Barbara Sharp
Managing Director
Barbara is Managing Director of Pax Populus and is responsible for leading the communication and stakeholder engagement practice area. Her background in media and politics has been a major influence on Pax Populus' Informed Consensus strategic response to high profile public conflicts. She has designed many low-trust, high-profile engagement processes, that are the hallmark of Pax Populus' approach to reputational risk management.

Barbara is highly experienced in issues management and crisis communications and has prepared numerous strategies for high-profile issues, often in the face of legal action (e.g. NAB rogue traders, Orica export beef contamination and Ok Tedi class actions) and public interest campaigns. She is a highly skilled interviewer and has conducted many sensitive social research projects, often for contentious and politically charged projects. Barbara has a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Emma Humann
Consultant
Emma brings a background in politics and environmental studies to Pax Populus' clients and our approach to solving complex natural resource disputes. She is highly skilled in communication and dealing with complex problems involving people and natural resource conflicts.

She has a Bachelor of Arts from Melbourne University, majoring in politics and environmental studies. Emma recently joined Pax Populus, having completed the graduate program in the Victorian public service and a role as policy officer in the Department of Planning and Community Development.

Simon Richards
Senior Associate
Simon has 20 years’ experience managing social development and humanitarian programs in diverse international environments and organisations in Australia, Africa and Asia. Over the past two decades, his work has focused on conflict assessment, conflict management and peace building, community development, civil society strengthening, institutional development, capacity building and NGO training for international development projects. Simon has a Master of Science in Development Studies, a Bachelor of Science (Hons) and a post-graduate Certificate in Education.

Dr Charles Lane
Senior Associate
In a career spanning 30 years, and the globe, Charles brings a great depth of insight to community development issues and responses in both Western and developing nation settings. As a director of a range of not-for-profit companies, and adviser to aid programs in east and west Africa, Charles has worked in local and African indigenous communities, and developed many pioneering programs to bring about social change.

Matt Boland
Senior Associate
Matt’s experience in the public sector spans 30 years, coming to the Pax Populus team from the Bracks Government, where he was chief-of-staff for the Minister for Education, Planning, Arts and Women’s Affairs. He brings impeccable knowledge of the policy and political environment for Victoria and a highly credible and trusted reputation with key government personnel and has a strong track record as a strategic thinker and problem-solver.

Dr Denis Muller
Corporate Associate
Denis is Principal of Denis Muller & Associates. He specialises in carrying out sensitive research in a variety of public policy fields. He is experienced in conducting qualitative and quantitative research, and developing communications strategies arising from that research.

Tim Offor
Director
As a founding director of Pax Populus, over the past 15 years, Tim has forged a reputation in social research, stakeholder engagement, business sustainability strategy, and the resolution of public conflicts over environmental and social issues.

He has led numerous stakeholder engagement processes, social impact assessments and social and community planning assessments for major projects across the Asia-Pacific including Lihir Gold and Ok Tedi copper mines, BassGas project, Gunns Bell Bay Pulp Mill, and numerous wind farm projects. He is experienced in leading teams of consultants and sub-contractors.

Tim has a Bachelor of Science degree with honours, four years’ post-graduate research experience towards a PhD in ecology and he is a trained mediator. Tim is Managing Director of Pax Populus (Melanesia) Ltd.

Michelle Hindson
Senior Associate
Michelle is an experienced and highly-motivated senior corporate affairs executive with a successful track record in stakeholder strategy and engagement; reputation and value enhancement; proactive issues management; opinion leader influencing; investor and media relations; and transactions including IPOs, mergers, acquisitions and takeover defence across a wide range of stakeholders and industry sectors.

She brings top-level corporate affairs and public relations experience to Pax Populus’ team, and a practical understanding of the client perspective on the consulting relationship.

Kerry Boland
Senior Associate
Kerry is a highly experienced senior manager in the community services and overseas aid sectors, with experience in both government and non-government sectors. She specialises in working with vulnerable communities on protection and capacity building. She has an intimate knowledge and experience of rebuilding communities in conflict affected countries including Sri Lanka, Chad and Afghanistan from her work with UNHCR, UNICEF and Red Cross as well as her work from 10 years as Senior Member of Australia’s Refugee Review Tribunal.

Dr Tony McDonald
Senior Associate
Tony is an accomplished planning and environmental professional with more than 18 years’ experience in over 18 countries. His areas of expertise include designing, implementing and evaluating development programs, humanitarian disaster and emergency response (Afghanistan, Eritrea, Indonesia, Sudan, Cambodia), community consultation and participatory planning (Australia, PNG, China), project management and environmental and social impact assessment.

Zena Helman
Corporate Associate
Zena is director of Helman Consulting. She has extensive experience in environmental management and planning in both the public and private sectors. Her experience as an environmental consultant includes working as a senior consultant in a number of companies, and as a solo practitioner. She has worked in the public sector in Victoria, where her experience included policy development and planning. She is certified as a Lead Environmental Auditor by RABQSA and acts as an EMS Technical Specialist and Lead Auditor for JAS-ANZ.