Meet the team > Our Facilitators
Karlene Maywald
Karlene Maywald is an experienced non-executive Director and Chair holding a broad ranging portfolio of appointments including Chairing the Cancer Council SA, the Peter Cullen Trust, the International Centre of Excellence for Water Resources Management and the CSIRO Land and Water Advisory Panel. She also holds a number of Directorships with private and not-for-profit companies.
Karlene has been appointed by the South Australian Government as "Water Ambassador "providing advice on international and national water sector issues and business opportunities and was recently elected to the Board of the Australian Water Association.
Karlene is the Managing Director of Maywald Consultants Pty Ltd, and a Partner in Tilkadene Vineyards and Equestrian.
She was a Member of the South Australian Parliament from October 1997 to March 2010 and was appointed as a Cabinet Minister from July 2004 until March 2010. Her Portfolio responsibilities included The River Murray, Water Security, Small Business, Regional Development, Consumer Affairs, Science and Information Economy, and Assisting the Minister for Industry and Trade.
Karlene is most noted for her significant contribution to progressing national reforms to the management of the Murray Darling Basin and setting the direction for long term water security in South Australia including the development of Water for Good (a strategy for water security to 2050) and construction of the Adelaide Desalination Plant.
Karlene is a Graduate of the AICD and a Fellow of the Academy of Technical Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and is also the Ambassador for the Live in the Now Foundation, and a Champion of the Nature Foundation. Karlene holds an honorary Doctorate with Flinders University for her contribution to Water Policy.