ABOUT US

Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries’ (EMS)

is an incorporated, not-for-profit, non-government organisation. The program is based on (with permission) the highly successful New Zealand program ‘Experiencing Marine Reserves’.

An important component of EMS’s approach to education is to give children and their parents (and grand parents) a safe and professionally supervised ‘hands on’ experience of our unique and beautiful marine life.

Our EMS coordinators are qualified first aid, snorkelling and/or diving instructors and offer guidance, direction and coordination of in water experiences. EMS provides mask (goggles), snorkel, fins (flippers) and wetsuits. For many participants it is their first time snorkelling, therefore having a ratio of one parent to two students assists with supervision and safety.

OUR AIMS

FOSTER

appreciation and conservation of the marine environment.

PROMOTE

the establishment, effective monitoring and management of marine sanctuaries.

INSPIRE

people to become citizen scientists and actively participate in marine conservation.

EDUCATE

and engage through experience in the marine environment

Demonstrate

the value of marine sanctuaries

MEET THE TEAM

President: Professor Bronwyn Gillanders

Vice President: John-Paul Davies-Morgante

Treasurer: Marilyn Revell

Secretary: Sue Hill

Public Officer, Cofounder, and CEO:
Carl Charter

Committee Members:
Adrian Brown, Ian Vayne, Gill Peacey, Pragathi

Inclusive Subcommittee Member:
Sharon Colsey, Wendy Gordon, Vicki Toovey, Craig Zubrinich

Events and Volunteer Coordinator: Sophie Hayat

Education Program Coordinator:
Bailee Holmes

Evaluation Steering Committee Members: Hayley Rochford, Bronwyn Gillanders, Carl Charter, Harper Rochford, Sophie Hayat, Bailee Holmes

Professor Bronwyn Gillanders | President

Bronwyn is a Professor at the University of Adelaide. She has a background in marine biology and ecology and is passionate about training the next generation of marine biologists. Her research interests are broad but include gaining a better understanding of the giant Australian cuttlefish. She enjoys snorkelling and SCUBA diving around South Australia as well as in warmer environments.

Marilyn Revell | Treasurer

Marilyn has been involved in accounting since starting her working career.
In the last 15 years she has worked in Real Estate and Hospitality training organisations, where her role included training in finance, and administration of regulatory compliance and governance practices.
Retiring a year ago, Marilyn has kept active being the Treasurer of a Community Garden and recently the Secretary of her local Neighbourhood Watch.
Passionate about the making the environment a better place for our children, and their children, she is looking forward to learning about our precious marine environment and to snorkel with the team.

Sue Hill | Secretary

Since my early childhood – when my father founded KESAB, I have been immersed in environmental causes and issues. Perhaps it was summers spent on the beach participating in some of the state’s earliest beach cleans that my passion for the health of our oceans emerged.
I currently volunteer with Sea Shepherd and assist them locally with publicity when and where appropriate. I also volunteer my time and expertise pro-rata to environmental causes and organisations including working alongside and helping the students on the first School Strike for Climate events in Adelaide.
In both my professional career and through organisations in which I’ve been involved, I have experience in working with volunteers and to a lesser extent, fundraising.
Aside from the environment, my other passion is travel and Im lucky enough to have travelled solo and with my family to every continent bar Antarctica (but Im working on that one!).
My career path has primarily followed a course of PR & Marketing providing me with a skill set honed over several decades within this field.

Gill Peacey | Committee member

Gill grew up in NZ spending as much time as possible in the beautiful outdoors including sailing and diving the coastal waters and inland lakes around the top of the South Island. A passion for the environment and a love for the outdoors led to a career in environmental management, and after working in several NZ national parks she moved to NSW, then across to South Australia’s national parks as a Park Ranger focussing on community engagement programs and park accessibility. She later moved into senior management roles including Commonwealth and State funded NRM grant programs, grant governance and national parks volunteer programs.

Carl Charter | Public Officer, Executive Officer & Program Manager

Carl is passionate about the ocean, he has been diving for over 30 years and recently became a PADI Dive Instructor with specialties in teaching underwater photography, O2 provision and First Aid (EFR). Carl has worked as a trainer, consultant, executive officer and program manager in the not-for-profit arena for past 20 years. He has a Degree in Fisheries and a Diploma in Resource Technology and has worked in marine archaeology, on-ground conservation, environmental management, sustainability auditing, community engagement and school and community education. Carl developed and managed an award-winning program for schools and community on River Murray and water conservation and more recently has worked on the multi award-winning Reef Watch SA Intertidal Monitoring and Feral or in Peril programs.

SOPHIE HAYAT | VOLUNTEER AND EVENTS COORDINATOR

Sophie enjoys the ocean all year round, engaging in snorkeling, diving, surfing, and cold immersions during winter. In addition to coordinating and managing behind-the-scenes activities at EMS, she also leads snorkel tours at EMS community events. Passionate about community, permaculture, sustainability, and ocean conservation, Sophie has a background as an educator and project administrator in adult and community education. She also facilitates yoga, meditation, retreats, workshops, deep ecology, and nature connection experiences.

BAILEE HOLMES | Education Program Coordinator

Bailee is a qualified teacher currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology. She is dedicated to educating others about the ocean to foster appreciation and conservation awareness. Bailee has experience teaching within the Australian Curriculum and designing hands-on, engaging learning programs for students of various ages and abilities. An experienced snorkeler and diver, she enjoys exploring local marine environments in her free time.

VICKI TOOVEY | Inclusive Subcommittee Member

Vicki has held senior leadership roles in both State and Commonwealth Governments, including positions as Women’s Adviser and Disability Adviser. She has chaired numerous disability advisory bodies providing advice to government and served as President of Women with Disabilities for several years. Vicki has been a board member for organisations such as the Dame Roma Mitchell Trust Fund for Children and Young People, Relationships Australia (SA), SCOSA, and Novita. After acquiring a disability in 1979, she has been active in disability advocacy at both the professional and community levels for over three decades.

SHARON COLSEY | Inclusive Subcommittee Member

Sharon is passionate about helping organisations improve inclusivity. As a mother of three children on the autism spectrum with ADHD, and with her own diagnoses of ASD and ADHD, she has personal experience with neurodiversity. With a background in the Navy and electrical and systems engineering, Sharon also enjoys nature, including bushwalking and bike riding. Despite growing up inland, she developed a lifelong love for the ocean, earning an Open Water Dive Certification and living near the Great Barrier Reef.

WENDY GORDON | Inclusive Subcommittee Member

Wendy Gordon is a dedicated freediver and scuba diver as well as a registered nurse, currently teaching in the undergraduate nursing program at the University of South Australia. With extensive experience in nursing, Wendy has spent the past decade specialising in support for young people with complex disabilities, enabling them to access education and community services. Her role involves providing training and support for the caregivers of these young individuals.

CRAIG ZUBRINICH | Inclusive Subcommittee Member