Executive Leadership Team

Mitchell Murphy

General Manager

Key responsibilities: governance, Mayor and Councillor support, property and leasing, communications and events

Mitchell has extensive senior executive leadership experience and a background in local government, professional services, media management and national sport.

Mitchell took up the role as General Manager of Hunter’s Hill Council in March 2022 and was previously Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Longreach Regional Council. His late father worked in local government for 30 years.

Prior to Longreach he was the Commercial and Marketing Director at Gadens, one of Australia’s most respected national law firms. He worked for a decade for Fairfax Media (including four years as General Manager, Auckland) and has previously been CEO of two national sporting franchises: the Newcastle Jets (A-League), and the Brisbane Bullets (National Basketball League).

Mitchell holds an Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) from RMIT; a Public Leadership Credential from the esteemed Harvard Kennedy School; and is a graduate (high distinction) of the Asian Intensive School for Advanced Management (AISAM).

He is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD) and continues to serve on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, a position he has held since 2012.

Rosanna Guerra

Director People and Culture

Key responsibilities: human resources, risk management, compliance and regulatory services

Rosanna’s directorate includes human resources, industrial law, risk management, insurance, safety and wellbeing and organisational development (including workforce planning, learning & development, employee engagement and talent acquisition).  Her role entails the development and implementation of both strategic and operational HR programs across the organisation. Prior to joining Hunter's Hill Council, Rosanna worked in several private sector organisations including banking, insurance and advertising.

With a career spanning over 20 years, Rosanna has dedicated her career to workforce strategy and organisational development. Her previous experience includes developing and delivering strategic change management and learning programs, nationally, for both ING Bank and Apia Insurance.

Rosanna has been the recipient of several professional and industry awards, including HR Manager of the Year in 2016. She was the recipient of the LGNSW Award for Excellence in Human Resources Management in 2014. In 2023, her team were finalists for an industry award in culture and engagement.

Holding qualifications in the areas of HR Management, industrial law and workplace mediation, Rosanna is highly accredited and experienced.  

Steve Kourepis

Director of Town Planning

Key responsibilities: Town Planning, Health and Building, Strategic Planning

With a career spanning over 35 years in local government, Steve has extensive experience in statutory and land use planning, policy development and economic planning. 

Prior to joining Hunter’s Hill Council, Steve worked for several councils, including; Burwood Council, Drummoyne Council (now known as the City of Canada Bay) and Ku-ring-gai Council, where he held various leadership roles.

Steve provides planning services which are fit for purpose and comply with regulatory standards. He has been instrumental in motivating his team to consistently implement relevant legislation, policies and regulations associated with town planning and urban development.  In 2016, Steve and his team won the LG Professionals – Excellence in Strategic Planning Award, a prestigious local government industry award.

With a passion for heritage conservation, urban design, and development law, Steve is focussed on the provision of high quality and accurate professional advice relating to conservation zones, land use, development capability, the approval process and commercial/village centre masterplanning.

Holding qualifications in the areas of management and town planning, Steve is well equipped to provide advice and leadership with major planning proposal projects, which Council will be considering over the next 12 months.

May Vilaythong

Acting Director Finance, Procurement and Projects

Key responsibilities: Financial Services, Procurement and Projects, Shared Rates Service

Annie Goodman

Director Community and Customer Service

Key responsibilities: Community Engagement, Shared Library Service, Bushcare Management, Digital and Customer Information

Annie has been working in local government for over 20 years. She currently manages Council’s Community and Customer Service portfolio, which includes; community engagement, community services, a shared Library service, bushcare management, digital and customer information and Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R).

With previous experience in the not-for-profit sector, her strength lies in developing and maintaining strong internal and external relationships to collaborate, consult, exchange information and build consensus with the local community.

Annie continues to focus on being responsive to the needs of people from all demographics, particularly CALD communities, children and older residents.

Receiving the RH Dougherty Award on behalf of Council for Excellence in Communication was a highlight for Annie. Her stakeholder outreach initiatives, dialogue and engagement to understand key concerns and inform review and enhancement of services, demonstrate her commitment to community focussed outcomes.

With formal qualifications in social sciences and curating, Annie works strategically to provide advice on the development, implementation and evaluation of strategic and operational stakeholder engagement plans, programs, projects and initiatives.

Samantha Urquhart

Director Infrastructure and Environmental Sustainability

Key responsibilities: Works and Services, Engineering Services, Asset and Design, Traffic Management, Environmental Sustainability, Shared Waste Service

With over 20 years’ experience in local government, working in projects, facilities, assets and strategic property management, Samantha currently leads the management and service delivery of Councils assets. She identifies strategic opportunities for future growth, and creates pathways to deliver great outcomes for the future of the Hunters Hill community.

Within Samantha’s remit are Council’s Capital Works Program, roads and drainage, traffic, parks and recreation, waste, buildings and facilities, in addition to environmental sustainability. Sam’s passion for sustainability has seen significant improvements to Council’s key assets, and with her drive and ambition, Council is confident to reach a net zero target in the future.

With key roles at the City of Sydney, Bayside Council and City of Canada Bay, Sam has managed an extensive portfolio including; depots, cafes, sporting and community facilities. Her skills in strategic property management, negotiation of planning agreements, key transport corridor agreements and other strategic contracts are evident in the improvement of Council’s village and commercial centres, the development of key precincts and ongoing service delivery.

Formally qualified with a degree in Engineering, Sam has the technical and project management skills to lead the scope, design, planning and coordination of large scale projects within the Hunters Hill LGA to meet grant funded obligations and deliver vital infrastructure.