Our mobile workforce

Rec People has, over many years, built a team of talented staff to work in local councils on relief, temporary or project based assignments. If your council needs one of our superstars to fill a temporary position, skills gap or deliver a project, please contact us, we’re a friendly bunch and only too happy to help.

Meet the team

Kerry Wilson

Kerry Wilson 
Management and leadership 

Kerry has more than 20 years experience working with local communities within Local Government. Kerry has undertaken management roles predominantly in the areas of Recreation, Community Development and Environment.

  • Leadership
  • Skill and interest identification and planning
  • Mentoring
  • Work system analysis and improvement
  • Strategic work planning and resourcing analysis
  • Performance evaluation
  • Project development
  • Program management
  • Policy development
  • Funding attraction
  • Community development, consultation and engagement
  • Health promotion
Jo Elvish

Jo-Anne Elvish

Recreation and Open Space

Jo is a well-known and well-respected industry professional with over 25 years experience in local government managing multi-million dollar projects. 

  • Project management
  • Recreation and Open Space development and planning
  • Team leadership
  • Advocacy of recreation and open space strategies
  • Mentoring rec and open space teams
Bruce Fordham

Bruce Fordham

Recreation, Open Space

and Leisure

Bruce is an experienced industry professional with over 30 years experience in the sport and recreation industry. He has delivered a number Leisure Strategies, Open Space Strategies, Indoor Sports Plans, Outdoor Sports Plans and site Master Plans.

  • Project management
  • Recreation and Open Space development and planning
  • Leisure facility planning
Marcus Cook

Marcus Cook

Aquatics and Leisure

Centre Management

Prior to joining Rec People, Marcus held the position of Aquamoves Centre Manager in the City of Greater Shepparton managing over 750,000 visits per year and a work force of 120 people.

  • Aquatic and leisure facility management
  • People and performance management
  • Strategic & operational planning & implementation
  • Risk mitigation
  • Coaching and mentoring
Sean Watts

Sean Watts

Recreation and Open

Space development

Sean has many years experience in Recreation and Open Space development in a local government setting with his latest role involving managing all the maintenance and capital works projects on all sports grounds in the City of Casey.

  • Recreation and open space planning
  • Coordination and management of capital work projects  
  • Liaise and manage Contractors and staff associated with each project
  • Consultation with internal and external stakeholders (Sporting Clubs, other Departments and Community User Groups)
  • Prepare tendering documentation and assign the applicable contractor after reviewing quotation
  • Managing budgetary expenses and raising purchase orders
  • Report writing and progress updates
Jane Kopecek

Jane Kopecek

Sport, Recreation and

Open Space development

Jane is a Sports Management Professional with experience in the areas of sport and recreation planning, project management, client liaison and facility management.

  • Recreation and leisure planning
  • Project management
  • Leisure facility contract management
  • Strategy implementation
  • Business and strategic planning
  • Community consultation and stakeholder engagement
Bill Kontoulis

Bill Kontoulis

Recreation Planning,

Facility Management

and Infrastructure

Bill has extensive experience in the planning, developing, management and monitoring of leisure, sport and recreation services and facilities

  • People and performance management
  • Strategic & operational planning & implementation
  • Policy development
  • Stakeholder management
  • Project and program management
  • Team leadership
  • Recreation Development 
  • Sports Club Liaison
Joe Novella

Joe Novella

Sport Development,

Club Liaison, Marketing

and Communications

Joe is an experienced local government club liaison and development professional who also has marketing and communications experience in local government settings.

  • Club Development
  • Participation
  • Seasonal handover
  • Newsletter production
  • Website and forms maintenance
  • Sports event planning
Jonathon Hayes

Jonathon Hayes

Sport and Aquatics

Jonathon has experience in Aquatics Centre operations and management as well as sports club liaison and project management in local government settings.

  • Aquatics Centre Management
  • Seasonal handovers
  • Minor capital works project management
  •  Facility audits
  • Event management
Lydia K

Lydia Kennedy

Sport, Recreation and

Facility Development

Lydia is an experienced  recreation and wellbeing professional with extensive experience in the recreation, sport and events sector. Lydia’s portfolio of projects include sport and club development as well as facility development. Lydia is passionate about creating inclusive environments that promote participation and enhance wellbeing for all.

  • Club Development forums
  • Fair Access and Inclusion
  • Program management
  • Team leadership
  • Stakeholder management
  • Facility development
  • Event management
  • Sports promotion and development
  • Activation
IMG_20260708_093028

Kathie Schnur

Sport, Recreation and

Planning

Kathie is an experienced  Active Communities professional with over 20 years experience in all areas of the Active Communities portfolio from sport development to recreation and leisure planning. Kathie has worked at a number of councils including Whittlesea, Boroondara, Moonee Valley, Yarra Ranges and Hepburn Shire in sport, planning and recreation roles including Team Leader and Coordinator roles.

  • Program management
  • Project management
  • Strategic planning
  • Facility management
  • Club liaison
  • Team leadership
  • Stakeholder management
  • Leisure planning
  • Sports promotion and development
  • Activation
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Sam Mackinnon

Strategy and Leadership

Sam brings a leadership and strategy skillset to our team and potentially yours with more than 30 years’ experience across elite sport, organisational management and participation-based program delivery. Sam is an experienced General Manager with oversight of multi-million-dollar budgets, governance frameworks, operational leadership and stakeholder engagement. He brings a balanced leadership approach that integrates high standards, financial discipline and inclusive participation models — ensuring sport environments are both high-performing and community-centred.

  • Strategic Planning & Implementation
  • Organisational Review & Cultural Reset
  • Policy Development & Governance Alignment
  • Risk Management & Compliance Oversight
  • Board & Executive Reporting
  • Financial & Operational Management
  • Facility & Program Oversight
  • Procurement & Contract Negotiation
  • Workforce & Performance Management
  • Community & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Culture & Leadership
  • Staff Development & Mentorship
  • Inclusive Participation Models
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Bridie Chesterfield

Leisure and Recreation

Bridie is an experienced and strategic leader in leisure and recreation, specialising in multi-site aquatic facility management, financial performance, and high-performing safety culture teams. She has a proven ability to build strong partnerships and collaborate with stakeholders to shape services that meet local needs. Through these relationships, Bridie maximises engagement through asset management and high facility presentation standards. 

  • Strategic decision making
  • Project and financial management
  • Recreation and leisure facility operations
  • Strategic and analytic problem solving
  • Communication and stakeholder engagement
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