The ANW Board

Australia's North West Tourism Board 

Australia’s North West (ANW) is overseen by an Executive Board of Directors and managed by its CEO and staff.

The CEO of ANW reports to the Board of ANW who have been chosen for their expertise, skills and representation within the North West tourism industry. Together with the CEO they are responsible for the overall strategic direction of the organisation.

The ANW Board consists of up to 9 members comprising of 5 elected Board Members and up to 4 co-opted, skills-based positions, as identified by the Board. The Board is overseen by an independent Chair.

 

Linda Wayman

LINDA WAYMAN

BOARD CHAIR

Linda is principal of Wayman Advisory, a marketing and communications consultancy, as well as a non-executive director with more than 25 years’ experience. She is currently on the boards of Tourism Australia and Carers Australia, and chair of Carers WA.  Her previous board roles include Tourism WA and Venues West.

For 15 years, Linda headed up the Perth division of Southern Cross Australia, Australia’s largest broadcaster and led Perth’s top radio stations through a changing and competitive landscape, including the commercialisation of the business’ digital assets. Linda has held senior executive roles with the Western Australian government as general manager of EventsCorp, the State’s major event agency; and in the Victorian government in marketing, communications and public affairs.

Linda has developed marketing strategies for destinations as varied as the City of Fremantle and Cocos Keeling Islands. She is a former WA Telstra Businesswoman of the Year and Advertising Person of the Year; is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a Masters of Arts (Communications).

Portrait image of Drew Norrish

DREW NORRISH

As CEO of Mackerel Islands Pty Ltd, Drew oversees three very unique properties in the Pilbara region including the Onslow Beach Resort and offshore Mackerel Islands (Thevenard and Direction Islands). He also oversees the management of the iconic Karijini Eco Retreat in nearby Karijini National Park on behalf of the traditional owners.

Working his way from Island Manager to CEO, he has 14 years experience both operationally and at an executive level in the ANW region. He also has experience in the management of a well established marine tourism business in Europe. Drew holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management, is a board member of the Pilbara Tourism Association and is an active participant in the tourism and hospitality industry in Perth and the North West.

Term expires: 2025

Portrait image of Simone Kapiteyn

SIMONE KAPITEYN

Simone owns and operates Adventure Wild Kimberley Tours, which offers 12- day extended tours throughout the Kimberley region.  Simone has lived in and worked from Broome since 2001, travelling the region extensively, building and maintaining strong relationships. 

Working cohesively with accommodation, tour operators, retail and small business, Simone promotes tourism throughout the region.  With 23 years policing experience, including 10 years at Broome Police Station, Simone offers an independent, objective understanding of the complexities and diversities of Australia’s North West.

Term expires: 2026

Portrait image of ANW Chair Kym Francesconi

KYM FRANCESCONI

Kym is the Group Stakeholder and Industry Engagement Manager for Aviair Pty Ltd. She previously worked for Tourism Western Australia as Senior Manager WA Partnerships and Industry, which involved the relationships and contracts with the five Regional Tourism Organisations (RTO), the Perth Convention Bureau, WA Visitor Centre, Tourism Council WA, Tourism Australia Signature Experiences Program and other related projects.

Kym's background reflects all things tourism and marketing from being a qualified Dive Master, Business Owner and Communications Manager to a Tourism Consultant specialised in marketing strategy development.

Portrait image of Narelle Brook

NARELLE BROOK

Narelle has been in Kununurra since 1995, dedicating 22 years to senior tourism roles, covering aviation, touring, visitor servicing and accommodation. She's operated a small business since 2013, assisting clients with sales and marketing. For a decade, Narelle hosted travel famils for Tourism WA and has been involved in the Ord Valley Muster since its 2001 inception. In 2020, she became a Life Member of Ord Valley Events. Narelle is a co-founder of the East Kimberley Marketing Group and was elected as a Councillor for Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley in 2017.  

Term expires: 2026

Portrait image of Jessie Hornblow

JESSIE HORNBLOW

Jessie is the Executive Manager for Pearls of Australia. Her experience in tourism spans over 13 years in managerial positions across the Pilbara and West Kimberley. She spent six years at Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm on the tip of the Dampier Peninsula working across pearling, marine & indigenous tourism, eco-accommodation, retail and hospitality. She is now based in Broome with a focus on marketing, trade and strategic business development across Pearls of Australia’s operations in both Cygnet Bay, WA and Broken Bay, NSW.

Jessie holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance & Marketing, is a graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course.

Term expires: 2026

Headshot of Bianca Sargent

BIANCA SARGENT

Bianca is the Head of Trade and Industry Partnerships at G’day Group, leading trade strategy, sales and industry partnerships across domestic and international markets. Within Australia’s North West, her portfolio spans iconic tourism and accommodation assets including El Questro, Discovery Resorts – Lake Argyle, Triple J Tours, Kununurra Cruises, and Discovery Parks in Broome and Lake Kununurra, as well as workforce accommodation across the Pilbara.

With over 14 years’ experience across sales, product development, distribution and partnerships, she has built a career focused on delivering strong commercial outcomes while supporting destination growth. Her work centres on strengthening regional visibility, expanding sales opportunities and driving growth through aligned strategy and collaboration.

She contributes to industry leadership through South Australia’s ATEC Leadership Group and the Kununurra Visitor Centre Executive Committee. Based in Adelaide, she travels regularly to the region and brings a national perspective through G’day Group’s extensive footprint, enabling the sharing of insights, challenges and opportunities that support Australia’s North West.

Term expires: 2027