Gaurav (Jay) Jalota
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
As the Chief Executive Officer of Goanna Ag, Jay is a key driver of the company's growth and success. Jay specializes in business process analysis, software design, database design, data analytics, and project management. He holds a master’s in computer science from California State University and a bachelor’s in computer engineering (Honors) from the University of Canberra.
Jay has worked in the agriculture tech industry since 2007 and joined Goanna Ag in 2021. With over 27 years of experience in the tech industry, Jay has held a number of management roles including a 13-year tenure at CNH Industrial (Case New Holland - the world's second-largest Ag equipment manufacturer), where he served as the Chief Information Officer for the Asia Pacific and North American regions.
Jay’s careers highlights include developing and leading technology solutions that were sold worldwide. He has also been heavily involved in mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs.
Jay's interests outside of work include spending time with his family, walking his dogs, jogging, and playing tennis. He also likes watching live cricket, football, and tennis matches. Additionally, Jay is passionate about volunteering and has served on the Boards for his kids' schools, been active in Boy Scouts as well as his kids' sporting events.
Tom Dowling
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
As the Chief Operating Officer, Tom is responsible for implementing the company's strategic plan and leading its international expansion efforts. As a founder of Goanna Ag, Tom has gained extensive understanding of both the company and the industry, which he has utilized to become a specialist in product development. Tom has a Diploma in Applied Science from the University of Queensland.
Tom has over three decades of experience in the agricultural industry and founded Goanna Telemetry in 2002, which later evolved into Goanna Ag in 2018. He began his career as a practicing agronomist in 1990 and founded Nutrilab, a soil, plant, and water laboratory in 1998, which gave him a foundation of knowledge in plant, water, and soil chemistry and nutrition.
With his skills as a founder and experience in leadership, Tom possesses the unique ability to translate concepts and technological advancements into commercial products. With the state of constant evolution in the AgTech industry, Tom enjoys innovating and improving products to further help in the efficient use of water in agriculture.
Tom is a member of Irrigation Australia and Crop Consultants Australia. He received the Service to the Cotton Industry award for the Macintyre Valley in 2016 and has been nominated for the Pearcey Queensland Entrepreneur of the Year award in both 2021 and 2022.
Outside of work, Tom enjoys spending time with his family and participating in sports such as cricket, rugby, and cycling.
John Pattinson
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
As the Chief Development Officer, John thrives on conceiving ground-breaking solutions to benefit our valued customers. He relentlessly challenges the status quo and explores innovative approaches to address grower challenges, always through the prism of generating a worthwhile Return on Investment for our customers. With an inquisitive nature, John understands and quantifies customer needs, facilitating practical problem-solving. Engaging with customers as he listens to their stories, understanding their successes and challenges, whilst witnessing Goanna Ag's positive impact on their business is his greatest motivation.
John holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Agriculture). After joining an Ag retailer that later transformed into Delta Agribusiness, he honed his skills in business development, M&A, team building, and fostering relationships with farming customers.
In 2016, John joined Goanna Ag, driven by a vision he shared with Tom Dowling. Their relentless pursuit of progress has led to remarkable achievements, especially in optimizing cotton production in Australia and the United States.
Throughout his career, John has worked in a range of roles, with his most influential being his contribution to the creation and growth of Delta Ag, which has now become one of Australia's premier Ag input suppliers.
Beyond work, John prioritizes family time and enjoys exploring the world with his wife. While retired from rugby, his passion remains, and he actively supports his local team. John stays active through road cycling and Pilates and enjoys being an MC at local fundraising events in his small regional town.
Michael Abraham
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
As the Chief Financial Officer, Michael is responsible for leading the finance team, overseeing corporate compliance, taxation, corporate services, board reporting, and aspects of the company's Service Centre. He ensures the day-to-day transactions of the business run smoothly and leads the annual budgeting process and management reporting throughout the year. Michael is a Certified Practicing Accountant and studied commerce at the University of Wollongong.
Prior to joining the Goanna Ag team, Michael had 2 decades of experience in technology driven companies. Michael is experienced in financial modelling and execution and implementing systems, processes and technology that enables efficiency in operations.
Michael has a rural affinity having grown up at Glen Innes, living on a farm in Canada and working in a farming factory. Outside of work, Michael enjoys fishing, and spending time with his family.
Michael has a rural affinity having grown up at Glen Innes, living on a farm in Canada and working in a farming factory. Outside of work, Michael enjoys fishing, and spending time with his family.
Derek Brazda
VICE PRESIDENT FOR US SALES AND OPERATIONS
As Vice President of US Sales and Operations, Derek works to develop, build, and support a network of independent channel partners and grower-customers. This includes on-boarding new distribution partners and helping them deliver value-added solutions to their customers. Our mission is to not only provide a world class experience for the growers in the field, but also a path to a sustainable and profitable business model for our consultants and partners. Derek is responsible for the overall strategy for Goanna Ag’s further expansion into the United States and is guided by eight years managing agricultural IoT products and over twenty years as an irrigated farmer in Nebraska.
Derek was raised on and is still an active part of his family farm in Eastern Nebraska where they grow irrigated corn and soybeans. Throughout his career, he has worked with a range of on-farm technology and has always tried to view things through the eyes of a grower first. He has sat on the other side of the table as an agronomy consultant and understands the wants and needs of each partner within the distribution chain.
Previously to joining Goanna, Derek was the Global Business Development Manager for LI-COR Environmental, where he worked to implement eddy covariance technology to commercial farming practices for the intention of more efficient and accurate water management. Derek holds a Bachelor’s in General Agribusiness from Arizona State University
When not working for either Goanna or on his family farm, Derek and his wife, Denae enjoy traveling and spending time outdoors with their children Henry (7) and Evelyn (4). They enjoy camping, fishing, gardening and spending time at the pool or the lake.
Paxton Payton
VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMERCIAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
As the VP for Commercial Research and Development, Paxton investigates new applications and uses of climate, plant canopy temperature, and soil moisture data for crop management. This includes applications in new broad-acre and tree crops for Goanna’s portfolio, new approaches to deficit irrigation production systems, and research applications. Additionally, he is actively involved in identifying new clients in the USA. His formal training is in plant physiology and molecular biology with a focus on abiotic stress responses.
Paxton worked for over 20 years as a research scientist for the USDA-ARS Cropping Systems Research Laboratory in Lubbock, Texas and was the Research Leader for the Plant Stress and Development Unit prior to joining Goanna in July of 2022.
During his research career he worked in collaboration with research partners at CSD, CSIRO, Western Sydney University, and Australia National University on climate change impacts on crop production and water use which included the use of canopy temperature signals for crop irrigation. He holds a Ph.D. in Biology from Texas Tech University and a B.A. in Biology from The University of Texas at Austin.
Paxton’s interests outside of work include spending time with his family, fishing, biking, and off-road motorcycle racing.
James Mahan
SENIOR CONSULTING IRRIGATION SCIENTIST
As the Senior Consulting Irrigation Scientist of Goanna Ag, James is focused on validating our current science for irrigation and the development of new approaches and products.
Dr. Mahan holds master’s and Ph.D. degrees in plant physiology/biochemistry from Texas A&M University. Over the past 40 years, James has carried out research on the response of crops to environmental parameters and how management can be optimized considering these responses. For 37 years he was a research scientist with the USDA/ARS with authority over the direction and content of his research.
Over the course of his career, he played a pivotal role in the adoption of canopy temperature as a tool in production agriculture. These efforts provided a basis for the commercialization of canopy temperature in on-field irrigation timing. He in an inventor on two U.S. patents relating to the underlying theory.
For the last 17 years James has collaborated with the Australian cotton community, especially with researchers from CSIRO, the CRDC and CSD. He played a key role in the development of the technologies that provided the foundation for Goanna Ag’s canopy temperature efforts.
James began his relationship with Goanna Ag through the purchase of Goanna equipment for use in his ARS studies. After his retirement from the ARS in 2022, he began his consulting role with Goanna Ag. He sees his work with Goanna Ag has an opportunity to guide the implementation of the fruits of his research career in the realm of production agriculture.
Outside of science, James enjoys travel, camping, and fly fishing.
Trey Freeland
COMMERCIAL MANAGER
Thomas “Trey” Freeland, based in Leland, Mississippi, serves as the Commercial Manager, guiding clients in optimizing their irrigation practices. Trey has two seasons of work experience at Monsanto/Bayer in Scott, Mississippi, working with the sales team and three seasons with the National Center for Alluvial Aquifer Research in Stoneville, Mississippi, where he conducted pivotal research on wide-spaced furrow irrigation of corn in shrink swell clay soils and the use of soil moisture sensors. Additionally, Trey contributed to various irrigation projects during this time.
Trey holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy and a Masters in Agronomy/Irrigation from Mississippi State University.
Outside of work, Trey finds joy in being an avid outdoorsman, whether in the woods or being on the water. He values quality time with loved ones, cherishing moments spent with family and friends. Trey also likes to travel to new and exciting places, enriching his experiences and broadening his horizons.