Tass Schmidt, Michael Hatfield and Geoff Pratt are the new members of Council’s Economic Development Committee, volunteering their expertise to the body.

They join on-going community members (Sandy Rendel, Stephen Thomas and Andrew Waugh), councillors and staff, and nominees from Kiama Tourism and the Kiama Business Chamber on the Committee.

Tass has more than 25 years’ experience in corporate roles in telecommunications and retail finance marketing. She has worked closely with government departments and major advertising agencies both in Australia and internationally, before moving into her own entrepreneurial projects. She has been general manager at Jamberoo Valley Farm since 2012, and is a founding committee member of the Kiama Farmers’ Market Inc.

Michael is studied law at the University of Wollongong and became a partner at Kells in 2007. Michael now owns a small business employing 60 people, specializing in small business law and commercial law. He has lived in Kiama for eight years.

Born and raised in Kiama, Geoff retired from his management role with Department of Education in Sydney in 2015 to return to the family home in Kiama.