Leadership team
Blackash is led by experienced bushfire planning and emergency management professionals with extensive expertise across bushfire risk, land-use planning and resilience.
Lew Short
Principal
Lew Short is a recognised expert in bushfire and emergency management, land-use planning and risk mitigation. With more than 25 years of experience working across bushfire planning, government policy and emergency management, he brings deep expertise in navigating complex regulatory environments and high-risk projects.
Lew has worked extensively with government agencies, infrastructure providers and major developments to deliver bushfire planning solutions that balance safety, regulation and practical development outcomes.
Corey Shackleton
Principal – Bushfire & Resilience
Corey Shackleton leads Blackash’s work in bushfire resilience and strategic risk advisory. His work focuses on integrating bushfire considerations into complex planning environments and infrastructure planning, ensuring that risk management strategies align with broader resilience and community safety objectives.
David Lemcke
Senior Planner & Bushfire Specialist
David Lemcke brings extensive experience in land-use planning and bushfire assessment. His work focuses on integrating bushfire risk considerations into planning frameworks and development proposals, helping ensure projects meet regulatory requirements while supporting practical planning outcomes.
Mark Hawkins
Senior Bushfire Consultant
Mark Hawkins provides specialist bushfire consulting services across site assessment, risk analysis and bushfire planning strategies. His experience includes working with project teams and planning authorities to develop solutions that respond effectively to complex bushfire-prone landscapes.
Rowena Dudgeon
COO
Rowena Dudgeon is the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of Blackash, where she leads operational strategy, organisational performance, and the execution of the company’s strategic initiatives. Rowena is an experienced leader and manager of high-performance teams.
Jarrah Short
Associate
Jarrah Short is an Associate at Blackash, supporting the delivery of advisory and project services across a range of engagements. In this role, he works closely with senior consultants and project leads to contribute to research, analysis, and project coordination that underpin high-quality outcomes for clients.
Jarrah assists with project development, stakeholder engagement activities, and the preparation of reports and strategic materials.