Our Team

Dr Norman Blackman

Director

Norm Blackman is a veterinary professional with extensive experience as a Company Director, a consultant to industry and government and in a range of leadership and management roles involving animal and agricultural industries with a primary focus on the health and welfare of animals. Key areas include various roles involving industry and government policy development, program operations management, change management, management of technical and trade issues, research, provision of management and policy advice to other organisations, human resource management, financial management, compliance management, risk management and corporate governance. Through his experience as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of a medium sized insurance and financial services company for 8 years he clearly understands the relationship between the Board, the CEO and Senior Management. In senior management roles throughout his career, he gained extensive experience in strategic and operational planning and the preparation of detailed reports on technical and policy issues, Board papers and other documents requiring Board consideration He has a proven track record in internal and external stakeholder engagement and has successfully facilitated consensus-based outcomes, often in complex situations where stakeholders have conflicted interests.

Ashley Bunce

Director

Throughout his career Ashley has demonstrated a strong commitment to achieving improved animal welfare and conservation outcomes and he has wide-ranging public sector experience leading strategy and policy development and operational service delivery and has led a range of major reform initiatives, including:

• Introducing a waste levy in Queensland to provide a market signal to reduce the amount of waste disposed to landfill while generating $1.8 billion to boost jobs and grow the economy;
• Strengthening the biosecurity system in Queensland to better mitigate the risks and impacts of animal pests and diseases on the economy, environment, social amenity and human health;
• Introducing new laws in Queensland to shut down cruel puppy farms so that every puppy born in Queensland can be traced back to the breeder thereby giving unscrupulous breeders who place profits before welfare nowhere to hide;
• Leading the emergency response to eradicate the world’s most devastating honeybee pest (Varroa mite) and protect a $1 billion industry; and
• Implementing Australia’s first threatened species prioritisation and investment framework for cost-effective allocation of limited conservation resources to achieve the greatest biodiversity benefits.

Ashley began his career in the university sector where he engaged and inspired the next generation of conservation scientists and led world-class research with expertise in developing innovative solutions for the conservation and management of marine biodiversity both locally and globally.

Ashley holds qualifications in science (Bachelor of Science (Hons) and Doctor of Philosophy) from the University of Melbourne, an Executive Masters in Public Administration from the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (Griffith University) and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Dr Helen Byrnes

Director

Helen joined VBB in 2006 when she volunteered in the SARAH Program in Sikkim. She subsequently volunteered on VBB’s Ladakh and Bylakuppe projects, before joining the Board of VBB. Helen graduated with first class honours in veterinary science from University of Queensland in 1988 and subsequently completed a Bachelor of Medical Studies and Graduate Certificate in Trade Mark Law and Practice. Helen is a member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists by examination in pharmacology. She also has private veterinary practices in Brisbane, Australia. For several years, Helen served as coordinator of the SARAH Program.

Dr Ian Douglas

Director

VBB has been an important part of Ian’s veterinary life since 2005, when he was elected its inaugural president and commenced work, together with Sikkimese veterinarian, Dr Thinlay Bhutia, to establish the now highly regarded SARAH Programme, India’s first state-wide ABC/AR project. He has devised and delivered several surgical training courses in the Asia-Pacific region, is the author of widely referenced publications on clinical aspects of ABC/AR programmes and has been a regular guest speaker at animal welfare meetings. Ian was a VBB director from 2012 until 2021, serving as Chair from 2015 until 2021. Until retiring from veterinary practice in October 2022, Ian operated a neurological and neurosurgical referral service in Adelaide, South Australia. He is a strong proponent of the “one health” philosophy, promoting the collaboration of veterinarians, doctors and other health professionals in efforts to combat disease.

Amelia Gordon

Director

Amelia graduated from the University of Canberra with a Bachelor of Laws in 2019. She later pursued graduate studies on the intersection of law and technology at Monash University, focusing on artificial intelligence. She works as legal counsel for a multinational financial institution advising on privacy, open banking, and cyber laws. She also negotiates commercial agreements and advises on technological transactions.

Amelia served as a layperson on the Animal Ethics Committee at the University of Canberra in 2020, promoting ethical treatment in academic research. She was also a Non-Executive Board Member for The Jim Young Society in British Columbia, Canada, which works on improving mental health conditions for young adults in rural areas. With a lifelong passion for animals, Amelia is committed to contributing to the collective well-being of people and animals both in Australia and internationally.

Dr Kirsty Officer

Director

Kirsty graduated as a veterinarian from Murdoch University in 1995. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Politics and History) and a Master of Veterinary Studies (Conservation Medicine). Alongside her career as a veterinary clinician, Kirsty has maintained strong professional interests in animal welfare, public health, and conservation medicine.

Kirsty first encountered VBB as a volunteer in 2007 and was a part of the team which delivered the first VetTrain initiative in India 2009. She remains passionate about the health and welfare of community dogs, and continues to be regularly involved in dog health programmes both within Australia and overseas. Since 2009 Kirsty’s work has been centred in Southeast Asia, with roles in the development and oversight of sustainable veterinary programmes with organisations focused on wildlife conservation and welfare. Working alongside remarkable veterinarians across a range of different contexts has strengthened Kirsty’s belief in the power of accessible and relevant veterinary education initiatives to improve animal welfare.

Kirsty is currently undertaking a PhD, focussed on the transmission of human disease to captive wildlife.

Dr Nicholas Sangster

Director & Chair

Nick was a University teacher and researcher including roles as Professor in Veterinary Parasitology (Sydney) and Professor in Veterinary Pathobiology and Head of School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences (Charles Sturt). He is a registered Specialist in Veterinary Parasitology and a private consultant in the area of antiparasitic agents as well as past Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal for Parasitology. For the AVA Nick was a Board Director from 2019 to 2022 and member/chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. He remains an Associate Editor of the Australian Veterinary Journal. Other awards include Fellow of the Australian Society for Parasitology, Diplomate of the European Veterinary Parasitology College and Presidents Award from the AVA (2022). Previous engagements include with Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority  APVMA), Veterinary Surgeons Board of NSW, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Council of Veterinary Deans of Australia and New Zealand and Meat and Livestock Australia.

Dr Mark Schipp

Director

Mark Schipp was Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer for 12 years until his retirement in December 2023. He is a past President of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE). Together with the Chief Medical Officer he led development of Australia’s national action plan to address antimicrobial resistance. Mark has been a strong advocate for the One Health approach recognising that animal health and human health are both dependent upon a shared healthy environment. During his time as CVO the Pacific Engagement Program for Animal Health was established in the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer. Prior to becoming Chief Veterinary Officer, Mark led the export meat program in the Commonwealth department of agriculture and has represented Australia on two overseas postings to Korea and China. Mark is currently a board member of the Australian Veterinary Association, a Councillor for the Commonwealth Veterinary Association and for the World Veterinary Association where he chairs the One Health working group. Mark joined VBB in November 2024.

Ben Stapley

Director & Treasurer

Ben graduated from the University of Adelaide with qualifications in Architecture and Law in 1998. With a deep interest in public policy – especially the interactions between human and natural environments, Ben has worked across governments and industry to promote careful and considered approaches to public policy. With roles in the Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Ben worked to harmonise Australian ozone protection regulation consistent with international commitments. After leaving public service in 2007, Ben has worked for multiple national industry associations including those representing the crop protection industry, chemistry industries and dairy farmers. In 2016, Ben was appointed as the Executive Director of Animal Medicines Australia where he continues to promote animal health as a key tool that can help address sustainability, food security and animal welfare issues.