Centre for Sustainability Leadership

Abby Rees

Abby currently leads the way for litter prevention in Victoria. Her role as Litter Champion means she is actively involved in developing tools, capacity building and campaigns that are used by state and local government, industry and community groups to fight litter!

Abby joined the Victorian Litter Action Alliance after working with ACT NOWaste as Education Manager. Previoulsy a school teacher, Abby frequently let her creative side out to play as she dressed up as Enviro Girl and sang and danced to educate her school students about waste reduction.

Abby is also a freelance writer and holds a Master of Educational Leadership.

Hoping to increase her holistic understanding of sustainability, develop a strong mentoring relationship and the shake people into action, Abby is excited about being accepted into the 2008 Centre for Sustainability Leadership Fellowship Program.

Miles Clemans

Since 2003, Miles has produced and directed business conferences around Australia. The conference topics have been wide, including environmental certification, sustainable development, small business, local government economic development, infrastructure financing and sustainable cities. It has been a thrill to feature award winning case studies and industry leaders at these conferences so that delegates are exposed to best practice and industry benchmarks.

A lawyer by training, Miles has wrapped his corporate experience and five years of experience of working in finance in Asia into a very enjoyable conference career. Whilst continuing to facilitate fresh thinking amongst industry, Miles believes we are in a ‘sustainability revolution’, and his participation in the Fellowship Program will assist him and conference attendees in coming to grips with the challenges of climate change and the carbon economy.

Miles says, “Climate change will result in significant behavioural changes to our lifestyle and economic actions. Strong leadership will be required, and I look forward to the opportunities that the Fellowship Program offers to fellows for leading the change.”

Lauren Baird

Lauren has finally finished her Engineering and Science degrees and is currently working as a Sustainability and Software engineer at Synergetics Environmental Engineering. She’s recently won an Environmental Heroes award for her commitment to climate change action with her www.stoptheblackballoons.com website and is passionate about social responsibility and environmental action, volunteering with many community groups including Engineers without Borders, Medley Mag, the Australian Conservation Foundation, North Melbourne Sustainability Street and the Australian Conservation Volunteers.

Lauren’s most recent contribution to the environmental movement has been the development of power saving climate change software for PCs which she has released for free. By the end of the year she hopes to have some of her educational modules accredited and available to anyone in the world for free too! She’s passionate about environmental and social change and continues her strong relationship with the Nepalese community she spent time with in 2003.

Rachel Lowry

Rachel is the Community Conservation Manager for Zoos Victoria. Merging her conservation and education training, Rachel develops and implements community engagement programs that are designed to empower people to take action for wildlife and our environment. Her innovative approach to education for sustainability was recognised as ‘best practice’ in 2005 by the Victorian Association of Environmental Education.

In 2007 a local in situ conservation education program developed by Rachel titled ‘Trees Paws and Claws’ was awarded ‘Best Conservation Education Program’ by the Australasian Regional Association for Zoo’s Parks and Aquaria. Rachel went on to secure this award the following year after developing an African based in situ conservation education program in conjunction with the Tikki Hywood Trust. Rachel looks forward to joining a network of Future Sustainability Leaders and hopes to enhance her key competencies within the sustainability field on completion of the course.

Joel Leske

Joel has recently been appointed as the National Environment Manager for Kmart. In his role, he is responsible for all environmental matters that affect the Kmart brand, including energy use and reduction, water use and reduction, waste disposal and recycling, packaging and plastic bags.

In the past, Joel has been the Operational Environment Manager for Coles Supermarkets, and the National Waste Project Manager for the entire Coles Group. In these roles, he has developed and implemented a range of initiatives including recycling programs, compostable packaging, and initiatives to reduce the number of checkout bags used.

Like many others, he applied for the Fellowship Program to further enhance his skills and knowledge, allowing him to not only drive change internally, but also the community and the retailing sector. Furthermore, the networking opportunities created through meeting the other fellows and mentors will prove invaluable long into the future.

Eva Migdal

Eva is an explorer at heart. She has lived on 4 continents, studied at 5 universities, worked in 6 professions. As a young physiotherapy graduate she became perplexed by the fragmented and non-preventative Western approach to healthcare and began to explore other systems that both prevented disease and promoted wellbeing such as positive psychology, nutrition and eastern medicine. She discovered whole systems frameworks that promote wellbeing not just in healthcare, but also in education, communication, the arts and the environment.

She has a strong vision for personal, social and environmental sustainability and is developing innovative frameworks and tools that inspire change including social networking, educational resources and risk management strategies.
She is currently researching the impact of toxic chemicals on personal and environmental health and, with a team, developing GlobidO – a social networking site for sustainability that connects people with ideas, technology, innovations and groups to empower action.

Her aim for 2008 is to further develop tools that will inspire the regeneration of our selves and our planet, and have a great time with like-minded unreasonably optimistic people who live in the art of possibility.

Georgina Morrow

Georgina is passionate and driven to build partnerships between health and sustainability. Currently, she is leading a group ‘Allied Health Professionals for Sustainability’ aimed at promoting environmentally sustainable practices in Allied Health. She recently attended the Pacific Youth Environmental Network (PYEN) summit, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) initiative, and later the Australian Youth Environmental Summit. She also founded ‘Climate Change Awareness Collective’ (CCAC), which held public forums on climate change and practical action.

Georgina wants to take part in the Fellowship Program to gain skills for leading change within her profession and to become part of the CSL community. Allied Health is severely lacking sustainability leadership and I want this to change.

Georgona says: “FSL will help me to be better equipped to lead my community by expanding my knowledge in media skills and strategic planning. I am motivated to have a broader base influence, connections and contacts to revolutionise Allied Health.”

Imogen Schoots

Imogen is an avid cyclist who loves her inner city lifestyle. While a keen grocery shopper at the Queen Victoria Market with her panniers, she is also guilty of a few recent international trips.

Imogen is the Electrical Trades Union’s first Environment (and Research) Officer. She hopes to unite the strengths of the environment and union movement. Success in this capacity would be facilitating solutions to the skills crisis which threatens to limit the growth and uptake of renewables. Previous employment has included the Victorian public service, NSW Parliament, the Greens Party and a number of environmental NGO’s and unions.

Imogen’s career highlights involve applying creative campaigning techniques; achieving outcomes such as the second highest Mayoral vote with the lowest budget. This was achieved for the City of Melbourne elections in 2004 where Imogen was the Campaign Manager. At FSL she hopes to be inspired while also bringing inspiration and conquer her fear of becoming a tall poppy.

Dougal McInnes

Dougal works for Cool NRG International, an energy efficiency and CO2 trading company that delivers millions of tCO2 abatement globally. Previously he worked in foreign affairs and intelligence for the Federal Government in Canberra and overseas, with a particular focus on transnational resource issues.

Through the Fellowship Program Dougal hope to learn from others working on issues of sustainability and offer insights from his own work. In the future he looks forward to merging his two professional passions – international relations and the environment – be that in Australia or abroad.

In Dougal’s spare time, he tutors with SAIL (http://home.vicnet.net.au/~sail/) , enjoys any form of outdoor exercise and attempts to cook edible food.

Lloyd Davies

Lloyd is studying Civil Engineering and Marine Biology at the University of Melbourne. He has been involved in a campaign to covert the University of Melbourne to 100% Greenpower and thus massively reduce their carbon footprint. Sadly however at the end of a 3 year campaign they will still source 80% of their electricity from coal fired power stations in 2010.

Lloyd has joined the Fellowship Program to share his experience and gain further skills required to have better interaction with organisation and the public to outline the benefits of running a sustainable business/lifestyle.

Lloys says: “In the future I would like to work hand in hand with industry to help them become 100% sustainable. By not relying on any resource that will run out in the foreseeable future they can continue their operations with security and make an overall positive contribution to society”.

Rupert Baker

Rupert is the Senior Veterinarian at Healesville Sanctuary. This allows him to contribute to conservation by delivering veterinary care to seven endangered species breeding programs and through presentations at our public access wildlife hospital. In these talks our unique wildlife gives people a reason to care and we explain the threatening issues to their survival and how all our actions can help.

Previously Rupert has worked in variety of private veterinary practices in Australia and the United Kingdom and has instigated more compost bins, energy conservation schemes and recycling systems than he can remember. As a student he protested in East Gippsland about the logging of old growth forest and at University was a coordinator of the Working Conservationists.

Rupert says: “My future goals are to drive sustainability in my work place, industry and community. The curriculum of the Fellowship Program should give me the knowledge, skills and confidence to do this.

My image is a Southern Corroboree Frog that modelling suggests will become extinct in the wild with a two degree Celsius temperature rise. We take images of their skin patterns as each is unique”.

Glenn Bartlett

Glenn has been based in the UK for the best part of the last decade working initially in advertising and latterly in marketing strategy. Whilst seduced at first by the intensity and all consuming nature of the industry, over time an internal whisper of discontent turned into a scream that could no longer be ignored.

The need for work to feel worthwhile and make him proud, led Glenn to a seminal decision. It was time to recognise what he was truly passionate about. It was time to stop ranting about environmental degradation and unsustainable development, and time to start doing something about it.

He quit a life in London he knew couldn?t continue, and a rambling tour of South America ensued. It was during this trip Glenn crystalised what he already knew, that he wanted to dedicate all his energy to making humanity environmentally sustainable.

Glenn arrived in Melbourne in February with this vision front and centre, and is now developing communications strategy at Sustainability Victoria. He is very much looking forward to the Fellowship Program, and hoping it will help him transfer his skills and experience, into an entrepreneurial enterprise with sustainability at its heart. Ultimately though, it?s the potential that lies in putting a bunch of motivated like minded people together that excites him the most.

Geoff Gourley

Geoff is a budding eco-preneur in the start up phase of a new business. He is contributing time to developing his personal skills and knowledge in areas of sustainability, ESD, ISO 14001 whilst assisting and providing services to the small business sector. He is influencing business owners and friends to “Turn Green” through his website and by leading from the front in changing his own excessive consumerism and un-sustainable habits.

Throughout the Fellowship Program Geoff plans to establish his new concept, and be influencing thousands of small businesses and general people in melbourne. He also aims to contribute to the ongoing success of CSL by playing a big part in the future development of the centers business model and promotion.

Caroline Cotton

Caroline has always been a keen fellow in a variety of sports which has lead to her appreciating the natural world. It has also taught her to push herself beyond her limits. Caroline began studying a Bachelor of Science Honours degree at Melbourne University. In her Honours year she undertook a research project on breast cancer.

After a year traveling overseas Caroline came back to complete a Bachelor of Teaching at Melbourne University. For the next ten years she taught Biology, Chemistry and Science in rural and urban secondary schools in Victoria. During this time she completed a Masters of Education. However, throughout this time she has always has a passion for the environment, which stems back from when she was a child, regularly visiting her family?s organic citrus farm in North East Victoria.

Six months ago Caroline begun working in an Environmental consulting firm as Director of Education. She has now left that company and is now in the process of starting up two environmental companies.

Jai Jospeh Allison

Jai loves getting excited about new ways of creating amazing changes and helping people to help themselves to help us all. This is the behaviour change motto, which is one of his primary interests. Jai hopes to couple behaviour change with engineering skills and facilitation to work in sustainability and community development.

Jai consults as an environmental engineer, currently working as a water sensitive designer. His other experience include natural resource management, hydrological modelling and rainwater harvesting.

He has been involved in various community organisations and campaigns for environmental conservation and sustainable education. Jai’s aspiration for the Fellowship Program is to realise his own strengths, weaknesses and potential as a change agent. Jai says: “I hope to connect with the class, realise some great ideas through the projects and go out into the world with all I can give”.

Kathryn Bowen

Kathryn currently works as a researcher at the Nossal Institute for Global Health at the University of Melbourne. Her background is in public health, although she has had a shift to global health in the past five years after completion of a European MSc (International Health).

Kathryn works predominantly on research projects in India, focusing on HIV prevention and mental health promotion. She plans to commence study on the impacts of global change on health, and ways in which we may best adapt to this threat. One of her most interesting non-work experiences in the recent past was participating as a UN International Election Observer for the 2007 East Timor Parliamentary elections.

Kathryn says: “I very much enjoy combining my global health interests with broader issues of sustainability and governance, and hope that being involved in the Fellowship Program will enhance my knowledge and confidence to communicate and lead in this area”.

Michelle Isles

A creative, resourceful and sometimes earnest personality has always led Michelle to thoughts of sustainability. In practice, many experiences have shaped her approach; as a self determined vegetarian at age three, a local conservationist at age 10, a journalist depicting the link between social and environment issues, a Business/Commerce student leading green action, a sustainable development officer in Nepal, and a sustainability consultant and advisor for community, corporate and government organisations across Asia Pacific.

Michelle has built partnerships across spheres of government in Australia, New Zealand, India and Indonesia to influence action on climate change; and challenged decision makers as a youth delegate and city advisor at United Nations meetings. Fascinated by the cultural nuances that influence behaviour change, Michelle has focused on Asia-Australia relations in recent years and considered a move to Jakarta this year.

Yet the great challenges here in Australia including excessive consumption of unsustainable materials, minimum uptake of renewable energy opportunities and the inclusion and leadership of indigenous peoples on sustainability issues have drawn her attention to the Fellowship Program where she hopes to tackle such issues and opportunities with great enthusiasm.

Alison Dodd

Alison’s passion for environmental issues stemmed from many happy childhood hours spent in the Queensland outdoors. She really enjoyed studying towards a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Environmental Management (Sustainable Development) (Hons) (UQ), completed in December 2006.

She is now working at DLA Phillips Fox Lawyers and was admitted to practice in April 2008. Alison is really passionate about environmental law, with a particular interest in climate change and water law. She is also the Chair of the ‘Green Committee’ a challenging and rewarding role to make her office more sustainable.

Outside of work, Alison is an active member of the Victorian Committee of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ), and Chair of the Students and Young Professionals sub-committee.

Alison says “I am really looking forward to the skills and knowledge that the Fellowship Program 2008 will provide, but I am looking forward even more to the experiences I will have and the people I will meet along the way!”

Daniel Muprhy

Daniel is the ESD Team Leader at Moreland City Council. The team works in 3 key areas: Climate Change, Sustainable Water Management and Sustainable Built Environments. He has been the environmental sustainability field for 5 years after a previous career in the finance and banking industry in London and Melbourne.

Daniel’s move from a business to environmental professional was the most challenging but most enjoying professional transition he has made. Gaining a much better insight into the world around him and surrounded with people also on a similar journey he is particularly interested in how regional areas of Australia prepare, adapt and identify opportunities for sustainable future growth.

Daniel says: “I hope that through the Fellowship Program I meet people who also want to make a difference and am seeking build my leadership capacities to effect positive change for the community I am in and for my friends and family”.

Kati Thompson

Kati has been passionate about sustainability since she was a teenager, and has draw on experience in social justice and human rights advocacy, decolonisation education, environmental education and social innovation in her work. Professionally, this has involved working for the Sustainability Council and the Ministry for the Environment in New Zealand.

Currently Kati manages the Local Government Program at ECO-Buy Ltd, supporting Victorian local governments to purchase environmentally preferable products and use their purchasing power to support green products and industries.

As a dual Australian-New Zealand citizen, Kati is interested in innovations in sustainability that span the Tasman. She aspires to establish a trans-disciplinary organisation in future that supports on the ground sustainability solutions led by communities and businesses.

Kati says: “I’d also like to be in service to young people in New Zealand who are passionate about sustainability and want to increase their capacity to make a difference. I’m sure that participating in the Fellowship Program will increase my own capacity to be part of creating a more sustainable future”.

Roland Dillon

Roland joined the EPA Victoria’s Regulatory Innovation team as a Legal Policy Officer in May 08. Prior to joining the EPA, Roland was a lawyer at the Australian Government Solicitor.

Roland is also the chair of the LIV’s Community Issues Committee, and is leading the LIV’s Climate Change Working Group. The goal of this group is to review and improve the LIV’s footprint and to publish a regular feature (the Greensheet) in the Law Institute Journal encouraging law firms to do the same.

Roland has degrees in Law and Politics from Monash University. He hopes that his involvement in Future Sustainability Leaders will allow him start using all the ideas he learned in his Arts degree and to be a better advocate for change.

Michaela Lang

Michaela has had an eclectic and fun tertiary education, from Anthropology and History (B.Arts) to Health Promotion (Master Public Health) and Sustainability Advocacy (TAFE Diploma).

She has worked in genetic epidemiology research, sustainable transport (the world’s biggest walking school bus program!), graffiti management, and developed an environmental sustainability program for restaurants. She currently manages environmental programs and communications for residents in the City of Melbourne, with a focus on high rise apartment buildings, both the residents and the buildings themselves.

Michaela says: “I am good at working with details, I’m hoping to get more comfortable working with big pictures, to develop the confidence and skills to make a case for sustainability measures, and to come out of the course a bit braver than I went in! Although it sounds a bit naff, I can’t wait to make friends with a bunch of passionate, clever, inspiring young people”.

Miyuki Jokiranta

Miyuki is a radio maker, a linguist and a cultural researcher whose goal is to raise awareness around meaningful issues. After completing her Bachelor’s in Journalism, at New York University, Miyuki worked for several not-for-profit media organizations, whilst freelancing for a range of National Public Radio programs, including their flagship environmental science program, Living on Earth. She then went on to a Master’s in International Affairs at New School University, where she focused on the impact of cultural activity on quality of life.

Since returning to Australia, Miyuki continues to expand her sonic horizons by freelancing for the ABC. However, in noticing a common thread in her work- the concept of sustainability- she hopes to develop it through the Fellowship Program and through starting her own organization, seven thousand oaks, that will provide a space and voice for new explorations of sustainable practices in the arts.

Sadia Haque

Sadia comes from a beautiful South Asian country called Bangladesh. She prides herself as being one of the few aspiring environmentalist who is working towards strengthening CSR in a developing nation.

Her early childhood was spent travelling widely in the countryside with her parents and in later years she developed a keen interest for nature.

Sadia completed her Bachelors degree in Environmental Science from North South University. Then she joined the Tropical Forest Management project of USAID in Bangladesh as a Public-Private Partnership Coordinator. Previously she worked with the World Conservation Union, supported a few developmental NGO’s and was the Vice-President of Earth Club, the leading youth lead Environmental club of Dhaka.

She grew up in a Rotary Family and social development is a part of her daily life. As a university student she volunteered in cleaning tourist spots of Bangladesh and providing education to underpriveleged children. Now she is working towards developing a cleaner city and sustainable awareness building among youths.

Sadia is an excellent communicator with experience in public relations, teaching for more than 9 years, writing, a social worker and CSR promoter. She also knows many people in the media and environment fields. Through the Fellowship program, she hopes to develop a better understanding of the corporate and political mechanism and processes behind decisions on sustainability so that she can better influence these outcomes. She?s looking forward to meeting like-minded people from all different spheres.

She can bring her seriousness and passion for National Parks with a friendly attitude in this years team.

Justin Coburn

Currently working as the CEO of Songlines Aboriginal Music Corporation, looking at using music to strengthen links between the indigenous movement and the environmental movement. This has been a long time passion for Justin, one that has been nurtured over a decade of working with indigenous communities in Mexico and Central America and more recently back at home.

A few years ago, together with some friends, Justin helped set up a not for profit called Peace and Diversity Australia (PDA), that works with an indigenous organisation in a conflict zone in Southern Mexico. PDA’s basic philosophy is that Peace is not simply the absence of violence but the flourishing of cultural and biological diversity. In the words of the people he has been working with “what we want is a world in which many worlds fit, a world that is one and diverse”.

David Kelly

David works at Thrive Sustainability Services as an environmental consultant and at the Dispute Settlement Centre for Victoria as a Mediator. He also manages a social business called OnefreeBike and is most proud about the community work he has been involved with professionally, including time at the Consumer Credit and Debt Legal Centre in Sydney and volunteer work at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

He gains satisfaction from empowering people and developing profitable ethical business models. He is passionate about the business case for sustainability, social justice and natural capitalism and hopes to refine these skills at the Centre for Sustainability Leadership. In the future David aspires to work in Corporate Social Responsibility and Development.

Taryn Adele Lane

Currently working for an NGO supporting women in East Timor, Taryn is committed to sustainable development both socially and environmentally for women, their communities and the surrounding environments. She is completing her Masters part time and loves to spend weekends camping, visiting festivals and enjoy our amazing planet as often as possible. Taryn’s past studies include a BA in International Studies and has studied in Malaysia and Vietnam. She has a passion for exploring new places and has traveled as much as possible to various countries.

Taryn has spent time working with ethnic minority groups in Vietnam as well as various other jobs whilst studying. Taryn says: “From the Fellowship Program experience I want to develop my skills, gain leadership confidence, connect with the diverse people involved and further my relationship with the environment”.