DPI Dairy Team

Ken Garner, Leader Dairy (Bega, NSW)

Ken Garner

Responsible for leading NSW DPI’s dairy research, development and adoption program, providing strategic guidance, operational support and supervision to the team, as well as coordinating dairy industry policy advice and industry engagement.

Interests and expertise: Industry leadership roles, dairy manufacturing plus project management experience predominately in the agriculture, biosecurity and natural resource management fields.

Contact information: ken.garner@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Sheena Carter, Development Officer Dairy Farm Business Management (Scone, NSW)

Sheena Carter

Interests and expertise: Dairy farm business management, farm business performance and monitoring, workshop delivery and facilitation.

Projects: Dairy Business Advisory Unit; NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Project (DFMP); The Business of Dairy Podcast; DairyUP – P3 Economics of Intensification

Contact information: sheena.carter@dpi.nsw.gov.au


Juan Gargiulo, Development Officer Dairy (Camden, NSW)

Juan Gargiulo

Interests and expertise: Farm business management, automation, data management, decision support tools, remote sensing.

Projects: DairyUP P1 - Unlocking the Potential of Kikuyu-based Systems; DairyUP P3 - The Economics of Intensification; DairyUP P9 - Designer Milk

Contact information: juan.gargiulo@dpi.nsw.gov.au


Blake Cheer, Development Officer Dairy (Port Macquarie, NSW)

Blake Cheer

Interests and expertise: Climate Risk Management, Farm System Developments, Environmental Management, Supporting Dairy Industry Sustainability.

Projects: Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program Project 2a: Climate Vulnerability Assessment, Dairy Development and Environmental Guidelines, On Farm Carbon Advice & Navigating Farm Development

Contact information: blake.cheer@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Zita Ritchie, Program Manager Dairy (Wollongbar, NSW)

Zita Ritchie

Interests and expertise: Industry leadership and sustainability, climate risk management and emergency response and recovery, as well as group facilitation and training.

Projects: Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program, Program 1: Better Response and short-term Recovery in Dairy; Review of environmental guidelines for the dairy industry and; Dairy Business for Future Climate and On farm Carbon Advice projects.

Contact information: zita.ritchie@dpi.nsw.gov.au


Amanda Britton, Program Manager Dairy (Berry, NSW)

Amanda Britton

Interests and expertise: Emergency Management (preparedness, planning, response and recovery), pasture agronomy, project management, group facilitation and training development and delivery.

Projects: Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program - Program 2: Better Preparedness, Lower Risk and Higher Resilience in Dairy

Contact information: amanda.britton@dpi.nsw.gov.au


Tori Alexander, Project Officer (Camden, NSW)

Tori Alexander

Interests and Expertise: Supporting adoption of sustainable farming practices, animal health, farm business performance and monitoring, use of technology on-farm, and developing and delivering workshops and extension packages.

Projects: Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program – Program 1: – Better Response and short term Recovery in Dairy

Contact information: tori.alexander@dpi.nsw.gov.au


Jess Bell, Project Officer (Cowra, NSW)

Jess Bell

Interests and expertise: Promoting and encouraging career development in dairy, supporting first generation farmers find successful avenues to business ownership, staff training and upskilling, animal health, milk quality and the use of farm technology.

Projects: Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program – Program 3:  Supporting Industry Development in Dairy.

Contact information: jessica.bell@dpi.nsw.gov.au