Jennifer Smith
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Jennifer provides strategic advice to the RTA Board and Minister for Housing Local Government and Minister for Public Works on the operation, implementation and monitoring of Queensland residential tenancy legislation. The CEO also provides regular performance, operational and compliance reports to the RTA Board with updates on strategic and operational matters, and is responsible for all aspects of management, staffing and administration.

Jennifer has a broad range of management experience and leadership skills with demonstrated achievements in financial planning, corporate governance, policy development and the delivery of services across both private and public sectors.

As CEO since 2018, Jennifer has been involved in restructuring the organisation and improving service delivery channels to meet customer and stakeholder needs, with significant benefits still to be delivered over the next few years under the RTA Strategic Plan 2022–26.

Jennifer holds the following qualifications and professional memberships:

• Bachelor of Business (Accountancy), Queensland University of Technology
• Workplace Executive Coach, International Coaching Federation
• Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Tracey Madgwick
Chief Customer Experience Officer (CCXO)

Tracey leads the RTA's strategic frontline services including the contact centre, bond management, dispute resolution, customer experience improvement, and workforce optimisation functions. She is also a key advisor on critical customer touchpoints such as the website, customer communications and stakeholder engagement.

With an extensive background in contact centres and customer experience, Tracey is an experienced leader with specialist knowledge in business transformation, project management, and stakeholder engagement.

Before joining the RTA, Tracey held executive and senior management positions at Smart Service Queensland and Brisbane City Council. Tracey is a Non-Executive Director at Auscontact.

Joanna van der Merwe
Acting Chief Digital Officer (CDO) 

Joanna leads the RTA’s Digital Business Centre, overseeing information and communication technology, digital customer services platforms, business intelligence, information management and cyber security.  

Joanna has an extensive background in finance, risk and governance, strategic advice and transformation. She uses data and big-picture thinking to inform strategic decision-making and applies these insights through clear actions and outcomes to drive continuous improvement

Before joining the RTA, Joanna held various executive roles at Brisbane City Council as well as roles in the United Kingdom’s private sector at fast-moving consumer goods and consumer electronics industries. 

Joanna holds the following qualifications and professional memberships: 

• Chartered Management Accountant, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• Member, CPA Australia
• Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Cassie Broomfield
Chief People Officer (CPO)

Cassie leads the RTA’s human resources, training, organisational development, media, communications and engagement functions.

With an extensive background in human resources, Cassie is an experienced senior leader with specialist knowledge in learning and organisational development, human resource business partnering, recruitment, change management, data analytics, and employee and industrial relations.

Before joining the RTA in 2018, Cassie led and worked in various human resource functions across the Queensland public sector.

Cassie is currently studying a Bachelor of Human Resources Management with Charles Sturt University and holds the following qualifications and accreditations:

• Certificate IV in Human Resources, Australian Human Resources Institute
• accreditations in change management, first aid and mental health first aid

Kristin Spruce
Chief Regulatory and Assurance Officer (CRAO)

Kristin leads the RTA’s finance, governance, risk, compliance, legal, compliance and enforcement, government relations, strategy, and board secretariat functions. 

With an extensive background in risk and legal, Kristin is an experienced senior leader with specialist knowledge in governance, risk and compliance and the RTA’s regulatory function.  

Kristin joined the RTA as a conciliator in 2008 and has worked in operational and corporate roles across the organisation, building deep knowledge, experience and understanding of the RTA’s operations, customers and changes in Queensland’s rental sector. 

Kristin holds the following qualifications and professional memberships:   

• Master of Laws (Alternative Dispute Resolution), The University of Queensland 
• Bachelor of Law (honours equivalent), University of Kiel, Germany 
• Fellow, Governance Institute of Australia.

Jody Ovenden
Chief Transformation Officer (CTO)

Jody leads the RTA’s transformation function, which is responsible for driving a targeted and coordinated approach to the organisation’s transformation program, ensuring internal and external stakeholders are prepared for, and supported through change.

Jody has extensive experience leading end-to-end enterprise-wide transformation programs with a focus on designing strategic and collaborative transformation change and communication programs. 

Before joining the RTA, Jody partnered with diverse teams and stakeholders across global private and national public sector organisations to deliver and embed successful cultural, business and industry sector improvements to enhance performance and drive growth.

Jody holds the following professional memberships:

• Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, Prosci
• Member, Change Management Institute.