The Current NATA Board members:
Mr Alastair Ross AM - Chair
Mr Matthew Callanan - Vice Chair
Ms Judith Zielke
Mr David Turner
Dr Geoff Hogg
Mr Kim Leighton
Dr Joseph Patroni
Mr A M Ross AM (Chair)
Alastair Ross has been involved in forensic science since 1976. From 1992 to 2003 he was the inaugural Director of the National Institute of Forensic Science (NIFS). During that time Alastair worked with NATA to establish a forensic science accreditation program and following its introduction in 1994 (initially as a joint program with the Laboratory Accreditation Board of American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD/LAB)) was elected as the Chair of the Forensic Science Accreditation Advisory Committee. Alastair resigned from NIFS in 2003 and was appointed Director of the Victoria Police Forensic Science Centre (2003 - 2008). He rejoined NIFS as Director in 2008 when it became a directorate of the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA). He was elected chair of the board in October 2011.
Alastair was first elected to the NATA Board in 2003.
Mr M B Callanan (Vice Chair)
Matt Callanan has a Diploma in Advanced Foundry practice from the City and Guilds of London Institute; and Australian Institute for Non-destructive Testing (AINDT) level 3 qualifications in radiography, ultrasonics, magnetic particle and penetrant testing methods. He is an Honorary Member of AINDT.
He was co-founder, principal and Managing Director of pndt Pty Ltd (acquired by Applus RTD in 2007) which began in north-west WA in 1981 and now operates throughout Australasia and the Pacific. In his career he has worked for steel foundries and non-destructive testing companies, achieving various supervisory and managerial positions.
In 1974 Mr Callanan became a NATA signatory, was elected to the Council in 1989, became an NDT assessor in 1994 and was elected to the Board in 1999. He was elected vice chair of the board in October 2011.
Ms J Zielke
Judith Zielke is the Division Head of the Enterprise Connect Division in the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. The Enterprise Connect Division is responsible for policies and programs aimed at improving productivity, global competitiveness and market access through business development, innovation advice and advocacy, trade and customs policy and support for technical infrastructure.
Judith was appointed as a member of the NATA Board and also the JAS-ANZ Board in July 2009. Judith has also previously held several positions within AusIndustry and as an ex-officio member of Innovation Australia committees. She has worked in the Australian Public Service for more than twenty years in a number of portfolios including Trade, Attorney-General’s and Industry.
Mr D R Turner
David Turner holds a Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Engineering Science and Master of Business Administration.
He is directly responsible for the operation of two NATA accredited laboratories covering electrical, temperature and humidity calibrations and measurement and is the authorised representative for all ENERGEX's NATA accredited laboratories.
David's association with NATA goes back over 20 years through the management of accredited laboratories covering five separate fields of accreditation and inspection services, including the roles of signatory and authorised representative. He was elected to the Council in 2001 and appointed to the NATA Board in August 2004.
Dr G G Hogg
Geoff Hogg has qualifications in veterinary science, medicine and law. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia.
He has worked in the veterinary field as a Field Veterinarian (Department of Agriculture, Victoria) and as a Veterinary Pathologist (Bendigo Regional Veterinary Laboratory). He has also worked as a paediatrician and a Clinical Microbiologist (Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne). He is also an Analyst for Microbiological Analysis of Food and an Analyst for Microbiological Testing of water for contamination and Legionella spp.
He is currently Director of the Microbiological Diagnostic Unit, Public Health Laboratory at the University of Melbourne.
He is involved with NATA as an assessor for Medical Testing, as the Authorised Representative for Medical, Veterinary and Biological laboratories, and was a member of the Forensic Science Module Working Group prior to this being included in MDU’s scope.
Mr K Leighton
Mr Kim Leighton joined the Australian Food and Grocery Council in 2005, where he is currently the Director for Policy and Regulation.
Mr Leighton is responsible for representing the food and grocery manufacturing industry at various government forums and expert advisory panels on concerning regulatory standards and policy reform in particular concerning Food Standards, Consumer Protection Laws, Trade Measurement, Industrial Chemicals and Enabling Technology Laws and Regulations.
Mr Leighton is responsible for coordinating industry submissions on scientific and technical proposals to Governments, provides assistance to industry special interest forums, and represents the International Grocery Manufacturers Forum at Australian meetings of Codex, the international food standards setting body.
He is also involved with a number of industry-led initiatives aimed at improving efficiency, effectiveness and quality areas, such as the industry Product Information Form (PIF) and works closely with GS1 on initiatives such as GoScan and the GS1 Recall Portal.
He has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Medical Technology; Postgraduate Degree Business Management, and a Masters Degree in Public Health.
Dr J Patroni
Dr Joseph Patroni authored papers in carbohydrate and analytical chemistry and invented surfactant technology for the commercial production of recombinant proteins from 1978-1989. This patented technology enabled the large-scale manufacture of physiologically active proteins from 1985 and underpins the current manufacture of porcine growth hormone internationally.
Since then, Dr Patroni has served in economic development portfolios in Western Australia supporting the planning of economic infrastructure and science as a driver of economic growth. He has served as WA’s representative on NATA Council since 2001.
