About Us

Introducing your

2023/2024 Hervey Bay

Chamber Committee

Members

The Hervey Bay Chamber of Commerce Committee members are all volunteers from the local business community, that generously give up their time to run the chamber.

The committee is nominated in June/July each year at the Annual General Meeting.

Committee members run the Monthly Chamber Breakfast events, Lunch Chamber events and Business Hervey Bay networking nights. don’t be shy and say hello to our committee members if you see them at an event.

SANDRA HOLEBROOK

PRESIDENT

With over 20 years of commercial business experience, Sandra has acquired a wide-reaching portfolio of skills and experience forged from holding financial, operational, and general management/director roles in a diverse range of sectors including retail, distribution, wholesaling, and manufacturing.

With extensive hands-on experience in the management of two national retail chains selling recorded music and office products, channel management of PCs and peripherals as well as directors roles and general management positions in cable distribution and contract manufacturing. Sandra is passionate about using her unique skillset in developing, supporting, and assisting Hervey Bay’s business community to flourish.

Rebecca Greenshields

VICE PRESIDENT

Since completing her Masters Degree in Economics in 1998, Bec has worn many hats. From working in NZ, Sydney and London as a Statistician and Analytics Manager in Finance, to physically building and running an eco guest house in Ecuador, between the Andes and the Amazon.

In 2017, Bec moved with her husband and two children to Hervey Bay. She is proud to call Hervey Bay ‘home’. The family own and operate the multi-award winning local marine tourism business, Whalesong Cruises.

With entrepreneurial spirit, Bec enjoys trying new things and is unafraid to pursue new ventures. This has led to her developing a relevant and varied skills toolkit – analytics, sales, marketing, finance, business development, operations management, strategy and leadership.

Bec’s approach to business is pragmatic, yet with full heart and open mind. She believes in collaboration, innovation and creativity as well as getting the fundamentals right, no matter your industry. Through the Chamber of Commerce, she is looking forward to working with the broader business community in Hervey Bay, and making a positive contribution in whatever form that may come.

JAYDON CHRISTIE

TREASURER

LISA ROBINSON-SMITH

SECRETARY

jody ridgeway

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Jody Ridgeway, Faculty Director at TAFE Queensland, is an enthusiastic and committed team member with a passion for training and skills development.

Having dedicated more than 28 years of service to TAFE Queensland, Jody has worked across a number of areas including; teaching, campus coordinator, educational manager and her current role as Faculty Director for Trades and Resources across TAFE Queensland East Coast region. It is this current role where Jody oversees the management of traditional and innovative training concepts for trade training, explores new and trending industry areas and applies her years of experience and vast knowledge to help shape training for the future.

Jody’s extensive business knowledge, having 35 years’ operating successful small business entities in addition to her time with TAFE Queensland, coupled with a Bachelor in Training and business acumen, have made her an invaluable asset to direct the training landscape in the VET sector where she shares her wealth of experience and insight to help the next generation of students achieve their dreams and foster an inclusive, innovative learning environment amongst TAFE Queensland educators.

Jody is proud to be a life member of Worldskills Australia , where she has been a dedicated advocate since 1988. In her volunteer role as Regional Chair she is an active contributor to regional, national and international events.

NATALIE ALEXANDER

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Natalie is the Director of Effective Dispute Resolution and is deeply committed to justice and passionate about helping individuals achieve meaningful outcomes through facilitated mediation sessions. With a focus on saving time, money, and stress, Nat champions mediation as an effective alternative to court-based litigation. She emphasises, “Negotiate and save money—don’t retaliate.”

Nat is an experienced lawyer, admitted to practice in the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of Queensland. She has a strong legal foundation in family law, domestic and family violence, criminal law, and civil law. Before her legal career, Nat served for a decade as a Detective Senior Constable in the New South Wales Police Force, specialising in major crime investigations.

Catherine Reid

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Catherine Reid is a versatile and dynamic businesswoman in the Fraser Coast region. With a background in hospitality and tourism, she has successfully established herself as the owner of two thriving businesses.

As a Pool Safety Inspector, Catherine has been running her highly-rated pool safety inspection service, 5 Star Pool Inspections, for over 13 years. Her company ensures that pools in Hervey Bay, Maryborough, and the surrounding areas meet safety standards, providing peace of mind for pool owners and their families.

In 2022, Catherine ventured into the tourism sector with her new business, CaCh Tours and Events. The company specializes in creating unique and memorable land-based tours, including food and wine tours, farm-to-plate experiences, pub crawls, market tours, concert transfers, and private charter tours. Their mission is to showcase the beauty and culture of the Fraser Coast through unforgettable experiences.

Beyond her businesses, Catherine is a property investor, a dedicated mother of two teenage boys, and the administrator of a vibrant Facebook social group with over 500 members. Proudly Irish, she brings a feisty energy to everything she does, making a positive impact on her community.

Sotera Trevaskis

COMMITTEE MEMBER