Alexander Deutrom MPIA | President
Cunnington Rosse Town Planning and Consulting
Alex is a Master of Urban and Regional town planning and works for a local planning consultancy. He is born and bred in Darwin, and brings that local knowledge and expertise to his role as a senior planner.
In 2016 Alex completed a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) from Charles Darwin University and went on to complete his Master’s in Urban and Regional planning at the University of Sydney in 2018.
Alex started his planning career as an intern with the Northern Territory Government in 2017. After graduating, Alex started a full-time role with the Development Assessment Services team. During this time, he worked on projects in the Darwin, Palmerston, Litchfield and Katherine regions as well as remote communities across the Territory.
In 2020 Alex joined MasterPlan where he was involved projects including the Charles Darwin University Education and Community Precinct, the design and approval for Stage 2 of the Kilgariff Estate in Alice Springs, and the Civic and State Square Art Gallery, amongst many others.
In February 2022 Alex took a position with local town planning and consulting firm Cunnington Rosse where he continues to work on projects across the NT.
Cameron Judson MPIA | Vice President
Upside Planning
I set up my planning consultancy in Katherine because it's a fascinating place as an Australian to learn about Australia, especially given I spent the majority of my career in London. The town also has a lot of great people, and my partner likes it here too. It's treated us well.
In my 13 years in London most of this time was at Jones Lang LaSalle, and over time I stepped up to be the firm's lead on economic and town centre impact. Sitting in the Planning and Development team, but integrated into the wider business, I advised government, global investors, developers, business and national retailers on retail and town centres, in particular how to create successful town centres that attract investment, spending, the community and visitors.
Sydney (my hometown) was my next destination, and the NSW Department of Education was my reintroduction to working in Australia. My planning, development, economic and commercial skills were recalibrated to manage a team to prepare strategic infrastructure plans to address an unprecedent uplift in demand. New schools, redevelopment and expansion being the core response, but we also directed a lot of energy in co-location and joint use with Council's, universities and the non-government sector. I also spent a lot of time talking to educators and preparing briefings for the Minister.
In January 2020 we (including the dog) arrived in Katherine. After a year the Department of Infrastructure Planning and Logistics I had learnt all I could. It was time to go back to a place where I could affect positive change, be part of interesting projects and be able satisfy my hunger to learn. Being part of the PIA NT Division Committee gives the chance bring my experience from the UK (I remain a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute) and elsewhere in Australian to improve outcomes for the NT.
Chay Garde MPIA | NT Board Director
Northern Territory Government
Chay is the Northern Territory Board Director of the 91论坛 and currently works as Manager of Planning & Development (Southern Region) with the Northern Territory Government based in Alice Springs. In his current role, he leads both the Strategic Land Use Planning and Development Assessment functions in Central Australia’s urban centres and across the Territory’s vast and remote Southern region extending from Elliot in the North to the South Australian border.
Chay is an experienced urban and regional planner having worked in a variety of Planning, transport & infrastructure, and urban policy roles across all three levels of government in Australia. He worked in the former Commonwealth ‘Major Cities Unit’ (later becoming the ‘Planning Analysis’ branch of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development) where he provided policy advice on national planning issues to the government and composed a collection of chapters for the State of Australian Cities Reports. Chay also worked on a variety of complex integrated transport and land use planning projects for the Queensland and Victorian State Governments and worked with the Brisbane City Council in both neighbourhood planning and development assessment roles.
He has also undertaken international development assignments overseas, working as a part of a team of built environment specialists responding to the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines and working with a Nepali not-for-profit local government association to advocate for and facilitate increased autonomy and local decision-making ability for remote communities.
Since moving to the NT Chay has become a passionate advocate to improve planning and development processes and outcomes across regional and remote Australia to help address social, economic, and environmental matters.
Mark Hogan MPIA
MasterPlan
Mark Hogan is the manager and principal planner for the NT’s largest planning consultancy, MasterPlan, working on projects across the Territory including tourism on the Tiwi Islands, art galleries in Alice Springs, as well as multistorey commercial developments in Darwin City and more.
Mark came to urban planning after over a decade in the construction industry, where his experience working on large civil projects combined with a love of travel to spark an interest in the evolution of cities, and how their different forms and inherited pasts can be best adapted to meet the needs of current and future populations.
After qualifying as a planner, Mark joined SGS Economics and Planning where he developed a sound understanding of the economics of the built environment and became a champion of promoting positive change through focusing on social equity, sustainability and economic growth.
Mark applied these skills to planning for the Victorian State Government, where he worked on innovative planning reforms for the provision of social and affordable housing, as well as mine site rehabilitation and fast-tracked facilitation of major projects.
Prior to joining MasterPlan, Mark also gained valuable experience serving the community leading the Planning and Development program at local government level with Litchfield Council, where he enjoyed building rapport with key stakeholders and local people whilst managing all statutory assessments and strategic planning for the municipality.
Amit Magotra MPIA | Secretary
Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics
Amit is a qualified Urban and Regional Planner with a strong background in multiple sectors of urban development, including strategic planning, development assessment, review of planning proposals, technical and financial feasibility study, risk assessment and management, stakeholder engagement and Public Private Partnership (PPP) gained from 17+ years' experience in local government, state/territory government, and private consultancy within Australia and India. Amit holds a Masters degree in Urban Planning and a Bachelors degree in Urban and Regional Planning and is also an Associate Member of the Institute of Town Planners India.
Amit is currently employed as a Senior Planner at Development Assessment Services, Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics in the Northern Territory.
Monica Pham PIA (Assoc.)
Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics
Monica is an experienced town planner in both the public and private sector. Originally from Toronto Canada, Monica holds a Bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Ryerson University (Toronto).
Monica was introduced to Australian Town Planning in her second year of university, where she participated in the exchange program in Melbourne at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and moved to Australia in 2018.
Prior to moving to Darwin, Monica lived in Mount Isa, Qld where she worked remotely as a town planning consultant for a consultancy firm located in Central Queensland on a range of projects involving master planning, environmental compliance, community consultation, social impact assessments and development applications.
Monica is currently employed as a Planner at Development Assessment Services, Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics in the Northern Territory.
Monica is excited to be a member of the NT Division Committee and brings her experience and enthusiasm to the team.
Cindy Robson MPIA
City of Darwin
Cindy is the Manager of City Planning at the City of Darwin.
Cindy has 20 years combined experience in local and state government as well as private practice across Australia. She has worked at three capital city councils, including the last nine years leading the planning team at the City of Darwin.
Prior to joining the City of Darwin, Cindy undertook a number of roles in strategic planning and affordable housing.
She also has experience working on a range of committees in various roles and is passionate about promoting positive change and strong leadership in the planning profession at all levels. Cindy is a member of the Board's Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee and Policy and Advocacy Committee.
Catriona Tatam MPIA
Tatam Planning Co.
Catriona Tatam is a qualified Senior Urban and Regional town planner with over 11 years’ experience in local government, state/territory government, and private consultancy. Cat is the sole Director of local NT planning consultancy Tatam Planning Co.
As Director of Tatam Planning Co., Cat is able to leverage off more than a decade’s experience in private and public sectors across WA, QLD, NSW and NT. Cat is a hands-on town planner and project manager who can clearly articulate all aspects of major subdivision development projects. As an experienced town planner, Cat is able to prepare and submit extensive development applications and administer detailed project delivery outcomes. Cat is a management-level negotiator with the ability to mediate between all levels of government and private sector to achieve complex project solutions.
Cat is the current Vice-President of the NT chapter of the PIA, and is also the CEO of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (NT). As a passionate town planner, Cat has a keen interest in rural and remote community planning, strategic policy and procedures, and urban design.