Program Leads

Dr Dean Thomas is a Senior Research Scientist with CSIRO Agriculture and Food. He leads a team focused on researching sustainable livestock production, using system-modelling methods applied in both southern and northern Australia. Originally from a farm in Ravensthorpe on Western Australia’s South Coast, Dean is interested in the sustainable integration of cropping and livestock production and developing opportunities to diversify enterprises and supply chains. He has produced more than 50 peer-reviewed publications on topics including feedbase diversification, farming rotations, net protein contribution, production credentials and carbon balance, precision livestock management and the application of data from animal sensors.

Vanessa Stewart McGinniss manages the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD’s) Dryland Farming Systems Research and Development (R&D) program. She is passionate about the development of robust, sustainable and profitable broadacre farming systems. Vanessa has undertaken diverse research, development and extension roles in farming systems analysis, integrated weed management and farm business management throughout her career. Her key skills include engaging with growers, grower groups and R&D partners across the agricultural industry, strategic program development and R&D capacity building. Vanessa is also a grain producer with her family in the low-rainfall region.

Dr Kirsty Moynihan is an experienced executive leader who excels in strategic management of complex programs, bringing together key stakeholders to develop collective purpose and driving achievement of common goals. She has more than 20 years’ experience in research, strategy, governance and evidence-based policy-setting. Kirsty is passionate about achieving collaborative and innovative solutions to decarbonising agriculture, ensuring value creation and sustainable productivity are integrally linked to developing a low-carbon future in food production. Kirsty has worked across the Western Australian Government in various roles with the Departments of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Premier and Cabinet (DPC) and Jobs, Tourism, Science, and Innovation (JTSI).

Professor Ferdous Sohel is a Professor of Information Technology at Murdoch University (MU) with a PhD in Computing and Information Technology. Prior to joining MU, he worked as a Research Fellow/Assistant Professor at The University of Western Australia. Ferdous is an expert in artificial intelligence and computer vision. He leads research in computational intelligence, multimodal and multi-platform sensing, and empowering technologies in agriculture, health, biosecurity and the environment. In particular, Ferdous has extensive experience leading research at MU in digital agricultural technologies. He is an Editorial Board member of the Computers and Electronics in Agriculture journal.

Kerrine Blenkinsop is a strategic government policy professional who has extensive experience across program, project and operational environments. She has led many diverse and high-performing teams at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC). These include the WA Research and Innovation Ecosystem, Intellectual Property and Business Performance, Industry Economic Analysis, eConnected Business Platform, Primary Industries Workforce Capability, Agriculture Policy, and Economics and Analysis. Kerrine played a pivotal role in the initial WA Agricultural Research Collaboration submission and is skilled in preparing Government submissions. She has held positions as Manager and Secretary of the WAPC and as Leads for DPIRD’s Emissions and Climate Resilience Taskforce Programs.

Jenny Crisp has had a long and diverse career at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). She started as a Development Officer in the Western Australian Wheatbelt, which inspired her to undertake postgraduate studies in agricultural extension. Since then, Jenny has developed and managed a WA extension-related capacity building program, developed and implemented an agency-level evaluation framework, managed the Biosecurity Research and Development Fund, and provided planning and evaluation analysis support to various agricultural programs and projects. Jenny’s key skills include strategic program planning and evaluation, program logic development and analysis, community development and engagement, and capacity building.