Mell Greenall is a strategic leader, industry advocate, and the current CEO of Before You Dig Australia (BYDA), the nation’s leading authority on safe excavation and utility damage prevention. In 2024, she was named “CEO Safety Champion of the Year” by the Australian Institute of Health and Safety, recognising her national impact on safety leadership and innovation. With over two decades of experience in stakeholder engagement, policy development, and industry transformation, Mell has led BYDA through a major organisational reset—driving a renewed national focus on damage prevention, digital innovation, and cross-sector collaboration.

Karen Thompson's career spans precast concrete, pipe design, manufacturing and management.  She is experienced in the design and installation of concrete, plastic, steel and composite pipes, with a focus on improving the knowledge and understanding of how to achieve durable pipelines through great specification, design and installation practices.

Jesper is a civil/structural engineer with 30 years’ experience in local government, consulting, technical management and building/concrete products manufacturing. In addition to his stakeholder engagement and business development responsibilities, Jesper is also IPWEA-QNT’s technical lead and is the Project Manager of many of our Working Groups and Committees.

Nadia Guterres is a Principal Engineer with Sunshine Coast Council Strategic Flooding and Stormwater Team. Nadia has more than 20 years of experience as a flood and stormwater modeller.

Sarah is a specialist planning and environment lawyer, with particular expertise in infrastructure, environment, and strategic planning. Her experience includes advising government and private clients in relation to planning and environment litigation, project approvals and planning instruments, due diligence, infrastructure agreements, contaminated land, and other environmental matters.

Mark is a civil engineer who has spent more than a decade a managing the asset lifecycle of pipes. He’s been involved in design and construction through to condition assessment and decommissioning, including all that occurs between. He made the move from a public utility to VAPAR after seeing the industry’s need for improved modern solutions to pipe condition assessment and the associated management of data. Mark is passionate about improving business efficiency and utilising data to drive smart decisions.  

Brian is a qualified and highly experienced engineer with over 10 years of experience. This includes project design delivery for various clients and sectors throughout Queensland, with significant knowledge of the Toowoomba community region.

Brian has strong design skills in stormwater management, bulk earthworks, site levels and external pavements. He brings a strong commitment to providing the most desirable outcomes for his clients, projects and community base.