Citrus Australia Staff

Chief Executive Officer

Judith Damiani

Judith is the Chief Executive Officer at Citrus Australia Limited. She previously held this position for Australian Citrus Growers Incorporated since their relocation from Adelaide to Mildura in 2001.

Judith was involved with the restructure of this national peak body into Citrus Australia Ltd in October 2008. This was as a result of three years of industry consultation.

Judith has extensive experience in public speaking, including speaking at the Quarantine and Market Access Conference in Canberra in 2001 and 2003; the ABARE Outlook Conference in 2007 and 2009; PMA Fresh Connections Conference 2009 and was invited as guest speaker at the International Citrus Forum in China in 2008.

Judith is a graduate Bachelor of Science from Adelaide University and a Bachelor of Business from University of South Australia. She is also a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and member of the Australian Institute of Management.

General Manager - Business Services / Company Secretary

Raylene Kemp

Raylene (Ray) is the General Manager, Business Services and was appointed to the role of Company Secretary by the Citrus Australia Board in November 2008.

Ray has a strong background in finance and administration. To complement this, she also holds an Advanced Diploma in Business Management and a Bachelor Degree in Applied Management Studies.

Ray's core responsibilities include the management of all financial matters of the company, a variety of projects administered by Citrus Australia, governance & compliance issues, and HR functions as well as providing support to the Board, CEO and team.

General Manager - Market Development

Andrew Harty

Andrew Harty comes from a citrus management, technical and marketing background in South Africa and New Zealand. He managed technical operations on South Africa’s largest lemon orchard before moving to New Zealand where he headed the national citrus research program for 9 years. A key goal was assisting the New Zealand citrus industry’s change in focus from domestic to export marketing, with particular emphasis on developing satsuma mandarins as an export product.

In 1998 he joined Kerifresh, New Zealand’s largest citrus grower, packer and marketer, initially as technical manager and subsequently as citrus divisional manager. This role involved managing production and quality throughout the value chain, from nursery propagation through to orchard production, postharvest and marketing. As a third generation citrus grower, Andrew has throughout his career always had a strong affinity for the grower base, and has maintained a strong focus on grower profitability.

Communications Manager 

John Back

With more than 20 years' experience in the journalism, public relations and marketing world, John is responsible for Citrus Australia's communications, web site content and public relations.  John is also helping to manage large industry events and providing communications support for government relations, research and development and marketing and promotion initiatives.

John's previous roles saw him work in public relations and marketing communications in Australia, the United States, and Asia Pacific.  He began his career as a journalist and editor before moving in-house to manage employee and marketing communications for a multinational company - initially in Sydney and then at a regional level based at Tokyo in Japan.

Business Services Coordinator

We are currently in the recruitment process for this important role - watch this space!

Administration Officer

Simone Corponi

Simone began with Citrus Australia mid 2011 in the role of office front-of-house relations and coordinator of various administration projects.  Bringing with her a strong background in client and administrative management, Simone has fitted seamlessly into the citrus industry and is the friendly voice you hear when you call the Citrus Australia office in Mildura.

Technical Advisor

Pat Barkley

Pat was employed as a Principal Research Scientist and Citrus Pathologist by NSW Agriculture from 1964 to 1999.

From 2000-2004, Pat was the National Citrus Improvement Manager responsible for coordinating the Australian Citrus Improvement Program, including varietal and rootstock improvement and managing operations of the Australian citrus budwood and seed scheme (Auscitrus).

Pat is currently Citrus Australia ’s Technical Adviser to the Industry, principally in relation to biosecurity. In 2009, she completed (with Professor Andrew Beattie) the incursion management plan for huanglongbing (citrus greening) and its vectors.

Manager - Market Information & Domestic Market Liaison

Nathan Hancock

Nathan began his working life by completing an apprenticeship as a fitter machinist in 1991, then returned to tertiary study several years later to complete a degree in Agribusiness (Horticulture) at Curtin University.

Nathan worked for Elders firstly as an agronomist in the south west of Western Australia, and then as a merchandise manager in their Manjimup store. He moved to the Department of Agriculture and Food in Western Australia (DAFWA) in 2004 as a researcher in the Market Information division. He began working in the citrus industry in 2007 as DAFWA’s Citrus Industry Development Officer, where amongst other achievements he introduced legislated internal maturity standards and minimum diameter & weight recording for volume filled packs.

Nathan was employed by Citrus Australia in February 2011 to manage three important projects: InfoCitrus, the National Plantings Database and the Australian Citrus Quality Standards. He is now located in Mildura, and will also be providing support to our Domestic Market Committee and any new domestic market initiatives which may arise.

Value Chain Coordinator – Export Market Liaison

Kym Thiel

Kym currently holds the position of Value Chain Co-ordinator- Export Market Liaison with Citrus Australia Ltd, based in Berri, South Australia.

For the past 10 years Kym has been the Citrus Industry Development Officer with Citrus Growers of South Australia, working with all sectors of the industry including growers and packers in South Australia. Kym has been heavily involved in promoting best practice to growers through traditional extension methods including field days and grower workshops. He has also been a key player in introducing new technologies and management systems to the growing sector. The Riverland Citrus Industry is a heavily export orientated industry. Kym also acts as Chair of the SA citrus Crop Estimates Committee.

Prior to this Kym was with PIRSA in Loxton, as a Property Management Planning officer. Kym has a strong practical background as he is also involved in a family business growing and managing citrus and Avocado’s in the Riverland.

Kym’s position is funded through a partnership involving SACIDB, CGSA, Citrus Australia and HAL.

Marketing Manager – Mandarins & Oranges

Simon West

Simon West, the principal consultant of Fullglass Management has more than 16 years experience in the sales and marketing of both fast moving consumer goods and wine product in the Australian and overseas markets.

After completing a Bachelor of Business (Major in Marketing), Simon launched into his career working for the multi-national consumer goods company ‘Procter and Gamble’ with an annual turnover in excess of US$40 billion. For just over 7 years Simon worked in various roles including national sales, marketing and operations.

Simon then moved to senior positions with Normans Wines, Xanadu Wines and Reschke Wines.

2004 saw the beginning of a consultancy practice that specialises in assisting wineries and food companies with their sales and marketing both domestically and overseas. Simon has become heavily involved in the North American markets and has an intimate knowledge of what it takes to succeed there. Over the years, Simon’s has worked with more than 40 companies, successfully establishing them in markets worldwide and within Australia.

Simon has been instrumental in developing and implementing the 2010 national mandarin promotional program. The campaign saw the re-launch of the “Give me a mandy Mum” campaign on TV, radio and print media.