Our People

With postgraduate qualifications in science, management, governance and leadership, and over two decades of experience in the Cooperative Research Centre Program, Steve is a strong supporter of the program, its aims and solving industry identified problems through solid science and commercialisation.

He is a values-led and purpose-driven CEO and Non-Executive Director whose career focus has ranged from wildlife conservation to invasive species, agri-food innovation, marine science, and food loss and waste, with sustainability being the central theme.

Throughout his career Steve has worked at the nexus of industry, academia and government, having secured over $300M in competitive funding to created and lead many national not-for-profit public-private partnerships. He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Governor’s Leadership Foundation Program, and a Fulbright Professional Business/Industry Scholar.

Megan is a purpose-driven senior executive with over 20 years’ experience leading financial, operational, and governance functions across professional services, infrastructure, education, and member-based sectors. A Chartered Accountant and GAICD graduate, she brings deep expertise in strategic financial management, enterprise risk, and board engagement within regulated and mission-led environments.

Megan is known for translating complexity into clarity, embedding fit-for-purpose systems, and enabling delivery in lean executive environments. Her entrepreneurial mindset and consulting approach have supported capital projects, commercial partnerships, and stakeholder engagement across diverse settings.

She is recognised for driving performance through structured execution, cross-functional coordination, and a strong focus on continuous improvement.

Anthony has a PhD in marine biotechnology and a lifelong passion for marine issues. He also has a long and productive history in contributing to the CRC program including establishing several spin out organisations, new technologies and research translation.

Anthony was the CEO and Executive Director of Wounds Innovation Ltd, a highly successful spinout company of the Wound Management and Innovation CRC, and proudly accepted the Collaborative Research Australia (CRA) Award for Impact in 2023.

He brings a strong history of developing and implementing IP and commercialisation strategies, along with an extensive network of relationships across research and industry partners.

Corinna brings over 30 years of extensive experience across pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, academic institutions, and government and has held senior roles at Marinova Pty Ltd, University of Tasmania and with leading pharmaceutical companies including GlaxoSmithKline, Servier, and Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica.

Corinna holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Tasmania, a Master of Science from Imperial College London, and a Bachelor of Science from the National University of Ireland. She is a Prince2 Practitioner certified in Project Management and brings proven expertise in strategy execution, stakeholder engagement, and delivering positive outcomes across complex regulatory and commercial environments.

Corinna is passionate about sustainably transforming ocean resources into life-changing health solutions.

Sarah is an academic and enabler of multidisciplinary and international collaborations that drive sustainable ocean production, addressing challenges and barriers in resourcing and capacity, food safety and regulation, market dynamics, supply chain resilience, and product innovation in the context of a rapidly changing climate.

With a dynamic and diverse portfolio, Sarah’s experience spans from agriculture and forestry to the Antarctic and the South Ocean. She has been recognised with awards for excellence in communication and education, and is a graduate of leadership, directorship, and project management programs.

Sarah takes a collaborative and strategic approach, drawing on extensive networks to connect research, industry, and government – an ideal fit for the fast-paced, solution-focused environment of Marine Bioproducts CRC.

A natural people-person, her passion lies in creating and supporting career pathways beyond academia, helping others explore and thrive in real-world settings.

Simon has an Honours Degree in Biotechnology, a PhD in Soil Science, and a Graduate Diploma in Oenology. Having worked for over 20 years across the Environmental, Wine, and Brewing industries in a mixture of technical, management and consulting roles, Simon brings to the team a wide, commercially-focused skill set.

Being a creative, people and outcome-oriented person, Simon enjoys drawing upon his diverse technical, industrial process, safety, training, auditing and structured problem solving skills to manage a wide variety of projects.

Carron Daveson is a proud Narungga and Ngarrindjeri woman with cultural connections to the Ngadjuri and Wirangu Nations of South Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Sport, Health and Physical Activity from Flinders University and has dedicated her career to improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through roles across government, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and the not-for-profit sector, with extensive experience in Aboriginal health and education.

With extensive experience in community engagement, program delivery and partnership development, Carron has led major initiatives across metropolitan, regional and remote communities in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Her work is grounded in self-determination, cultural integrity and building meaningful partnerships with First Nations communities, bringing together professional expertise and cultural knowledge to create lasting and positive outcomes.

Jacoba is a scientific and business development professional with a decade of experience in microbiome innovation, animal nutrition, and translational medical research. She has led complex R&D and commercialisation programs across industry and academia, with a strong focus on strategic partnerships, stakeholder engagement, and product innovation.

She holds a PhD in Medicine from The University of Queensland, where her research focused on microbiome-driven inflammation in skin cancer development.

Jacoba is passionate about advancing sustainable Australian-led innovation through collaborative research and industry engagement across the marine bioproducts sector.

Tehani Silva is an experienced accounting professional with over four years of experience across healthcare, public accounting, sports, and commercial sectors. She has developed strong expertise in accounts payable and receivable, payroll processing, financial reporting, reconciliations, BAS/GST compliance, and budgeting.

Tehani is recognised for her attention to detail, analytical approach, and commitment to maintaining accurate financial records and efficient financial operations. She has supported organisations through month-end reporting, board reporting, cash flow management, and payroll administration while working collaboratively with management and stakeholders.

With a strong customer-focused mindset and a proactive approach to problem-solving, Tehani contributes to building effective financial processes that support organisational growth and operational success.

Elizabeth is an experienced research management professional with a strong track record supporting collaborative research, industry engagement, and innovation programs. As Research Operations Manager at the Marine Bioproducts CRC, she works across the organisation to support the effective delivery of research projects to enable successful collaboration between researchers and industry partners.

Elizabeth previously held research portfolio and project management roles with SmartSat CRC, where she supported nationally significant research initiatives and partnerships across industry, government, and academia. She also spent several years at Flinders University in research development and support positions, managing internal grant programs and assisting researchers in securing competitive external funding.

Elizabeth is an Accredited Research Manager (Foundation) through the Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS). Passionate about enabling research excellence and fostering meaningful partnerships, she is committed to helping researchers and industry partners work together to translate innovation into real-world outcomes with lasting economic, environmental, and social impact.