Chief Executive & Team

Lee brings more than 10 years of in-depth experience in agricultural policy, trade and international relations to Australian Grape & Wine. Lee commenced the role of Chief Executive Officer with Australian Grape & Wine on 16 November 2022, after 5 years in the role of General Manager, Government Relations. Lee is committed to working with Australia’s world-leading grape growers and winemakers to help drive a positive agenda for the sector in the years to come. As an early priority, Lee is in conversations with our members to understand their challenges and opportunities, making sure our team is focusing on the issues that matter most to grape and wine businesses.

With over 12 years’ experience in government and 15+ years’ experience in the private sector, Lisa has a deep understanding of policy, legislative and political processes. Appointed as Director, Government Relations in April 2023, Lisa’s focus is on making sure the views of Australia’s wine grape growers and winemakers are heard loud and clear in Canberra, and in our state and territory parliaments. She is a strong advocate for Australian grape wine businesses and understands how the decisions of federal, state and territory governments can impact on their profitability and competitiveness. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Library and Information Studies) from Curtin University.

Ali is a strategic communications leader with over 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, and stakeholder engagement across multinational, SME, and not-for-profit organisations. As Director of Communications & Engagement at Australian Grape & Wine, she leads sector-wide communication strategies, building strong, collaborative relationships with state and regional grape and wine associations, industry partners, and government agencies to deliver the best outcomes for Australian grape and wine producers. A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Ali previously chaired the Diversity, Equality & Inclusion in Wine (DEIW) committee and continues to serve as an active member, supporting industry-wide initiatives that drive meaningful change. Recognised for her leadership in digital engagement, she was named WCA Digital Wine Communicator of the Year in 2017 and was a keynote speaker at the 2019 Australian Women in Wine Awards in New York City. Ali holds a Bachelor of Management (Marketing & Communications) from the University of South Australia and is committed to driving impactful, forward-thinking communication strategies for the Australian grape and wine sector.

After over 10 years of experience providing broad support for Australian wine industry engagement, policy and strategy, Damien now focuses on the trade and market access work of Australian Grape & Wine. Damien also manages the Australian Grape & Wine national advisory committees including the Wine Industry Technical Advisory Committee, Research Advisory Committee, Code Management Committee, Packaging Committee and the Wine Industry Market Access Group. The role takes on both a national and international perspective with core aspects including engagement and maintaining Australian wine's leading role in guiding strategic priorities across a number of forums including, World Wine Trade Group, OIV, Codex and APEC. Damien holds a Bachelor of Environmental Management (Hons) from Adelaide University.

Anna has over 20 years of experience in the grape and wine sector, originally in vineyard management and winemaking both in Australia and overseas, and later as General Manager of a premium wine producer in South Australia. She has been a non-executive director on private and Government boards in the fields of biosecurity, natural resource management and grape and wine business and currently sits on the board of Landcare Australia. Immediately prior to the formation of Australian Grape and Wine she gained experience in national advocacy as Chief Executive Officer of Australian Vignerons. Having worked across a broad range of roles, including practical hands-on industry experience, she is well placed to promote the best interests of sector on domestic policy issues relating to water, biosecurity and environmental and economic sustainability. Anna has tertiary qualifications in Agricultural Science (oenology), Business Law and Agribusiness. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the recipient of the S.A. Rural Women’s Award in 2013

Laura has over 10 years experience in the Australian wine sector, and 15+ years experience in stakeholder engagement across a variety of industries. She was appointed to the Corporate Services Role in January 2023, after being in the Membership Coordinator role for 6 years. Laura was pivotal in the modernisation of Membership Services for Australian Grape & Wine, creating the foundations for ongoing efficiencies in ways of working and reporting for this critical part of the business. With this expertise, Laura’s focus in Corporate Services will be overseeing compliance of Corporate Governance for the Board, Standing Committees and Membership Committees, while also providing support to the Chief Executive. This is a multi-functional role requiring strong industry engagement, ensuring Australian Grape & Wine operates within Australian and international regulatory framework.

Angie joined the Australian wine sector in 2013, initially in a supporting finance role, and in 2016 assumed sole management of all finance functions. Angie brings invaluable experience from her long career in finance including banking and investment services, before moving to finance management across a variety of industries including advertising, franchising, and retirement villages. She is currently responsible for all aspects of financial management and reporting across Australian Grape & Wine and the National Wine Foundation, ensuring compliance with accounting standards and statutory regulations. Angie is responsible for Australian Grape & Wine’s IT management, providing a reliable network with a strong cyber-security focus. Angie has tertiary qualifications in Commerce (Accounting) from The University of Adelaide.