SEMC Members

SEMC Members
Dr Ron Edwards - Chair Independent Member Dr Ron Edwards has extensive board experience in the fisheries, the resources and not-for-profit sectors, including previous appointments on the Pacific Area Working Group for the Marine Stewardship Council, the Not-for-Profit Sector Reform Council, the Australian Social Inclusion Board and the Seafood Trade and Market Access Forum. He is the co-founder of the Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation for indigenous youth and has also served on the boards of the Perth Mint, as Chair of Anglican Youth Ministries, the Anglican Schools Commission and as Chair of the Potato Marketing Corporation and the Rock Lobster Industry Advisory Committee. He is currently on the boards of Youth Focus, the Young Lives Matter Foundation, the National Landcare Advisory Committee and continues with the Polly Farmer Foundation. Dr Edwards' career has also included strategic project work, academic, research and media communications roles, and he served as the Federal Member for Stirling in Western Australia between 1983 and 1993. Dr Ron Edwards has been the SEMC Chair since October 2017.
Ms Melissa Pexton - Deputy Chair Independent Member With a passion for community and fascination with government, Ms Melissa Pexton has dedicated her career to working with communities to build resilience within the complex environment of emergency management Ms Pexton currently oversees the Emergency Management Policy portfolio for Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA). WALGA is an independent, membership-based group representing and supporting 140 local governments statewide. Ms Pexton's draws on her background in community development, policy and advocacy to ensure that the interests and views of local government are conveyed to other spheres of government. Prior to joining WALGA in May 2015, Ms Pexton held positions with Emergency Management Western Australia (EMWA) as Principal Policy and Planning Officer, during the implementation of the Emergency Management Act WA 2005 and later leading the Community Emergency Management Services portfolio, overseeing the Western Australian Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (WANDRRA), Natural Disaster Resilience Program, AWARE and State emergency management training. During this time, Ms Pexton was appointed as an Executive Officer to the State Emergency Management Committee and the State Emergency Coordination Group. Ms Pexton has built extensive experience working in the community engagement portfolio of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority (now Department of Fire and Emergency Services) working with emergency service volunteers and staff, alongside local governments and key stakeholders to build resilience and understanding of the impacts of natural hazards in the community. Ms Pexton is regarded for her comprehensive understanding of the Emergency Management Policy Framework and her ability to facilitate beneficial outcomes involving diverse and varied stakeholders from all sectors of the community. Ms Pexton was appointed as Deputy Chair of the SEMC in May 2018 and Chair SEMC Recovery and Community Engagement Subcommittee.
Ms Linda Savage Independent Member Linda has a BA (Hons) in Political Science from UWA and a Law Degree from the University of Cambridge. Through-out her working life she has had a strong focus on law reform, social justice and the rights of women and children. She is a previous Director of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal and a Legal Member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. She has also been a Member of the Legislative Council of the West Australian State parliament. She was the Inaugural Convener of the Valuing Children Initiative. She has served on a wide range of advisory committees and boards including the Women’s Advisory Council to the Premier, the Reproductive Technology Council of Western Australia, the Chief Justice’s Taskforce on Gender Bias, Executive of Women Lawyers (WA), Convener of Management Committee of the Women’s Legal Service of Western Australia, the Board of the Art Gallery of Western Australia and the Taskforce to establish the State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia. She is currently a Director on the Board of The Black Swan State Theatre Company, Youth Legal Service (Inc), the National Drug Research Institute. She has twice been recognized by her legal peers. In 1997 she was awarded the Law Society of Western Australia’s annual award for Outstanding Service to the Community. In 2010 she was named Woman Lawyer of the Year. Ms Savage has been a SEMC Independent Member since September 2018.
Mr Malcolm (Mal) Cronstedt AFSM Executive Officer Mr Mal Cronstedt commenced his career in the fire service as a volunteer in 1976 and then joined full-time in 1982, progressing through the ranks across the state in a variety of operational and support roles. Mr Cronstedt undertook a secondment to Fire & Rescue NSW (then NSW Fire Brigades) in 2003–04 and in 2005 joined the NSW Rural Fire Service as the Blue Mountains Superintendent. He returned to Western Australia in 2008 as Fire and Emergency Service Authority's Rural Operations Coordinator South and was subsequently appointed as Chief Superintendent Country South in July 2012, upon the creation of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES). Mr Cronstedt was appointed inaugural Director of the Office of Bushfire Risk Management in August 2012. In August 2014 he became Executive Director of the State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC) Secretariat (now OEM). Mr Cronstedt is an ex-officio member of the SEMC, Chair of the SEMC Risk subcommittee, member of the State Bushfire Coordinating Committee and member of the DFES Audit and Risk Committee. In addition, he is Chair of the Development Disability WA board, and sits on the Kensington Secondary School board as an independent member. Mr Cronstedt holds a Master of Business Administration, a Graduate Diploma in Disaster Management and a Bachelor of Arts. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Institution of Fire Engineers and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government's Executive Fellows Program. Mr Mal Cronstedt has been the SEMC Executive Officer since August 2014.
Mr Darren Foster Member Mr Darren Foster was appointed as Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in July 2017. Mr Foster has over 30 years of public sector experience as a senior policy and strategy adviser in Commonwealth, State and local governments, in areas as diverse as Environment, Treasury and Finance; Energy; Health; Education and Training; Tourism; Racing and Gaming and Native Title. Mr Foster has held senior roles in the Department of Fisheries and the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority, and the National Native Title Tribunal. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Communication and Cultural Studies) and a Postgraduate Diploma of Arts (History), and is an alumnus of the Australian and New Zealand School of Government Executive Fellows Program. Mr Darren Foster has been a SEMC Member since October 2017.
Mr Darren Klemm AFSM Member Mr Darren Klemm has over 27 years of experience in fire and emergency services, having served three years with the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service before joining the WA Fire Brigades Board in 1993. Originally posted to Perth Fire Station, he served at various metropolitan fire stations. This was followed by time in Country Operations in the Goldfields Midlands, based in Northam, which gave him the opportunity to gain considerable experience in regional firefighting operations, as well as the chance to work closely with volunteers. Mr Klemm also spent time at the then FESA Training Centre before being promoted to Assistant Commissioner in 2012. Over the last six years he has successfully delivered and implemented a number of high level strategic reforms, including delivering key aspects of the DFES response to the Report of the Perth Hills Bushfire. This facilitated significant changes across DFES and the EM sector in WA. Mr Klemm has also been responsible for significant structural and cultural reform in the training and professional development of DFES personnel and volunteers, including management of the WA Fire and Emergency Services Academy and the introduction of the Professional Pathways competency based framework. He has been involved in strategic operations at State and Incident Controller level during significant emergencies such as the Waroona, O'Sullivan and Toodyay bushfires and Tropical Cyclone Olwyn. Mr Klemm is a member of a number of national committees concerned with EM in Australia, and holds a Graduate Certificate in Management from the Australian Institute of Management. He was appointed as Commissioner of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services in August 2017. Mr Darren Klemm has been a SEMC Member since October 2017.
Mr Chris Dawson APM Member Mr Chris Dawson joined WA Police as a cadet in February 1976, going on to provide 38 years of continuous service in country and metropolitan positions across a range of portfolios. He was appointed to the rank of Superintendent in 1999 when he became the inaugural principal of the WA Police Academy in Joondalup. The Queen's Birthday Honours List in 2002 saw him awarded the Australian Police Medal for distinguished service. He was appointed Deputy Commissioner under Karl O'Callaghan in July 2004, with a brief to lead an agency reform program resulting from outcomes from the Kennedy Royal Commission. From May 2008 he had overall management of all operational policing within metropolitan and regional areas, including the specialist portfolios of serious and organised crime, counter terrorism and state protection. In 2011, Mr Dawson headed up the biggest security operation in the history of WA Police, as State Commander for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). He was responsible for the security of all attending Heads of State from 53 Commonwealth countries and their respective senior ministers and delegates. After ten years as Deputy Commissioner, Mr Dawson left WA Police in April 2014 to take up the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, formerly the Australian Crime Commission. He has also served as Director of the Australian Institute of Criminology at this time. He was appointed as Commissioner of the Western Australia Police Force in August 2017. Mr Dawson has been a SEMC Member since October 2017.
Dr Andrew Robertson, CSC PSM Member Dr Andrew (Andy) Robertson is the Acting Assistant Director General and Acting Chief Health Officer within the Public and Aboriginal Health Division in the Western Australia Department of Health (WA Health). With specialist qualifications in Public Health Medicine and Medical Administration, he served with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1984 until 2003, including completing three tours to Iraq as a Biological Weapons Chief Inspector with the United Nations Special Commission in 1996 and 1997. He remains in the RAN’s Active Reserve, and was promoted to Commodore and took up the role of Director General Navy Health Reserves in July 2015. In October 2003, he took up the position of the Director, Disaster Preparedness and Management in WA Health. In December 2004, he led the Australian Medical Relief team into the Maldives post tsunami, managed WA Health’s response to the 2005 Bali Bombing, led the WA Health team into Indonesia after the Yogyakarta earthquakes in June 2006, worked as the Radiation Health Adviser to the Australian Embassy after the Fukushima nuclear incident in 2011 and conducted the AUSMAT needs assessment in Nepal after the Nepal earthquake in 2015. Since 2008, as Director, Disaster Management and Deputy Chief Health Officer, he has coordinated the WA Health responses to Cyclone George, the Varanus Island gas explosion, the Ashmore Reef incident, the public health system aspects of the H1N1 2009 pandemic, the 2011 CHOGM meeting and the 2015 Ebola preparations.
Mr Mark Webb PSM Member Mr Mark Webb has a Degree in Science (Agriculture) Hons from the University of Western Australia and a Postgraduate Certificate in Cross-sector Partnership from the University of Cambridge (UK). Mr Webb was previously employed by the Department of Agriculture and Foods WA (DAFWA) for more than 15 years and worked in South Perth, Manjimup, Kununurra and Albany. He has extensive experience in horticultural research, public and private sector management, farming and business. Mr Webb was CEO of the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority from 2004 – 2017. From March 2016 to June 2017 he was Acting Director General of DAFWA. He sits on a number of local, national and international committees and boards. Mr Webb has been appointed to lead the new Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions as Interim Director General. Mr Mark Webb has been a SEMC Member since October 2017.
Mr Grahame Searle Member Mr Grahame Searle was appointed to lead the State Government's regional services reform in June 2015 with a mandate to transform the way government services are provided to Aboriginal communities in WA. Mr Searle has been a public service leader and innovator for many years. He successfully drove major organisational change in his former roles as Department of Housing director general (2008-2015) and Landgate CEO (2004-2008). He is widely respected in the State Government and by Aboriginal leaders for his ability to facilitate collaboration and achieve results. At the Department of Housing he led the nation in fulfilling targets set under the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing, exceeding Indigenous employment targets for five consecutive years. As State Reform Leader, he is overseeing sweeping, systemic and long-term changes that will lead to better living conditions and greater education and employment opportunities for Aboriginal people in regional and remote WA. Mr Searle holds a Bachelor of Business from Monash University. He is a national fellow and former State president of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, a fellow of the Spatial Sciences Institutes well as being a board member of the Western Australian Treasury Corporation and Leadership WA. Grahame is also a former member of the Australia New Zealand Land Information Council and chairman of its Standing Committee on Land Administration. He is also a former board member of the CRC for Spatial Information and the Australia Housing and Urban Research Institute. Mr Grahame Searle has been a SEMC Member since October 2017.
Ms Ricky Burges PSM Member Prior to joining the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) in February 2000, Ms Ricky Burges was the Director General of the Department for Culture and the Arts, CEO of Perth Zoo, and Director of Human Resources at the WA Tourism Commission. Ms Burges has a Masters in Leadership and Management from Curtin University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Development, a Certificate in Psychotherapy, and a Diploma in Coaching. Ms Burges sits on the ROADS Foundation, the Board of MercyCare, the Local Government Insurance Board, the Murdoch Senate, the Western Australian Council on Homelessness, the Healthway Board and various Local Government committees and Boards. Ms Burges is a past President of the Australian Institute of Management and the Board of the Art Gallery of Western Australia. She was the Western Australian Businesswoman of the Year in 1997 and was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2007. Ms Ricky Burges has been a SEMC Member since January 2013.