Ben Thomas
CHAIRPERSON & SENIOR LANDSCAPE ECOLOGIST
Ben has 15 year’s experience working as a Landscape Ecologist for state and local governments as well as a number of not-for-profit organisations.
Ben has wide-ranging expertise including: island pest-eradication; threatened flora and fauna recovery; fire and biodiversity interactions and grassland conservation.
Jacki McAvenna
Treasurer
Jacki is a highly skilled business and financial management professional with over 20 years of experience. She commenced her career in 1993 at PricewaterhouseCoopers, later working in a number of senior operational and commercial finance roles in the commerce sector.
Jacki uses her skills, experience and business clarity to assist not-for-profit organisations to attain financial sustainability. In 2016, she founded We Are Lumen, an accounting and advisory practice which specialises in operational and commercial finance for the not-for-profit sector. Jacki plays a vital and highly valued role as Treasurer for the TSC by ensuring our financial management systems and processes follow best practice at all times.
Netta Egoz
Secretary
Netta is a lawyer specialising in not-for-profit, commercial and environmental law. Since setting up her first environmental youth charity at the age of 16, Netta’s career has been focused on protecting the environment through law both in the government and private sectors, as well as working with various not-for-profits across Australia and New Zealand. Netta also has an MBA, which she has used to support many businesses working to find commercial solutions to the climate crisis and other environmental challenges, as well as to provide strategic guidance to emerging organisations.
Andrew Hunter
Director
Andrew is a conservation strategist with deep experience in advocacy, policy, and species recovery. As Manager Policy and Species Recovery at BirdLife Australia, he leads the Recovery Action Coordination Program—a national initiative supporting the governance, coordination and impact of threatened bird Recovery Teams. The program is designed to build the capacity and visibility of recovery efforts across Australia, underpinned by best-practice guidelines and aligned with the goals of the national Threatened Species Action Plan.
With over seven years in the sector, Andrew previously led successful national advocacy campaigns that protected critical habitats for species like the Swift Parrot and Eastern Hooded Plover. His work spans campaign design, policy reform, and strategic communications, with a strong focus on collaboration across community, government, and scientific networks. A 2022 BirdLife International Graeme Gibson Fellow, Andrew is committed to systems-level solutions that drive measurable conservation outcomes.
Abi Smith
deputy chair, founder & CEO
Abi Smith is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Threatened Species Conservancy (TSC). A highly respected fauna ecologist, Abi brings over 20 years of experience in threatened species recovery, wildlife management, and habitat restoration.
Her career spans senior roles across federal and state government, not-for-profit organisations, zoos, and museums—where she has led large teams, conducted ecological research, developed recovery strategies, and delivered large-scale conservation programs across Australia.
Abi specialises in ornithology, herpetology, and island conservation, with a strong interest in translocation ecology. She is also a committed leader in the environmental sector, currently serving on the National Committee for the Australian Island Alliance, as Deputy Chairperson (Operations) for Landcare Victoria Inc., Chairperson of the Pink-tailed Worm-lizard Recovery Team, and a member of several scientific advisory groups.
Since establishing TSC, Abi has overseen its growth into a leading national organisation in community-led conservation.
Abi holds a Master of Environment, Bachelor of Science (Ecology), Diploma of Leadership and Management, and a Diploma of Governance (Not-for-Profit). She is passionate about building collaborative, science-led conservation programs that empower communities and protect Australia’s unique biodiversity.
Andrew Walsh
director
Andrew has over 24 years of experience in environmental management across Australia and the Pacific, working in both government and consultancy roles. He is a recognised expert in invasive species management, with a strong focus on island ecosystems and the conservation of threatened species.
A career highlight was managing the globally significant Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project—the largest eradication on a permanently inhabited island. The project benefited more than 70 species, including a six-fold increase in the Endangered Lord Howe Island Woodhen and recovery of land snails and seabirds.
Andrew has also worked as a supervising quarantine inspector with the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service across Northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor Leste. He recently completed a five-year ministerial appointment to the NSW Game and Pest Management Advisory Board, advising on feral animal control.
He is currently Regional Operations Manager and Senior Principal NRM Consultant at Eco Logical Australia, leading impact assessments and approvals for major projects in environmentally sensitive areas including Kakadu, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Gondwana Rainforests.
Andrew holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Ecology and Biodiversity), a Diploma of Management, and is a Certified Environmental Practitioner (Impact Assessment Specialist) and NSW Registered Environmental Assessment Practitioner.