Home » About us » Geographical Names Board

Geographical Names Board

Members are appointed to the Board in accordance with the provisions set out in Section 3 of the Geographical Names Act 1966. The Act allows for a total of nine members, four of which are those people who hold the office of, or are a respective nominee of:

the Surveyor General of NSW
the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
the State Librarian and
the Department of Customer Service.

The remaining five positions are nominated by:

the governing bodies of the Local Government and Shires Association of New South Wales
the governing body of the Royal Australian Historical Society
the governing body of the Geographical Society of New South Wales
the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council
the Chairperson of Multicultural NSW.

These members are appointed by the Governor and hold office for a period not longer than five years. They are also eligible for re-appointment after the completion of their respective term.

Members of the board

The following people are appointed as Board members as at 4 May 2021.

	Thomas Grinter A/ NSW Surveyor General (Chair) Thomas Grinter is the Acting NSW Surveyor-General, Chair of the Geographical Names Board and President of the Board of Surveying and Spatial Information. Thomas joined the surveying profession in 2005 and has been working in various roles within NSW government for the last 13 years. Thomas holds a Bachelor degree in Surveying, a Masters Degree in Engineering and is currently undertaking a Master’s Degree in Law.
	Lauryn Bae Brokate Representing Department of Customer Service (Deputy Chair) Lauryn Bae Brokate commenced as the Executive Director, Strategy in the Office of the Secretary, NSW Department of Customer Service in July 2021. Before this, Lauryn worked as Chief of Staff to the Secretary, NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet. Prior to joining the NSW public service, Lauryn held leadership roles in the Commonwealth public service, including at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the former Department of Families, Housing, Community Service and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA). Lauryn holds a Master of International Public Health from the University of NSW and an honours degree in International Development from La Trobe University.
	Monica Gibson Representing Department of Planning and Environment Monica Gibson, Executive Director, Local and Regional Planning, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. Monica has forged an extensive career in a variety of lead strategic and statutory planning roles in council, industry and the Department over more than two decades. Based in Newcastle, Monica has a passion for planning’s ability to bring about real, lasting and positive change to places and for people in regional NSW. In her role she leads statutory and strategic planning in the regions and the Planning Panels Secretariat. Monica has a real passion for the fascinating history of how places got their names and the ongoing work to ensure places reflect the names bestowed upon them by First Nations people and traditional owners.
	Cr. Dallas Donnelly Representing NSW Aboriginal Land Council Dallas Donnelly is a Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr man from Grafton. He previously served as the NSWALC North Coast Regional Councillor, was the CEO of the Grafton-Ngerrie, Baryulgil Square and Ngulingah Local Aboriginal Land Councils and an ATSIC Regional Councillor.
	Richard Neville Representing State Library Richard Neville is the Mitchell Librarian and Director, Engagement at the State Library of NSW. With a research background in nineteenth century Australian art and culture, he curated numerous exhibitions and published widely on colonial art and society. He has also been extensively involved in the acquisition, arrangement, description and promotion of the Library’s renowned Australian research collections.
	Simon Chan Representing Multicultural NSW Simon Chan is the Director and Founder of Art Atrium, an art gallery exhibiting contemporary Australian, Asian and Aboriginal art and he is also a practising architect and Director of SCA Architects. Simon has been involved in a broad range of not for profit Foundations and community organisations. Simon is a Director on the Board of VisAsia at Art Gallery of NSW, Council member of the Power Institute Foundation for Art and Visual Culture at The University of Sydney, Board member of Multicultural NSW Advisory Board, Director on the Board of Parramasala and Board member of the Australian National Maritime Museum Foundation Board. Simon is also the President of Haymarket Chamber of Commerce, Committee Member of the NSW Government Chinese Garden of Friendship Advisory Committee, Director and former Chair on the Board of Aboriginal Benefits Foundation, Executive Committee Member of Contemporary Asian Australian Performance, Community Representative and member of the Woollahra Council Cultural Committee. Simon is a member of the Sydney Water Community Advisory Committee and the Public Officer and Executive Committee member of Chinese Australian Forum. Simon was the recipient of the inaugural NSW Premier's Multicultural Award for Arts & Culture in 2013.
	Lesley Furneaux-Cook Representing Local Government Lesley Furneaux-Cook is a Board Director for Local Government NSW which is the peak body representing all 128 Councils across the state. Currently, she is one of the two Local Government Commissioners for the NSW Boundaries Commission, Board member for the NSW Geographical Name’s Board and LGNSW representative on the Public Libraries Consultative Committee. She also sits on both Burwood and LGNSW Audit and Risk Committees. Lesley has been elected as a councillor for Burwood Council for the last 18 years and has served as both Deputy Mayor and as the first female Mayor in the Council’s 147year history. She is passionate about community representation, transparency and accountability. Lesley holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Sydney University, a Dip Ed, Cert IV in Training and Assessment, an Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management and a Graduate Diploma of Strategic Leadership.
	Dr. Terry Kass Representing Royal Historical Society Terry Kass, B.A. (Hons), M. A. (Hons), Ph.D is the delegate of the Royal Australian Historical Society on the Geographical Names Board. He is an independent consulting historian with many years of experience researching and writing local and regional history as well as numerous reports for heritage assessments. He has a strong interest in local and regional history as well as the history of land settlement and surveying. Publications include histories of Parramatta, Grafton and surveying. Terry promotes the value of detailed archival research for local and regional history, particularly records regarding freehold land ownership and archival records regarding Crown Land. He has long been passionate about historical maps and plans. He has twice won the Phyllis Mander Jones Award from the Australian Society of Archivists for his publications about archives, whilst a number of other books and projects have attracted awards from the National Trust of Australia, New South Wales branch. Terry brings that knowledge and experience to his role on the Geographical Names Board.
	Dr Alanna Kamp Representing Geographical Society of NSW Dr Alanna Kamp (BA BSc (UNSW); PhD (WSU)) represents the Geographical Society of NSW on the Geographical Names Board. Dr Kamp is Lecturer in Geography and Urban Studies, School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University. She is academic member of the Challenging Racism Project (WSU), Diversity and Human Rights Research Centre (WSU), Young and Resilient Research Centre (WSU), and think-tank consortium Centre of Resilient and Inclusive Societies. Dr Kamp’s teaching and research contributions lie in the areas of Australian multiculturalism and cultural diversity, experiences of migration and settlement, racism and anti-racism, national identity, citizenship and intersectional experiences of belonging/exclusion. Her work utilises national-level quantitative methods as well as smaller-scale qualitative techniques that are influenced by multi-disciplinary research (post-colonialism, feminism, history, diaspora etc).

Thomas_Grinter_Sml

Thomas Grinter

A/ NSW Surveyor General (Chair)

Thomas Grinter is the Acting NSW Surveyor-General, Chair of the Geographical Names Board and President of the Board of Surveying and Spatial Information. Thomas joined the surveying profession in 2005 and has been working in various roles within NSW government for the last 13 years. Thomas holds a Bachelor degree in Surveying, a Masters Degree in Engineering and is currently undertaking a Master’s Degree in Law.

Lauryn_Bae_Brokate_Sml

Lauryn Bae Brokate

Representing Department of Customer Service (Deputy Chair)

Lauryn Bae Brokate commenced as the Executive Director, Strategy in the Office of the Secretary, NSW Department of Customer Service in July 2021. Before this, Lauryn worked as Chief of Staff to the Secretary, NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Prior to joining the NSW public service, Lauryn held leadership roles in the Commonwealth public service, including at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the former Department of Families, Housing, Community Service and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).

Lauryn holds a Master of International Public Health from the University of NSW and an honours degree in International Development from La Trobe University.

Monica_Gibson_Sml

Monica Gibson

Representing Department of Planning and Environment

Monica Gibson, Executive Director, Local and Regional Planning, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

Monica has forged an extensive career in a variety of lead strategic and statutory planning roles in council, industry and the Department over more than two decades. Based in Newcastle, Monica has a passion for planning’s ability to bring about real, lasting and positive change to places and for people in regional NSW. In her role she leads statutory and strategic planning in the regions and the Planning Panels Secretariat. Monica has a real passion for the fascinating history of how places got their names and the ongoing work to ensure places reflect the names bestowed upon them by First Nations people and traditional owners.

Cr_Dallas_Donnelly_Sml

Cr. Dallas Donnelly

Representing NSW Aboriginal Land Council

Dallas Donnelly is a Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr man from Grafton. He previously served as the NSWALC North Coast Regional Councillor, was the CEO of the Grafton-Ngerrie, Baryulgil Square and Ngulingah Local Aboriginal Land Councils and an ATSIC Regional Councillor.

Richard_Neville_Sml

Richard Neville

Representing State Library

Richard Neville is the Mitchell Librarian and Director, Engagement at the State Library of NSW. With a research background in nineteenth century Australian art and culture, he curated numerous exhibitions and published widely on colonial art and society. He has also been extensively involved in the acquisition, arrangement, description and promotion of the Library’s renowned Australian research collections.

Simon_Chan_Sml

Simon Chan

Representing Multicultural NSW

Simon Chan is the Director and Founder of Art Atrium, an art gallery exhibiting contemporary Australian, Asian and Aboriginal art and he is also a practising architect and Director of SCA Architects. Simon has been involved in a broad range of not for profit Foundations and community organisations. Simon is a Director on the Board of VisAsia at Art Gallery of NSW, Council member of the Power Institute Foundation for Art and Visual Culture at The University of Sydney, Board member of Multicultural NSW Advisory Board, Director on the Board of Parramasala and Board member of the Australian National Maritime Museum Foundation Board. Simon is also the President of Haymarket Chamber of Commerce, Committee Member of the NSW Government Chinese Garden of Friendship Advisory Committee, Director and former Chair on the Board of Aboriginal Benefits Foundation, Executive Committee Member of Contemporary Asian Australian Performance, Community Representative and member of the Woollahra Council Cultural Committee. Simon is a member of the Sydney Water Community Advisory Committee and the Public Officer and Executive Committee member of Chinese Australian Forum. Simon was the recipient of the inaugural NSW Premier's Multicultural Award for Arts & Culture in 2013.

Cr_Lesley_Furneaux-Cook_Sml

Lesley Furneaux-Cook

Representing Local Government

Lesley Furneaux-Cook is a Board Director for Local Government NSW which is the peak body representing all 128 Councils across the state.

Currently, she is one of the two Local Government Commissioners for the NSW Boundaries Commission, Board member for the NSW Geographical Name’s Board and LGNSW representative on the Public Libraries Consultative Committee. She also sits on both Burwood and LGNSW Audit and Risk Committees.

Lesley has been elected as a councillor for Burwood Council for the last 18 years and has served as both Deputy Mayor and as the first female Mayor in the Council’s 147year history.

She is passionate about community representation, transparency and accountability.

Lesley holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Sydney University, a Dip Ed, Cert IV in Training and Assessment, an Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management and a Graduate Diploma of Strategic Leadership. 

Terry_Kass_Sml

Dr. Terry Kass

Representing Royal Historical Society

Terry Kass, B.A. (Hons), M. A. (Hons), Ph.D is the delegate of the Royal Australian Historical Society on the Geographical Names Board. He is an independent consulting historian with many years of experience researching and writing local and regional history as well as numerous reports for heritage assessments. He has a strong interest in local and regional history as well as the history of land settlement and surveying. Publications include histories of Parramatta, Grafton and surveying.

Terry promotes the value of detailed archival research for local and regional history, particularly records regarding freehold land ownership and archival records regarding Crown Land. He has long been passionate about historical maps and plans. He has twice won the Phyllis Mander Jones Award from the Australian Society of Archivists for his publications about archives, whilst a number of other books and projects have attracted awards from the National Trust of Australia, New South Wales branch. Terry brings that knowledge and experience to his role on the Geographical Names Board.

Dr_Alanna_Kamp_Sml

Dr Alanna Kamp

Representing Geographical Society of NSW

Dr Alanna Kamp (BA BSc (UNSW); PhD (WSU)) represents the Geographical Society of NSW on the Geographical Names Board. Dr Kamp is Lecturer in Geography and Urban Studies, School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University. She is academic member of the Challenging Racism Project (WSU), Diversity and Human Rights Research Centre (WSU), Young and Resilient Research Centre (WSU), and think-tank consortium Centre of Resilient and Inclusive Societies.

Dr Kamp’s teaching and research contributions lie in the areas of Australian multiculturalism and cultural diversity, experiences of migration and settlement, racism and anti-racism, national identity, citizenship and intersectional experiences of belonging/exclusion. Her work utilises national-level quantitative methods as well as smaller-scale qualitative techniques that are influenced by multi-disciplinary research (post-colonialism, feminism, history, diaspora etc).

Counsellors to the board

The following people are appointed as Counsellors as at 4 May 2021.

	Dr. Peter Orlovich Advising on historical issues Chairperson and Secretary of the Honorary Counsellors' Committee, Geographical Names Board of New South Wales, 1967 to 1973. Appointed Member of the Board as Nominee of the Council of the Royal Australian Historical Society, 1976 to October 2001. Appointed as Counsellor to the Board, 2001 to the present. Presented with an award in 2016 by The Hon. Tony Kelly, NSW Minister for Lands, in recognition of 50 years outstanding service to the Geographical Names Board and commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Geographical Names Act 1966. Adjunct Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Languages, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of New South Wales (2020-2023). Formerly Senior Lecturer in Archives Administration at the University of NSW 1973-1999; Director, Short Course in Managing Archives and Historical Documents, School of History and School of Humanities and Languages, University of NSW, 1999-2018; Assistant Senior Archivist, State Archives of NSW, 1967-1972; Mitchell Library Fellow, 1965-1967.
	Prof. Jakelin Troy Advising on language issues Professor Jakelin Troy (Jaky) is Ngarigu of the Snowy Mountains southern NSW. Jaky started with the Geographical Names Board as a member during her time as Director, NSW Aboriginal Languages Research and Resource Centre within the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, in the early 2000s. She has continued with the Board since then as a Counsellor advising on languages matters in particular. She is Director, Indigenous Research, Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at The University of Sydney. Jaky is a leading researcher at Sydney, focusing her work on the disciplines of linguistics, anthropology, history, musicology and fine art. She is well known for her work with communities on the Aboriginal language of Sydney, and is currently working with her own community to renew the use of Ngarigu. She wrote the pioneering ‘NSW Aboriginal Languages Curriculum K-12’ for the NSW Board of Studies and was lead writer ‘Australian Curriculum – Languages: Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Islander Languages’ for the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority. She designed The University of Sydney’s ‘Ngarangun: Indigenous Research Strategy’ and oversees its implementation. Jaky established the ‘Sydney Indigenous Research Network’ as part of this work to support Indigenous researchers and research in Australia and overseas. In 2019 she was named as one of the Financial Review’s Top 100 Women of Influence in the category Innovation.
	Julie Christie Advising on addressing issues Julie represents Australia Post.
	Marina DeGabriele Advising on Emergency Services Marina represents Fire and Rescue NSW.
	Angus Mann Advising on development issues Angus represents the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) NSW.

Secretary

Lisa Powell

Place Names Manager

Lisa Powell is the Place Names Manager and Secretary for the Geographical Names Board (GNB). Prior to this Lisa worked in the survey profession for over a decade. She holds a Bachelor of Spatial Science Technology degree majoring in GIS and a Diploma of Spatial Information Services (Surveying). As Place Names Manager, Lisa leads the GNB Secretariat team to support its customers and enable the Board to effectively undertake its powers and functions. Lisa is passionate about educating and enabling the community to engage in the place naming process so that place naming in NSW is reflective of the rich and diverse culture of our nation.