Our Board

Trails WA Inc., is honoured to have the Board leadership of some of Western Australia’s finest talent from the corporate, recreation, charity and public service areas. They provide governance and strategic leadership to ensure we are true to our vision of making it simple for all trail users to find and experience all types of trails, safely and sustainably.

Photo Credits: Scott Drysdale Photography

Meet our Board

Suzanne Hillier - Chair

Western Australia is one of the best places to travel in the world. Being on the Board of Trails WA enables me to promote this incredible place I call my home and to assist people to re-imagine, learn, connect and enrich their trails experiences safely and sustainably. 

Suzanne is an experienced strategic leader and general counsel with qualifications in science and law and a successful career in Commonwealth and State governments. She possesses high level skills and experience in governance, audit, risk management and provision of legal advice. She is passionate about volunteering and has actively served for many years as a Non-Executive Director, Chair, Company Secretary and Treasurer working with boards and committees in the government and not-for-profit sectors

Scott Drysdale - Deputy Chair

Being on the board is one of the ways I give back to a community that has been such an integral part of my life. I want to help make trails more accessible and inclusive to all West Australians, as I believe everyone can benefit from more time spent in nature.

Scott Drysdale is Paddy Pallin’s Corporate Sales and Community Outreach Officer for Western Australia. Having initially trained and operated as an expedition guide for several years, Scott transitioned to management roles within the Outdoor Retail Industry. In his current role, Scott aims to grow and develop an inclusive, diverse, highly knowledgeable, and active community of passionate advocates for the wild places in which they recreate.

John Voon - Treasurer

Growing up amidst the beauty of the outdoors instilled in me a passion that I've cherished into adulthood and aim to foster in my family. Western Australia's majestic trails are a quintessential part of this experience. It is with great enthusiasm and a shared vision for sustainable outdoor engagement that I embrace the opportunity to contribute to Trails WA’s mission as a board member.

Director of OneWorld Business Solutions and EZPZ Finance, John is an accomplished Chartered Accountant with a strong background in audit and financial operations. He is dedicated to applying his financial acumen to support and enrich outdoor experiences, combining his professional expertise with his enthusiasm for nature and sustainability.

Penny O'Connor - Secretary

Being on the Board of Trails WA is a wonderful opportunity for me to bring together my passion for historic heritage, and my love of walking and being in nature. I see trails are a perfect way to engage with a diverse range of places, and at the same time raise awareness of the importance of conserving our most significant environments.

Penny has over 25 years diverse experience working in the the public, private, education and not for profit sectors.  Much of this has been within the field of cultural heritage, most recently supporting the work of the Heritage Council of Western Australia in recommending places for inclusion in the State Register. She is currently a researcher at Curtin University and runs her own heritage practice - Arc Insights.

Shelley Archer

I joined the Trails WA Board to help connect Western Australians to one of our State's greatest assets - Aboriginal culture. I see trails as the perfect way for people to develop a relationship with country and to foster a conservation ethic for the oldest living culture on earth.

Shelley brings over 40 years of experience from a diverse and broad range of capacities due to her engagement within the Industrial Relations, Indigenous, and Government Sectors and further within various charitable organisation’s 
 
Shelley has predominately worked within specialised areas in government, mining, construction and the Indigenous sector where she liaised and advised on how best to work collaboratively to achieve the vital cultural planning for those workplaces and institutes.

Jan Ferreira

Outdoor activities feature heavily in the planning for our family holidays. We’re particularly blessed with a great climate and trail network in WA. It is a great opportunity to be able to support the promotion of this across the state and the country via Trails WA.

Jan has more than 20 years experience in senior finance and operational roles across internet, finance and infrastructure businesses both locally and overseas

Frances Pollock

Being on the board of Trail WA allows me to share my knowledge to connect more people with our wilderness areas in a meaningful, sustainable way. It gives me an opportunity to be a voice for regional and remote communities looking for support to establish or promote trails in their region - connecting more people to the outback and semi-arid landscapes. I'm passionate about promoting sustainable economic, social and environmental development through hiking and trail experiences.

Frances Pollock is the Managing Director of Wooleen Station, an award-winning eco-tourism business known for its regenerative agriculture and authentic outback tourism experiences - located on Wajarri Yamatji country. Frances has 12 years of experience sitting on not-for-profit boards and brings extensive knowledge of the WA tourism industry. She is passionate about connection to culture and country, well-being, and experiencing our natural assets to promote positive mental health outcomes. 

 Martine van der Berg 

I joined the WA Trails Board to encourage more individuals to appreciate the outdoors in a safe and sustainable way. WA’s natural diversity is unique and combined with its cultural heritage calls for more places to be discovered. I believe that WA Trails provides an ideal means for people to reconnect with nature, explore the state, and improve their mental and physical well-being.

With a background spanning more than three decades in the global resources sector, Martine offers expertise in governance, strategy, and risk management. Additionally, she holds an accreditation as a leadership coach and is a member of the AICD, further amplifying her diverse skill set and professional contributions

Meet our Team

Agata (Ag) Sleeman - Executive Officer

Agata Sleeman (Ag), is an accomplished strategic business leader and marketer with over 20 years’ experience managing high-profile service brands in Perth, Sydney and overseas including HBF and some of Australia’s leading pharmaceuticals. Ag moved to the Great Southern in 2019 and has been involved as an Executive for Tourism Projects in the region and took on the role of Trails WA Executive Officer in July 2021. 

Having delivered numerous noteworthy product launches, award-winning campaigns and led the delivery of large-scale fundraising and commercial events, she prides herself on helping businesses build authentic brands that deliver results. Agata enjoys getting out into nature with her family in the Great Southern and experiencing all types of trails.

Katie Stevens - Marketing Officer

Katie moved back from Melbourne to her hometown of Perth in 2018. After working in the outdoor industry for over 9 years she moved into marketing, working at the Bibbulmun Track Foundation, where she rebuilt and strengthened the Walker Friendly Business Program as well as pursued other tourism-focused strategies for future growth. She also worked for Bonfire Digital, reviewing client briefs and building proposals for potential clients.

At Trails WA she helped launch the Trail Friendly Business program and now oversees this as well as continuing marketing and promotion of Trails WA and its assets to the public. She is an accomplished hiker, and proud to have completed the Continental Divide Trail across the USA in 2018, as well as numerous hikes throughout Australia. She is also a very keen cyclist, paddler and probably not far off getting into mountain biking.

Tam Johnson - Trail Support Officer

Tam is originally from Perth and moved to the South West in 2002. With a degree in Health Science (Health Promotion), she has worked in the Healthy Communities Project and more recently in Recreation Management within Local Government. Tam has travelled extensively throughout WA and is a keen conservation and nature enthusiast. She loves camping, hiking and exploring our unique state.

Tam joined Trails WA in 2020 as a volunteer, overseeing the social media pages. In late 2021 she started as Administration Assistant and now oversees the TrailsWA database, which inlcudes liaising with Trail Managers from all around the state.

Tiffany Watson - Social Media Officer
 

Tiffany is an experienced Marketing Manager with strong experience both internationally in London and in Australia, with exceptional competencies in digital and social media marketing, content planning,and stakeholder management. 

Having worked with some of Western Australia’s largest Government Agencies including: Tourism Western Australia, Lotterywest, Healthway and the Department of Sport and Cultural Industries and managing large scale events and brand development campaigns for well-known commercial brands in the UK and Australia.