Staff

Jim Thomas BSc(Hons) - Director

Jim is a zoologist and a conservationist who is devoted to saving the Tree Kangaroos of the Torricelli Mountain Range. Jim worked with mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians for over 9 years at Zoos Victoria. He has worked with many endangered species within Australia such as the Helmeted Honeyeater, Orange-bellied Parrot, Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, Leadbeater's Possum and Eastern Barred Bandicoot. Since January 2003 Jim Thomas has been the Project Manager for the Tenkile Conservation Alliance and is contracted to hold this position until 2009. He oversees TCA's work as well as applying for grants to fund its components.

Jim spends a lot of time talking to people and walking to villages. A lot of negotiating is required to facilitate programs in the Aitape/Lumi and Nuke Districts of Sandaun Province . Meetings have to be scheduled and attended both at Lumi and at the villages. Patrols to villages to discuss rabbit and chicken farming, water supplies, research work, training courses, puppet shows etc are required regularly. For more information see "Village Patrols".

Jim's research is presently Distance Sampling (or scat/dung counts). Distance Sampling is a research technique used to estimate the density and abundance of a biological species. TCA has established seven research sites within the range of Tenkile and working towards further research programs as funding becomes available. For more information, go to Research.

Maintaining and improving TCA's base in Lumi is also a large component of Jim's work. Since 2003 considerable time, effort and money has been put into "TCA haus-Lumi". TCA has established a rabbit farm, chicken farm, tree kangaroo enclosures, installed a septic toilet and many other infrastructural improvements have taken place. For more information go to "TCA Base-Lumi".

Jean Thomas - Capacity Building Officer

Jean began her career with animals by breeding laboratory mice for medical research and then moved into the zoo industry working with native fauna at both Healesville Sanctuary and Melbourne Zoo. She has a Bachelor of Science and a Diploma of Education and over the years has also worked with other endangered species such as the Eastern Barred Bandicoot and New Holland Mouse. Jean spent her honey moon with Jim banding Orange-bellied Parrots in the wilds of Tasmania and after a year of teaching in a high school, she now works with her husband in a remote part of Papua New Guinea (Lumi) to save the critically endangered Scott's Tree Kangaroo. Jean's role with TCA is to educate the people on conservation, in particular the conservation of the Scott's Tree kangaroo. Her education programs address not only ways to understand why it is important to protect Tenkile but also the other fauna and natural resources in the area. The education program focuses on sustainability for the animals and the people. Jean would like to train teachers and community leaders on these conservation principles in the future. In addition to conservation education, Jean conducts community education programs on nutrition and aims to commence other education programs such as family planning.

Patrick Ikon - Project Supervisor

Patrick has been promoted from Project Officer to Project Supervisor in Septemebr 2009. Patrick is a multi-faceted individual and has taken on many managerial duties of the organisation. His roles include being responsible for TCA Base-Luimi, leading GPS mapping for the Conservation Area work, liasing with Local Level, Provincial and National Government Officials, driving and maintaining TCA's vehicle and monitoring the progress of each of the 39 villages presently in the program.
Patrick is from Wigote village (one of the Tenkile villages) and is fluent in Tok Pisin, English and Olo. Patrick has been working with TCA since 2005 and is a very important employee of this organisation.

Mathew Akon - Senior Project Officer

Mathew has been with TCA since its inception and was employed as a Project Officer in 2007. In September 2009 he was promoted to Senior Project Officer. Mathew is a very effective communicator and has proved imperative in meetings with the villages and government. In 2009 Mathew won the Associate Award for the Whitley Fund for Nature. Mathew lead teams into the field to establish GPS points as Conservation Areas for moratorium villages and travelled to Port Moresby where he presented to the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) on the progress of TCA's work.
Mathew is from Maiwetem village (a Tenkile village) and speaks fluent Tok Pisin, English and Olo.

Francis Elpiti - Caretaker (Lumi)

Francis has been employed with TCA since 2002 and is responsible for maintaining the rabbit and chicken farms at TCA Base-Lumi. As of March 2008 Francis has been responsible for the breeding of 500 rabbits. Francis also looks after TCA’s tree kangaroos, wallabies, cuscus, sugar gliders, fruit bat and birds.

Hilary Oiye - Security (Lumi)

Hilary has been working for TCA since 2005 and is our longest serving security person. Hilary helps maintain the status quo at TCA Base-Lumi and has helped raise our security dogs “Cling and Clang”.

John Wowi: Carpenter

John has been working with TCA full and part time since late 2003. He is from Maui village, which is where TCA is based in Lumi, and also works security at night when required. John has taken a leading hand with all of the infrastructure at TCA Base-Lumi.

Leonard Towaiyu: Plumber/Carpenter

Leonard has been working with TCA full and part time since late 2003. Leonard is from Maui village and works security for TCA when needed. Leonard has been responsible for TCA septic tanks and has conducted water tank training.

Edward Saire: Carpenter

Samuel Kabau - Project Officer

Samuel is from Sikel village and has been an active participant with TCA's programs since his village joined the Tenkile moratorium in early 2003. Samuel's village's land is possibly the only place where Tenkile, Weimang and Yongi co-exist. Previusly, Samuel has been a TCA representative, Distance Sampling Officer and Research Officer. As of July 2008 Samuel was promoted to Project Officer. He is working closely with the 21 Weimang villages.

TCA also employs:
8 Health and Hygiene trainers/facilitators
2 Livestock trainers
2 HIV/AIDS awareness trainers
10 Research Officers
26 Distance Sampling Officers
And approximately 300 carriers on a casual basis.

Presently, most of the full time positions are being sponsored by Zoos Victoria-Australia. All of our casual staff are employed for specific programs. TCA applies to granting bodies and other organisations to fund these positions.

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