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Our Team

Dr David Bergmann

Chief Executive Officer

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About David

David is the CEO of Water Research Australia, bringing nearly 25 years of experience in R&D across the chemicals, food, and water and wastewater sectors, from global multinationals to regional utilities. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from Monash University and is an AICD-qualified Company Director. David is an experienced manager and people leader of large R&D teams, spanning diverse industries, cultures, and organisations. He joined the water industry in 2015 at Victorian utility South East Water, where he significantly expanded their research portfolio and partnerships. His notable contributions included the innovative Aquarevo water- and energy-saving estate, the development of pyrolysis technology to produce Biochar from biosolids with RMIT, and various IoT devices for real-time monitoring. A holder of multiple patents and a collaborator in scientific publications on contaminants, alternative water, pyrolysis technology and biochar applications, David also has extensive leadership experience in the not-for-profit sector, including four years on the Board of WaterRA. As a strategic and practical thinker, David excels in developing collaborative partnerships, leading high-performing teams, and translating research into real-world solutions.

QUALS: BSc (Hons), PhD
MEMBERSHIPS: AWA, RACI, AICD

Mark Andersson

Chief Operating Officer

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About Mark

Mark is the COO at Water Research Australia, responsible for overseeing the organisation’s operations to ensure the achievement of strategic objectives and business outcomes. He leads the Engagement, Impact, and Development team, Finance & Governance teams, and the Australian Water School. Mark drives operational excellence, efficiency, and scalability across all areas of the organisation, ensuring that processes and systems align with WaterRA’s strategic priorities. While keeping WaterRA members central to decision-making, Mark’s primary focus is on internal operational management and supporting the overall growth and impact of the organisation.

Dr Christobel Ferguson

General Manager of Research and Strategy

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About Christobel

Christobel is the General Manager, Research and Strategy, bringing more than 20 years of experience across water utilities, government, consulting, and international water research. Well known across the water sector, she has held senior leadership roles including most recently as Chief Innovation Officer at the Water Research Foundation (USA). Christobel has played a significant role in shaping research, innovation, and policy initiatives, with contributions to resilience and recovery frameworks through organisations such as Resilient Sydney and the NSW Reconstruction Authority. Her work focuses on setting strategic research direction, translating evidence into practice, and supporting the sector to address complex, system-wide challenges.

Dr Marty Hancock

Senior Research Manager (Northern NSW)

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About Marty

Marty is a Senior Research Manager at Water Research Australia, based in northern New South Wales. With over 25 years of experience in the water and education sectors, Marty brings extensive expertise in water, wastewater, and recycled water processes, catchment management, and water quality management systems. Before joining WaterRA, Marty spent 12 years leading an operations team for a local government utility, focusing on water quality assurance and treatment process optimisation. He has published and presented on Health-Based Targets and treatment process validation, contributing valuable insights to the field. Marty has also been instrumental in developing operator resources and delivering training to meet the water industry’s need for highly skilled and experienced operators. An accomplished science communicator, he shares his expertise through forums, conferences, and technical training, helping to build capacity and capability within the industry.

Dr Emma Yuen

Research Manager (Perth)

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About Emma

Emma is a Research Manager at Water Research Australia, based in Perth. She has over 25 years water sector experience across environmental engineering, social science, and strategic policy. While working in government, research, Collaborative Research Centres as well as social and environmental consulting, she has brokered many multi-sector partnerships to achieve sustainable and liveable outcomes. As Western Australia’s manager for Water Sensitive Cities Emma facilitated local initiatives and played a pivotal role in shaping high-level strategic water policy for the state government. During her tenure a Business Development manager at CSIRO, she captured value through intellectual property management and facilitated the commercialisation of green technologies related to waste valorisation and wastewater treatment. Emma holds a PhD in Indigenous water services and demand monitoring, which has informed culturally responsive water planning and supported Indigenous economic development outcomes for local communities. She is a skilled facilitator and connector, known for cultivating collaborative research ecosystems that drive innovation and impact.

Dr Zach Powell

Research Manager (Melbourne)

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About Zach

Zach is a Research Manager at Water Research Australia, based in Melbourne. With a PhD in ocean chemistry from the University of Otago, Zach brings a wealth of expertise spanning technical, scientific, and policy roles across government departments in Victoria and New Zealand. His diverse experience includes providing public health guidance on managing environmental hazards, developing urban water management policy, and serving as a technical-policy lead in reducing bushfire risks caused by powerlines. As a program manager for a government-NGO partnership, Zach also contributed to the development and launch of a satellite designed to measure global methane emissions. Additionally, he has worked in various laboratory roles, further strengthening his scientific foundation. At WaterRA, Zach is driven by a passion for bridging technical disciplines and using science to shape policies that deliver positive outcomes for human health and the environment.

Vincent Bianchini

Research Manager (Melbourne)

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About Vincent

Vincent is a Research Manager at Water Research Australia, based in Melbourne. With a background in chemical engineering, he is passionate about tackling climate change and advancing sustainability through collaborative research. At WaterRA, Vincent collaborates with industry and research partners, drawing on their expertise to guide research and solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve resource recovery. His role focuses on connecting research with real-world challenges to create positive outcomes for the water sector and the environment. Vincent is currently managing various research projects, including an international collaboration to develop guidelines for monitoring and quantifying nitrous oxide emissions, sampling programs for emerging contaminants in wastewater systems, and initiatives focused on resource recovery from wastewater. He is driven by a commitment to ensuring the water sector tackles its most pressing challenges with clarity and purpose, delivering solutions that are both impactful and practical.

Carolyn Bellamy

Research Capability Manager

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About Carolyn

Carolyn is the Research Capability Manager at Water Research Australia. She leads the Research Leadership Program (RLP), which supports the next generation of water professionals, specifically students undertaking research degrees. The RLP delivers industry-focused mentoring, and professional development opportunities, including scholarships, awards, and networking packages. These initiatives nurture curiosity, build research skills, maximise research value, and instil the confidence needed to become lifelong research champions and leaders in the water sector. Carolyn is dedicated to building capability and capacity for WaterRA members. Under her leadership, the program has successfully retained a significant number of students within the water sector, contributing to the industry’s future workforce. With over 20 years of experience in the water industry, Carolyn continues to ensure the program meets the evolving needs of the sector and supports long-term professional growth.

Jo Ohlmeyer

Events Officer

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About Jo

Jo is the Events Officer at Water Research Australia. She is responsible for all elements in relation to events . With 16 years as an events professional spanning multiple industries, she brings a strong focus on delivering exceptional member experiences, combining operational expertise with a genuine commitment to creating meaningful, engaging interactions. Her experience coordinating conferences, expos, and stakeholder events supports her role in delivering activities that connect members and enhance their engagement with WaterRA.

Jessica Burgess

Member & Governance Manager

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About Jessica

Jessica is the Member & Governance Manager at Water Research Australia, responsible for strengthening WaterRA’s membership community and supporting robust governance across the organisation. She leads membership lifecycle management and the monitoring and analysis of engagement data, providing insights that help drive member value, strategic alignment, and targeted action. Jessica also delivers governance and secretariat support to the Board, Sub‑committees, CEO and COO, ensuring effective processes, well‑structured meetings, and consistent, high‑quality decision‑making. With more than 15 years of experience across the water, research, and government sectors, Jessica brings deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, communications, membership programs, and events. Her background spans the delivery of national and international conferences, executive and board communications, and major engagement initiatives—always with a focus on connection, collaboration, and meaningful member outcomes. Jessica’s cross‑sector experience and strategic approach enable her to support WaterRA’s members and leadership in advancing shared goals and strengthening the organisation’s impact.

Louie Waples

Digital Impact Officer

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About Louie

Louie is the Digital Impact Officer at Water Research Australia, where she is responsible for delivering impactful design solutions and ensuring the consistent application of the WaterRA brand across all print and digital assets. As part of the Engagement, Impact, and Development team, Louie plays a key role in creating professional research documents, corporate tools, and engaging visual content that supports WaterRA’s communications and member-focused initiatives. With over 12 years of graphic design experience across diverse sectors, Louie brings a passion for producing designs that inspire, inform, and connect. Her expertise in maintaining brand integrity and translating complex information into visually appealing formats ensures WaterRA’s materials are both professional and impactful.

Matthew Cooper

Senior Accountant

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About Matthew

Mia Luke

Accounts Assistant

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About Mia

Mia is the Accounts Assistant at Water Research Australia, providing essential support to the finance team. Her responsibilities include assisting with payroll, accounts receivable, and accounts payable to ensure the organisation’s financial obligations are managed efficiently and on time. With strong bookkeeping expertise developed across diverse industries such as construction, telecommunications, and healthcare, Mia brings valuable experience and reliable financial support to the team, contributing to WaterRA’s operational success.

Joel Voortman

Australian Water School Business Manager

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About Joel

Joel is the AWS Business Manager, where he leads the delivery of online training and professional development for the global water industry. With 19 years of experience in the water sector, Joel has played a pivotal role in developing, implementing, and managing digital training programs for not-for-profit organisations, including the International Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management (ICE WaRM) and the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) at Flinders University. In his role, Joel oversees all AWS online training courses, webinars, and digital content, ensuring they meet the highest standards of quality and relevance. His passion for advancing best-practice learning outcomes drives his commitment to equipping water professionals with the skills and knowledge they need to address industry challenges on a global scale.

Dr Anushree Mistry

Australian Water School Digital Training Officer

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About Anushree

Anushree is the AWS Digital Training Officer, where she plays a key role in delivering high-quality online training courses and webinars to the global water industry. With extensive experience in both the university and private sectors, Anushree brings valuable expertise in designing and developing technical training programs tailored to industry needs. Anushree is responsible for ensuring best-practice learning outcomes by coordinating the development, implementation, and delivery of professional development opportunities. Her commitment to excellence and passion for empowering water professionals contribute to the success and impact of AWS’s training programs.

Kenneth Loh

Australian Water School Marketing Officer

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About Kenneth

Kenneth is the AWS Marketing Officer at the Australian Water School (AWS), bringing extensive experience in branding, marketing strategy, and business development across a range of industries in Australia and Asia. His career spans both strategic and hands‑on marketing roles, with a strong focus on driving sustainable growth, building brand clarity, and aligning marketing initiatives with broader organisational objectives. In his role at AWS, Kenneth is responsible for the development and implementation of marketing strategies that enhance the visibility, reach, and impact of AWS’s training programs. Working closely with internal teams and industry partners, he strengthens AWS’s digital presence, supports audience growth, and ensures AWS’s value proposition is communicated clearly and consistently to water professionals worldwide.