Our Board

Mr Terry Weber has been a Member of the Authority since 12 June 2014 and Chair since 1 January 2015. His term expires on 12 June 2025.

Mr Weber was a Senior Partner and Federal Government Lead Partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Canberra consulting practice. He has a background in the areas of property, infrastructure and facilities management; financial management; and service delivery models for Australian and international governments, and major corporate organisations.

Mr Weber is a long-term Canberran and is currently serving on several boards, including the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, the Canberra Raiders and the Ricky Stuart Foundation.

 

Ms Karen Doran PSM commenced as Chief Executive of the National Capital Authority on 2 April 2024 for a period of five years.

Ms Doran brings extensive experience in public sector leadership roles – most recently serving as the acting Director-General, Transport Canberra and City Services, and acting Chief Project Officer at Major Projects Canberra.

After commencing her career in the private sector, Ms Doran has worked across a variety of areas in Commonwealth and ACT Government. She brings strengths in financial management, governance, procurement and project/program management. 

Ms Jenny Smithson was appointed as a part-time Member of the Authority on 11 June 2020 for a period of five years.

Ms Smithson is a qualified and experienced Town Planner, former Commissioner of the New South Wales Land and Environment Court and former Sessional Member of the Western Australian State Administrative Tribunal. Ms Smithson is based in Perth and previously lived in Sydney. Previous board positions include the Western Australian Land Development Authority (LandCorp); former Senior Principal of international engineering consultancy, Cardno; the Planning Institute of Australia; and BSD Consultants.

Mr James Willson was appointed as a part-time Member of the Authority on 1 October 2020 for a period of five years.

Mr Willson is Managing Director and agency founder of CRE8IVE and a long-term Canberra entrepreneur, committed to the Canberra region. Mr Willson is currently on the boards of CIT Solutions, the Canberra Grammar School and RSPCA ACT. Previous board positions include Regional Development Australia ACT, the Australian Foundation for Mental Health Research, Canberra Business Chamber and the Canberra Hospital Foundation.

Professor Helen Lochhead AO was appointed as a part-time Member of the Authority on 27 April 2023 for a period of five years.
 
Professor Lochhead is a registered architect, landscape architect and planner, and an Emeritus Professor of Architecture and Urbanism at UNSW Sydney, who combines expert advisory roles with practice. Her career has focused on the planning, design and development of large-scale urban projects. She also serves on the Australian Heritage Council, Architects Registration Board (NSW) and the Boards of the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, (CTBUH) Australia. Previous board appointments include NSW Independent Planning Commission, the National Capital Design Review Panel, ACT Planning and Land Council, Gungahlin Development Authority, National Trust of Australia (NSW) and National President and Chair, Australian Institute of Architects.