PANEL SESSION
Women In Planning Network Panel: ‘Coming together in a time of change: Networking and Success’
Featuring:
Lisa Kendal M海角社区
Planning Panels Victoria
Lisa is a Senior Panel Member at Planning Panels Victoria and has over 25 years’ experience across a wide range of planning matters. She has postgraduate qualifications in environmental science and planning, and has held senior positions across government and the private and not-for-profit sectors. Lisa has spent many years working in rural and regional areas across Victoria and contributing to strategic and statutory planning, agribusiness and renewable energy planning and projects.
Jasmine Butler
Coordinator of Strategic Planning, Horsham Rural City Council
Jasmine is an experienced local government planner with a passion for growth area planning. Jasmine has a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Conservation Ecology) from Deakin University, a Graduate Certificate of River Health Management from Melbourne University and over 13 years of experience delivering broad range of strategic planning projects and assessing development applications.
Jasmine started her land use planning career in her peri-urban hometown of Wonthaggi, progressing by working collaboratively with others. Her team won a Lyrebird award from the West Gippsland CMA for their collaboration with the CMA and Melbourne Water on a flood and coastal inundation planning scheme amendment.
Now the Coordinator Strategic Planning for Horsham Rural City Council, she has worked in both Victoria and Queensland, which has provided her with a broader view of planning systems, planning schemes, and how to work in partnership with the development industry and community. Jasmine understands the critical need to address housing issues in a way that retains the natural and built values that make places unique.
Jasmine is supported by Horsham to work fully remotely and part time from Queensland, visiting Horsham for key engagement activities as needed. She is passionate about gender equality and creating opportunities for female inclusion, representation and leadership.
Melissa Crane
General Manager Infrastructure and Planning, Mansfield Shire Council
Melissa has been working in the North East region of Victoria for 22 years and is now with Mansfield Shire as the General Manager Infrastructure and Planning.
Melissa’s undergraduate study was a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in politics and geography and she also has a Masters in Planning and Environment as well as a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).
Starting out as a planning administration officer Melissa moved into a statutory planning officer role and worked her way up into more senior roles and varied experiences with a variety of councils, including Manager Planning and Environment at Mansfield Shire, and now the General Manager.
Melissa has worked on some interesting regional and rural projects and was the local government planning expert on the Victorian Environment Advisory Committees Investigation into Historic Places on public land in 2016. She was also a planning technical expert on the reference group assisting the Animal Industries Advisory Committee’s investigation into intensive animal industries.
Melissa is passionate about rural issues, particularly the protection of farming land and she loves working for communities and believes that planners need to help facilitate appropriate development in a positive way – working closely with both developers and the community.
Jenny Donovan
Regional Planning Co-ordinator, Cradle Coast Authority
Jenny is a planner and urban designer. She works for the Cradle Coast Authority as a Regional Planning Co-ordinator and, before that, the UN in Afghanistan. Jenny is passionately interested in the social outcomes fostered in the places we build. Throughout her professional life she has been fortunate enough to work in roles that have focussed on helping people to meet their needs, enjoy good health, thrive and fulfil their potential.
Jenny is the author of books on socially responsible urban design, most recently “Designing to Heal” (2014) (CSIRO), “Designing the Compassionate City” (2017) and “Recipes for Urban Happiness” (Routledge) which will be published in August this year.
Rachael Huby 海角社区 (Assoc.) 
Town Planner at the City of Launceston
Rachael attained her Bachelor of Urban Development (Urban and Regional Planning) with a 2nd major in Landscape Architecture, from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), in December 2019.
With a strong intent and desire to work in a regional area Rachael applied for numerous regional graduate planner positions and landed in the North West of Tasmania in February 2020. An unusual start to her new career with COVID restrictions resulting in her working from home merely weeks into the new role and then an unprecedented rise in development applications across the state. She was also able to be part of the Council’s transition from an Interim Planning Scheme to the Tasmanian Planning Scheme.
Rachael is currently a Town Planner at the City of Launceston and continues to learn and develop as a planner. She has been involved in the city's heritage listing project and is working toward improved policy for environmental assessment of peri-urban and rural areas. She has also recently completed the IPA2 Certificate of Engagement and is looking forward to applying these new skills with upcoming public consultation for planning scheme amendments.
Prior to her planning career, Rachael worked for the federal government for an extended period where she performed a regulatory role inspecting passengers and goods, undertaking assessment and facilitating trade. She was also fortunate to be involved in several national projects and worked as Policy and Project Officer where she contributed to significant system and policy change.
Seeking a change, she then ran her own landscape design and horticulture consultancy business and also worked in the nursery industry. The path to urban planning started with returning to university (one of those mature age students!). She explored the synergy between creating public spaces that exhibit good design and equally can fulfil the parameters of good planning.
Rachael is passionate about the environment and well-designed places, and strongly believes in the value of collaboration and community engagement. Her life skills contribute to her ability to work collaboratively and also have cultivated her capacity think strategically. Rachael thrives working in inclusive teams that foster a learning environment whilst delivering positive business outcomes.
Rachael was the previous Convener of the Women in Planning Network (WiPN) and was a member of the Tasmanian Young Planners (TYP).
Outside of work Rachael enjoys exploring the outdoors and travel in her campervan.
