Chief Executive Officer - Rebecca Brown PSM
Rebecca commenced as Director General of the
Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI) in September 2018.
In this role, she is also Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Western
Australia. Rebecca has overseen
significant changes across JTSI to position the agency as critical to advancing
the State Government's key policy agendas, including growing local jobs,
diversifying the state's industry base and export potential and continuing to
leverage the broader research, science and innovation community to advance
outcomes for Western Australia. She was appointed Acting Director General of
the Department of the Premier and Cabinet from March 2020 to May 2021 to
support the State Government's early response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rebecca
returned to her role as Director General of JTSI in June 2021. She has worked
across both Federal and State Government agencies in a range of senior roles
across revenue and economic policy, social policy, resourcing and performance.
Rebecca has held senior positions at both WA Treasury and the WA Department of
the Premier and Cabinet, where she oversaw key reforms between the public and
non-profit community sectors.
Acting Managing Director - Steph Underwood
Steph Underwood is the Acting Managing Director at Tourism WA and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the agency, including the promotion of WA as an incredible tourism destination, and working with industry and government to improve access, accommodation and tourism experiences, while delivering a world-class events calendar. Steph has 10 years’ experience in the public sector in roles focusing on cross-government coordination, delivery, and continual improvement, with previous positions held at the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation, and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Steph is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has held volunteer board positions.
Chief Financial Officer - Renato Sansalone
Renato is responsible for our financial and accounting services and ensuring the agency's compliance with financial matters. Renato has more than 25 years' experience working in finance-related positions within the WA Public Sector. Previous agencies include the Department of Culture and the Arts, where he held Chief Financial Officer roles at the Art Gallery of WA and the WA Museum, the Department for Planning and Infrastructure, and the Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor. Renato joined Tourism WA in 2012 and is also currently the Chief Finance Officer for the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation and the Anzac Day Trust.
Executive Director - Corporate Services - Scott Davis
Scott leads the Corporate Services team which supports the agency by providing financial services, legal, risk management, human resources management, information management, ICT and procurement/contract services. With over 25 years of broad international management and leadership experience across both the public and private sectors, Scott has joined the agency on secondment from the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety where he has led functions including business innovation, licensing services and regulatory reform.
Executive Director - Marketing - Melissa Forbes
Melissa and her team focus on implementing our
marketing strategy in Australia and our key international markets, leading the
WA tourism brand strategy and the development and implementation of destination
marketing campaigns. The division
oversees trade partnerships, media buying, brand and creative, digital
platforms, data strategy, social content, public relations, and
familiarisations, and management of Tourism WA’s 11 global marketing
offices. Melissa has nearly 20 years of
brand and marketing experience, leading teams across the government,
hospitality and travel sectors, including destination marketing projects at the
City of Perth, and overseeing public relations at Voyages Hotels and Resorts,
based at Ayers Rock.
Executive Director - Events - Anna Last
Anna leads the Tourism WA Events division, which develops, sponsors, markets and promotes a diverse calendar of sporting, cultural, arts and culinary events that showcase Western Australia and give visitors a time-specific reason to visit the state. This includes support for major and regional events through the Tourism WA Major Events Fund, Regional Events Program and Regional Events Scheme. Anna joined Tourism WA in 2021, with over a decade of experience in partnerships, media and communications, having worked internationally in London and in Melbourne and Perth. Most recently, Anna managed the Corporate Partnerships team at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.
Executive Director - Destination Development - Renata Lowe
Renata leads the Destination Development division,
which focuses on the supply-side of tourism, working with the public and
private sectors to encourage the development of incredible tourism experiences
and destinations that create memorable holidays. The division is responsible
for Aboriginal tourism, workforce development, cruise tourism attraction,
policy and planning and destination development, and includes a case management
team to help significant private sector developments navigate planning
approvals. Renata has around 30 years' experience in the tourism industry
working in visitor servicing, marketing and destination development. She is a past CEO of Australia’s Golden
Outback regional tourism organisation, interim CEO of the WA Indigenous Tourism
Operators Council, and was Tourism Policy Advisor for former State Tourism
Ministers. She joined Tourism WA in 2009.
Executive Director - Strategy and Engagement - Steph Underwood
Steph heads up the Strategy and Engagement division,
which oversees the agency’s Insights and Planning, Industry and Partnerships, and
Corporate Communications divisions. Steph has 10 years’ experience in the
public sector in roles focusing on cross-government coordination and delivery and continual improvement, and comes most recently from JTSI in a Program
Director position and, before that, working within Fire and Emergency Services.
Steph is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has
held volunteer board positions, including at the South Coastal Women's Health
Services.
Director - Office of the Managing Director - Hannah Moore
Hannah has been in the public sector for more than 15 years and joins us from the Department of Premier and Cabinet, where she was the Executive Manager for Aboriginal Engagement for more than two years. Hannah has had many roles in her career, including within the Department of Communities, the Department of Justice (working in the Commissioner of Corrective Services' office), and working for the Standing Committee on Estimates and Financial Operations at Parliament House. Hannah has a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and Public Relations, and brings a great wealth of experience in Ministerial processes and protocol, governance, and budget management to the agency.
Director - Corporate Communications - Kate Hodges
Kate leads the Corporate Communications team within the
broader Strategy and Engagement division. The Corporate Communications team is
responsible for promoting the work of the agency to the WA tourism industry,
domestic news media and the wider community. The team focuses on strategic
communications, media relations, speech writing, digital communications and
print publications, as well as internal communications and events for the
agency. Kate has more than a decade of media and communications experience
across a range of diverse industries including journalism, business, industry
advocacy and local government, with more than five years’ experience in the
Australian tourism sector, having joined Tourism WA in 2022 after working for
Tourism Australia.