Simone is a veterinarian whose career has encompassed all creatures, great and small. She was the Senior Veterinarian at Perth Zoo for over 15 years, working with everything from frogs and stick insects to emus and elephants, and bringing veterinary expertise to wildlife within WA and around the world. She was recently awarded a Meritorious Service Award by the Zoo Aquarium Association for her contribution to the Australasian zoo industry.
Simone is passionate about improving welfare and conservation management of Australian wildlife. Since 2019 she has worked for the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, developing strategies and procedures for wild animal welfare emergency response, including oiled wildlife response, marine wildlife strandings and entanglements, bushfires, and disease outbreaks. She currently works for the University of Sydney as the Project Lead for the development of a national disease risk analysis for koalas.
Simone has also given her own spinetingling TEDx talk – The Silence Of Extinction.
