Ashdale was formed by a group of experienced problem-solvers and storytellers, people with backgrounds in policing, child protection, governance, and misconduct investigations, united by a shared belief that resolving workplace issues requires a practical and human approach.
Bryan Cook is the Founder and Managing Director of Ashdale, established in 2003. As the Managing Director and Principal Investigator, he brings extensive experience in leading and managing complex workplace investigations and reviews. He also delivers tailored training programs to large corporations, not-for-profit organisations, and government departments and agencies across all levels.
Bryan’s investigative work often involves high-level leadership matters, including allegations involving Chief Executive Officers, Board Members, and Directors-General.
He is regularly engaged to conduct sensitive investigations, undertake strategic reviews, and support organisations in enhancing their complaints management systems and ethical governance...
Virginia Simmons is Director, Investigations and a Principal Investigator at Ashdale, where she manages the team of investigators and leads complex investigative matters. Since joining the firm in 2004, she has built a strong reputation for delivering thorough, independent and defensible investigations across a range of sectors.
Prior to joining Ashdale, Virginia worked within private corporations and higher education institutions, including ten years as a Human Resource practitioner at the University of Queensland. This background has informed her strong understanding of organisational systems, governance and workplace dynamics.
Virginia has been appointed by numerous Queensland...
Imelda Mukerjee joined Ashdale in 2015, following successful careers in education and health. Since then, she has become a key member of the team, contributing significantly to the strength and quality of Ashdale’s internal processes and operations.
Imelda quickly established herself as an integral part of the investigative process, ensuring that the systems for receiving, managing and producing information meet the highest standards and comply with relevant legal and professional requirements. Her focus on quality assurance and process integrity supports the delivery of clear, defensible outcomes for clients.
In recent years, Imelda has joined...
Donna Scovell joined Ashdale in 2006 and is a highly experienced Principal Investigator with deep expertise in workplace investigations, audits and cultural reviews. Over nearly two decades with the firm, she has supported a wide range of government clients in examining serious and complex matters with care and precision.
Donna has conducted investigations across state and federal government agencies into allegations of serious misconduct, corrupt conduct, sexual harassment and workplace bullying. She also undertakes administrative reviews focused on probity and ethical behaviour, as well as initial complaint assessments designed to resolve matters early and...
Ian Muir joined Ashdale in 2018 and brings extensive experience in conducting complex investigations across a broad range of entities, including State Government departments, local authorities, religious institutions, and tertiary organisations. He specialises in investigating alleged breaches of councillor conduct referred by the Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA).
Prior to joining Ashdale, Ian practised law for over 25 years as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland. He worked in regional law firms, as well as in medium-sized and boutique practices in Brisbane. His legal expertise encompasses banking and finance, property transactions,...
Rob Hunter brings over 20 years of investigative experience in both criminal and administrative law, gained through senior roles within the Queensland State Government, New Zealand Government, and the New Zealand Police.
Before joining Ashdale, Rob served as the Ethical Standards Manager at Queensland Health. His previous roles include Acting Professional Standards Manager for the former Department of Youth Justice, Principal Investigator for Queensland Health, and Principal Investigator for the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs.
Rob is a highly experienced workplace investigator, adept at managing complex investigations, assessing corrupt conduct and...
Renee Walker is a qualified and experienced investigator with a strong background in law enforcement, regulatory compliance and misconduct investigations across several Queensland Government agencies. She brings particular expertise in vulnerable persons investigations, child protection matters and systemic safeguarding issues.
Renee previously served as a Detective in the Queensland Police Service Child Protection and Investigation Unit, where she led investigations into serious offences committed by and against children. Her work included preparing briefs of evidence for court, conducting trauma-informed interviews, and managing operational responses across geographically dispersed crime scenes. She worked closely with government...
Jemma Riley joined Ashdale in 2024 as Manager, Finance, bringing experience from a payroll and HR role within a Queensland Government Department. She plays a central role in ensuring the organisation’s financial operations are managed accurately, efficiently, and in line with government standards.
Jemma is responsible for overseeing day-to-day financial management and preparing monthly reports, as well as managing contracts, including several long-term procurement agreements with State and Local Government. Her work ensures Ashdale maintains strong financial governance and meets its contractual obligations with professionalism and care.
With a thoughtful and solutions-focused approach, Jemma...
We’re here to assist at any stage of the complaint cycle, whether you need help making an informed decision about how to respond, or support with an investigation or resolution process already underway.
Note: Ashdale is committed to servicing employer needs and is not available for individual representation. Individuals who require assistance for issues within the workplace should consult the stakeholders within that workplace, or the Fair Work Ombudsman.
