SAT Members

Senior Members

David Aitken

David Aitken graduated in law from the University of Western Australia in 1979 and has a wide range of experience in the commercial law area. He was a partner in a Perth law firm for 23 years, before establishing his own legal practice.

Prior to his appointment as a full time member of SAT in June 2011 he was a part time Deputy Chairperson of the Building Disputes Tribunal for 15 years.

David has a special interest in mediation and has assisted with the delivery of professional development training programs for mediators for many years. David was appointed as a senior full time member of SAT on 1 October 2016.

Dr Michelle Evans-Bonner

Prior to her appointment at the State Administrative Tribunal in May 2024, Dr Michelle Evans-Bonner was a Senior Member at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) (February 2018 to May 2024). At the AAT, Michelle decided complex cases in workers’ compensation, veteran’s entitlements and compensation, freedom of information, taxation, citizenship, migration law, social security, and vocational and regulatory matters. She also held numerous persona designata appointments, including as a Proceeds of Crime Examiner.

Prior to joining the AAT, Michelle was an Associate Professor at the Curtin Law School, where she is currently an Adjunct Professor. She was also the Deputy Head (Deputy Dean) (2015 to 2017). Michelle has taught in the areas of property law, contract law, commercial law, administrative law, and constitutional law.  Michelle has co-authored two editions of a textbook on Administrative Law. She has published journal articles in the areas of sex discrimination law and public law.

After being admitted to legal practice in December 1999, Michelle initially worked in family law and then commercial property law, specialising in commercial tenancies. Michelle has experience on statutory boards including as a Deputy Chairperson and Community Member of the WA Prisoners Review Board (2015 to 2018). She has a current legal practising certificate.

Patricia Le Miere

Patricia Le Miere was appointed as an ordinary member of SAT in 18 August 2015 and as a Senior Member on 18 October 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Jurisprudence and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Australia. She was a partner in a Perth law firm working in the areas of workers compensation, personal injuries and family law until she moved with her husband to a property out of Carnarvon in 1987.

Between 1991 and 1998 Patricia practiced as a sole practitioner on a part time/full time basis in Carnarvon. On returning to Perth in 2005 she commenced work with the Legal Profession Complaints Committee where she became the manager of litigation. Patricia is an accredited mediator with a particular in interest in alternate dispute resolution.

Eleanor Marillier

Eleanor Marillier was appointed as an ordinary member of SAT in January 2020, and as Senior Member of the Human Rights Stream (Guardianship List) in October 2022. Eleanor’s qualifications include MBBS (University of Western Australia), Fellowship of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, Associate Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators, post-graduate qualifications in child health and travel medicine, and a Masters in Health Administration (Monash).

Eleanor worked as a specialist emergency physician at Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) from 2002 and has held roles at UWA as a clinical lecturer and tutor.

In 2015 she was appointed Senior Consultant for Patient Safety at JHC, working to investigate incidents and complaints and assist in medicolegal and vocational regulation matters with the goal of quality improvement across all specialties. Eleanor is an accredited mediator.

John O'Sullivan

John was appointed as a full-time senior member of the State Administrative Tribunal in September 2021. Prior to commencing at the Tribunal John qualified as a social worker from the Western Australian Institute of Technology (now Curtin University), graduating in 1985.

In 1988 he commenced legal studies, graduating in 1992 with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Queensland. John commenced at the Crown Law Department in 1993 (now known as State Solicitor’s Office (SSO) and which was co-located with WA Police) and was appointed counsel to Commissioner of Police in 1999-2000 and 2005-2012. As Senior Assistant State Counsel, John has extensive experience in advocacy appearing as counsel in a wide range of jurisdictions, including two Royal Commissions.

In 2014 John left SSO and became a Magistrate, firstly in Perth and then in Kalgoorlie. Whilst in Kalgoorlie he undertook circuits to Blackstone, Warburton, Wararkuna, Leonora, and Laverton. From mid-2017 until his appointment to the Tribunal, John was the State Mining Warden.

Dr Stephen Willey

Stephen was appointed to the State Administrative Tribunal in October 2018, and was made a senior member in March 2020. Prior to his appointment, Stephen held the position of Senior Assistant State Counsel at the State Solicitors’ Office. 

He has a background in public and administrative law, particularly in disputes relating to land (Aboriginal heritage, compensation, environment, land tax, nuisance, property, town planning and valuation). He manages the Development and Resources list but sits across all the Tribunal’s streams. 

Ordinary Members

Charmian Barton

Charmian Barton is a lawyer and accredited mediator who works across the Tribunal’s development and resources, and commercial and civil jurisdictions. Prior to her appointment in October 2018, Charmian practised planning and environmental law in Western Australia and New South Wales, representing the interests of both private and public sector clients. Charmian is a Fulbright scholar with tertiary qualifications in law and science from Murdoch University, Western Australia, and a Masters degree from Harvard Law School, USA. She has published and presented on a range of topics from a legal perspective, including brownfield redevelopment, mine site rehabilitation, corporate social responsibility, water reform, and carbon risk.

Matthew Benter

Matthew was appointed to SAT in August 2023 as a full time Ordinary Member. Immediately prior to his appointment, Matthew had been a Registrar of the Federal Court of Australia for over four years, with a particular focus on the mediation of disputes across the Court’s broad jurisdiction. Prior to the Federal Court, Matthew had practiced as a lawyer for over 20 years and held senior roles in a large Western Australian law firm, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission and the in-house legal teams of large contracting and infrastructure companies.

Rebecca Bunney

Rebecca Bunney was appointed as a full-time member of the State Administrative Tribunal in November 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) from Curtin University and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Western Australia. From 2007 until joining the SAT, Rebecca practiced full-time as a solicitor in civil litigation and then family law, specialising in complex parenting and financial matters. As a lawyer, Rebecca has appeared in a range of courts in Western Australia and the State Administrative Tribunal. Rebecca has been a Councillor of the Law Society of Western Australia, an Adjunct Lecturer at the College of Law teaching family law and negotiation, and delivered professional development sessions for lawyers.

Edward Cade

Edward Cade was appointed to SAT in August 2023 as a full time Ordinary Member, after practising as a solicitor and barrister with organisations including the State Solicitor’s Office, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, the Public Solicitor’s Office Solomon Islands, the Aboriginal Legal Service and the Mental Health Legal Service. Edward graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1994 and was admitted to practice in December 1995. Edward’s practice in the law had a strong emphasis as an advocate in criminal law, personal injuries and coronial investigations. Edward also holds an MBA and has held practice management positions at several organisations.

Felicity Child

Felicity Child has qualifications in both social work and law. She was a member of the Guardianship and Administration Board from 1992 until the incorporation of that jurisdiction into SAT. She worked for over 10 years within a number of community legal centres in Western Australia and as a tutor at Curtin University in social work and welfare practice. Prior to her appointment to SAT, Felicity was employed by Legal Aid WA.

Carol Conley

Carol Conley was appointed as a full time member of the State Administrative Tribunal in September 2021. Carol graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1996 with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts. She also holds a Master of Laws from the University of Western Australia. Carol commenced her career as a professional assistant at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in 1994 before joining the State Solicitor’s Office in 1996. During her 25 years at the State Solicitor’s Office, Carol undertook advice work, assisted with legislative projects and appeared as counsel in various courts and tribunals.

Marie Connor

Marie Connor has studied urban and regional planning and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Urban and Regional Studies) and a Postgraduate Diploma (Urban and Regional Planning – Distinction). She has considerable experience in state and local government planning, and was a member of the Town Planning Appeal Committee and the Town Planning Appeal Tribunal prior to the establishment of SAT.

Jeanette de Klerk

Jeanette de Klerk was appointed a full-time member of SAT in November 2022. Jeanette has experience as a decision maker having served as a sessional legal member on the Mental Health Tribunal WA since 2014, and as a full-time legal member since October 2019. Jeanette holds a Bachelor of Laws (University of Auckland) and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in the High Court of New Zealand in 2007, and in the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 2011. Jeanette is an experienced criminal lawyer and previously worked for the Public Defence Service and as a Barrister in New Zealand. In 2011 Jeanette joined Legal Aid WA as a criminal lawyer and qualified as a family dispute resolution practitioner. Jeanette was previously a legal representative on the WA Country Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee. Jeanette qualified as a Registered Comprehensive Nurse in Auckland in 1993 and has over a decade of experience working in acute mental health settings and as an after-hours hospital duty manager.

Dr Bertus de Villiers

Bertus de Villiers (BA Law, LL.B, LL.D) is admitted as a legal practitioner in Australia and South Africa. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Law School of Curtin University and has lectured on a part time basis constitutional and administrative law at UWA, Curtin University and Notre Dame University. His areas of specialisation are constitutional and administrative law, environmental law and human rights, and native title and commercial law. He has published widely on these topics. His professional background includes positions as Manager (Principal Legal Officer) of the Goldfields Land and Sea Council and Principal Legal Officer for South African National Parks. From 1990-1996 he was head of the Centre for Constitutional Analysis in Pretoria where he had close involvement in the debates leading to and the drafting of the South African Constitution. He is the co-author (with Judge Parry) of the book Guide to proceedings in the WA State Administrative Tribunal (Lawbook Co / ThomsonReuters, 2012) (and a corresponding chapter in the WA Lawyers' Practice Manual (ThomsonReuters, loose-leaf)) and has written several journal articles in relation to SAT's practices, procedures and dispute resolution processes.

Naomi Eagling

Naomi Eagling was appointed as a full time member of the State Administrative Tribunal in November 2022. Naomi graduated from the University of Western Australia in 2002 with a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts. Naomi commenced her career as a professional assistant at the State Solicitor’s Office in 2001 and was admitted to practice in December 2003. During her 21 years at the State Solicitor’s Office, Naomi practised in the area of civil litigation and specialised in the areas of coronial inquests and international family law. Naomi has appeared as counsel in a wide range of courts and tribunals and was counsel to the Commissioner of Police from January 2020 to August 2022.   

Michelle East

Michelle East was appointed as a full-time member of SAT in November 2022. Michelle graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1991 with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence (Hons) and Bachelor of Laws. Michelle has practised in both private and public law, including as a Senior Lawyer with the Australian Government Solicitor. She has extensive experience as a decision maker in both inquisitorial and adversarial tribunals. She sat as a member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for 6 years, hearing and determining disputes in both the migration and refugee division and general division of the Tribunal. She has also sat as an arbitrator, hearing and determining workers compensation disputes at Workcover WA. Prior to these appointments, Michelle worked as a conference registrar at the AAT for approximately 10 years, case managing and conducting mediations of a diverse case load within the general division of the Tribunal.

Nicola Findson

Nicola Findson is a full-time member of the Tribunal, appointed in August 2023. She holds a Bachelor of Laws as well as a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) from Murdoch University, and since 2000 has practiced as a lawyer in both the private and public sectors. Nicola has experience as a decision maker in both inquisitorial and adversarial tribunals, having sat as a member of the Migration and Refugee division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, a member of the Mental Health Tribunal (WA), and as an arbitrator for WorkCover WA.

Vanessa Haigh

Vanessa Haigh was appointed as a full time member of SAT in December 2020. Vanessa has 10 years’ experience as a decision maker in inquisitorial and adversarial tribunals having sat as an arbitrator at WorkCover WA for 5 years and as a member of the Refugee Review Tribunal and the Migration Review Tribunal (now divisions of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal) for 5 years. Vanessa has a background in both the public and private spheres. She commenced her career in commercial law firms before moving to Legal Aid and community legal centres in 1994. She has also tutored and lectured in the law school at Murdoch University. Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Economics degree and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Monash University.

Robyn Hartley

Robyn Hartley was appointed as a full time member of the State Administrative Tribunal in May 2024. Robyn graduated from the University of Western Australia in 2001 with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts. Prior to commencing with the Tribunal Robyn spent almost 20 years working as a lawyer at the State Solicitor’s Office where she specialised in the areas of industrial relations and coronial inquests. Robyn went on secondment to the South Metropolitan Health Service from 2020 to 2022, taking on the role of General Counsel for Fiona Stanley, Fremantle and Rockingham Hospitals.

Maryellen Hipworth

Maryellen Hipworth was appointed as a full time member of the State Administrative Tribunal in February 2022. Maryellen graduated from Curtin University with a Bachelor of Science (Nursing) in 1998 and practised as a Registered Nurse in mental health and medical settings for several years. In 2006, Maryellen was admitted to practice law in Western Australia, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws from Murdoch University. Prior to joining the Tribunal, Maryellen had been employed at the State Solicitor’s Office since 2008. Over her 14 years at the State Solicitor’s Office, she practised in the areas of commercial law, civil litigation and in policy and public law, providing advice on issues relating to the public sector health system. Maryellen has undertaken placements as in-house counsel at Perth metropolitan public hospitals and has a special interest in health related legal issues.

Karen Lang

Karen was appointed a member of SAT from 1 July 2024 after practising as a barrister and solicitor in Australia and overseas since graduating from Law School at the University of Western Australia in 1990. After graduation, she worked in private practice in general litigation primarily as a court advocate in trials and appeals, with a particular interest in criminal and human rights law. She was admitted to practice in England and Wales in 1993 and worked in London on complex white collar criminal trials of criminal organisations based in Hong Kong. Karen returned to private practice in WA then moved to Legal Aid when she started a family. She has extensive experience on regulatory and consumer protection boards and tribunals including presiding over hearings and mediations of building disputes at the Building Disputes Tribunal, vocational/ disciplinary proceedings at the Painters Registration Board and the Real Estate and Business Agents Supervisory Board and liquor licensing matters as a member of the Liquor Licensing Commission. She was appointed senior sessional member of SAT from 2005 to 2024, sitting in the human rights, vocational, commercial and civil streams before her 2024 appointment to the guardianship and administration jurisdiction.

Rochelle Lavery

Rochelle Lavery has been a qualified town planner since 1985, she holds a Bachelor of Arts (Urban and Regional Studies) and a Postgraduate Diploma (Urban and Regional Planning). She has considerable experience in statutory and strategic planning and design in the state and local government and private sector. Rochelle worked in the private sector concentrating on master planning, structure planning, subdivision design and statutory planning before working in state government at the then Ministry for Planning In 1997 she moved to local government leadership roles as a manager of planning and then various director roles in development and community services before stepping into a Chief Executive Officer role focussing on local government administration and creating a culture based organisation. Rochelle was appointed as a full time member of the State Administrative Tribunal in December 2020.

Kah Yee Loh

Kah Yee Loh was appointed as a full time member in SAT in January 2020. Kah Yee graduated from the University of Western Australia in 2002 with Bachelor of Laws (with Distinction) and Bachelor of Commerce. She commenced articles at State Solicitor’s Office in 2002, acting as a Senior Assistant State Solicitor from January 2017. Over her 18 years at the State Solicitor’s Office she specialised in various litigation practice areas, including public liability, state tax and land compensation.

Nova Oldfield

Nova Oldfield was appointed a full time member of SAT in November 2021. Nova holds qualifications in law, mediation and adult education. Before joining the Tribunal, Nova practised extensively in commercial law and deceased estates and has broad legal experience including private law firms, pro bono legal sector, the Public Trustee and the Supreme Court of WA. She was a long term member of Law Society of WA committees, sat on the South Metropolitan Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee and taught law to adult learners in a variety of contexts.

Rosetta Petrucci

Rosetta Petrucci was appointed as a full time member of SAT in October 2016. Rosetta has qualifications in both law and business (Master of Laws (Merit) (2004, ANU), Bachelor of Laws (Hons) (1999, UWA), MBus (1992, Curtin), BBus (1983, WAIT)). From 2001, Rosetta practised law full-time as a solicitor in Sydney and Perth mainly in taxation and commercial law matters. In 2006, Rosetta was appointed a sessional member of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal (SSAT). This became a full-time appointment in 2010 and then from July 2015 she became a member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (following the amalgamation of various tribunals). Rosetta is a fellow of CPA Australia and in 2010 was elected President of the Western Australian Divisional Council. Since 2007 Rosetta has been a sessional lecturer in postgraduate studies at Curtin’s Business School and Law School. Her area of specialisation is taxation law. Rosetta is an accredited mediator.

Ross Povey

Ross Povey was appointed a full-time member of the State Administrative Tribunal in December 2020. Ross has a Bachelor of Architecture (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts (Urban & Regional Planning) (Honours) and for over 30 years has worked across both professions in the private and public sectors. Ross was previously Planning and Development Director at the City of South Perth (2000-2004) and the City of Stirling (2005-2020) and has considerable experience in strategic and statutory town planning, architecture, building and project management. In 1997, Ross completed a Master of Business Administration (Distinction) and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors course. In 2008, Ross was awarded an international Conservation and Sustainability Practitioner Fellowship (Institute of International Education, USA) and completed research into models for sustainable city development in the United States and Canada. Ross is a Registered Planner and member of the Planning Institute of Australia, a Registered Architect (currently non-practising) in Western Australia and a member of the Australian Institute of Architects. Ross is an accredited mediator. 

Catherine Sadleir

Catherine Sadleir was appointed as a full-time member of SAT in November 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Australia and was admitted to practice law in December 1998. Catherine was in private practice for many years specialising in dispute resolution, particularly in the areas of wills and estates law. In 2014 Catherine joined the Public Trustee of WA as a Legal Officer, where she represented people with decision making disabilities for a range of legal issues. Catherine has received accreditation as a mediator and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Sessional Members - Senior

• Peter Adamson
• Richard Affleck
• Michael Anderson
• Malcolm Brown
• Simon Carlin
• Roger Clarnette
• Helen Creed
• (David) Scott Ellis
• John Fisher
• Alison Garton
• Susan Gillett
• Helen Hankey
• Mark Houlahan
• Kevan Mcgill
• Jack Mansveld
• Frederick Ng
• Christine Pears
• Jennifer Richardson
• Anthony Vigano
• Peter Winterton
• Darianne Zambotti
• Armand Zurhaar

Sessional Members - Ordinary

• Adwoa Abban
• Richard Adams
• David Anderson
• Keith Bales
• Davina Bester
• Kate Bingham
• Stephen Conroy Burns
• Ross Campbell
• Nadine Caunt
• Pearl Chaloupka
• Abbey Chilcott
• Geoffrey Church
• Mary Ciccarelli
• Jason Dalessio
• Damien Fraser
• Wesley Gregory
• Barry Jenkins
• Bronwyn Jones
• Tanya Jones
• Raymond Kershaw
• Lesley Kuliukas
• Hannah Leslie
• Patrick Lilburne
• Andrew Lu
• Dee-Anna Luong
• Lee Mcintosh
• Christopher Marsh
• John Martin
• Timothy Paul Marshall
• Garry Middle
• Domenico Morolla
• Penny Moss
• (Eileen) Trish O'Reilly
• John Orr
• Donna Pearson
• Helen Pedersen
• Rodney Pember
• Elizabeth Perrella
• Leanne Potter
• Barry Pound
• Peter Punch
• Janine Riksman
• Anne Seghezzi
• Phil Surridge
• Mandy Vidovich
• Adrian Vlok
• Barbara Webster
• Robert Woodforde
• Eric Yu
• Brian Zucal