Meet your
Executive
President
Samantha Ratley
ABOUT SAMANTHA RATLEY
Samantha's local government career commenced 18 years ago in NSW where she gained valuable experience with Midcoast Council before moving to Narrabri Shire Council. In December 2020 Samantha moved to Darwin and joined the Planning and Performance Team and City of Darwin.
Samantha's involvement with Local Government Professionals dates back to 2014, where she was an active member of LGPro NSW. She was a member of the NextGen Executive Committee and a member of the Finance Committee. Samantha hopes to establish a NextGen movement within LGPro NT and invites any young local government professionals to reach out to her with their interests.
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Vice President
Marc Gardner
ABOUT MARC GARDNER
Marc Gardner is the immediate past LGProNT President, and has held the role of LGProNT Vice President on a number of occasions. Marc has a long and varied career in local government commencing in Queensland local government when he finished university and with Councils in SE and NW Qld. This is where he joined Local Government Manager’s Australia, now known as Local Government Professionals Aust, almost 20 years ago.
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In 2005, at the age of 27, he became the ‘Youngest CEO in the NT’ at Numbulwar Community Government Council (now part of Roper Gulf Regional Council). Marc has worked for Jabiru Town Council and spent many years with West Arnhem Regional Council as the Director Corporate and Community Services. For the past 10 years Marc has lived in Katherine working for Roper Gulf Regional Council as the General Manager Corporate Services and Sustainability (and other similar roles), as Acting Chief Executive Officer and in 2022 was appointed CEO.
“I love working for Local Government, I love making people happy and our industry provides excellent direct and tangible ways to make people's lives better through a range of services and infrastructure on the ground. To see the smiles on kids' faces when you open a sports centre or an older person when you’ve upgraded the Aged Care Centre, things that you’ve had a part in making happen, the changes and improvements to lives that you’ve facilitated, this is what makes local government work rewarding for me.”
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Marc is a Fellow member of Local Government Professionals Australia and has a Bachelor of Applied Science, a Graduate Diploma in Management and Master of Business (Finance and Human Resources) and is a Justice of Peace. He is also an International Mentor with LGPA with mentees in Cambodia and Nepal and has mentored his Council teams in the Australasian Management Challenge many times.
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Secretary/Treasurer
ABOUT MARC GARDNER
Marc Gardner is the immediate past LGProNT President, and has held the role of LGProNT Vice President on a number of occasions. Marc has a long and varied career in local government commencing in Queensland local government when he finished university and with Councils in SE and NW Qld. This is where he joined Local Government Manager’s Australia, now known as Local Government Professionals Aust, almost 20 years ago.
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In 2005, at the age of 27, he became the ‘Youngest CEO in the NT’ at Numbulwar Community Government Council (now part of Roper Gulf Regional Council). Marc has worked for Jabiru Town Council and spent many years with West Arnhem Regional Council as the Director Corporate and Community Services. For the past 10 years Marc has lived in Katherine working for Roper Gulf Regional Council as the General Manager Corporate Services and Sustainability (and other similar roles), as Acting Chief Executive Officer and in 2022 was appointed CEO.
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“I love working for Local Government, I love making people happy and our industry provides excellent direct and tangible ways to make people's lives better through a range of services and infrastructure on the ground. To see the smiles on kids' faces when you open a sports centre or an older person when you’ve upgraded the Aged Care Centre, things that you’ve had a part in making happen, the changes and improvements to lives that you’ve facilitated, this is what makes local government work rewarding for me.”
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Marc is a Fellow member of Local Government Professionals Australia and has a Bachelor of Applied Science, a Graduate Diploma in Management and Master of Business (Finance and Human Resources) and is a Justice of Peace. He is also an International Mentor with LGPA with mentees in Cambodia and Nepal and has mentored his Council teams in the Australasian Management Challenge many times.
Public Officer
Cristian Coman
ABOUT CRISTIAN COMAN
My professional background in the Sector is in Governance and Compliance, and as such, I have a keen interest and applicable skill-set that will assist the Association with its formal function and development overall.
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More Bio to come.
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Ordinary Member
Maxine Dowley
ABOUT MAXINE DOWLEY
Bio coming soon.
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Ordinary Member VACANT
Vacant