Meet Our Founders
Karen Burke da Silva
Co-Founder & CEO
Professor Karen Burke da Silva is a leading conservation biologist with extensive expertise in biodiversity, ecology, and conservation. As a passionate advocate for Australia's wildlife, she has dedicated her career to the protection and sustainable management of threatened species, including koalas.
With her strong academic foundation in Biodiversity and Conservation, Karen brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Koala Sanctuary. She has pioneered innovative research and education programs that blend science with community involvement, empowering individuals and organisations to actively contribute to conservation efforts.
Her vision for The Koala Sanctuary is to create a model of conservation that combines cutting-edge scientific research with hands-on restoration, ultimately providing a safe-haven for koalas while also advancing national recovery efforts for the species.
Alan Noble
Co-Founder
Alan Noble is an Australian engineer and technology entrepreneur, with four decades of working in the private sector spanning four continents, including sixteen years in Silicon Valley. In 2017, he founded the Australian Ocean Lab (AusOcean), which has the mission of helping our oceans through the use of technology. He believes that technology should be a force for good for our environment. Similar to AusOcean, he envisions that The Koala Sanctuary can thrive by harnessing innovation and technology to address critical conservation challenges.
He is a graduate of Adelaide University and Stanford University. Previously, he was Engineering Director for Google Australia, a founder of StartupAUS, and a board director of the South Australian Museum. He has also served on several national advisory boards, including advising the Chief Scientist of Australia, the Australian Information Commissioner and the Government 2.0 Taskforce. In 2014, he was recognized as a Fellow of Engineers Australia for his contributions to engineering in Australia.
Julian Beaman
Co-Founder & Director of Research
Dr. Julian Beaman is an emerging research leader in evolutionary ecology and conservation whose expertise has been instrumental in the establishment of The Koala Sanctuary on Kangaroo Island.
His innovative work in wildlife translocation and the genetic management of wild populations is contributing to the development of bold new strategies aimed at enhancing the resilience and sustainability of koala populations nationally. Dr. Beaman's leadership in The Koala Sanctuary project has been pivotal in securing a 530-hectare property on Kangaroo Island, which serves as a critical refuge for approximately 1,000 koalas.
His vision for the sanctuary encompasses not only the protection and study of koalas but also the restoration of native vegetation and the promotion of eco-tourism and education. Through citizen science initiatives and collaborative research, Dr. Beaman aims to foster a deeper understanding of koala biology and contribute to the broader conservation community.
Susie Myers (Vale)
A Guiding Inspiration & Advocate for Wildlife
One of Susie's legacies, following her courageous battle with brain cancer that ended in 2020, is Alan's decision to support the founding of The Koala Sanctuary. Susie loved animals from an early age and was a strong advocate for protecting wildlife. She earned her Information Systems degree at San Diego State University, but veterinary science was a passion she nearly pursued. Even as she excelled as a senior woman in technology, with roles in both San Diego and Silicon Valley, her passion for wildlife persisted.
She fell in love with Australia's wildlife during her very first visit to Cleland Conservation Park in 1990. Soon after her move to Australia with Alan in 2002, Kangaroo Island also won her heart. In 2018, her Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) submission regarding the Smith Bay port proposal highlighted the koala's struggles on the island at a time when public concern about their welfare was minimal. Susie would have been thrilled to see The Koala Sanctuary become a reality.