Board Members
Read here for the Roles and Responsibilities of our board members
Duncan Rowland, chair
Duncan has worked in the intensive animal industries for 14 years prior to working with governments and other livestock industries at Animal Health Australia for 16 years in emergency animal disease response, biosecurity and product integrity. In 2018 he joined the animal feed industry as EO of both the Stock Feed Manufacturers and the Feed Ingredient and Additives Associations.
Duncan is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and presently sits on the Executive Committee of the Australian Oilseeds Federation. Duncan loves working with industry sectors to develop the building blocks required by its customers for product integrity and traceability.
MAUREEN CLARK, SECRETARiat
Maureen brings another external business lens to the Association having experience across large-scale retail food operations. Without having a financial interest in any insect protein business or official education in the field, her interest and involvement comes from a backyard-enthusiast place.
Originally from a small farm in Canada and having travelled extensively, Maureen developed a personal love of insects whether to feed the chickens or to eat in a taco! A big believer in collaboration for the greater good, Maureen is committed to continue building the communication channels across the Association and the sector.
MARTIN PIKE, Treasurer
R&D, innovation and business optimisation specialist with experience in developing and growing businesses.
Passionate about sustainability, technology and mathematics.
Managing Director of Viridian Renewable Technologies (VIC).
LUKE WHEAT, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Luke has an extensive background in marine science and conservation biology, and has a diverse range of experience - from marine sea turtle monitoring through to the operational management of an A class reserve.
Luke’s passion for sustainability and a strong scientific foundation will assist the IPAA in prioritising research objectives to drive policy and challenge legislative barriers.
PAULA-LEE POWNALL, board member, FOOD
Paula has experience in Agribusiness, Natural Resource Management, and food development. With a background in Agriculture, Paula understood that to feed the growing global population, we need to rethink how we produce and utilise food sources.
In 2016 she established Grubs Up, Western Australia’s first edible insect farm. Since starting the business, she has developed high protein insect-based food products, trialed various insect production methods and investigated the potential for alternative proteins.
In 2020 Paula was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship to investigate the commercial viability and framework needed to use Crickets as human food source. The journey has taken her to many places including Canada, USA, Germany, and India.
Paula is passionate about crickets and their nutritional benefits. She hopes to assist in knowledge sharing through collaboration across industry.
JEANNINE MALCOLM, SECRETARY
Jeannine is an experienced engineer with a love for sustainability and community development.
Jeannine co-founded Mobius Farms in 2020, the first commercial black soldier fly farm in South Australia to tackle the growing challenge of food waste.
Jeannine has extensive international insect industry networks and hopes to grow the sector in Australia through collaboration and knowledge sharing.
volant Wills, board member, POLICY
Volant Wills is an executive Director / Operations /Factory /Maintenance Manager with over 15 years of experience improving processes for high profile manufacturing companies in the FMCG and Biotechnology Industries.
Volant has held senior and executive positions over a vast number of years in Agri-food and Agtech areas, specialising in husbandry and commercial use of the Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly) to process food waste at Agriprotein / Inseco and now Goterra (Australia).
Volant is part of the founding members, and previous Chairperson of SAMIRO (South African Mass Insect Rearing Organisation) and actively engages with international partners in the Industry.
Zachery Schubert, Social media
Zachery has been farming crickets since 2017 under Schubugs, in Loxton South Australia. His interest grew in the field through his studies of Nutrition at the University of South Australia. He has also spent time travelling through Asia for his sport, beach volleyball, which allowed him to discover insects being used for human consumption. Zachery wishes to use his experiences and nutritional studies to further enhance the industry.
Zachery provides up to date information about the industry through IPAA social media both nationally and internationally.
RICKY ATAYDE, EDUCATION
With a background in aquaculture Ricky has transitioned from marine invertebrates to terrestrial . He farms black soldier fly and other insects for the live pet industry.
As co-founder of ARC Entotech, Ricky is now focusing on developing new techniques for utilising insects for waste management.