Student and Early Career Panel
The Student and Early Career panel is an opportunity to hear the career journeys (or rollercoasters) of senior restoration practitioners working across government, not-for-profit, private, academic, community, and Traditional Owner-led organisations from across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.
Panellists will share how they found their way into the restoration sector, the twists and turns along the path, and the lessons they've picked up along the way. This informal session leaves plenty of room for audience questions and is a chance to get real, practical insight into the many different routes into a career in restoration. Chrissi Charles (vegetation ecologist and SERA board member) will facilitate the panel.
The Panellists
Click on the headshots below to read each presenter’s biography.
Anita Thomas
Anita is a marine biologist, certified ecological restoration practitioner and associate lecturer at Flinders University. Anita works as the Oceans Program Coordinator for South Australia at the Nature Conservancy and is the current Board Director of SERA.
Anita Thomas
Oceans Program Coordinator (South Australia), The Nature Conservancy; Associate Lecturer, Flinders University; Board Director, SERA
Shaun Kennedy
Shaun is the Principal Restoration Ecologist at SA Water. He has over 20 years experience in the design and delivery of a broad range of ecological restoration projects, comprising more than 1,100 hectares of water catchment and several prominent landscape installations featuring local indigenous flora. Shaun is also a board member at SERA.
Shaun Kennedy
Principal Restoration Ecologist, SA Water; Board Member, SERA
Su’a Ulusapeti (Sapeti) Tiitii
Sapeti is a Samoan marine scientist with over 20 years' experience in coastal fisheries management, ocean governance and community-based resource stewardship across Samoa and the wider Pacific. She is currently the RESTORE KIWA Initiative Project Manager for Conservation International Samoa.
Su’a Ulusapeti (Sapeti) Tiitii
RESTORE KIWA Initiative Project Manager, Conservation International Samoa
Jessica Hiscox
Jess is the regenerative practices lead at Ngati Whatua Orakei Whai Maia Limited. Jess has over a decade of experience designing and delivering high-impact programmes regenerating people and place. Jess is also a board member at SERA.
Jessica Hiscox
Regenerative Practices Lead, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Maia Limited; Board Member, SERA
Jen Ford
Jen is a restoration practitioner with over 26 years of industry experience across the restoration spectrum working in state and local government, not-for-profit and private sector. Jen is also a board member at SERA.
Jen Ford
Restoration Practitioner; Board Member, SERA
Valerie Hagger
Valerie is an ecologist and conservation scientist based at The University of Queensland, Australia. Her research on ecological restoration has provided science to underpin strategies to improve restoration for nature and people,including what motivates restoration, how to improve restoration success, and how to achieve carbon and biodiversity co-benefits. Val is also board member at SERA.
Valerie Hagger
Ecologist and Conservation Scientist, The University of Queensland; Board Member, SERA
