Hillary Cherry
Hillary Cherry is a Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) Coordinator, working with the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and WoNS partners across Australia. The WoNS program works to ensure consistent, strategic management of weeds from the national to the local level, using icon species to raise awareness of weed issues, encourage weed research and improve and implement best practice management. Hillary currently coordinates the bitou bush and boneseed and asparagus weeds WoNS programs. She is originally from Florida, where she obtained a Master’s Degree in Botany from the University of Florida. She served as a director on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) board and founded the FLEPPC Education Committee. She worked with the University of Florida’s Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants on terrestrial weed research, applied management and weed risk assessment before moving to Australia in 2002. She has been a member of the NSW Weeds Society since 2003.
Wendy Gibney
Wendy is currently the president of the NSW Weeds Society and Development Officer in Weeds Information for the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI). Her work includes developing and updating weeds information resources such as the NSW WeedWise Website for weeds professionals and the community. Wendy has worked with NSW DPI since 2016 and has supported weeds professionals with behaviour change programs aimed at increasing community engagement in weed management activities. This included using Community Based Social Marketing.
Wendy’s previous weeds related roles include bush regenerator, environmental project officer and landcare coordinator. Wendy has a Masters in Agriculture and a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Environmental rehabilitation) both from the University of New England, NSW.
