Dr Gemma Ma has been a veterinarian at RSPCA NSW for more than 10 years working in shelter medicine and general veterinary clinical practice. During this time she has worked extensively on RSPCA NSW access-to-vet-care programs across NSW.Â
Dr Ma graduated with a PhD from the University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science in 2020. Her thesis investigated the role of companion animals in human and environmental health.Â
Dr Ma is currently Project Manager on Keeping Cats Safe at Home, while also supervising university research students and assisting the RSPCA NSW Outreach team on various projects across the state.Â
Gemma’s family includes two cats, both adopted from RSPCA NSW: Eevee an 11-year-old charcoal tabby and Jamie a very rare 7-year-old male tortoiseshell.
Silvina is the Project Officer on Keeping Cats Safe at Home, our exciting cat project funded by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust. She also assists in numerous ways across the Community team.Â
Silvina is originally from Argentina but has been calling Sydney home for the last 9 years.Â
She is passionate about working for meaningful causes. Her main areas of interest are the wellbeing and protection of children, animals, and the environment.Â
Whilst in Argentina, she obtained her Bachelor of Environmental Management and Science at the University of Congreso. Shortly thereafter she worked on Environmental Education projects and as an Environmental Field Officer in a mining project.Â
In Australia she completed her Cert III in Captive Animals and Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing at TAFE NSW, since then, she worked in administration support and as a feline carer at a cat hotel – a role that certainly has confirmed her crazy cat lady title.Â
She is a strong advocate for animal welfare and is immensely proud to be part of the RSPCA team.
Dr Findy Wills started as a small animal veterinarian in Newcastle after graduating from the University of Sydney and has been servicing the area for the past 12 years. During her time as a small animal clinician, she found owners were often in need of answers for their pet’s behaviour problems.Â
Between 2015-2018, she worked extensively with shelter animals at RSPCA Yagoona. Seeing first-hand the end result of untreated mental health disorders in dogs and cats sparked her passion in furthering her skills in animal behaviour.Â
After attending a veterinary behaviour conference in 2017, she enrolled in a Masters degree in Clinical Animal Behaviour with the University of Edinburgh, UK and started providing behaviour consultations for her clients in clinic. Upon completion of her Postgraduate Diploma Level of her Masters degree, Let’s Talk Paws – Veterinary Behaviour Services was born with the goal of teaching pet owners to better understand and manage their pet’s behaviour problems through learning and communication.Â
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Keeping Cats Safe at Home is based on extensive social science research and includes a very exciting cat and wildlife ecology research project. We are very fortunate to be working with amazing research scientists to help build an evidence base that will inform our understanding of how best to keep our feline friends safe and happy while also protecting our unique and irreplaceable wildlife.
Keeping Cats Safe at Home is based on extensive social science research and includes a very exciting cat and wildlife ecology research project. We are very fortunate to be working with amazing research scientists to help build an evidence base that will inform our understanding of how best to keep our feline friends safe and happy while also protecting our unique and irreplaceable wildlife.
Lynette is an environmental psychologist whose work is focused on improving human behaviour change to achieve better outcomes for people and the environment.Â
Her interdisciplinary approach to research is guided by thirty years of experience across both science and social science fields, holding professional research positions within NSW Department of Primary Industries and New England University, and working with the community to manage a range of issues, including free-roaming cats, wild dogs and widespread weeds.Â
She currently runs McLeod Research, a consulting company helping organisations better understand their target audiences, and design improved behaviour change interventions. Lynette has recently moved to Christchurch, where she is an adjunct Senior Fellow at the University of Canterbury and is part of the National Science Challenge team empowering environmental stewardship and Kaitiakitanga.Â
Dr Magdoline Awad has a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree from the University of Sydney, a graduate degree in Veterinary Professional Practice Management, and Membership of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in the Animal Welfare Chapter.Â
She was appointed to the Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW in 2019 representing vets in urban areas. She is a member of the UNSW Animal Care and Ethics Committee and the NSW representative for the AVA Welfare and Ethics special interest group.Â
Mags was Chief Veterinarian at RSPCA NSW from 2008-2015, after starting with the organisation in 1996. She was involved in the development and management of community programs in remote regional areas of NSW, working with local veterinarians and government to improve the welfare of pets in those communities. Programs for the disadvantaged, including the elderly have since been incorporated into the University of Sydney Veterinary Undergraduate Degree. The role also included Veterinary oversight of animal cruelty matters, ensuring adherence to legislation and policy and any related media.Â
Prior to her role at Greencross, Mags spent 4 years as the Chief Veterinary Officer for PetSure, working closely with the Veterinary Profession and Industry to increase Pet Insurance awareness and penetration in Australia.
I am an ecologist and wildlife management professional who specialises in working with wildlife and people to achieve practical outcomes from science-based programs.
Most of my research deals with controversial and or challenging topics, such as the management of predators, including feral cats, foxes, dingoes and the endemic spotted-tailed quoll.  
I lead a range of projects for Government agencies / University and supervise Higher Degree Research students at the University of New England.Â
Simon has 25 years’ experience working in the zoo and wildlife conservation industry.  In 2009 Simon was awarded the position of Director of Wildlife Conservation and Science at Taronga Conservation Society Australia.  In this role he was responsible for developing the care and welfare of Taronga’s wildlife population and the 2000 injured and orphaned wildlife admitted to the Wildlife Hospitals annually, the expansion and evolution of the conservation science team and the transformation of Taronga’s investment and impact in wildlife conservation.  In 2019 Simon was appointed to the position of Executive Director for Taronga Zoo, responsible for the full operations of the Zoo in Mosman, Sydney and shaping what Taronga Zoo will look like and be for the community well into the future.Â
Simon’s an active member of several conservation and welfare committees and Boards. He is currently Chair of the Jane Goodall Institute Australia Board.  Simon is passionate about creating better relationships between wildlife and communities – how they can connect and interact for a more balanced and sustainable future.Â
Rebecca is a veterinarian with masters degrees in wildlife health and population control, and business administration. 
She has worked in veterinary practice and on animal welfare projects in the UK, Greece, Canada and Australia.
Rebecca has experience in the Animal Health Industry, and in the University sector where she was responsible for animal ethics and welfare. 
She is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Sydney Quantum Academy and a Non-Executive Director of the Animal Welfare League NSW.Â
Sarah Zito is the Senior Scientific Officer for Companion Animals for RSPCA Australia. She is a veterinarian who has a membership in feline medicine and has worked in small animal, equine, and university teaching practice.Â
Sarah set up and ran the University of Queensland’s veterinary shelter medicine rotation and completed a PhD investigating the human factors involved in the unwanted cat problem in Australia and has continued to progress and publish research.
Sarah has also previously worked as an animal welfare research coordinator with the Centre for Animal Welfare and Ethics and as a Senior Scientific Officer with SPCA NZ.Â
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Our mission is to prevent cruelty to animals by actively promoting their care and protection.
RSPCA NSW is a non-government organisation. As a charity, we receive less than two per cent in regular funding from the NSW Government and zero per cent from the Federal Government.
We promise to uphold the highest ethical standards. Your personal information has never been, and never will be sold or traded to other charities. This is our promise to you.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live and work. We recognise and respect the enduring relationship they have with their lands and waterways, and particularly acknowledge the vital role animals have played in Indigenous life, stories and culture for tens of thousands of years.
The RSPCA is an independent, community-based charity providing animal care and protection services across the country.
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The RSPCA is an independent, community-based charity providing animal care and protection services across the country.
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