About us
Meet the Team
Professor Stephen Walkden-Brown
Interim Director
Poultry Hub Australia
Amy Moss
Senior Poultry Scientist
Dr Amy Moss is a poultry researcher at the University of New England with a passion for improving the environmental and economic sustainability of the poultry industry, and helping to solve industry challenges.
Originally from the south coast of New South Wales, her early interest in breeding quail led her to pursue a career in poultry science, culminating in a PhD in poultry nutrition at The University of Sydney.
Following her PhD, Dr. Moss relocated from Sydney to Armidale to commence postdoctoral research with Professor Mingan Choct, Professor Tamsyn Crowley, and the UNE poultry group. Since then, she has successfully led and completed numerous research projects, earning a prestigious Discovery Early Career Researcher Award from the Australian Research Council in recognition of her contributions as an early career researcher.
Dr. Moss is now set to join Poultry Hub Australia as the Lead Poultry Researcher, where she will continue her research to drive positive outcomes for the Australian poultry industry. In this role, she looks forward to collaborating with industry professionals, researchers, and the wider community. She welcomes inquiries from those seeking her expertise and support.
Dana Campbell
Senior Poultry Scientist
Dr Dana Campbell is an experienced animal behaviour and welfare researcher with a passion for improving animal welfare through innovative research and the application of precision technologies.
Prior to joining Poultry Hub Australia, Dr Campbell spent almost a decade at CSIRO in Armidale, most recently as a Senior Research Scientist within the Animal Behaviour and Welfare team. Her research has focused on understanding how animals interact with and adapt to their environments, with experience across a range of livestock species, including poultry, cattle and sheep.
Dr Campbell completed her PhD at the University of Auckland, followed by research positions at the University of Guelph and Michigan State University. She later relocated to Armidale to undertake a postdoctoral fellowship with the University of New England and CSIRO, where she used RFID technology to investigate the behaviour and welfare of free-range laying hens.
Her research interests include the influence of developmental environments on animal behaviour, stress, cognition and welfare, as well as the use of precision technologies to monitor individual animals and improve animal welfare outcomes.
Gene Pesti
Poultry Professor
Professor Gene Pesti, a world-renowned poultry science researcher from Georgia, USA, dedicates six months each year to sharing his vast expertise with the PHA network.
Boasting over 50 years of experience in conducting poultry nutrition experiments and statistical analysis, Gene’s impressive scholarly contributions include authoring three books, publishing 210 journal articles, and over 100 abstracts and proceedings.
His profound knowledge and significant achievements in the field have earned him numerous awards, highlighting his status as a leading authority in poultry science.
Nishchal Sharma
Poultry Research Scientist
Dr. Nishchal Sharma is a poultry research scientist and nutritionist at Poultry Hub Australia, based at the University of New England. He has a PhD in poultry nutrition and his research focuses on nutrition and environmental impacts, dietary fibres, amino acids, enzymes, necrotic enteritis, and feed additives in poultry. Dr. Sharma has extensive industry experience, having worked with both the poultry and pig industries in Australia and Asia. He has held key roles such as Senior Nutritionist and R&D-Poultry at Ridley Agriproducts and Animal Nutrition Consultant at ACE Livestock Consulting in South Australia. Additionally, he served as a Risk Manager in Veterinary Medicines at the APVMA gaining regulatory knowledge. Dr. Sharma has successfully led collaborative research projects for organisations such as Poultry CRC, Poultry Hub Australia, Agrifutures Australia and various commercial companies. He has authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications and presented at more than 15 national and international conferences.
Dr. Thi Hiep Dao
Research Fellow, University of New England
Dr. Thi Hiep Dao is a Research Fellow at the University of New England (UNE), specialising in precision feeding, poultry nutrition, food waste recycling, and animal disease prevention. She earned her PhD from UNE in 2021 and received the UNE Chancellor’s Doctoral Research Medal for excellence.
With 40 peer-reviewed publications, Dr Dao’s internationally recognised research enhances poultry production efficiency and sustainability. Her contributions earned her a spot as a finalist for the 2023 NSW Sustainability Awards, and her work has been featured as Editor’s Choice in Poultry Science, the leading journal in the field.
Her research continues to drive innovation in poultry nutrition and sustainability, benefiting industry and academia.
Kasche DeGoldi
Executive Assistant
Kasche DeGoldi is the Executive Assistant at Poultry Hub Australia, skillfully handling strategic administration and project coordination. Her role, central to managing the Director’s commitments and liaising with key stakeholders, leverages her diverse background, including experience as a Rural Financial Counsellor and in various NSW Police Force administrative roles.
With a Diploma in Financial Advising and progressing through a Bachelor of Business, Kasche’s proficiency significantly boosts Poultry Hub’s operational efficiency and success.
The Poultry Hub Australia profoundly acknowledges and respects that its foundations, both people and facilities, are established on land rich in the history and traditions of the world’s oldest living culture. PHA values and respects Indigenous knowledge, understanding its importance in our shared history. We acknowledge the strength, resilience, and contributions of the Aboriginal community, we pay our tributes to the Aboriginal Elders – those who guided us in the past, those who lead us today, and those who will enlighten our paths in the future.