FunGIS Executive: 2024-2025
Cherie Malone
Chair
Cherie’s love of GIS began during an Environmental Science lecture at JCU Townsville in 1997, delivered by the awe-inspiring and entertaining Dr. Marji Puotinen. This introduction to GIS complemented her environmentally focused degree and sparked a career spanning over two decades.
Based in Townsville, Cherie’s experience includes roles in local, state, and federal governments, private industry, and more recently, the establishment of a small, environmentally focused GIS consultancy, CocoTell and GoSpatial – maps that Educate, Inspire and Engage.
Cherie is passionate about raising the profile of GIS within the community and business sectors, empowering people to make better decisions through its use. She also likes making pretty maps!
Anne Stapledon
Appointed Secretary
I’m a teacher, community development worker and demographer and the focus of my work is empowerment, particularly for those who are disadvantaged.
I was introduced to GIS in 2001 by FunGIS life member Bob Peever and I’ve maintained my interest because of its potentials for:
- communicating demographic statistics at a glance;
- providing a means of empowerment for Indigenous people, particularly teenagers; and
- providing a potent tool for community development in rural/regional areas.
While I’m a spatial fringe dweller (ie. definitely not a teckie) I have a great deal of fun using GIS software (when Bob is able to lend me his laptop) and I particularly enjoy participating in the FunGIS network - grouse bunch of people.
Gareck Packer
Deputy Chair
Tom Orr
Treasurer
Tom attended Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand where he gained a BSc in Zoology and a MSc in Geology. He has worked for more than 40 years as a geologist in Asia, Africa and Australia. These days he runs a small consultancy in Mission Beach together with his wife and fellow geologist Lisa. Most work revolves around the use of GIS which they have been using for more than 30 years. They have provided datasets to such organisations as the USGS, AGSO, BRGM, US National Hurricane Centre, and French Red Cross as well as numerous Universities and students. Tom is a keen sports photographer, drone pilot and gardener. Highlights of recent years include drone work for ABC Landline (his favourite TV show), nomination for Cairns Regional Council Volunteer of the year, being a Batonbearer for the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay, building a Japanese Garden in his backyard and receiving the New Zealand Defence Force Service Medal.
Neil Bryde
Executive Committee Member
Neil is mostly retired somewhere in the hills and gullies of Herberton but occasionally
works in a small environmental consultancy firm. The geospatial aspect of this predominantly involves planning fieldwork transects and producing maps. For someone not involved every day in a geospatial working environment, being part of the FunGIS team is very rewarding.
Shaun Kolomeitz
Executive Committee Member
Shaun is the Manager of Spatial Services at the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. He combines IT, environmental science, and GIS expertise with over 30 years of experience to deliver innovative solutions for Queensland State Government and local council. Shaun has led transformative projects, pushing the boundaries of spatial analysis and enterprise solutions. His work integrating and highlighting complex Business Analysis, AI, IT and GIS has been pivotal in reshaping how the organisation uses and views spatial data as a business intelligence suite. Shaun's leadership and technical skills have made him a recognised expert in his field, driving real change in areas like environmental management and spatial business intelligence.
Ugurtan Akyurek
Executive Committee Member
Ugurtan has a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and found his passion for GIS while working on his final thesis about Smart Cities. After spending some time as a site engineer on construction projects in Turkey, he made the jump to the spatial industry, starting his career with Brisbane City Council. These days, he focuses on aerial mapping and GIS solutions. When he’s not working, you’ll probably find him playing heavy metal on his electric guitar.
William Dean
Executive Committee Member
Whilst studying GIS in South Australia, William was brought on to a multi-agency research project investigating groundwater security on Milingimbi Is. in the Arnhem Land. Following from this, he continued to work with the local utility provider, Power and Water, on a wider remote communities water security risk assessment. Further time studying and working with a number of utility providers lead to his current position as Team Leader GIS with Cairns Regional Council, having commenced as a GIS Analyst with the Council in 2018. With the delivery of a new enterprise asset management platform in 2024, William is transitioning the team from the more traditional deeply involved asset management work that has been undertaken by GIS towards better utilisation of their spatial and data analytics training and experience to provide additional value and insights into Council operations and planning. Away from work William has two young kids entering what he hopes is the peak birthday party years, if not attending a junior primary birthday party on the weekends you can usually find him enjoying a coffee at Blackbird.
Ashish Manandhar
Executive Committee Member
Ashish is an experienced GIS Consultant, working in Spatial industry since 2017. He has been
involved in numerous GIS, data translation and automation projects with emphasis on data validation, correction and field inspection data collection processes. Currently, he is focused on understanding client needs and creating solutions suitable for 1Spatial clients.
Ashish has interest in usage of GIS for heritage conservation. He is voluntarily working with Chiva Chaitya Organisation, Nepal, to preserve and promote heritage sites such as Chivas (Buddhist Shrines) and Hitis (Stone water sprouts) in Kathmandu.
As a Telecommunications Engineer, Ashish had worked as Radio and Access Network Engineer at an emerging Telecom company in Nepal for three years before moving to Australia to pursue a Master’s degree in ICT.
Jett McLachlan
Executive Committee Member
Jett is a Spatial Analyst based down south in Brisbane. He studied at the University of Southern Queensland and recently graduated with a major in GIS. New to the industry, Jett currently works with remote sensing for environmental consulting in order to accurately identify disturbance and pre-disturbance vegetation coverage.