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Who We Are >> Staff

BMWHI Staff 2012

	Dr John Merson Executive Director  Contact John: j.merson@bmwhi.org.au (+61 2) 9385 5728
John Merson (PhD) was a co-founder (with Rosalie Chapple) of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute in 2004, and Executive Director until 2008, when he stepped down due to his appointment as Director of the Institute of Environmental Studies at UNSW. John was reappointed Executive Director in January 2012 and remains engaged with the Institute of Environmental Studies at UNSW as an Adjunct Professor and as the Coordinator of the PhD program in Environmental Policy & Management. John has been a consultant to the UNESCO, APEC, IUCN, DEST & Dept of Foreign Affairs. He was a member of the Australian Indonesia Steering Committee on Science and Technology, and the Australia Korea Forum. He is the author of six books and a wide range of academic papers and research covering issues of Environment & Development, Adaptive Environmental Policy & Management and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation. For his journalistic work he is the recipient of a United Nations Media Peace Prize.
	Peter Shadie Research Manager Contact Peter: p.shadie@bmwhi.org.au (+61 2) 9385 5728
Peter Shadie is Research Manager (part time) for the Institute. The first 20 years of his career was spent with the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) working in the field as a Ranger, Park Superintendent & Research Manager. Since 1999 he has been working with IUCN – The International Union for the Conservation of Nature - at international and regional levels. His initial posting was in IUCN’s Global Headquarters with the Union’s Global Programme on Protected Areas. As Executive Director of the IUCN 5th World Parks Congress he planned and staged the Parks Congress in Durban in 2003. In 2006 he moved to IUCN’s Asia Region where he was head of IUCN’s Regional Protected Areas Programme across 23 countries in Asia until 2010. Peter is also a Senior Advisor, World Heritage, for IUCN globally and a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas.
	Sarah Terkes Administration, Information, Research & I.T. Support  Contact Sarah: s.terkes@bmwhi.org.au (+61 2) 9385 5653
Sarah's educational background is in IT Systems Analysis and Design and she came to the Institute from a diverse work background comprising commercial business management, information systems analysis, events production and web design. She provides high-level administrative and IT training and support to staff, visitors and volunteers. Sarah designed and maintains this website and is responsible for the administration of the Sydney office. In her spare time, Sarah runs a pro-bono web design service and an events production company, both focusing on the promotion of Blue Mountains artists and community organisations.
	Dr Rosalie Chapple Research Associate  Contact Rosalie: r.chapple@bmwhi.org.au (+61 2) 9385 5728
Rosalie Chapple (BSc, PhD) was a co-founder (with John Merson) of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute in 2004, Executive Officer until 2007, Company Secretary until 2008, and then Executive Director until January 2012. She continues to be engaged with BMWHI as a Research Associate, and member of the Research Committee. She also undertakes part-time teaching and research in environmental studies at the University of NSW. For several years she was a senior manager with the Australian Conservation Training Institute of the Zoological Parks Board of NSW. Rosalie’s personal research interests are in wildlife and their conservation, including a PhD on chital deer biology and behaviour, a review of feral animal management in NSW national parks, and other consultancies involving native wildlife conservation. Over time, Rosalie has become increasingly involved with the broader policy and social aspects of environmental management and conservation.