The current Board members have expertise in environmental law and science, corporate, financial and risk planning and management, as well as established ties to business and community groups.
Rayne de Gruchy AM PSM, Chairperson of the Board
Term of appointment: 28 September 2020 to 27 September 2025.
Rayne brings to the EPA strong experience in the field of regulation acquired as chief operating officer of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and as executive director of the Australian Financial Institutions Commission, where she set the policy direction for regulation of Australian non-bank financial institutions and co-ordinated effective State regulatory supervision.
Her 25-year executive career in State and Commonwealth public service also included a decade as CEO of the Australian Government Solicitor.
A lawyer by training, Rayne has considerable experience working with lawyers and organisations to achieve effective regulatory outcomes. She has experience in the corporate world stemming from practice as a commercial and banking and finance lawyer in her earlier days and experience as a non-executive director of two public companies.
Rayne has bachelor’s degrees in Arts from the University of Queensland and Law (with honours) from the Australian National University.
She was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2003 and made a Member of the Order of Australia for her contribution to public administration in 2088.
Tony Chappel, Chief Executive Officer
Leading the EPA since August 2022, Tony is a senior executive with extensive experience across the public and private sector, specialising in sustainability, corporate affairs, risk and governance, regulatory strategy, and policy.
His extensive experience as a senior leader in highly regulated industries means Tony brings a unique perspective on licensee obligations and the impact industry actions can have on NSW communities.
He is a dedicated advocate for the environment and committed to the task of supporting all stakeholders in their transition to a net-zero economy. Tony has played a critical role in the delivery of the EPA’S Climate Change Policy and Action Plan and is committed to working collaboratively with each sector to reduce emissions while also driving new opportunities.
Tony has a Masters in Environmental Change and Management from University of Oxford and a Masters in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, London.
Carolyn Walsh
Term of appointment: 7 December 2020 to 6 December 2025.
Carolyn is a specialist consultant in the areas of industry policy, safety, risk and regulation, with 35 years’ experience in advising private-sector, Commonwealth and State Government clients.
Carolyn is the Chair of the NSW Asbestos Advisory Committee, Chair and Commissioner of the National Transport Commission and Commissioner at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau; she is the Chair or a member of a number of audit and risk committees including for the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission and Ministry of Health.
Carolyn has represented the Australian and NSW Governments in national and international fora, including as Minister-Counsellor Industry, Science and Technology at the High Commission in London from 1996-99. She was Acting Chair of the EPA from July 2019 to September 2020.
Carolyn holds a Bachelor of Economics. She is qualified in risk management and auditing and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Associate Professor Bradley Moggridge
Bradley is a proud Murri Man of the Kamilaroi Nation in Northern NSW.
He brings extensive experience in indigenous and water research roles through his work with the CSIRO, NSW Department of Primary Industries, the National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub and his current work at the University of Canberra Centre for Applied Science.
Bradley feels that being a part of the board brings together the link between protecting the environment and caring for country, which has been the touchstone of his career, research, and personal journey.
Professor Chris Turney
An internationally recognised climate scientist, Chris investigates climates of the past to determine how our climate may change in the future.
University of Technology Sydney Pro Vice-Chancellor of Research Professor Turney is an internationally-recognised climate and environmental scientist. He has extensive research experience of the carbon cycle, the climate system, biodiversity and tipping points in the Earth system, with a focus on mitigating the impacts of environmental change in Australia and globally. He has worked from the poles to the tropics, including multiple seasons in the Antarctic to improve our understanding of the stability of ice sheets and likely future sea level rise. Professor Turney champions the value of research findings in decision-making and is passionate about universities supporting the decarbonization of the economy to reach a net-zero economy.
He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a board member of the deeptech incubator Cicada, and is a volunteer firefighter in the NSW Rural Fire Service.
Elizabeth Wild
Term of appointment: 7 December 2018 to 6December 2023.
Elizabeth is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and a Partner and Board member of the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright. She has more than 25 years’ experience in environmental law.
Elizabeth is an expert in contaminated land and remediation issues. Her understanding of contaminated land regulation in several jurisdictions has allowed her to provide strategic advice to private sector, Commonwealth and state government clients.
She is also an expert in pollution law and has assisted clients in managing potential and actual environmental incidents. This depth of experience has given her a unique insight into the regulatory framework against which government agencies and departments operate
Elizabeth holds a Master of Environmental Law. She is a member of both the Law Society of NSW and the Australasian Land and Groundwater Association.
Michael Rennie
Term of appointment: 7 December 2018 to 6 December 2023.
Michael was CEO of McKinsey & Company in Australia and New Zealand for five years and a member of the Global Board of the firm until his retirement in late 2017.
He has worked extensively for many of Australia’s large industrial companies, as well as mining, oil and gas, telecommunications and government.
As a reflection of his strong interest in environmental issues, Michael was the founding sponsor of McKinsey’s environment practice in Australia.
Michael is a Rhodes Scholar, holding a Master of Arts from Oxford University, as well as bachelor’s degrees in Jurisprudence (Honours) and Law. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Functions of the EPA Board
The EPA Board:
- determines the EPA's policies and long-term strategic plans, including policies and plans relating to organisational governance and risk management
- oversees management of the EPA
- determines when the EPA should prosecute for serious environment protection offences under the Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991
- produces guidelines about criminal prosecutions and related legal proceedings
- advises the NSW Minister for the Environment on any matter relating to the protection of the environment
- provides the NSW Minister for the Environment with an annual Regulatory Assurance Statement about its performance as the leading NSW environmental regulator
Disclosure of interest
For more information about the EPA’s governance, including rules about disclosure and conduct, see the EPA Annual Report.