KATE O’MARA

Director, HMIC & Manager, Special Projects

Kate has a particular interest in identifying, building on and raising awareness of the Hunter’s competitive advantages. She is currently working in a freelance capacity with RDA Hunter to conceptualise, direct and implement regional and industry development projects. 

Recently she has led the development of HMIC (Health & Medtech Industry Cluster), Viewpoint, the Hunter Regional Leaders Network Forum and is contributing to The Altitude Accord. 

As RDA Hunter’s former Director of Projects & Communications, Kate developed and delivered economic development, industry growth, innovation, regional marketing, workforce development and corporate communications initiatives. Projects included Smart Specialisation Strategy for the Hunter Region; Hunter Innovation Festivals and Scorecards; Study Hunter and Smart Happens Here. 

Prior to joining RDA Hunter, Kate was employed by the NSW Government’s economic development organisation, the Hunter Economic Development Corporation. In this role she implemented trade and investment activities as part of the $1 million government funded strategy to diversify the Hunter region’s economy and industrial base in the lead up to and following the cessation of steelmaking in the Region in 1999. 

PETER WALL

STEM Consultant

Peter has been working in a STEM consultancy role with RDA Hunter since 2012. Prior to freelance consultancy work, Peter has worked as an industrial research scientist for BHP, as a fulltime Senior High School teacher of Industrial Technologies, Physics and Software design and earlier as a Physics tutor and laboratory technician at the University of NSW.

Peter has run a variety of student and teacher workshops for the ME Program utilising industrial control equipment, robotics, electronics and computer programming. He has also been involved in the data analysis and reporting of various ME Program projects. Peter has built a variety of robotic and computer-controlled equipment for workshops and for class use including CNC machines, robotic arms, wind tunnels and various small maker projects for mechatronics and data logging applications.

Peter loves the way the new STEM and digital technologies curricula can engage students and provide exciting and relevant projects for teachers.