Who we are

Gillian Sparkes

Chair

External Roles

Chair

Chris Thomas

Deputy Chair

External Roles

Deputy Chair

Abigail Goldberg

Director

External Roles

Director

Paul Farrell

Director

External Roles

Director

Bruce Thompson

Director

External Roles

Director

Wendy Lawson

Director

Graeme Kernich

Director

Organisation

FrontierSI

External Roles

Chief Executive Officer

Graeme Kernich's Bio

Graeme is the CEO of FrontierSI. He truly believes better use of spatial data will drive enhanced decision making and service provision and that this needs multidisciplinary partnerships to happen. Graeme is focussed on building large-scale initiatives that matter. He combines a deep understanding of spatial’s value to the world, with sectoral experience, and tertiary qualifications (PhD, MBA, BAgricSc(Hons), GradDip AppCorpGov). Out of hours kids, dogs, and the Collingwood Football Club fill his time. He aspires to get back on the bike, in the pool and on the road. He likes the Facebook motto: Done is Better than Perfect.

Melanie Plumb

Company Secretary

Organisation

FrontierSI

External Roles

Chief Operating Officer

Melanie Plumb's Bio

Melanie leads the day to day operations of FrontierSI including finance, HR, legal compliance, governance and administration. A CPA and Corporate Governance professional with prior experience in both the FMCG and retail sectors, she enjoys the challenge of balancing the various facets of her role, and striving to provide optimal service to the FrontierSI team and partners. Out of hours you can find Melanie catching up with friends or planning her next family travel adventure, in between taxiing her sons to their various sporting activities.

Graeme Kernich

Chief Executive Officer

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Chief Executive Officer

Graeme Kernich's Bio

Graeme is the CEO of FrontierSI. He truly believes better use of spatial data will drive enhanced decision making and service provision and that this needs multidisciplinary partnerships to happen. Graeme is focussed on building large-scale initiatives that matter. He combines a deep understanding of spatial’s value to the world, with sectoral experience, and tertiary qualifications (PhD, MBA, BAgricSc(Hons), GradDip AppCorpGov). Out of hours kids, dogs, and the Collingwood Football Club fill his time. He aspires to get back on the bike, in the pool and on the road. He likes the Facebook motto: Done is Better than Perfect.

Melanie Plumb

Chief Operating Officer

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Chief Operating Officer

Melanie Plumb's Bio

Melanie leads the day to day operations of FrontierSI including finance, HR, legal compliance, governance and administration. A CPA and Corporate Governance professional with prior experience in both the FMCG and retail sectors, she enjoys the challenge of balancing the various facets of her role, and striving to provide optimal service to the FrontierSI team and partners. Out of hours you can find Melanie catching up with friends or planning her next family travel adventure, in between taxiing her sons to their various sporting activities.

Phil Collier

Research Director

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Research Director

Phil Collier's Bio

Phil is a surveyor, geodesist and researcher, with a knack for nurturing the adoption of spatial sciences in diverse and challenging application domains. He is as comfortable talking about the intricacies of satellite positioning as he is engaging with stakeholders to bring spatial methods to bear on real-world problems in health and agriculture. Phil is responsible for the design and delivery of FrontierSI’s research portfolio, creating practical outcomes through collaborative, applied research. Out of the office, Phil loves the great outdoors and does all he can to avoid sitting at a desk. Whether it’s a DIY task, a bike ride or a mountain climb, Phil is up for anything that involves a physical challenge.

Nathan Quadros

Chief Commercial Officer

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Chief Commercial Officer

Nathan Quadros's Bio

Nathan has always loved collaboration as a means for making an impact. He is passionate about the difference FrontierSI’s partners make across a range of market sectors and vulnerable communities. Nathan uses the expertise gained through a PhD in remote-sensing to provide advice across Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific and South-East Asia. Nathan is now focussed on translating FrontierSI’s research outcomes into real business solutions. With his weekends freed, since completing his MBA, you’ll likely find Nathan playing beach volleyball, trying to improve his chess game or re-watching the great 2016 Western Bulldogs Premiership victory.

Paula Fiévez

Head, Partner Engagement and Health Lead

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Head, Partner Engagement and Health Lead

Paula Fiévez's Bio

Paula is an experienced operations manager with a special interest in seeing the successful translation of health research into practice. She brings with her a unique skill set developed across a broad range of business functions within private enterprise, the not-for-profit and education sectors. Paula is a strategist who insists on seeing the big picture in order to map out a feasible and effective pathway forward. She is a planner. When she is not planning in her day job she is planning family and friends adventure weekends, games nights or endurance challenges to such detail that her friends don’t open her emails anymore.

Phil Delaney

Chief Innovation and Delivery Officer (A/g)

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Chief Innovation and Delivery Officer (A/g)

Phil Delaney's Bio

Phil is a problem solver who thrives in complex and uncertain environments. Throw any challenge his way and he will find a unique and positive solution. With a background in Geomatic Engineering, and a Master of Business Administration, he strives to translate complex technology and problems into clear needs and focussed business strategy. Phil is eternally optimistic, and always seeks to break out from business as usual approaches. As Chief Innovation and Delivery Officer, he helps organisations see the big picture, and deliver the projects to get them there.

Clive Fraser

Defence Program Manager

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Defence Program Manager

Clive Fraser's Bio

Professor Clive Fraser is currently the Defence Program Manager at FrontierSI, and a Professorial Fellow in the Department of Infrastructure Engineering at the University of Melbourne. Prof. Fraser’s particular areas of research interest lie in digital close-range photogrammetry, including 3D forensic analysis and industrial measurement systems, and the metric exploitation of both drone and high-resolution satellite imagery. He is a Fellow of both the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, and the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, and he is an Honorary Member of The Remote Sensing and Photogrammetric Society (UK). In recognition of his academic and professional work, which include authorship of more than 380 scientific publications, he has earned numerous international awards.

Samantha Bain

Senior Finance Manager

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Senior Finance Manager

Samantha Bain's Bio

As Senior Finance Manager, Samantha (Sam) manages all financial matters of FrontierSI. She is a CPA, holds a Bachelor of Commerce, and has over 15 years Accountancy experience across the Service, Construction and the FMCG sectors. When Sam is not managing project finances and balancing budgets you will find her competing in Calisthenics, gardening or shopping with her daughter.

Stephanie Pradier

Communication Manager

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Communication Manager

Stephanie Pradier's Bio

A vibrant, versatile science communicator, Steph gets a real kick out of translating tricky scientific ideas into language anyone can understand. She thought it wise to combine a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, politics and journalism with a rigorous foundation in mathematics and physics, painstakingly obtained in her Bachelor of Science (Hons). When she is not at her day job, you can find her at the gym lifting something really heavy, at her local drinking something really hoppy or on her front steps writing something really pithy. Steph’s nous and instinct has paid off. As our communication manager, she helps all of us make our ideas, discoveries and reports, much more digestible.

Michael Little

Accounting Manager

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Accounting Manager

Michael Little 's Bio

Michael loves anything to do with numbers and sport. Whether it is running the FrontierSI footy tipping, with extra challenges every other week, to working out his commute distance and revolutions per kilometre, you can see the glint in his eye as he explains the statistics and the number crunching. It’s lucky he works in an organisation that homes in on the finer details of things. And we are lucky Michael mages all the financial matters of FrontierSI. Michael is a CPA, holds a Bachelor of Accounting, is an avid Brisbane Lions supporter and rebuilds old classics in his garage.

Wendy Jackson

Office Administrator

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Office Administrator

Wendy Jackson's Bio

Wendy is our admin manager extraordinaire. Having worked in CSIRO labs as a technical assistant for over 11 years, Wendy really understands how research works. Having also held positions in private industry and local government, she brings a deeper understanding to the day-to-day running of FrontierSI. Her love for the Collingwood Football Club and travelling the world, keeps her in good check for conversation around the office and with our partners. All around Wendy is a special type of admin glue for FrontierSI, she understands the ins and outs of research and bookkeeping, and how to work collaboratively across government, private industry and academia.

Alex Leith

Technical Delivery Manager

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Technical Delivery Manager

Alex Leith's Bio

Alex is a certified spatial professional with extensive experience in software development, DevOps and project management. Alex has spent time volunteering for GovHack and GeoRabble and is one of a handful of GeoHipster interviewers, which means he is in touch with a broad community of hip geo-folk. When not writing code, or at least talking to people about writing code, he likes a great craft beer (currently seeking out the best XPA) or whisky (Islay preferably). Alex manages technical projects at FrontierSI, ensuring that the tech and governance people are communicating, and strives to ensure that projects deliver useful tools and the best outcomes.

Eva Rodriguez Rodriguez

Projects and Strategy Manager

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Projects and Strategy Manager

Eva Rodriguez Rodriguez's Bio

Swimming on the surface and diving deep to pick the “pearls”, Eva is our in house strategic thinker. Be it an idea or project proposal she will find the flaws, the hard questions and have a few out-of-the-box answers – listening to government, academia, private sector and users all speak at the same time and magically turning the chaos into structure. From playing Brazilian martial arts to finding her balance in Pilates, she holds a MSc in Telecommunications and Management and had a stellar start to her career at the European Space Agency. A 4WD outside and inside the office bringing a gust of energy to Australia.

Felix Lipkin

Data Scientist

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Data Scientist

Felix Lipkin's Bio

Felix, resident machine whisperer and chess enthusiast, has only had to concede defeat once or thrice in his most beloved game to the machine. So now, he looks to enslave the machine for tasks humans no longer want to do. Having worked for CSIRO’s climate adaptation flagship for nine years his aim is to combine machine prowess with GIS to solve issues around environment and cities.

Jess Keysers

Analyst and Project Manager

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Analyst and Project Manager

Jess Keysers's Bio

Jess, sometimes known as “Jessenius”, is an all-round geospatial genius. She is super organised and thrives on getting high quality, useful things done – especially if those things have a positive impact for society and the environment. With a Bachelor of Engineering (Geomatics, Hons) and a Bachelor of Geography from Melbourne University, Jess enjoys researching and analysing complex spatial data and unstructured aspatial information. She then clearly communicates outcomes in technical documents so they make sense for our clients and partners. Her obsession outside of FrontierSI is running – road running, trail running, travel running, fun runs, you name it. Run for life!

Eldar Rubinov

SBAS Test-bed Technical Manager

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

SBAS Test-bed Technical Manager

Eldar Rubinov's Bio

Eldar is a self-proclaimed GPS geek who much prefers being outside with a GPS receiver than sitting behind a desk in the office. After graduating, Eldar worked as a hydrographic surveyor for a number of years before returning to academia and completing a PhD in high-precision GNSS at FrontierSI’s precursor, CRCSI. After another stint in the industry Eldar has returned to FrontierSI and is currently managing the technical side of the SBAS test-bed. Outside of work Eldar loves travelling and exploring different places the world has to offer, always with a GPS in hand.

Lachlan Hurst

Full Stack Developer

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Full Stack Developer

Lachlan Hurst's Bio

Lachlan brings ideas to life. Hand him a set of functional requirements, client brief or scribbles on the back of a coaster and it’ll be translated into working software in no time. He holds bachelor’s in computer science and mechanical engineering, tuning his desire to make cool stuff into robust ability. When not coding Lachlan is cycling, he attributes a small part of his interest in geospatial data to the hours spent scouring maps for perfect back roads. Another part is the insights visualisations bring to fundamental and obscure questions. But, the biggest draw card, social good, Lachlan loves to work with geospatial data to help humanity.

Chris Morgan

DevOps Engineer

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

DevOps Engineer

Chris Morgan's Bio

Chris is a DevOps engineer with over 10 years of experience. He has worked in tech across development, support, agile delivery and DevOps. Chris is passionate about technology and loves to build, improve and find better ways to do things. He is our in-house optimiser. Chris is excited to be working with FrontierSI, as it brings opportunities to make differences in ways other than just the bottom line. Boasting some pretty nerdy hobbies including automating processes in his home and volunteering on a cube satellite project, as well as some less nerdy ones including playing indoor soccer, watching the footy and cricket and enjoying a good craft beer, Chris has slipped right into the fabric here.

Chris Marshall

SBAS Test-bed Associate

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

SBAS Test-bed Associate

Chris Marshall's Bio

When he’s not riding his motorcycle, rocking out on his guitar, or diving into old-school PC games, you’ll likely find Chris catching up with the latest in the Billionaire Space Race. Whether discussing distant planets or our own, Chris enjoys looking at the bigger picture and applying his keen eye for language to bring everyone into the conversation. After the recent completion of his Master of Engineering (Spatial), where he explored the benefits of SBAS to aviation, Chris has joined the FrontierSI team to put these skills to work. He will also apply his deep knowledge of surveying, geodesy and GIS to assist in closing out the final stages of the project.

Caitlin Adams

Data Scientist

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Data Scientist

Caitlin Adams's Bio

Caitlin is a deeply creative thinker with a passion for solving the complex problems humanity faces. Her deep desire to understand the world around her lead her to study physics during her Bachelor of Science (Hons) at the University of Queensland. She then kicked it up a notch by trying to understand the universe as a whole during her PhD at Swinburne University of Technology. Depending on the weather, you can find her sketching and painting Melbourne’s delightful and varied architecture, or curled up inside with a great book. As one of our data scientists, she looks for interesting ways to extract insights from the wealth of satellite data available, as well as new ways to support the community to do the same.

Sam Amirebrahimi

Research Portfolio Coordinator and Project Manager

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Research Portfolio Coordinator and Project Manager

Sam Amirebrahimi's Bio

Sam is a software engineer, researcher and project manager. He is passionate about translating ideas into practical solutions that make positive impacts. He has built on his software engineering background with an MBA and a Ph.D. in geospatial information. He speaks business and tech and his outgoing personality makes him easy to approach and engage with. Out of the office, you can find Sam in the outdoors hiking on mountain ridges or setting up his telescope somewhere away from light pollution to watch and photograph the cosmos.

Ivana Ivanova

Research Fellow Spatial Information Infrastructures

Organisation

Curtin University

External Roles

Research Fellow Spatial Information Infrastructures

Tao Li

Software Engineer for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)

Organisation

Geoscience Australia

Roles

Software Engineer for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)

Matt Duckham

Associate Dean, Geospatial Science, RMIT University

Organisation

RMIT University

External Roles

Associate Dean, Geospatial Science, RMIT University

German Olivares

Senior Research Associate: Ionospheric Model Development to Support Real-Time GNSS Positioning

Organisation

Geoscience Australia

Roles

Senior Research Associate: Ionospheric Model Development to Support Real-Time GNSS Positioning

Geraldine Li

Business Development Manager – ACT, NSW, QLD

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Business Development Manager – ACT, NSW, QLD

Geraldine Li's Bio

Geraldine is passionate about how spatial information can be used to achieve sustainable environmental, economic and social development. Her experience across academia, government and private sectors combined with her tertiary qualifications in geophysics, environmental management and human geography (BSc(Hons), MEnvSt, PhD), enable her to broker solutions for some of the most complex problems faced by FrontierSI’s partners. When Geraldine is not solving multi-sectorial problems, she is practicing karate with her kids, swimming laps, climbing mountains or looking into space to try and spot her favourite constellation or orbiting satellite.

Thomas Papanikolaou

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Precise Orbit Determination (POD) Specialist (Software Engineer)

Organisation

Geoscience Australia

Roles

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Precise Orbit Determination (POD) Specialist (Software Engineer)

Tzupang Tseng

Precise Orbit Determination Scientist

Organisation

Geoscience Australia

Roles

Precise Orbit Determination Scientist

Matthew Wilson

Professor of Spatial Information

Organisation

University of Canterbury

External Roles

Professor of Spatial Information

Chris Pettit

Director, Smart Cities

Organisation

University of New South Wales

External Roles

Director, Smart Cities

Kat Salm

Business Development Manager – New Zealand

Organisation

FrontierSI

Roles

Business Development Manager – New Zealand

Kat Salm's Bio

If you’re looking for someone with a passion for spatial futures and who loves to connect people and ideas — or a flightless bird — go no further than the kiwi in the bunch. Kat is our NZ Business Development Manager and has a broad view of the spatial industry across government, academia, and industry. She loves to find opportunity and potential, make complex things simple and turn ideas into reality. Strategic, creative, and pragmatic thinking is her forte, and she often finds ideas are best progressed over a coffee or a wine. Kat has a PhD in Zoology, a pug called Batman, a penchant for holidays anywhere tropical, and a fondness for coffee and wine (did we mention that already?).

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Our Team

Executive Management

Graeme Kernich

Melanie Plumb

Phil Collier

Nathan Quadros

Phil Delaney

Business Development

Nathan Quadros

Paula Fiévez

Phil Delaney

Geraldine Li

Kat Salm

Operations

Melanie Plumb

Samantha Bain

Stephanie Pradier

Michael Little

Wendy Jackson

Research & Development

Phil Collier

Clive Fraser

Alex Leith

Eva Rodriguez Rodriguez

Felix Lipkin

Jess Keysers

Eldar Rubinov

Lachlan Hurst

Chris Morgan

Chris Marshall

Caitlin Adams

Sam Amirebrahimi

Tao Li

German Olivares

Thomas Papanikolaou

Tzupang Tseng

Science Leaders

Ivana Ivanova

Matt Duckham

Matthew Wilson

Chris Pettit

Gillian Sparkes

Chris Thomas

Abigail Goldberg

Paul Farrell

Bruce Thompson

Wendy Lawson

Graeme Kernich

Melanie Plumb

Core

Support

Industry

International

Stakeholders

Program

core-research

AusGeoid 2020

Port Phillip and Western Port Bathymetric LiDAR

Quality Assurance for Unpiloted Aerial Vehicles

Open Data Cube Community Support

Greening the Greyfields

Digital Earth Australia

Australian Cancer Atlas

Satellite Based Augmentation System Test-bed

Change Detection

application-areas

Greening the Greyfields

Cliniface

Digital Earth Australia

Australian Cancer Atlas

Gillian Sparkes

Chris Thomas

Abigail Goldberg

Paul Farrell

Bruce Thompson

Wendy Lawson

Graeme Kernich

Melanie Plumb