Ian ReillyTelling the story of ENCOUNTER has been on Ian Reilly's heart for more than 30 years, drawing on a lifetime of creative work as an innovative engineer, entrepreneur, teacher, visual artist, and poet. Born in Barcaldine, Queensland, and raised on a smll sheep farm in rural Victoria, Ian studied engineering at the University of Melbourne before designing equipment for the Australian Army and volunteering as a science teacher in Samoa. He later completed a postgraduate degree in appropriate technology, focusing on renewable energy for developing countries. His cross-cultural experience fueled a career in international consulting and product innovation, developing world-first technologies for both startups and global corporations across Europe, North America, and Asia. In 2014, he founded the agri-tech startup Agersens, launching the world's first virtual fence for cattle, and exited the company in 2021 through its sale to Gallagher. Now retired, Ian devotes his time to writing, painting, and mentoring, creating portraits and landscapes in various media. A lifelong Christian, he worships with his wife Heather at Donvale Presbyterian Church in Melbourne, where they live and enjoy life with their two adult daughters, Rosemary and Elizabeth. Read More Read Less