David Coombe

Dedicated spatial information scientist & solutions focused innovator

Organisations are constantly evolving within a globally interconnected ecosystem, and I’m passionate about helping them adapt and thrive. As a GIS specialist and advocate for the future of work, I’m committed to shaping purpose-driven, high-performing workplaces with distributed leadership, embedded accountability, and teams ready to navigate today’s complexity and ambiguity.

I see spatial literacy not just as technical know-how, but as a foundational capability for modern organisations — enabling them to interpret patterns, manage complexity, and make informed, place-based decisions. It’s one of the many literacies we need to embed alongside emotional, cultural, and systems literacy to build resilient institutions.

Engaged in exploring innovative organisational models, I draw inspiration from thought leaders like Corporate Rebels, The Ready, Frederic Laloux’s Reinventing Organisations, and Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey’s An Everyone Culture, guiding my approach to building self-managing, development-focused environments where continuous learning and resilience are core principles.

I bring these concepts to life by emphasising:

• Adaptive Leadership and Mentoring: I empower teams to respond to change and cultivate a growth-oriented culture. I mentor colleagues to strengthen skills in managing uncertainty, fostering leadership at all levels.
• Systems Thinking and Agile Practices: By applying systems thinking and agile methodologies, I drive organisational agility and responsiveness. This approach aligns with my commitment to resilient, adaptable workplaces.
• Workforce Development and Stakeholder Engagement: I build team capabilities and engage stakeholders to promote collaboration and a shared understanding of goals, fostering strong, cohesive teams.
• Role with the Australian Services Union: As a Workplace Representative and Enterprise Consultative Committee member, I advocate for employee interests and help shape policies on workplace flexibility, consultation, and change management at the City of Charles Sturt.

Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Addressing today’s systemic challenges requires rejecting the “we've always done it that way” mentality and embracing curiosity, learning, and adaptability to unlock potential and innovation.

Colleagues describe me as a values-driven leader who introduces transformative ideas and shapes processes and understanding. I’m excited to continue working with others to build resilient, adaptive, and purpose-driven organisations.

• Geospatial Lead / Senior GIS Officer | City of Charles Sturt, SA
• Team Leader, Incident Manager (Voluntary) | South Australian State Emergency Service
• GIS Service Delivery Manager & Business Systems Coordinator | Department of Human Services, SA
• Manager, Spatial Information Services | Primary Industries & Regions, SA
• Spatial Information Science Research Consultant | GISCA, Australian Institute for Social Research, University of Adelaide, SA

• Graduate Diploma, Spatial Information Science | The University of Adelaide, 2004
• Governor’s Leadership Foundation Program | Leaders Institute of South Australia 2014