Meet our team
Passionate. Proven. Purpose-driven.
At Tilma, we're the Architects of Regional Vibrancy.
Born and bred in the country, our small and agile team led by Managing Director Linda Tillman has remained dedicated to regional Australia since we started in 2008.
With deep roots in regional communities and decades of combined experience in destination development, sustainable tourism, agritourism, and regional events, we bring insight, creativity and action to every project.
Our team doesn’t just talk tourism — we’ve worked on the ground from international tourism hotspots to remote outback towns. We’ve led regional tourism organisations, judged national tourism awards, designed multi-regional destination management plans, and supported countless tourism operators to grow and thrive.
We are passionate advocates for responsible tourism and regional development that strengthens communities while respecting environmental, cultural and social values.
Linda Tillman
Chief tourism visionary and regional cheerleader
If there was a gold sticker for the “Person most passionate about tourism in regional Australia”, this chick should get one.
Linda has worked in tourism, events, and destination marketing for 20 incredible years since studying a Business (Tourism) degree and travelling Australia working at the frontlines of tourism. She’s delivered events for Charles Sturt University, been CEO of Riverina Regional Tourism, and launched her own consultancy.
Linda’s experience in local government, education and private sectors has given her insight, knowledge and understanding of the tourism industry on a local, regional, state and national level.
Linda’s specialties are events and agritourism - her sixth sense is spotting opportunities.
A true-blue country gal, when she’s not travelling around the countryside giving great advice, Linda is probably trail running with her dogs.
Kushla Gale
Regional tourism specialist
Kushla grew up in the bush near Toowoomba, before ending up amongst fields of corn in Wisconsin. For 12 years, Kushla worked in a major tourist destination near Chicago - a rural village serving millions of annual visitors. There she enjoyed motorbike touring and living in a community with people from all across the globe.
Later, Kushla lived in Europe for 4 years: in Spain, England, Germany and Holland. Kushla loves cycling and gardening, and her passion is a safe climate.
Kushla’s speciality is sustainable tourism. She has a Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Living from the world’s #1 climate action university, in addition to a bachelor in destination management.
Kayla Bauer
Communications specialist and farmer
Kayla is passionate about helping regional communities thrive through storytelling, tourism, events and agritourism.
A regional tourism professional with a background in agriculture, disaster recovery, communications, PR and journalism.
Kayla has more than 15 years' experience delivering strategic communications, building partnerships and promoting the people and places that make regional Australia unique - from leading national disaster recovery and drought campaigns to raising the profile of regional and agricultural events.
Our regular collaborators
We're a small regional team, but we know when to bring in the right people.
That's why we've built a strong network of trusted collaborators who regularly work alongside us to deliver the best outcomes for regional communities. When you work with Tilma, you're not just getting our team, you're gaining access to a broader network of specialists with deep expertise across tourism, trails, economics, events and regional development.
Jayne Jennings
JJ Strategic Consulting
Strategic direction and experience development
Jayne has over 25 years of experience in local government and national and regional tourism organisations delivering projects to help the tourism industry achieve strong performance.
Her tourism experience encompasses Australia and New Zealand across a range of projects including strategic tourism planning, experience design and development, sustainable tourism and creation of training programs and resources.
Jayne regularly assists organisations in designing meaningful and demand-driving tourism experiences, ranging from nature-based and transformational journeys to arts and cultural experiences.
Recent collaborations
Nature Based Tourism Strategy for Tourism and Events Queensland
Events & Visitor Economy Strategy for City of Latrobe
Operator capability building for Experience Gold Coast
Hannah Statham
Media Mortar
Destination branding and marketing
Media Mortar is a content marketing agency specialising in content so good, it sells itself. Industry-diverse, their passion and specialty is tourism with clients such as Tourism Australia, Tourism & Events Queensland, regional Councils, and mum and dad operators.
Hannah has 17 years’ experience in tourism and lifestyle marketing, and brings a contagious energy to every task she does. She’s as creative as she is strategic and spends most of her time unashamedly working on her client’s big picture.
Recent collaborations
Tourism strategy + brand and marketing strategies for Southern Downs Regional Council
Tourism strategy + destination brand for Central Queensland Highlands Development Corporation
Michael Campbell
Lucid Economics
Economic analysis
Michael has 20 years of experience in economic development, tourism, property and industry/economic research on three continents.
Michael works with public and private sector clients using economic and financial analysis to inform strategy development, investment decisions, and government policy.
Michael regularly provides advice and analysis to tourism investors, developers and operators on market/demand assessments, feasibility, due diligence, and economic impact and need assessments to support development approvals for projects.
Recent collaborations
Business case for The Wired Lab
Business case for the Australian Agricultural Centre
Business case and securing funding for Narooma Mountain Bike Hub
Cathy Treasure
Australian Centre for Regional Events
Event capability and strategy
Cathy is a skilled, strategic, and seasoned architect and advisor who has left an indelible mark on countless events spanning over three decades. She has worked on over 50 events on four continents, from cricket and rugby world cups to the Olympics, spearheading global media operations for South Africa’s inaugural ICC World Twenty20 event, to driving the Parkes Elvis Festival to iconic status.
At Griffith University she tutored and lectured hundreds of students in subjects related to events management. Cathy continues to shape the landscape of regional events and visitor economies at the Australian Centre for Regional Events which writes events strategies for Council and event committees and helps build capacity.
Recent collaborations
Destination Management Plan and Events strategy for Bathurst Regional Council
Regional Events Strategy for Kempsey Shire Council
Cristy Houghton
Cripsy Creative
Destination brand and marketing
Cristy works in communications and marketing, mostly in complex regional environments where the work matters and the answers aren’t obvious. Her background spans running her own creative agency, and in-house marketing leadership. Cristy is an expert in listening, simplifying, and strategising.
Recent collaborations
Brand development and marketing planningfor TIDAL Seafood Festival, Island Whale Festival, and Phillip Island Festival of Stories
Brand development for Tenterfield
Craig, Ben and Rowan
Blue Sky Trails
Trails experts
The team at Blue Sky Trails work with land managers, councils, clubs and community organisations across Australia to plan, build and sustain recreational trails that deliver real, lasting value for the people who use them, the communities they serve, and the environments they move through.
They provide expert guidance, strategic frameworks, and the latest technology to help land managers develop and sustain trail networks that enhance communities, support tourism, and protect nature: the right trails in the right places for the right reasons with the right systems to support them.
Recent collaborations
Cloncurry Tracks and Trails Feasibility Study
Nic Cooper
7 Generations Tourism
Sustainable tourism development
Winner of a 2025 National Banksia Sustainability Award, Nic leverages his lived experience in his tour business Wild Adventures Melbourne at his purpose-driven consultancy 7 Generations Tourism to empower tourism destinations and businesses to achieve long-term sustainable success.
Qualifications
Certificate IV in Innovation & Productivity
Regen Roadmap Graduate
Recent collaborations
Support and guidance for positive impact mentoring