Rhys holds qualifications in Town Planning through Melbourne University, has diplomas of Management, and Community Services, and is a JP.  He has lived and worked in the Riverina since 1992 and has a wealth of experience in local government, non-government organisations, NSW state government and private practice.  His areas of expertise lay in strategic planning, policy and procedure development, preparation for accreditation or audits, together with financial analysis of an organisations’ business operations within the context of government funding obligations, staff and operational expenses, and risk management obligations.  He prides himself on his analytical skills to drill to the core of issues and works to understand the underlying cause of operational problems.

He has extensive family networks in the Riverina and has consulted and worked in numerous cities and communities from Broken Hill to Bourke, Dubbo to Tumut, and in and around Wagga and Albury.  Rhys has a large family and aims to spend spare time around Wagga with family, friends and his two Springer Spaniels when time allows, or caravanning in the family 1977 Millard.