Meet the Board

Greg Bruce, Director

Greg Bruce is currently employed as Executive Manager of the Integrated Sustainability Services (ISS) Department in Townsville City Council (TCC), where he has worked for 14 years specializing in and leading an integrated coastal-water-energy and carbon cycle management approach to on-ground sustainability outcomes. This has included establishing the Creek to Coral partnership with council engineers and community and working with Energy to establish two other sustainability programs. His passion and interest in sustainability is in finding practical new ways to communicate and implement on-ground outcomes in sustainability, including whole of community approaches. Prior to commencing work with Townsville City Council he spent 14 years in various military roles around the world, which included 8 years as a military underwater combat diver and small boating specialist. He has a Bachelor of Applied Science in NRM from the University of Adelaide.

 Terry Done, Director

Dr Terry Done is an internationally renowned marine biologist and coral reef researcher who made his first foray into coral reef studies on a part time basis in 1970 while a PhD student in Zoology at the University of New England, Armidale, NSW. In 1975 he obtained a post-doctoral fellowship in coral reef ecology at James Cook University, then in 1980 joined the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) where he progressed through the ranks of Research Scientist until his retirement in 2007.  He has been an advisor to governments in Australia, US and Indonesia on coral reef science and management, and he has written over 60 scientific papers and book chapters, with a focus on coral reefs.  The scope of his work and interests also includes the geological history of coral reefs, the processes of reef growth, effects of fishing and pollution, and the effects of global climate change.  He is now an AIMS Research Associate and an Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Marine Studies, University of Queensland, positions that allow him to continue his studies and impart the benefit of his knowledge and experience to undergraduate and graduate students.

Peter Faulkner, Board Chair

Pete has been diving for almost 30 years and been involved with reef conservation since 1992, when he first went on expedition with UK based Coral Cay Conservation. Since then he has been involved with projects in Belize, Honduras, Fiji, Indonesia and The Philippines. He was Chairman of Coral Cay from 2005 to 2011 and is now Honorary Vice President.

Pete holds a BSc (Hons) in Banking & International Finance from the Cass Business School in London. Following a career in finance in the City of London Pete left the UK in 1996 to travel the world. Since 1999 he has been a PADI Professional and is currently a PADI Master Instructor. He has written three PADI Distinctive Specialities on Coral ID and Reef Surveying. Pete arrived in Australia in 2006 and immediately became involved with RCA; first as a surveyor and later as an instructor. In 2011 Pete stood in as Acting Managing Director of RCA for four months to facilitate the transition of HQ to Brisbane. He runs a business consultancy partnership with wife Ruth in Mission Beach and remains an active RCA instructor 

Mark Nilsen, Director

Mark Nilsen has been a Reef Check volunteer since 2004 and has been one of our most loyal volunteers regularly participating on surveys every year. He was born and raised in Sydney leaving to live in Townsville in 2002. He currently works as a Senior Financial Consultant at Tynan Mackenzie and has a Bachelors in Biological Oceanography. Previously, he worked for the Commonwealth Bank in a similar position and has over 10 years experience in the financial service industry working in stockbroking and financial planning. Mark is also an Open Water Scuba Instructor and brings to Reef Check Australia his wealth of experience as a diver and volunteer, as well as his valuable business experience.

Jo Roberts, Director

Jo Roberts, from the UK, has been on the board since mid 2010. Prior to that, she was our Education Officer developing and implementing the Reef IQ Educational Program and more recently as Managing Director. Before coming to Australia she worked as a Project Manager for a financial capability organisation in London working in schools with disadvantaged and homeless young people.

She has a Masters in Development Studies and has worked as a teacher in Chile, Nepal and China. Her love of diving and coral reefs drew her to Townsville and to Reef Check Australia where she has encouraged young people from all over Australia to get involved in helping conserve Australia's unique coral reefs.  Jo has recently moved to Perth but remains an active Board Director.