Meet the key people at Emerald Coaches. We have a wealth of talent and experience in the public transportation industry.
Michael Baulch
Director
Michael is a fourth generation member of a public transportation family. With over thirty years experience throughout various jurisdictions managing school, route, intercity and industrial services.
Prior to purchasing Emerald Coaches in 2014, Michael owned and operated several passenger transport businesses in Victoria and Western Australia. He is a Founding Shareholder and Director of Moonies Hill Energy and H2 Energy, renewable energy development companies based in Western Australia.
He presently represents the bus industry as the Chairman of the Queensland Bus Industry Council (QBIC), a Councillor of the Bus Industry Confederation and Board Member of the Australian Public Transport Industry Association.
Michael holds a private pilot’s license and is a keen sports person, having represented WA, Tasmania, Queensland and Australia in Aussie Rules Football.
Rachael Baulch
Director
Rachael has been a part of the Bus industry family for over 30 years. Being Passionate about teaching, learning and finding ways to solve problems, Rachael loves the idea of changing lives for the better.
With a passion for creating meaningful and supportive relationships across the whole business, Rachael strives to enable clear and honest communication amongst all our people.
By playing a pivotal role in creating a culture of excellence throughout the business, Rachael works to ensure that the fundamentals are right, and to create a workplace that is happy, fulfilling and real.
Rachael is also super passionate about food, health and the environment.
Susie Pretorius
People & Culture Manager
With a hunger for new challenges and an adventurous spirit, Susie Pretorius and her family left sunny South Africa for sunny Australia and joined Emerald Coaches in 2019. As a seasoned professional with more than 20 years’ experience, Susie role includes leading the People & Culture and Compliance teams, which play a key role in the operation and implementation of various key internal processes and systems.
She started her career in the corporate environment with experience in journalism, marketing, communication, and human resources and later ventured into the power utility and construction sectors and gained invaluable experience in Quality and Safety.
Susie has an open, direct persuasive style with the will, passion, and drive to succeed. She enjoys working with the talented Emerald Coaches team and, in her free time, you will find her spending time with friends and family and exploring Queensland.
Sharon Harris
Operations Manager – Emerald
A member of the Emerald Coaches team since 2001, Sharon is both an experienced coach driver, manager and administrator.
She oversees the organisational day to day running of the depot, including scheduling, driver inductions and training, maintenance planning and charter booking and quoting.
Sharon’s friendly approach to clients and staff, coupled with her intimate knowledge of the business and excellent problem solving skills has provided the company with stability and leadership over many years.
Mark Smeaton
Project Director – eMISSION ZERO
Mark Smeaton brings a wealth of experience in project development, business strategy, and commercial management. With a robust background in emerging technologies and innovative business models, Mark has consistently demonstrated his capability to drive growth and success.
He played a pivotal role in founding and developing what became Australia’s largest regional telecommunications provider and has held senior management positions in leading broadband and satellite communications companies. Early in his career, Mark was a senior analyst at Macquarie Bank, following his tenure in technical publishing.
At ActewAGL New Energy in Canberra, Mark served as Project Director for the establishment of Australia’s first publicly available hydrogen refuelling station, orchestrating crucial stakeholder agreements to bring the project to fruition. His expertise also extends to other renewable energy initiatives, particularly in the realm of bio-methane.
Mark enjoys travelling and exploring new places and has visited more than 30 countries for work and leisure.
Rebecca Patton
COntract manager
Rebecca has been a dedicated member of the Emerald Coaches team since 2022, bringing with her extensive experience in the trucking industry.
In her role as Contract Manager, Rebecca is responsible for administering and managing contracts with precision and efficiency.
Rebecca’s knowledge of operations and quoting gives her the ability to streamline contract processes which makes her an invaluable asset to the Emerald Coaches team.
Outside of her professional life, Rebecca has a passion for traveling and camping, which reflects her adventurous spirit and love for exploration.
Madeleine Gelderblom
depot manager, mackay
Madeleine joined the Emerald team in January 2024 as Depot Manager.
With over 25 years of experience as an Executive Administrator and an MBA in Office Professional, Madeleine began her career in the corporate sector, gaining significant experience in the medical, auditing, and logistics industries.
As Depot Manager, Madeleine ensures that depot services operate efficiently, safely, and within budget. Her expertise lies in coordinating and leading administrative and operational functions, making her a vital asset to the team.
Originally from South Africa, Madeleine immigrated to beautiful Australia with her family in April 2023. She is loving the new adventure and is excited to explore and learn in her new environment.
Casey Wales
depot supervisor, mackay
Casey has been an integral member of the Emerald Coaches family since 2021. She started her journey with the company as a bus driver catering for local mine runs and being responsible for Senior driver duties. Over time Casey was also appointed to the Employee Representative Group within the business.
Casey then joined the Mackay Operations Team as Operations Supervisor where she coordinates both mining and school services running out of the Emerald Coaches satellite depots within the Bowen Basin. Casey strives for perfection and enjoys being a busy mum to two kids.
