Dr John McVeigh: Executive Director
John was the Federal Member for Groom, based in Toowoomba until he stepped down in late 2020. He served in Cabinet as Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government, and had extensive experience across a range of regional development, trade and industry related parliamentary committees.
Prior to federal politics John was the State Member for Toowoomba South and served as Queensland Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Shadow Minister for Science, Information Technology and Innovation.
He was previously a Councillor on the Toowoomba Regional Council from 2008 to 2012 where he held the Corporate Services Portfolio and Chaired the External Audit Committee.
Prior to public life John led a Toowoomba based agribusiness consulting practice managing local and international irrigation, aquaculture, beef, cotton, dairy, grains, horticulture, timber, wool and food processing projects.
John’s commercial career prior to politics and consulting included administrative, marketing and management positions in banking, rural merchandise, the grain industry, Department of Primary Industries and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. John is the Chancellor of the University of Southern Queensalnd, and serves on various boards across local education, industry, natural resource management and community organisations. He holds a B. Bus. (USQ), a MBA (Bond) and a PhD in Agribusiness Management (UQ).
John is passionate about the agribusiness and energy sectors and sustainable community development. He is a strong advocate for industry and infrastructure development in regional Australia - particularly that associated with the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project.
Together Anita and John McVeigh have raised their six children in Toowoomba, and they remain proud residents of this leading regional area of the nation.
Kate Harris: Administration Manager & Board Secretary
Kate is a Toowoomba local and has joined the team with 15 years’ experience in operations in the finance, higher education, and agriculture sectors. She holds a Master of Business Administration with Distinction, and she has refined her expertise in organisational management and operational efficiency.
At TSBE, Kate will be responsible for maintaining performance and statutory reporting requirements, both internally and externally, while also providing high-level support to the Executive Director and TSBE Board to ensure streamlined operations and effective governance.
Katie Craymer: Manager - Strategic Communications
Born and raised on the Darling Downs, Katie is passionate about, and knowledgeable of our region. Across the last 15 years, Katie has held marketing, strategic communications, operations and public relations roles across finance, real estate, private enterprise, politics, and education sectors. Holding a Bachelor of Business and Commerce with a Marketing Major, Katie brings skill and experience in strategy, advocacy, public relations, and stakeholder engagement; focused on enabling collaboration, growth, improvement, and prosperity for our region.
Codie Rowling: Events Coordinator
Codie is a Toowoomba local who has an extensive knowledge of the local events scene having lived and worked across the Toowoomba and Maranoa regions. Holding a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) with diploma's in Event Management, Tourism Management and Hospitality Management. Codie has over 12 years’ experience working across a variety of sectors including tertiary education, retail marketing and tourism. Managing events ranging in size and varying in audience from international events, large scale community events to small scale exclusive functions.
Sophie Kluckhohn: Marketing Coordinator
Sophie is an experienced marketing and communications professional with a strong background in local government. With nearly eight years in the sector, she has developed expertise in strategic communication, media engagement and effective marketing campaigns.
Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, majoring in Marketing she continues to apply this knowledge to drive impactful campaigns and initiatives. Sophie has a passion for delivering effective communication strategies that connect communities and businesses.
Hayley Warren: Administration Officer - Membership
Hayley was born and bred in the Western Downs and is passionate about economic change enabling growth and prosperity in the Toowoomba and Surat Basin region. She has a keen interest in social development and appreciates the role social enterprises play in improving the well-being of our community.
Hayley has been a part of the TSBE team for over five years where she has gained an in-depth knowledge of TSBE’s operations and our members enabling her to make meaningful connections amongst our membership database and to business opportunities.
As an experienced administrator and project officer, Hayley has played a key role in delivering an array of TSBE projects and core functions.
Rowie Beveridge: General Manager - Food Leaders Australia
Rowie Beveridge is General Manager - Food Leaders Australia, a role that assists agri-business in progressing value add products, helping establish go-to-market strategies and developing supply chains through to market. With more than 25 years of agribusiness experience in cotton, grain, livestock and horticulture, Rowie has a well-rounded and practical understanding of identifying genuine opportunities and benefits for producers in the food and fibre industries. She is passionate about challenging the status quo and keen to help agribusiness excel at ethical and sustainable growth. Driven by her appetite to change the perception of rural/regional Australia she loves to advocate the innovation, smarts and quality of life that continue to grow and thrive inland.
Anna Geddes: Agribusiness Development Manager
Born and raised in Toowoomba, Anna brings a robust background in agriculture to the TSBE team. With over 15 years of experience in policy and sustainability across key regions in Queensland, she contributes a wealth of knowledge to our initiatives. In her recent endeavors, Anna spent the last 5 years in the superannuation industry, working for one of Australia's largest funds. Her focus was on servicing employers and their members in Southern Queensland and Northwest New South Wales. Anna's career reflects her passion and commitment to sustainable practices, coupled with a holistic understanding of various sectors.
Anna holds a Bachelor of Applied Science with a major in Natural Resource Management.
Nilesh Prasad: Trade and Market Manager
Nilesh Prasad, our Trade and Market Manager, brings vast expereince to the role that supports TSBE members who are current or future exporters, helping drive the development of an international and domestic export culture across the region. Nilesh has more than 15 of experience in management and public administration roles including roles in local and federal governments such as Investment Fiji – Ministry of Industry & Trade, and Fiji Olympic Committee, including 10 years of experience in working with Economic Development Agencies in New Zealand and Fiji.
Nilesh’s background is in project management, strategic management, planning, event management, marketing, human resources, finance, contractor management and has completed a Master of Commerce in Management and Public Administration.
Daniel McNamara: General Manager - Energy and Infrastructure
Daniel McNamara is passionate about the Toowoomba region which he has called home for over 40 years. A qualified carpenter and builder, he has a real interest in property and real estate having built and invested in commercial and residential property and worked as a commercial Real Estate Agent.
Daniel's experience with various industry sectors is an asset to TSBE and our members. He is more than happy to assist members with market intel, business leads, business to business introductions, strategic planning and helping to identify niche markets. As General Manager – Energy and Infrastructure, he works hard to create opportunities for TSBE members and help identify major projects to bring to the region and ensures these opportunities cascade to our members. Dan travels throughout the region and loves nothing more than to get on site to understand the businesses that help make our region so prosperous.
Renée Wallace: Project Manager
Renée is passionate about assisting members and stakeholders achieve their full potential to sustainably grow the region. With over 20 years of experience as an engineer working in Australia and the UK in mining and industry, oil and gas and public infrastructure areas, Renée brings a wealth of knowledge in government process, community engagement, tendering, and supply chain for the energy and infrastructure community. Having lived in regional Queensland for the last 14 years Renée understands the unique challenges and opportunities this brings. Renée is eager to connect with your organisation to understand how TSBE can assist you succeed.
Josh Edwards: Health and Education Manager
Josh brings more than 18 years of experience in commercial banking specialising in the healthcare and education sectors. Having spent the past 11 years in Toowoomba and Darling Downs Region, and understands the opportunities and challenges in these key industries and is eager to advocate for our members. His diverse skill set and passion for our Region’s primary employment industries, health and education, mean he is well equipped to drive positive outcomes for our network.
Josh holds a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance, Banking and Accounting and a Masters of Sustainability Science.
Ashley Williams: Indigenous Business Connector
Ashley is the Indigenous Business Connector working out of both Toowoomba and Chinchilla. Ashley is a proud Koa People and Wakka Wakka People man who has extensive experience making and managing connections within the resource, infrastructure, and government sectors. With experience spanning Arrow Energy, ARTC and the National Native Title Tribunal, Ashley is passionate and knowledgeable about connecting and assisting Indigenous businesses grow in our region.
Mark Mason: Project Manager – Olympic Strategy and Legacy
With the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon TSBE, in partnership with Toowoomba Regional Council, is delivering a project targeted at identifying and capturing opportunities across the region that will stem from the delivery of The Games. Mark has been appointed to capture and develop these opportunities and to provide advocacy for the region in the lead up to The Games.
With experience gleaned from the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the London 2012 Olympics Mark has a well-developed understanding of the development and delivery of an Olympic Games and a deep appreciation of the benefits Olympic Legacy can bring to the region. Mark also has a broad understanding of the mechanics of community development and the importance of balancing commercial activity and social cohesion to improve the liveability of the region.
Mark is actively pursuing opportunities for the region in agriculture, sports infrastructure, tourism, energy and community development that are linked to Brisbane 2032.
Lance MacManus: Manager - Strategic Partnerships
Lance has been serving business and industry for over10 years servicing business across the Toowoomba, Maranoa and Western Downs regions.
Supply chain engagement, tendering and investments, while creating opportunities for members and industry outcomes are Lance’s specialties. A result of both domestic and international consultancy and management experience. While TSBE works with a wide range of industries across the region, Lance works to link regional business opportunities and, in the resources, renewables, coal seam gas, mining, infrastructure and development sectors.
Amanda Maurice: Lead Business Coach, Business Navigator Western Downs
Amanda is a skilled professional with a passion for local business resilience and success.
Drawing from over 20 years’ diverse work experience including hospitality and events, management accounting, economic development and financial counselling, Amanda’s approach to coaching blends practical wisdom with genuine care.
Born in Victoria and raised in Tasmania, Amanda has also enjoyed working and living in the Northern Territory and on the Gold Coast, before settling in the Western Downs during 2012. Amanda especially enjoys the sense of community and outdoors lifestyle the Western Downs offers for her and her young family.
Suzie Wood: Business Coach, Business Navigator Western Downs
Business Coach Suzie Wood is a senior finance professional with a unique blend of Australian and International business experience in a wide range of industries, across both large and small businesses. Suzie is a Big 4 trained Chartered Accountant with over 20 years experience and has a sound ability to understand holistic business financial requirements, helping drive efficiencies and innovation across various business functions.
Successfully delivering a diverse array of financial reporting, forecasting, budgeting and business case proposals, Suzie is passionate about increasing business owners’ capacity to understand and analyse their finances to drive business improvement. She is adept at rapidly establishing working relationships with local networks and key stakeholder groups and businesses.
Ailsa Cass: Marketing Advisor, Business Navigator Western Downs
Ailsa is a qualified and passionate marketing professional with experience working with a diverse range of organisations. Ailsa assists clients with preparing marketing strategies and plans, advises on digital media tools and ensures the service is well promoted. Ailsa particularly loves helping businesses define and own their brand position and then tell their story consistently across all marketing communications/platforms.
Fastidious with details, Ailsa is also a strong project manager ensuring clients are well looked after and projects are delivered to the highest standard. With a real passion for ecommerce Ailsa also runs the peer group for our Western Downs based ecommerce businesses assisting in both technical and website design using the Shopify platform and ensuring user experience is delivered.
