Kieren is a social scientist committed to building deeper, more reflective relationships between communities, companies, industries and governments. Prior to co-founding Voconiq he was a Senior Research Scientist with CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. Over the last fifteen years he has worked across a broad range of industries in more than twenty countries using quantitative social psychological research methods to reveal the pathways to deeper community trust for companies and industries, and to provide a voice for community members in decisions that affect their lives. Kieren was awarded a PhD from The University of Queensland in social and organisational psychology in 2008.

Naomi has substantial research experience in a range of areas that explore the intersections between public perceptions, industries, and the environment. Before she co-founded Voconiq, Naomi was a Senior Research Technician with CSIRO in the Resources in Society program of social and economic research in the Mineral Resources Business Unit. She has developed a vast set of research and project management skills over almost a decade working to bring world-class science to both communities and corporations. Naomi leads the development and deployment of our end-to-end software solution and oversees both staff and client services. Previously, Naomi earned her Bachelor of Environmental Management (Rural Systems) and Graduate Certificate in Research Methods (Social Science) from The University of Queensland and uses her extensive skills to seamlessly deliver our service directives.

Rolf is a minerals industry specialist with 25 years of professional experience across corporate, operations, consulting, technology commercialisation and applied research. Before he co-founded Voconiq, Rolf worked within CSIRO to plan and execute Voconiq’s commercialisation journey and industry engagement activities. He also trained as an engineer at The University of Adelaide and earned a PhD in Mineral Processing from The University of Queensland and an MBA in Technology Management from Chiefly Business School. Now, as an executive director of the independent entity, Rolf helps our company scale its delivery of trust building opportunities to community and industry globally, creates sustained client value, and guides us to achieve our strategic and operational objectives.

Mark is a strategic and hands-on technical leader with 18+ years of experience transitioning from Linux, SRE, and DevOps engineering into data-centric platforms. Adept at architecting scalable and resilient data solutions that drive business insights and continuous improvement, Mark is known for mentoring teams, fostering a culture of feedback, and aligning technical direction with organisational goals. He is passionate about integrating robust platform engineering with data-driven innovation to support high-growth environments.

Milla is a seasoned, people-focused HR practitioner with specific focus on the growth journey from small to medium sized businesses, and an extensive background in customer service and hospitality industries in Australia, Sweden and Finland. Prior to joining Voconiq, Milla worked as a P&C Manager role at an industry-leading Melbourne hospitality company scaling their people processes up from a team of 25 to 95. Milla is a professional, certified member of the Australian HR Institute. At Voconiq, her main focuses are around creating processes and structure for a growing company, recruitment and workforce planning as well as being a trusted source of support and advice for the whole team.

Ashleigh is a social psychologist and digital content specialist with a background in scientific research, information technology and business. Before joining Voconiq, she was working in an empathic computing laboratory at The University of Queensland designing and implementing a research program to use wearable technology to detect mood. She has also been working as a front-end website developer in the academic and real estate sectors for nearly a decade. Her extensive business experience provides her with ample project management skills; along with administration, business development, website design and management, graphic design, copywriting, and social media management skills. Ashleigh earned her PhD in social psychology from The University of Queensland and uses her diverse range of abilities to assist our team with efficiency analyses and automation, community and business-to-business engagement, research, reporting, technical support, website management, and content creation.

Rosie is a multidisciplinary researcher with an extensive background in public health. Prior to joining Voconiq, Rosie completed her PhD at Swinburne University of Technology, combining natural science and social science data collected from surveys to enrich understanding of public health outcomes relating to consumer practices and food safety. Rosie has also worked extensively in both government and university sectors and has developed her experience in regulation and compliance, research service delivery and science education. Rosie utilises her research analysis and communication skills with Voconiq by working together with our clients to develop survey instruments, write reports and to assist in translating data science outcomes into constructive insights for all our stakeholders.

Courtney specialises in development, implementation, and evaluation of training programs, project management and provision of specialist advisory services. Prior to joining Voconiq, Courtney worked in education and community engagement across various sectors. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Agribusiness, Bachelor of Applied Science, Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), Graduate Diploma of Teaching and Learning (secondary), and she is a qualified Trainer and Assessor. With her deep understanding of the intricacies of education and the adoption of new programs and her passion for the agricultural sector, Courtney plays a vital role in ensuring our clients' success.

As market lead for the U.S. operation, Shanna brings over 20 years of global experience leading teams across a broad range of sectors, including energy, critical minerals, and community engagement. Her work centers on designing and scaling sustainable policies and practical solutions to complex challenges. Shanna has led a range of sustainability initiatives, from digital connectivity infrastructure projects in urban Venezuela to police reform efforts in Bangladesh. Most recently, she has focused on evidence-based social performance in mining operations in the southwestern United States. Dedicated to aligning business and community interests, Shanna collaborates with companies and local stakeholders to define shared goals, manage risk, and ensure mutual benefit. She is bilingual in Spanish and English and holds a master’s degree in economics and international development from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Nick is communications coordinator with background in disability coordination, aged care and non-for-profit sectors. Prior to joining Voconiq, Nick developed written communications for a multitude of audiences which aimed to simplify or explain complex concepts in easier-to-understand terms. He also has experience in stakeholder engagement, social media strategy and coordinating teams. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Griffith University with a Diploma of Screen & Media and Certificate III Individual Support from TAFE QLD. Drawing on his experience across several industries and demographics, Nick is able to bring unique perspectives and innovative ideas to broaden the reach of Voconiq into the wider community.