Mayor and Councillors

Mayor Leah Anderson wearing a red jacket

Mayor Leah Anderson

Leah relocated from her original home town of Camden to Port Stephens in 2005, where she has raised her 2 children.
After a 25 year career in finance and senior leadership roles at Westpac Banking Corporation, Leah started her own local Mortgage Broking Business in 2013.

Leah has been actively involved in the community for many years. She founded and was President of Port Stephens Women In Business, and she is the past President of Business Port Stephens. Leah has also previously been a director on Port Stephens Tourism, and the Port Stephens Koala Hospital, where she still actively volunteers. Leah is a proud Rotarian, a current director and past President of the Rotary Club of Salamander Bay, and enjoys the work that Rotary does in giving back to the community.

Leah was proud to be awarded Port Stephens Woman of the Year in 2018, and to be nominated for a Port Stephens medal in 2019. Leah wants the best for the people of Port Stephens, and she will listen, care and act, to work hard for the community.

If you would like to stay up to date with what Leah is doing in our community, you can follow her on Facebook.

Councillors

West ward

Giacomo has lived and worked in Raymond Terrace his whole life. He is a Law and Business graduate and has his Diploma of Legal Practice.

He is a professional firefighter based at Raymond Terrace and volunteers with many local groups and community-based initiatives. He also works in industrial law, fighting for the rights of workers.

Giacomo has spent his time on Council delivering for the ratepayers of Port Stephens, standing up for what's right and improving communications with the Port Stephens community. He is continuing to try and improve transparency, while delivering valued services and infrastructure to the local community. Giacomo was the Deputy Mayor from 2022-2023.

If you'd like to stay up to date with what Giacomo is doing in our community, you can follow him on Facebook.

Peter has been involved in communications, marketing, advocacy, sales, and influencing people’s opinions for most of his professional career.

He has been granted several National and International awards in recognition of his various acts in the areas of diplomacy and humanitarian works.

He has always taken active roles in many business and community organisations as both an executive member, and advocate for those organisations’ views and philosophies.

Peter is a mental health advocate, presenter, facilitator, public speaker, blogger, writer, and master of ceremonies. He is currently a member of the beyond blue speaker’s bureau, formerly presenter, producer, and trainer with Port Stephens FM 100.9, and engaged in working with numerous NFPs, and NGOs in the Hunter region.

His views on community consultation and advocacy are ones which are integral to the processes of introducing new, and working with, older structures in society to bring about a cohesive and integrated whole.

More information soon.

East ward

More information soon.

More information soon.

More information soon.

Central ward

Jason has worked for 16 years in a local NSW public school as a dedicated and trusted classroom teacher. Over that time he has built strong partnerships with parents and community organisations in the pursuit of providing quality education outcomes for all students. Jason has a particular interest in collaborating with non-profit community groups to the betterment of a child’s education and preparedness for adulthood.

For the last 5 years Jason has held the role of President of Medowie Little Athletics Club where he thoroughly enjoyed engaging with the local community, and supporting young people to work to their potential to experience success in sport. Volunteer led sporting groups are an important part of every community and Jason actively seeks to support groups wherever possible to assist them to achieve their goals.

Jason was an active member of the Stockton Hospital Welfare Association where he passionately advocated for people living with a disability. His interest in this area remains a strong focus whilst he is a councillor and he will work hard with council to effectively implement the Disability Inclusion Action Plan across Port Stephens.

Jason has called Medowie home since 2006 where he lives with his wife and two children. He has a thorough understanding of the needs of local families of Central Ward. Families want to be able to drive and walk safely around their suburbs and Jason advocates strongly for the provision of high quality and cared for public spaces and safe and accessible pathways.

Chris Doohan has been a permanent resident of Medowie for nearly 2 decades, and has lived in or been a regular visitor to the Port Stephens region for more than 40 years. He was elected as a Central Ward Councillor in 2012 and has been your Deputy Mayor in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020.

Chris is passionate about Port Stephens and is incredibly proud to represent his community. He participates in many local committees, councils, associations and groups — all working to improve Port Stephens.

Chris ran his own fishing charter business in Nelson Bay for over 5 years and is currently employed as a Business Improvements Manager in the Aerospace industry. He proudly spent 12 years serving our country as an Aircraft Technician on F/A-18 Hornets in the Royal Australian Air Force, and he also spent 7 years working as a Pneudraulic Specialist in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Chris has a keen interest in improving local infrastructure and helping provide employment opportunities, which allow local people to live and work in our beautiful Port Stephens. He is sensitive to the environment but supports good development to allow natural and sustainable growth of the area. He is also a strong advocate for sports and ensuring that there are facilities available to keep our community active.

Chris has 2 children, Holly and Jaike, who have been schooled locally and are active in local sporting teams.

More information soon.

View the PSC ward boundary map .