Jennifer Smith
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Jennifer provides strategic advice to the RTA Board, Chair and Minister 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.

Jennifer has been the CEO since 2018, and during this time 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.

Joanna van der Merwe
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Joanna leads the RTA’s finance, governance, legal, risk, compliance and enforcement, government relations, and projects functions.

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

Prior to joining the RTA, Joanna held various executive roles at Brisbane City Council as well as roles in the United Kingdom’s private sector at FMCG and Consumer Electronics industries.

Joanna holds the following qualifications and professional memberships:

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

Jelena Nikolic
Acting Chief Digital Officer (A/CDO)

Jelena leads the RTA’s Digital Business Centre, which supports the organisation’s information and communications technology (ICT) and business systems, standard operating environments and applications, cyber security, records management and business intelligence functions.

Jelena is an astute and experienced professional who has led ICT strategy, digital transformation and modernisation programs across the Queensland Government. She is an active driver and champion for digital service delivery, working with stakeholders and customers to deliver simplified processes using customer-centric design principles. With a focus on culture, value for money, data insights, customer service delivery and people, she is passionate on fostering a cohesive, united and modernised organisation.

Prior to joining the RTA, Jelena has held executive and senior management responsibilities at the Department of Justice and Attorney-General including Justice Services and Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages; Public Trustee; Department of Education; Department of Public Works; and Smart Service Queensland.

Jelena holds the following qualifications and professional memberships:

• Bachelor of Business, Griffith University
• Member, Women in Technology
• Member, Public Sector Network
• Member Statutory Bodies Digital Leadership Group (Queensland Government)
• Certifications in IT Infrastructure Library, Managing Successful Programs, Management of Risk, Prince2, and User Experience.

Samantha Watson
Chief Customer Experience Officer (CCXO)

Samantha leads the RTA's Strategic Customer Experience Portfolio 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.

An experienced executive, Samantha has led improvement and transformation programs in several complex customer-focused organisations across a variety of sectors including government, not-for-profit, private and global enterprises. She has extensive experience leading strategic innovation, change and improvement projects and has successfully delivered enterprise change in customer experience, digital transformation and workplace culture.

Prior to joining the RTA, Samantha held executive and senior management positions with global organisations such as GE Healthcare and Gallagher Basset, and Queensland-based organisations such as RSL Queensland.

Samantha holds the following qualifications and professional memberships:

• Bachelor of Psychology in Business (Double Degree in Business and Organisational Psychology), University of Southern Queensland
• Diploma in Project Management, Chifley College
• Diploma in Marketing, TAFE
• Certified Professional Manager in Service Journey Thinking, COPC
• LEAN and Six Sigma Process Improvement Accreditation, Australian Organisation for Quality (AOQ)
• Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Fellow, Australian Institute of Management.

Cassie Bloomfield
Acting Chief People Officer (A/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.

Prior to 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
• accreditation in both first aid and mental health first aid
• accreditation in change management.

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. 

Prior to joining the RTA, Jody partnered with diverse teams and stakeholders across private and public sector organisations globally and across Australia 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.