The ANW Board

Australia's North West Tourism Board 

Australia’s North West (ANW) is overseen by an Executive Board of Directors and managed by its CEO and staff.

The CEO of ANW reports to the Board of ANW who have been chosen for their expertise, skills and representation within the North West tourism industry. Together with the CEO they are responsible for the overall strategic direction of the organisation.

The ANW Board consists of up to 9 members comprising of 5 elected Board Members and up to 4 co-opted, skills-based positions, as identified by the Board. The Board is overseen by an independent Chair.

 

Portrait image of ANW Chair Kym Francesconi

KYM FRANCESCONI

BOARD CHAIR

Kym is the Group Stakeholder and Industry Engagement Manager for Aviair Pty Ltd. She previously worked for Tourism Western Australia as Senior Manager WA Partnerships and Industry, which involved the relationships and contracts with the five Regional Tourism Organisations (RTO), the Perth Convention Bureau, WA Visitor Centre, Tourism Council WA, Tourism Australia Signature Experiences Program and other related projects.

Kym's background reflects all things tourism and marketing from being a qualified Dive Master, Business Owner and Communications Manager to a Tourism Consultant specialised in marketing strategy development.

Portrait image of Drew Norrish

DREW NORRISH

As CEO of Mackerel Islands Pty Ltd, Drew oversees three very unique properties in the Pilbara region including the Onslow Beach Resort and offshore Mackerel Islands (Thevenard and Direction Islands). He also oversees the management of the iconic Karijini Eco Retreat in nearby Karijini National Park on behalf of the traditional owners.

Working his way from Island Manager to CEO, he has 14 years experience both operationally and at an executive level in the ANW region. He also has experience in the management of a well established marine tourism business in Europe. Drew holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management, is a board member of the Pilbara Tourism Association and is an active participant in the tourism and hospitality industry in Perth and the North West.

Term expires: 2025

Portrait image of Simone Kapiteyn

SIMONE KAPITEYN

Simone owns and operates Adventure Wild Kimberley Tours, which offers 12- day extended tours throughout the Kimberley region.  Simone has lived in and worked from Broome since 2001, travelling the region extensively, building and maintaining strong relationships. 

Working cohesively with accommodation, tour operators, retail and small business, Simone promotes tourism throughout the region.  With 23 years policing experience, including 10 years at Broome Police Station, Simone offers an independent, objective understanding of the complexities and diversities of Australia’s North West.

Term expires: 2024

Portrait image of Jessie Hornblow

JESSIE HORNBLOW

Jessie is the Executive Manager for Pearls of Australia. Her experience in tourism spans over 13 years in managerial positions across the Pilbara and West Kimberley. She spent six years at Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm on the tip of the Dampier Peninsula working across pearling, marine & indigenous tourism, eco-accommodation, retail and hospitality. She is now based in Broome with a focus on marketing, trade and strategic business development across Pearls of Australia’s operations in both Cygnet Bay, WA and Broken Bay, NSW.

Jessie holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance & Marketing, is a graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course.

Term expires: 2024

Portrait image of Narelle Brook

NARELLE BROOK

Narelle has been in Kununurra since 1995, dedicating 22 years to senior tourism roles, covering aviation, touring, visitor servicing and accommodation. She's operated a small business since 2013, assisting clients with sales and marketing. For a decade, Narelle hosted travel famils for Tourism WA and has been involved in the Ord Valley Muster since its 2001 inception. In 2020, she became a Life Member of Ord Valley Events. Narelle is a co-founder of the East Kimberley Marketing Group and was elected as a Councillor for Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley in 2017.  Narelle is currently General Manager of The Cambridge which is undergoing a $15M renovation.

Term expires: 2024

Board Member Lucy Sands, of RedSands Campers

LUCY SANDS

Lucy is the Director of RedSands Campers, a family run 4WD camper hire company established by Lucy and her husband in 2015 to meet the growing demand for a quality self-drive product. She is also an Environmental Scientist, practicing for over for 25 years, specialising in natural resource management, community consultation, strategic and business planning, and environmental impact assessment across government, corporate and consulting.

Lucy has a strong passion for growing and nurturing Western Australia’s place in the international tourism market, especially the remote destinations across ANW, which offer unique experiences and products to the international traveller. RedSands has worked collaboratively within the European market for over 9 years, developing a strong understanding of the European Wholesale Distribution model and forging close relationships with key distribution partners, promoting the disbursal of high-value European travellers throughout ANW.

Term expires: 2025

Portrait image of Bart Pigram

BART PIGRAM

Bart has been the owner/operator of Narlijia Experiences in Broome for over 6 years whilst advocating on many levels for Indigenous Tourism in the Northwest and the rest of the state. His passion and endeavour to engage and support Indigenous people in the tourism industry is evident through his engagement with the industry. Bart was previously a member of the West Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council  Board – Australia’s North West representative, and he is a member of the Intrepid Travel – Reconciliation Action Plan Advisory Committee, which works to help their operations adopt culturally sensitive and meaningful industry relationships with Indigenous Australians around the country.

Bart has also developed several cultural Broome experiences with well-established operators including Broome Whale Watching, Kimberley Air Services, Broome Transit and the onshore cruise market and Cygnet Bay Pearls. 

Bart has a background in cultural development and curatorship, and was a former Yawuru PBC Director. 

Portrait image of Craig Shaw

CRAIG SHAW

Craig is the CEO of Broome International Airport, having moved to the North West following previous positions at airports in tourism dependant location including Longreach, Townsville and the Gold Coast.

As the leader of an airport, Craig understands very well the importance of the destination we serve, including its attractiveness to visitors and is highly motivated to support tourism development endeavours for our region. Through previous roles Craig has been involved with supporting many key events and ongoing sponsorships, ranging from the Queensland Tourism Awards, through to operators like the Outback Age of Dinosaurs.

Combi on Cable Beach, Broome CJ Maddock

Our Team

Based at the Australia’s North West office in Broome, ANW’s staff is a dedicated team of marketing professionals working with vision and purpose for our…