Our Team

Ned Skehan

Soil Scientist / Founder

Ned, the driving force behind OptiSoil, is a seasoned soil scientist with a rich educational and practical background, including an Honours degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Southern Queensland. Growing up on a mixed farming operation near Inverell, his soil science journey began in 2016 as a precision agriculture consultant, 2020 he began his PhD, leading to the inception of OptiSoil in 2022.

Recognising a gap between soil science research and practical agronomy, Ned's venture focuses on mapping subsoil constraints, turning them into financial opportunities for growers. The business not only develops soil maps from an ROI framework but also operates a high-throughput soil laboratory and a proficient soil sampling outfit, ensuring comprehensive soil management and regular nutrition assessments for agronomists.

Ned, an awardee for Excellence in Soil Science, joined the  University of Southern Queensland's soil judging team. Travelling to Queenstown, NZ, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane. Rain, hail, dust storms, floods. Soil work goes on no matter what!

Through Ned's leadership and the innovative approach of OptiSoil, smart soil science joins practical farming know how, ensuring farmers not only nurture their land but reap solid financial returns.

Henry Stacey

Laboratory Manager

I was raised on a cattle station in Northwest Queensland. I've previously worked in cattle mustering across North Queensland and at the Charters Towers Saleyards. My experience also includes working for a business that created water supplement systems and other telemetry solutions for livestock. These roles gave me the opportunity to meet many graziers who were implementing innovative methods to enhance their business efficiencies and increase drought resilience.

The most overlooked factor in all of these improvements I found was soil health. This guided my decision to undertake a bachelor's of Rural Science, minoring in plant production at UNE, which I am now in my third year and loving it. I started work with Optisoil in January 2024. 

Since joining OptiSoil, my role has evolved into managing day-to-day operations within the lab. I’m now focused on overseeing sample throughput, coordinating procurement, and working alongside our IT team to help build and refine our in-house LIMS system. While I no longer work in the field or on the consulting side, I’m proud to contribute to the backbone of our service delivery, ensuring that data flows efficiently from paddock to insight.

Hasitha Samarasinghe

Senior Chemist

Hasitha Samarasinghe is a  experienced Analytical Chemist with over nine years of expertise in quality control, analytical testing, method development, and laboratory management across the chemical, petrochemical, and textile industries. He currently serves as a Senior Chemist at Optisoil Pty Ltd, where he contributes to advancing analytical research and method development for agricultural and environmental applications. 

Hasitha specializes in advanced analytical instrumentation, including ICP-OES, HPLC, GC-MS, FTIR, and a wide range of wet chemistry techniques. His core strengths include ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation, method validation, measurement uncertainty analysis, and laboratory quality compliance. 

Throughout his career, Hasitha has led laboratory accreditation projects, developed innovative analytical methods, and implemented efficiency-driven improvements to enhance testing precision and productivity. An Associate Member of the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon and a certified color evaluator, he is recognized for his scientific rigor, leadership, and commitment to maintaining the highest standards of analytical excellence.

Chamansha Halloluwa

Senior Chemist

Chamansha Halloluwa is an accomplished Analytical Chemist with over nine years of experience in analytical chemistry, research and development, and quality control within the cosmetic and chemical industries. She currently works as a senior chemist at Optisoil Pty Ltd, where she performs analytical testing, quality control evaluations, and method development to support process optimization and product integrity. 

Her technical expertise spans a wide range of instrumental and wet chemistry techniques, including ICP-OES, HPLC, GC-MS, FTIR, and other spectrophotometric methods. She is also skilled laboratory quality management under ISO/IEC 17025 standards and has extensive experience in developing analytical protocols, conducting stability studies, and troubleshooting complex instrumentation. 

A Graduate Chemist from the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon, Chamansha holds certifications in ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Laboratory Quality Management and Good Laboratory Practices. She is dedicated to ensuring precision, efficiency, and continuous improvement in all aspects of laboratory operations.