Introducing Our Board
Responsible Wood’s Directors are appointed by our members in accordance with our Constitution.
Dr Tony Bartlett
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.
Dr Kerrie Catchpoole
Kerrie has extensive forest industry knowledge and has worked across both plantations and native forest for more than 20 years. She has held both research and policy positions with the Queensland government since 2000 and is highly regarded for her project management skills and knowledge of the whole supply chain.
An active member of Forestry Australia, she has held numerous positions on a range of committees including being a past director of Queensland division, as well as mentoring young career foresters.
Kerrie has a Batchelor of Forest Science from Melbourne University, a PhD in forest inventory and is a fellow of Forestry Australia.
Mark Thomson
Mark is a multi-awarded Queensland Architect with over 30 years’ experience in the commercial building and design sector. He is the Immediate Past President of the AGDF (Australian Green Development Forum), a Board member of the Griffith University Eco Centre and Micah Projects, a not for profit(NFP) social justice organisation He is a Faculty Member of the GBCA (Green Building Council of Australia), Greenstar Accredited Professional and EarthCheck Accredited Professional.
Over the past 25 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.
In 2018 and 2019, Mark was invited to the World Architecture Festival in Amsterdam to judge the PEFC Prize and 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.
Katie Fowden
Katie is the Strategic Relations Manager for Hyne Timber, working with key stakeholders to promote the use of responsibly sourced timber in construction. She is also a Non-Executive Director with Forest and Wood Products Australia, represents Hyne Timber as a Director on the Hyne Tumbarumba Trust and is an advisor on the Queensland Government Biofutures Industry Advisory Council.
Katie has a diverse background having previously held an Executive Director position with the Northern Territory Government overseeing crisis media and corporate communications. She has a wealth of experience developing strategy and implementing social policy working with both Government and not-for-profit organisations.
Katie holds a BA Honours Degree in Social Policy and Criminology obtained from the UK University of Kingston Upon Hull.
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
Stuart West
Stuart has a broad and wide-ranging background in the Australian forestry industry spanning 30 years and has been the Chief Executive of the Forest Products Commission of Western Australia since 2016.
Holding executive responsibilities for the past 20 years, Stuart has extensive experience dealing with all facets of forestry and broader agricultural commodities. He has led initiatives to attract new manufacturing and generate new demand for products in a number of sectors including agriculture and food, forestry and manufacturing. Stuart’s current focus is leading and promoting the long term sustainability and productivity of Western Australia’s forestry industry.
Stuart has a Batchelor of Science with a major in Forestry from ANU, is a fellow of the Governor’s Leadership Foundation (2003) and a fellow of the Gottstein Trust (2001).
Ms Christine Briggs
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).