Board & Management

The ACA is made up of separate operating and governance arms to ensure the best managerial and oversight practices are employed. The ACA’s Constitution determines this separation of powers. These complimentary arms are key to covering all current and future objectives of the ACA.

The Board is the central body of oversight, setting the direction of the ACA and ensuring fiduciary controls. The ACA Board is elected by the ACA Council, which draws two Councillors from each Branch of the ACA. To guarantee transparency and accountability within the ACA, the ACA Board and the ACA Board both have limited terms and set responsibilities with regular reporting to the Membership. The ACA Board and the ACA Council have been integral functions of the Association to continue its operations in a robust and responsive matter.

As the managerial arm of the ACA, the staffing of the head office covers day-to-day commitments of the Association. These include the roles of Chief Executive Officer, marketing and communications, secretarial duties, training and support, membership and events, Conference management, policy and documentation, and technical support. These roles fulfil the everyday operations of the ACA and ensure that the benefits of the membership and direction of the Board are accomplished.

Meet the Board Members

Patricia Shaw

Board Chair

Trish Shaw holds a PhD in chemistry with 25 years' experience in corrosion related applied research and consultancy. She has worked in the coatings and corrosion prevention field for over 20 years, mainly for the New Zealand Defence Force. More recently she worked in the building research sector before joining Callaghan Innovation. Trish is an active member of the ACA's NZ branch having held a variety of leadership positions at both Branch Level and for the Wellington Division. Trish joined the ACA Board the first time from Nov 2020 to Nov 2023 and rejoined the Board in Nov 2024. Trish is a member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee and the Membership and Advocacy Committee.

SCOTT GAEBLER

Board Vice Chair | Chair: FARMC

Scott Gaebler has a background with 30 years of mining experience, with an understanding of oil and gas processes and a diverse range of skills and expertise in the sector. He holds a Master of Business Administration and is currently the mining and infrastructure manager for a Western Australian polyurethane systems company.

JAMES CHERRY

Chair: Governance Committee

James Cherry is a non-executive director and corporate advisor. His career has spanned intellectual property and corporate management bringing new technology and products to market. James also has a long-term side interest in corrosion. James originally qualified with a law degree and a science degree, followed by leadership qualifications from the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Harvard Business School. James joined the Board in 2023 as an Independent Director.

MADELINE LAURENSON

Madeline Laurenson is a Civil Engineer with a background in the water industry. Madeline also holds a Master of Commerce. She has worked for large and small organisations both in the public and private sectors. After a long career, with the last eleven years working for Engineers Australia, Madeline has recently retired. Madeline joined the ACA board in November 2022 as one of the Independent Directors.

MIKE TAN

Chair: Education & Training Committee

Mike Tan is Professor of Applied Electrochemistry and Corrosion Technologies at Deakin University Australia. Dr Tan has led more than 30 research projects over the past decade to address critical engineering issues in pipelines. He led the establishment of the National Facility for Pipeline Coating Assessment (NFPCA) (winner of a CRC innovation award) and he has received NACE Fellow honour. He is also an author of over 260 referred publications as well as also being the Editor-in-Chief for the international journal Corrosion Engineering, Science and Technology.

AUSTIN BENNETT

Chair: Membership and Advocacy Committee

Austin Bennett is a business development manager at Universal Corrosion Coatings. He has a strong knowledge of corrosion prevention coating systems for Oil & Gas and Water Pipelines as well as Marine Wharf Piles. Austin has been an active member of the ACA since joining the industry in 2020 and has had a keen focus on reinvigorating the YCG committees and supporting the ACA across various committees. He also holds an AMPP CIP Level 1 qualification with endeavours to complete CIP Level 2 in the coming year. Austin is the Chair of the Membership and Advocacy Committee and is a member of the Finance Audit and Risk Management Committee.

ADAM HOCKEY

Adam Hockey is a long-standing member of the Australasian Corrosion Association (ACA) with a strong focus on practical corrosion prevention and delivering better outcomes on real projects. He works closely with engineers, asset owners, contractors, and specifiers across NSW, translating standards and technical guidance into clear, workable solutions that perform on site. His work includes specification support and technical advice on major protective coatings projects, as well as delivering technical presentations to engineering firms and guest lectures to students. He also promotes understanding of Australian Standard AS 2312 and supports compliance with National Construction Code (NCC) corrosion protection requirements. Adam has over 30 years’ experience in coatings, including 13 years specialising in protective coatings across infrastructure, commercial, and maintenance sectors. He has served as ACA NSW Branch President for three years and has been an ACA Council member for over 12 months, working closely with members, committees, and industry stakeholders.

MAREE BENNETT

Maree is a Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) specialist in the oil and gas sector. As a subject matter expert, she supports asset integrity across complex and remote operations, leading corrosion technology implementation and delivering training across multiple assets. She brings practical expertise, clear communication, and strong technical leadership.