments and on forestry development projects in Nepal and Vanuatu.
Tony has a Doctorate (Ph.D) from the Australian National University, a Masters in Science (M.Sc) from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Forest Science (B. ForSci) from the University of Melbourne.
Mark Thomson
B.Arch. A.D.B.E.T.
Mark is a multi-awarded Queensland Architect with over 30 years’ experience in the commercial building and design sector. As well as holding Greenstar Accredited Professional and EarthCheck Accredited Professional, qualifications, he is passionate about promoting timber in a circular bioeconomy as the ultimate sustainable material.
Over the past 30 years, he has held company directorships in property development, hotel, design, environment, and pollution technology organisations. He co-founded the Centre for Sub Tropical Design in 2005, whilst an Adjunct Professor at QUT, and was Corporate Sustainability Principal of the Schiavello Group of Companies, Australia’s largest commercial furniture manufacturer and fitout construction organisation. From 2009 to 2013
In 2018 and 2019, Mark was invited to the World Architecture Festival in Amsterdam to judge the PEFC Timber Prize and has continued as a Category judge up to 2025. since 2014 has been a Judge in the Australian Banksia Sustainability Awards. He regularly speaks at Industry Events, is proficient with sustainability rating tools and an invited contributor to numerous industry magazines.
Mark is a regular mentor and lecturer at QUT and the University of Queensland who passionately advocates ESD (ecologically sustainable development). His consulting business “Eco Effective Solutions” offers design, project management, research and resilience management services, to effectively deliver healthy living and working environments.
Clarissa Brandt
BA (Journalism), BBus (Communication/Public Relations)
Clarissa is the Strategic Relations & Communications Manager for Timber Queensland. She has made a significant contribution to the growing recognition of the superior environmental and sustainability benefits of timber building products. Clarissa studied journalism at the University of Queensland, followed by a Bachelor of Business from QUT. In 2018, she completed the Forestry Leaders Program hosted by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation and was a finalist in the 2021 Women in Forest Industries Award of Excellence.
Michael O’Connor
Michael O’Connor is the Divisional Secretary of the Manufacturing Division of the CFMEU and has held this position since 2005. He has been with the Union for over thirty five years, commencing work as a union organiser in 1985.
Michael is Co-Chair of First Super, a $3.6 billion industry superannuation fund, which has 47,000 members across the timber, pulp & paper, and furniture & joinery industries, and their communities. Michael also chairs the First Super Investment Committee and is a Director on the boards of SEET (Secure Employees Entitlement Trust), NEST Nominees Pty Ltd (Redundancy Trust) and Industry Super Australia.
David Little
David Little is the CEO of TABMA, the Timber and Building Materials Association (Aust) Limited. Appointed as CEO in November 2018 David brings extensive experience in the management of building supplies and timber merchants including as group general manager of Newline Building Supplies / Clark and Walker / NBS Frame and Truss and as general management of a number of hardware and general building supply business units. Prior to his appointment David Little was director and vice-president of TABMA for five years.
Stuart West
B.Sc. (For)
Stuart has worked in the Australian forest industry since graduating with a Bachelor of Science (Forestry) in 1990 and has held executive responsibilities for 25 years.
Stuart has detailed experience working in government-owned forestry businesses and working with Australia’s major forestry companies leading transformational structural reform in a number of states.
He has led initiatives to attract new manufacturing and generating new demand for products in a variety of sectors including food and agriculture, forestry and manufacturing.
Christine Briggs
Ms Briggs has a rewarding career of over 35 years in the forest and wood products industry, largely focussed on the Australian and New Zealand sectors, and with international experience in North America. She has held senior sales and marketing general management roles with major Australian timber manufacturing businesses such as CSR, Weyerhaeuser, Gunns, Timberlink and is currently at AKD. Her international experience includes time in the US, working with Weyerhaeuser Building Materials during 2003. Ms Briggs’ business executive experience covers strategic planning and business development, stakeholder engagement, sales & marketing excellence, and supply chain development.
Until recently (Oct’23) Ms Briggs held the role of Non-Executive Director on the board of Forest & Wood Products Australia being re-elected twice and thus serving the maximum term allowed under their constitution. Her 9-year directorship also included being a committee member of their Board committees, Finance Audit Risk (FARM) and HR/ Nomination Committee of which she also served as Chair most recently.
She was also a member of the Forest Industry Advisory Council from 2019 until April 2023, which provided advice from a cross-section of industry participants on issues affecting Australia’s forestry sector to the Australian Government
In her current role with AKD, she is a member of the Executive Lead Team and advises the company on market positioning and the development and adoption of the strategic market direction for the business. Ms Briggs’ qualifications include a Bachelor of Business with a Marketing Major from University of Technology, Sydney and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
David Bennett
David Bennett is the Risk and Compliance Manager at PF Olsen Australia. He oversees risk management and ensures compliance with industry standards. Under his leadership, PF Olsen has implemented biodiversity initiatives such as habitat restoration and threatened species monitoring, supported by collaborations with Natural Resource Management agencies and universities. David’s work highlights PF Olsen’s dedication to balancing environmental stewardship with responsible forest management.
Tara Pederson
BEnv, MEcosysMgtCons
Tara Pedersen holds a Master’s degree in Ecosystem Management and Conservation from the University of Melbourne, where she was awarded the Chinner Medal for outstanding performance in field studies. She brings extensive experience across the forestry sector, having worked in native forest management as a Tactical Planner, in small-scale private forestry as a Farm Forestry Officer, and as a forest firefighter. Tara has experience working in a not-for-profit member organisation, as the Membership, Administration, and Branch Officer for Forestry Australia and supporting the Forest Growers Committee Secretariat. She volunteers with Forestry Australia’s Future Foresters Initiative Committee which she joined in 2022, driven by her passion for connecting with and advocating for young professionals in the forestry sector.
Currently, Tara works as an Operations Officer for the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions in Western Australia. She continues to combine her operational expertise with a commitment to community engagement, sharing her enthusiasm for forests and sustainable management with others.
