Executive Team

David commenced employment with Council in April 2021 and was appointed General Manager of Council Services and Community Engagement in October 2022. In May 2024, he stepped into the role of Acting Chief Executive Officer and was formally appointed as Chief Executive Officer in October 2024.

David brings 30 years of leadership experience in Local Government, State Government, Aboriginal Corporations and the not for profit sector across Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. He has lived and worked in remote Aboriginal communities for 7 years in senior leadership roles.

David has a Bachelor degree in Business and Post Graduate certificate in Case Management. With a passion for community development and organisational capacity building, David’s goal is to promote an integrated approach to local employment and economic development through job creation and high quality service delivery.

Cindy was appointed General Manager Corporate Services and Sustainability in October 2022. Cindy has spent the past 19 years living in Katherine and has worked in senior leadership roles in the Australian Government, Northern Territory Government and the not for profit sector. Cindy is committed to working collaboratively to ensure Council has high quality corporate support to deliver services to communities.

Cindy holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Sector Management. Cindy is passionate about Indigenous workforce development and developing community capacity to meet the social and economic challenges faced in remote communities.  

Tony was appointed General Manager Council Services and Community Engagement in May 2025, after acting in the role since late August 2024. He has been with Roper Gulf Regional Council for four years, previously serving as HR Advisor, Training Coordinator, and HR Manager.

With a background in human resources and training, Tony brings strong leadership and workforce development experience to the role. Before relocating to the Northern Territory 18 years ago, he served as a long-term member of the Australian Defence Force, gaining extensive experience in operations and team management. He holds a Bachelor of Administrative Leadership and a Diploma in Security (Risk Assessment).

Tony is passionate about improving the lives of community members and Council staff by creating meaningful employment and training opportunities that empower individuals and build stronger, more resilient communities across the region.

Luke joined Roper Gulf Regional Council in 2023 and was appointed General Manager Infrastructure Services and Planning in March 2025, after acting in the role since June 2024. 

With a strong background across all aspects of the infrastructure service division, including fleet, mechanical operations, engineering, project management, and asset management, Luke also draws on over a decade of experience running his own engineering business in Katherine.

Luke holds an Advanced Diploma of Engineering and is trade-qualified as both a Fitter Machinist and Mechanic. He began his career in Katherine, completing his apprenticeship locally and working on a variety of regional projects in mining and defence.

Luke is focused on developing structured processes and procedures to improve efficiency and reduce costs across the infrastructure division. He is passionate about projects that deliver practical outcomes for communities, turning ideas into substantial, on-the-ground results.