News - GSCORE welcomes new board members

GSCORE welcomes new board members  

The Great Southern Centre for Outdoor Recreational Excellence (GSCORE) is pleased to announce Ricky Burges and Leon Delpech have joined the board.

GSCORE is a not-for-profit organisation established to promote the growth and development of the outdoor recreation industry in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. It’s currently working on the Great Southern Regional Trails Master Plan.

“We are very excited to welcome Ricky and Leon to our Board,” says GSCORE Executive Director Dr Lenore Lyons. “They are both accomplished leaders and experienced board members who bring a wealth of knowledge to the Board at a time when we are focusing on carving out a strong, sustainable future for tourism in the region.”

Ricky Burges has dedicated her life to public service and held several senior roles in the WA Public Sector including CEO of WA Local Government Association, Director General of the Department of Culture & the Arts, CEO at Perth Zoo and Director of Human Resources at the WA Tourism Commission.

Earlier this year she moved to Albany to take up the position of CEO of Albany Youth Support Association. She says part of the region’s draw is the beautiful beaches and environment and feels her diverse background in government and on boards will be an asset to GSCORE’s tourism development work.   

“There’s a pocket in my heart which has always belonged to tourism,” says Ricky. “I’m keen to encourage involvement in the outdoors because this is what creates a vibrant tourism sector.

“At the end of the day it doesn’t matter if you’re a child, not very fit or aged, there’s a place in the outdoors for you.”

Leon Delpech is the regional innovation facilitator at Creative Albany. His background as a social designer includes finance, consulting, technology, brand development, land management and blockchain. Leon looks forward to bringing innovative solutions informed by cutting edge technology and trends to GSCORE’s work with the business community.  

A camper, hiker and climber, Leon admires the spirit, culture and beauty of the land. “Before I moved to Albany, I used to come to the Great Southern to recharge by getting a dose of nature,” he says. “Our landscapes are an amazing asset and hold many hidden treasures.

“But the social fabric of a community is equally important and that’s why I’m excited to be part of an organisation like GSCORE that is focused on delivering benefit to the regional community. Being able to contribute to the fabric of our community through the land, what it shares with us and what it teaches is powerful.”