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Chief Executive Officer - Rebecca Brown PSM

Rebecca commenced as Director General of the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI) in September 2018. In this role, she is also Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Western Australia.  Rebecca has overseen significant changes across JTSI to position the agency as critical to advancing the State Government's key policy agendas, including growing local jobs, diversifying the state's industry base and export potential and continuing to leverage the broader research, science and innovation community to advance outcomes for Western Australia. She was appointed Acting Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet from March 2020 to May 2021 to support the State Government's early response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rebecca returned to her role as Director General of JTSI in June 2021. She has worked across both Federal and State Government agencies in a range of senior roles across revenue and economic policy, social policy, resourcing and performance. Rebecca has held senior positions at both WA Treasury and the WA Department of the Premier and Cabinet, where she oversaw key reforms between the public and non-profit community sectors. 

Managing Director - Carolyn Turnbull

Carolyn Turnbull is the Managing Director at Tourism WA and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the agency, including the promotion of WA as an incredible tourism destination, working with industry and government to improve access, accommodation and tourism experiences and delivering a world-class events calendar. 

Carolyn has more than 20 years of international experience in the tourism, hospitality and aviation industries, and spearheaded the development of the Western Gateway as Chief Aviation Development Officer at Perth Airport.  Carolyn is a graduate of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration Advanced Management Program and holds an Executive MBA in Hospitality Management through Nanyang Business School, Singapore. She is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Chief Financial Officer - Renato Sansalone 

Renato is responsible for our financial and accounting services and ensuring the agency's compliance with financial matters. Renato has more than 25 years' experience working in finance-related positions within the WA Public Sector. Previous agencies include the Department of Culture and the Arts, where he held Chief Financial Officer roles at the Art Gallery of WA and the WA Museum, the Department for Planning and Infrastructure, and the Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor. Renato joined Tourism WA in 2012 and is also currently the Chief Finance Officer for the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation and the Anzac Day Trust.

Executive Director - Corporate Services - Scott Davis

Scott leads the Corporate Services team which supports the agency by providing financial services, legal, risk management, human resources management, information management, ICT and procurement/contract services.  With over 25 years of broad international management and leadership experience across both the public and private sectors, Scott has joined the agency on secondment from the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety where he has led functions including business innovation, licensing services and regulatory reform.

Executive Director - Marketing - Melissa Forbes

Melissa and her team focus on implementing our marketing strategy in Australia and our key international markets, leading the WA tourism brand strategy and the development and implementation of destination marketing campaigns.  The division oversees trade partnerships, media buying, brand and creative, digital platforms, data strategy, social content, public relations, and familiarisations, and management of Tourism WA’s 11 global marketing offices.  Melissa has nearly 20 years of brand and marketing experience, leading teams across the government, hospitality and travel sectors, including destination marketing projects at the City of Perth, and overseeing public relations at Voyages Hotels and Resorts, based at Ayers Rock

Executive Director - Events - Anna Last

Anna leads the Tourism WA Events division, which develops, sponsors, markets and promotes a diverse calendar of sporting, cultural, arts and culinary events that showcase Western Australia and give visitors a time-specific reason to visit the state. This includes support for major and regional events through the Tourism WA Major Events Fund, Regional Events Program and Regional Events Scheme. Anna joined Tourism WA in 2021, with over a decade of experience in partnerships, media and communications, having worked internationally in London and in Melbourne and Perth. Most recently, Anna managed the Corporate Partnerships team at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.    Executive Director - Destination Development - Renata Lowe

Renata leads the Destination Development division, which focuses on the supply-side of tourism, working with the public and private sectors to encourage the development of incredible tourism experiences and destinations that create memorable holidays. The division is responsible for Aboriginal tourism, workforce development, cruise tourism attraction, policy and planning and destination development, and includes a case management team to help significant private sector developments navigate planning approvals. Renata has around 30 years' experience in the tourism industry working in visitor servicing, marketing and destination development.  She is a past CEO of Australia’s Golden Outback regional tourism organisation, interim CEO of the WA Indigenous Tourism Operators Council, and was Tourism Policy Advisor for former State Tourism Ministers. She joined Tourism WA in 2009.

Executive Director - Strategy and Engagement - Steph Underwood

Steph heads up the Strategy and Engagement division, which oversees the agency’s Insights and Planning, Industry and Partnerships, and Corporate Communications divisions. Steph has 10 years’ experience in the public sector in roles focusing on cross-government coordination and delivery and continual improvement, and comes most recently from JTSI in a Program Director position and, before that, working within Fire and Emergency Services. Steph is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has held volunteer board positions, including at the South Coastal Women's Health Services.

Director - Office of the Managing Director - Hannah Moore

Hannah has been in the public sector for more than 15 years and joins us from the Department of Premier and Cabinet, where she was the Executive Manager for Aboriginal Engagement for more than two years. Hannah has had many roles in her career, including within the Department of Communities, the Department of Justice (working in the Commissioner of Corrective Services' office), and working for the Standing Committee on Estimates and Financial Operations at Parliament House. Hannah has a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and Public Relations, and brings a great wealth of experience in Ministerial processes and protocol, governance, and budget management to the agency.

Director - Corporate Communications - Kate Hodges

Kate leads the Corporate Communications team within the broader Strategy and Engagement division. The Corporate Communications team is responsible for promoting the work of the agency to the WA tourism industry, domestic news media and the wider community. The team focuses on strategic communications, media relations, speech writing, digital communications and print publications, as well as internal communications and events for the agency. Kate has more than a decade of media and communications experience across a range of diverse industries including journalism, business, industry advocacy and local government, with more than five years’ experience in the Australian tourism sector, having joined Tourism WA in 2022 after working for Tourism Australia.

Last Reviewed: 2024-03-05