Narelle Heard
Narelle is passionate about the land, having been born and bred on a dryland farm south-west of Horsham in the Wimmera, where she also operated a farming business for many years.
Narelle is a Director for Princes Court Limited and is an experienced Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary with 14 years of board-level experience. She has a strong background in governance, strategy, financial, audit and risk management, investment, and project management with particular experience in the agricultural, land, water, and resource industries.
Narelle is a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) with a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Finance, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Course. She is a member of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and Board Direction.
Janice Kelly
Janice has over 30 years’ of experience as a primary producer and 35 years’ of experience as a Chartered Accountant. Janice is an experienced Finance and Corporate Services Manager and has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course.
Janice is an experienced company director and is currently Chair of Swan Hill District Health, and a member of its Community and Cultural Engagement Committee.
Janice has provided significant input into organisational strategic plans both as a board member and senior manager.
Robert Matthews
Having grown up on the family farm at Meringur, Robert has been involved in dryland wheat and sheep farming his whole life. After 13 years in the Commonwealth public service working in employment counselling, Robert returned to full-time farming in 1998.
With a keen focus on all areas of Natural Resource Management; combatting soil erosion, resource efficiency and the further development of biological farming methods are major priorities for Robert.
Robert is currently serving as Secretary of the Koorlong Hall Committee and is the sole director of Kurnwill Quarries.
Andrew Charles
Andy Charles is a proud Yorta Yorta/Wemba Wemba man highly committed to true Aboriginal Self-Determination and achieving positive outcomes across regional community networks. Appointed to the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (MCMA) Board as a Non-Executive Director in October 2025, Andy previously served the organisation as an Independent Aboriginal Board Delegate from June 2024 to September 2025, embedding critical Aboriginal values and perspectives into environmental, land, and water management.
Andy brings a wealth of senior executive and governance experience within the human services and Aboriginal Community Controlled sectors. He is currently the Interim Chief Operations Officer at Mallee District Aboriginal Services (MDAS), following previous senior roles within the organisation including Acting Chief Executive Officer and Director of Family and Community Services.
His broader regional leadership includes serving as Executive General Manager of Child and Family Services (VIC/NSW) at Mallee Family Care and Executive Chair of the Mallee Child and Family Services Alliance.
A graduate of the Northern Mallee Leadership Program, Andy also holds a Master of Management and a Post Graduate Certificate in Family Therapy from La Trobe University, as well as a Diploma of Community Services from the Sunraysia Institute of TAFE. Deeply connected to the Sunraysia community, he also served as President of the Irymple Football Netball Club from 2021 to 2025.
Ann Hodge
Ann brings more than 25 years of experience in primary production, with a strong focus on dairy management and industry development. She maintains a keen interest in water policy, environmental stewardship, and regional growth opportunities.
Ann serves as Secretary of the Barham-based Western Murray Land Improvement Group, an organisation dedicated to: agricultural research, development and extension; industry diversification; Landcare initiatives; environmental services; and environmental markets.
Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education, Ann offers a broad skill set spanning committee leadership, primary production, water policy and community engagement.
Ruwan Jayasinghe
Ruwan is a chartered professional civil engineer and a fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia. He has worked extensively in floodplain management, asset management, and facilitated the delivery of multi-million-dollar capital works programs and flood overlay planning scheme amendments. Ruwan currently works for City of Stonnington in a leadership role in asset management.
Prior to 2022, Ruwan worked with all Catchment Management Authorities as a member of the Victorian Floodplain Manager’s Forum for three years. One key function of this forum is sharing knowledge in flood management for the common good of all Victorians.
Ruwan also worked for Melbourne Water in various technical and leadership roles for 26 years. During this period Ruwan engaged constructively with many organisations and communities to facilitate positive outcomes across Victoria. This included contributing to many statewide committees, projects, and publications such as: the Victorian Flood Mapping and Data Guidelines; Melbourne Water’s Flood Mapping Technical Specifications; Benchmarking Australian Rainfall and Runoff 2019 for Victoria; City of Melbourne’s Integrated Climate Adaptation Model Steering Committee; and the Victorian Natural Disaster Resilience Grants Scheme.
Kym McIntosh
Kym McIntosh grew up in north central Victoria on a mixed cattle sheep and cropping farm.
After completing a Bachelor of Recreation, Kym worked in community leisure and then took some time to travel. Kym went on to work in state government including roles with Sport and Recreation Victoria, and Services Australia (formerly the Department of Human Services) in project management/disability services and then undertook further studies to obtain a graduate certificate in Natural Resource Management through Deakin University.
Kym and her husband purchased her parent’s small dryland farm near Kerang, where they manage a herd of Angus. Kym also assists her husband with his Melbourne-based landscaping business.
As an active member of her local Enhancing Northern Waterways Advisory Group (hosted by the North Central CMA) and the Mallee CMA Board, Kym is able to follow her passion of protecting and enhancing waterways and the environment
Mallee Catchment Management Authority
Cnr Koorlong Avenue and Eleventh Street
Irymple VIC 3498
P 03 5001 8600
The Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA) acknowledges and respects Traditional Owners, Aboriginal communities and organisations. We recognise the diversity of their cultures and the deep connections they have with Victoria’s lands and waters. We value partnerships with them for the health of people and country. The Mallee CMA Board, management and staff pay their respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the primacy of Traditional Owners’ obligations, rights and responsibilities to use and care for their traditional lands and waters.
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