Our Board

Jonathan Vandervoort

Chair

Non-executive Director

Jonathan has extensive business and leadership skills developed from over ten years in Executive and Director roles with major listed mining companies and export shipping terminals, and a further five years as a Group Executive with a Federal Government national rail infrastructure provider. Jonathan, as CEO, also coordinated the strategic establishment of a small innovative logistics supply chain entity which quickly became internationally recognised as the model of supply chain management.

For ten years Jonathan was a volunteer director of Business Hunter including two years as Board President/Chair.  Jonathan is a keen boating enthusiast and has always called Lake Macquarie home.  He competes regularly at our local amateur sailing clubs and is a volunteer boat crew member with Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie.

Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Commerce (University of Newcastle), is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a Fellow of CPA Australia.

Councillor Adam Shultz

Director

Mayor of Lake Macquarie City

Adam Shultz was popularly elected as Mayor of Lake Macquarie in September 2024.

He is a born and bred local, having grown up in Warners Bay and is serving his third term on Lake Macquarie City Council. Adam and his wife Cassandra, who grew up in Marmong Point, met while studying at the University of Newcastle and are now raising their three young children in Lake Macquarie.

Adam believes Lake Macquarie can achieve economic growth and strategic diversification while maintaining the lifestyle and wellbeing of residents. He is passionate about facilitating policy settings that will promote job opportunities while enhancing the natural environment that residents enjoy.

He will use his experience in financial services, small business, public policy, politics, and as a local father to advocate for improved opportunities for the city.

Adam completed his tertiary education at the University of Newcastle with degrees in Business and Commerce and holds a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Sydney. Adam has also attained a Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance and Risk Management, a Diploma of Financial Services and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Morven Cameron

Director

Chief Executive Officer, Lake Macquarie City Council

As the CEO of Lake Macquarie City Council, Morven is passionate about excellence and innovation in local government and finding new ways to lead and progress one of the largest regional cities in NSW.

Fundamental to Morven’s success is her ability to think strategically and look for innovative solutions. In 2019 Morven was awarded as the Hunter Business Person of the year and received the Minister’s Awards for Women in Local Government.

Recognising that economic development needed a unique approach and commercial expertise, Morven was instrumental in the creation of Dantia in 2014. In her role as non-executive director Morven set up the company with a vision that it rapidly accelerate growth, drive investment and increase jobs in the city.

Josh Jeffress

Director

Founder and Managing Director, Design Anthology

As Founder and Managing Director at Design Anthology, Josh Jeffress has spent most of his professional life helping others execute their ideas. Since graduating from the University of Newcastle in 2005, with first class honours in Industrial Design, Josh has established his position as a well-respected and well-known designer in the Newcastle, Hunter and Central Coast regions.

Through Design Anthology, Josh has successfully completed hundreds of commercial projects, across a diverse range of sectors including aeronautics, sporting equipment, industrial equipment, medical devices, consumer electronics, homewares, advertising, point of purchase, transport and commercial interiors.

Josh regularly presents at innovation and maker events and engages with future generations of designers as a lecturer at The University of Newcastle. Receiving numerous awards including the Sue Park Memorial Prize for Excellence and Innovation, the Lake Macquarie Excellence in Innovation Award, Lake Macquarie Young Business Person of the Year Award, Good Design Award 2020 and many more, Josh is clearly pushing the boundaries of design and innovation.

Josh’s dedication to building and growing local businesses through design is evident and he will be a valuable asset on the Dantia board.

Stephen Barr

Director

Director, Barr Property and Planning

Stephen is the Founder and Director of Barr Property and Planning, a distinguished firm specialising in providing comprehensive development and town planning advice to diverse sectors.

With a focus on understanding development’s environmental, social, and economic impacts, Stephen works closely with clients to merge strategic thinking with practical planning expertise. His vast knowledge of the development process and delivery time frames allows him to offer valuable insights into the likely challenges developments may face and provide effective solutions. Stephen is skilled at navigating the complex landscape of gaining approvals for various development projects and providing post-approval support for land development and subdivision initiatives.

Stephen’s talent lies in bringing people together, fostering collaboration and creating development opportunities. He finds innovative solutions to intricate development and planning problems, utilising his remarkable skills to drive success in every endeavour.

Stephen’s journey in the development industry began in 1992, drawing upon his background in land surveying. With years of experience, he has accumulated an impressive portfolio of projects showcasing his expertise and contribution to the field across the State.

Notable among these projects is the Black Rock motor sport facility at Wakefield, a complex project which is expected to bring significant investment through not only construction but also operation and the clientele the project will bring to Lake Macquarie. In addition, Stephen successfully orchestrated the development of a new school and industrial area by facilitating collaboration among stakeholders and overseeing crucial stages such as preparing Rezoning Planning Proposal, State Significant Development Application, and Regionally Significant Development Application. His involvement also extends to high-rise commercial and residential development in Warners Bay, multiple large residential greenfield subdivisions, and the identification and development of multiple affordable housing sites in Lake Macquarie.

Stephen’s dedication to his profession is further demonstrated by his extensive board and advisory committee experience. Currently serving as a Director on the Dantia Board, he actively contributes his expertise to shape the strategic direction of Lake Macquarie.

Wayne Lowe

Director

Managing Director, FNZ Australia

Wayne has founded and run a number of successful financial services companies over a 25 year period including in his current role where he is the Australian Managing Director of FNZ, a technology and service provider supporting over 70 financial services institutions globally.

With qualifications and experience in leadership, accounting, commerce, financial planning and property management, Wayne brings a diverse range of skills to the Dantia Board.

A local resident and business owner, Wayne has lived in Lake Macquarie for 20 years, and as a founding member of the Dantia Board, Wayne is passionate about building a dynamic city which capitalises on Lake Macquarie’s strategic and natural assets enabling business and families to thrive.

Jonathan Milgate

Director

Head of Digital Transformation, Umwelt

Jonathan has over a decade of experience in leadership roles in software and product development, working across a wide range of organisations in the area, from startups to billion-dollar multi-nationals. Scaling engineering teams with a focus on data analytics and the user experience.

After graduating from University of Newcastle with a degree in Information Services and System Engineering. Jonathan has since gone on to complete a Masters of Business Administration and also study Design Thinking at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Jonathan is a well known figure in the local tech scene, building and fostering a community of engaged technologists. He was a key member of the team that brought DevOps Days to Newcastle, the region’s largest technology conference to date.

Annie Xueli Jiang

Director

Founder and CEO at Go Circular.

Annie is a leader in the circular economy space. She works with businesses, communities, and governments to drive the transition towards a more sustainable, circular economy by fostering innovative circular solutions.

With executive experience in Australia and China, Annie brings a diverse background in information technology, international trade, education and circular economy. She combined this expertise with her entrepreneurial skills to establish Go Circular, a for-purpose organisation focusing on instilling circular economics values and ideals in the Hunter and across Australia.

Annie is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and holds tertiary qualifications in Human Resources Management, Environmental Management and Business. She is also the founder of OneCircl, a digital platform for circular waste management.

Annie brings to the Dantia Board a wealth of experience in international business, entrepreneurship, circular economy leadership, and a passion for the long term success of the local region.

Andrew Hutton

Director

Managing Director and founder of Integrated Environmental Management Australia (IEMA).

Andrew is the Managing Director and founder of Integrated Environmental Management Australia (IEMA)  a specialist Environmental Management Advisory consultancy.  Opening its doors in 2018,  IEMA was the winner of the “Start Up Superstar” category at the 2019 Lake Macquarie Business Awards. Today IEMA has 26 staff and works across the mining, extractives, port, infrastructure, and agricultural sectors.  Prior to starting IEMA, Andrew was a Technical Director with a global environmental consultancy fulfilling roles as an Executive member of the Asia Pacific Regional Management Team (RMT) and the Asia Pacific Regional Sector Leader for Mining and Minerals.

Andrew is recognised as a leader in Mine Closure Planning with experience across a range of commodities preparing closure plans from concept plans through to detailed plans and execution. Andrew has experience in project managing and directing several detailed closure planning projects including the delivery of all supporting technical studies, stakeholder engagement and preparation of detailed cost estimates.   Andrew is a member of the Closure Planning Practitioners Association (CPPA).  In addition, he has project managed and delivered a range of detail cost estimates for closure for mining clients and has worked for various government jurisdictions having developed and updated Rehabilitation Cost Estimation (RCE) tools for the NSW, Victorian and Queensland governments. He assisted the NSW Department of Planning & Environment with technical content on the beneficial reuse of mine land that was ultimately included in the draft Hunter Regional Plan 2041.

Andrew has extensive experience in risk management, holding formal qualifications in MNCG1002A – Risk Management & Facilitation. He is also an experienced Environmental Auditor and has worked extensively in the area of Stakeholder Identification as well as leading engagement and stakeholder consultation projects across a range of sectors.

Andrew is a past Commissioner on the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) a statutory body established under the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act), He was appointed for a 3-year term in 2015, with a further term in 2018 working as a Commissioner until 2021.  In this role, Andrew has worked on both project review and determinations across a range of sectors, including renewable energy, mining, quarries, food processing and industry. In January 2020, Andrew was appointed by the NSW Minister for Planning as a Member of the NSW State Regional Planning Panels (SRPP) – Western District and an Alternate member for all other Regional Planning Panels (Hunter, Central Coast, Southern & Northern Panels. After 1 year as a State Member for the Western Region, he was reappointed as an Alternate member in 2021 until the end 2023 working on several projects across various sectors principally in the Western and Southern Regions.

Professor Zee Upton

Director

Professor Zee Upton, a biochemist by training, is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Innovation at the University of Newcastle. Prior to joining the University in 2021, she spent six years in Singapore, where she was the Executive Director of the Skin Research Institute of Singapore (SRIS), a tripartite research initiative between Nanyang Technological University, the National Health Group and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), as well as the Executive Director of the A*STAR Institute of Medical Biology. In these roles, she facilitated extensive collaboration with industry and oversaw the development on many highly interdisciplinary, outcomes-focussed technology programs focused on skin and tissue repair. Preceding this, Professor Upton spent 15 years at the Queensland University of Technology, where she held senior management and leadership positions, as well as established the Wound Management Innovation Cooperative Research Centre in Australia, plus formed a start-up that ultimately listed on the Australian Stock Exchange to progress development and clinical trial of a wound healing technology that she discovered.