Jody Swirepik is the Executive Director Environmental Management Division within the Murray‑Darling Basin Authority (MDBA). Jody’s formal qualifications are in Applied Science focusing on water management and freshwater aquatic ecology with an honours (1st) on aquatic plants and masters degree looking at the impact of carp on aquatic plants. Jody commenced work at the Murray Darling Basin Commission (the predecessor of the Authority) in 2001 developing the Sustainable Rivers Audit. She then worked on the Living Murray Program for a number of years and received a Public Service Medal for work in this area. Prior to 2001 Jody worked for 7 years for the NSW Environment Protection Authority on implementation of the 1994 COAG water reforms and development of the early environmental flows rules for inland NSW.