Rainforest Rescue's Board of Directors

Madeleine Faught MSocSc – Chair/Director

Madeleine is a consultant social ecologist. She has a long history of securing enhanced outcomes in community, cultural, and environmental spheres. Her focus is on building resilience in the link between social and ecological systems as a means toward greater sustainability and improved environmental outcomes.

Kelvin Davies - Director / chief Executive Officer

Kelvin has been working for the protection of rainforests for over 20 years.
From 1990 he was an active member of the Melbourne Rainforest Action Group and in the following decade was employed by some Australia's largest conservation organisations. In 1998 he commenced working on the development of Rainforest Rescue to fulfil his vision for the protection of rainforests both in Australia and internationally. He is a founding member of the Board of Directors and the CEO. Kelvin is also a member of the Fundraising Institute of Australia.

Tony Gilding - Director

Tony spent 15 years as General Manager and later CEO of Skansen Holdings Ltd, Australia's largest gift company which listed on the ASX in 1993. Since then he has campaigned actively on social issues including an active involvement in the Palm Oil Action Group. He was Vice President of the Australian Orangutan Project for 8 years and is a founding member of the UN sponsored Great Ape Survival Project. He was for 10 years a non-executive director of Ecos Corporation a highly regarded consultancy that advises global corporations on Sustainability strategy. Tony now lives in Byron Bay where he and Rie operate The Macadamia Castle a local tourist icon.

Sue Higginson - Director

Sue is a Senior Solicitor at the Environmental Defender’s Office NSW, currently working out of the Northern Rivers branch office. Before joining the Environmental Defender’s Office, Sue worked as a solicitor in private practice and taught Environmental Law at university. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Sue worked in the environment movement for a number of years, particularly in relation to forest conservation in north-east New South Wales, and was an active campaigner and spokesperson for the North East Forest Alliance. Her main area of environmental interest is biodiversity and threatened species conservation. Outside of work, Sue is usually in her garden.  

Frank Volckmar (BeSc & MBA) - Director

Frank started his working career as a consulting engineer and has since spent 20 years in various software sales, development, and marketing roles in Canada, US, UK and Australia.

He is currently the Managing Director of ReadSoft Australia and is responsible for leading and managing the growth of ReadSoft in Oceania.  His last adventure included several executive and global roles with Citect in the industrial automation market.   He is driven by creating and working with high performance teams, focused on delivering exceptional customer value.

Outside of his corporate responsibilities at ReadSoft, he is enthused by the opportunity to serve on the Rainforest Rescue Board, as he has a long-held commitment to preserving the environment, and is particularly interested in protecting the rainforest around the Daintree.