Our Team

As the CEO of The National Trust of South Australia, Simon leads a small but mighty team of professionals. With a seven years experience as CEO for National Trust of Australia (Victoria), Simon has comprehensive knowlege of heritage and conservation. With a BA in Arts Management and a background in tourism and destination marketing, Simon has a passion for preserving and promoting the natural, cultural, and Indigenous heritage that creates our national identity.

Leanne has a passion for the inner-workings of business and has been fortunate to deep-dive into the National Trust. Leanne oversees the State Office which includes human resources, the tri-annual magazine, legal queries, policies and procedures and works in conjunction with the team to develop strategic initiatives that benefit the organisation and its members. She has had experience working in a diverse range of industries such as human services, marketing and government spanning regions including London, Melbourne and Sydney. Leanne is obsessed with her cavoodle, Bonnie, who you can find in the office weekly and in her spare time loves painting, reading, pilates and yoga.

Laura's career has had many chapters, including history, tourism, hospitality, sports, and marketing. She has a deep passion for South Australia, having grown up in Kybybolite and moved throughout country SA. Laura was most recently at the Royal Flying Doctor Service, coordinating corporate partnerships at a state and national level however she's xcited to be back in the heritage sector, particularly as the National Trust of South Australia embarks on new strategies for significant properties. On a personal note - Laura is an avid reader, Crows fan and chardonnay enthusiast.

Victoria holds a Master of Arts Degree, majoring in Spanish and French, a Bachelor in Economics, and a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration. She has worked as a translator, teacher, and finance manager, with the latter role spanning the last 16 years. Victoria works with numbers, accounting systems, and people at different business levels, handling every aspect of financial sustainability, financial record keeping, reporting, and compliance. She aims to make financial matters easier to understand and manage, improve and innovate business systems where necessary, and ensure the business remains safe and sound. She hopes to see the National Trust of South Australia sustain its historic sites and preserve them for future generations, knowing she has contributed to this goal. Her hobbies have evolved over time, and she is passionate about languages, world literature, history, and music. She adores spending time with her grandkids and their puppy, Eve. She still hopes to one day own white skate boots and test her skills on the skating rink.

Alex manages the Nature Reserves across South Australia. She leads passionate and dedicated volunteers to undertake conservation efforts which include weed control, pest animal control, track and trail maintenance, bushfire prevention, visitor experiences, managing buildings on these reserves and liaising with community groups. Alex has worked and volunteered in the environmental field all her life, with experience in non-government organisations including local action planning and landcare, government roles in National Parks and Wildlife, Natural Resource Management, and education. Additionally, she has worked in out of home care, on mining sites, in veterinary surgeries, ecotourism, farming, and more. Outside of work, Alex spends time on her 75-acre property, undertaking similar tasks to her role at work, as the property was recently put under a heritage agreement. She shares this place with lots of wildlife, including Diamond Firetails and Restless Flycatchers. She also helps her partner with shearing on weekends. Many may already know she is a big softy and will never say no to an animal in need—these days it’s mostly dogs and lambs/sheep, and although exhausting, this is another of her true passions.

Louise's role at the National Trust of South Australia involves creating, organising, and delivering events and activations at properties across South Australia. To date, the largest event she has conducted is the annual Women's Pioneer Trail Walk. She also manages venue hire and oversees public and private tours at the properties. Louise began her career in administration but soon discovered a passion for events. This led her to complete a Certificate III in Events Management, pursuing a career as an Events Coordinator. With over 10 years of experience in the events industry, she has owned and operated a photobooth business and worked at various wedding and event venues in South Australia. Her love for heritage properties began at Ayers House and continues to grow in her current role at the National Trust of South Australia. Louise loves ice skating, painting, baking delicious treats, and playing the piano/bass.

Jimmy was born and educated in Thailand. She attended university in Thailand, graduating with a Marketing degree and ,after completing her degree, she worked in the hotel industry in various roles, including administration and marketing. Jimmy moved to Australia in 2011. Since then, she has worked in office finance and accounting roles. Jimmy works in accounts payable, receivable and managing our appeal accounts. Her hobbies include travel, outdoor activities, and exploring the opportunities Australia offers. She also enjoys spending time at a beach house in Middleton, with her grandchildren, and especially with their puppy.

Colleen’s career spans some 45 years specialising in Business Management, Compliance, Training and Development and Systems Management. With a portfolio and matching qualifications from working in large Corporate Companies, Local Government and Tourism, Colleen’s experience covers both country and metropolitan locations along with managing large numbers of staff, winning awards both in SA and nationally for Service Excellence, efficiencies and business management. Since joining the National Trust of South Australia 5 years ago Colleen has worked extensively in the Volunteer space and more recently is focused on assisting with all things compliance. Having a large family with lots of grandies spare time is of a premium and when she can spends her time around food styling and photography.

Erin grew up on the Copper Coast and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History & Anthropology, as well as a Master’s degree in Cultural Heritage & Museum Studies from Deakin (2023). She specialises in collection management, with a strong focus on cataloguing, digital databases, digitisation, and curation.
Erin has worked with The David Roche Gallery (2019–present), The History Trust of South Australia (2022–2024), and the South Australian Museum (2021), gaining extensive experience in collection management and digitisation. She is proud to now be part of the National Trust of South Australia team, helping to preserve and share the state’s rich cultural heritage.
Outside of work, Erin is passionate about history, reading, gardening, bees, and collecting.