ANNUAL REVIEW 2013
CONTENTS
CHAIR’S REPORT
4
CEO’S REPORT
6
CSL PROGRAMS
10
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
11
LEADERSHIP REWIRED
12
ALUMNI PROGRAM
13
MELBOURNE FELLOWS
26
SYDNEY FELLOWS
35
SPEAKERS & MENTORS
44
VOLUNTEERS
45
CSL TEAM
46
CSL BOARD
48
GOVERNANCE
53
CREDITS
53
CHAIR’S REPORT
2013 has been a dramatic year of change. We have had a new government with a new agenda, a series of never seen before natural disasters, record breaking weather events and the continuing disruption in the lives of the poor and disadvantaged around the world. The year started with heat waves and fires and has ended with some uncertainty about the role leadership for sustainability will play in Australia’s immediate future. The changes to what we might think of as “normal life” are persistent and ongoing. As a result there has never been a more important time at the Centre for Sustainability Leadership. An organisation created to help people find brilliant new ways of finding opportunity in the constant change taking place during our lifetime. I am immensely proud of the work we continue to deliver in the fields of capacity building, leadership education and personal development. We have produced an awe inspiring range of graduates who have gone on to create, ideate, cogitate, speculate, agitate, experiment, build and enshrine new thinking into the fabric and institutions of this great country 2013 ANNUAL REVIEW
(and around the world). I thank our 2013 cohort for taking their turn to go through our intensive, experiential learning program. They are now armed and ready to take on an important challenge with new skills and visions for a bright future. The Fellowship Program has often been described by the people who engage with and support the CSL family as being a moment to hand over the baton. Our amazing speakers and mentors in particular find it inspiring to be involved in developing the next generation of emerging leaders, ready to take on the role of advocates for a stronger and more equitable future. In turn, we are incredibly grateful to them for being a core part of what we do and how we do it. Their stories and examples of leadership are fundamental to our approach of experiential learning. As always, I want to give a big thank you to all those who have supported us in 2013. In recognition of our gratitude, we wanted to find a special way to give something back by recognising the great work of the leaders that have paved the way for our next generation. For this year’s graduation we created the Lifetime
Achievement Award to recognise an individual from within the broader CSL community who has contributed a monumental body of work for sustainable development. It gave me great pleasure to present the award to our inaugural winner Mark Diesendorf at our Sydney graduation event held at the Sydney Opera House in November. We have achieved an enormous amount over the last few years and so it is with a touch of sadness that the time has come for me to also hand over the baton. I have had a truly engaging and inspiring eighteen months working with Andrew Foran our previous CEO, Kate Harris, our ‘new’ CEO and the wonderful people that make up our team and the board. Thank you to everyone. I am truly excited about the future of CSL as I hand over the chair role to the very safe hands of Brian Gardner, a long standing CSL board member and current chair of the Oaktree Foundation. He brings with him some fantastic skills and experience. At the same time we have elevated Alex Graham to the role of Vice Chair. Alex replaces Phil Kingston who has played a fundamental role in guiding CSL over
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the last few years. I take this opportunity to thank Phil and to wish both Brian and Alex the best of luck in 2014. As we head into another pivotal year for the sustainability movement, we must all recognise that dramatic change is an important and creative process. CSL looks forward to continuing on that exciting journey of change with you.
MATT PERRY CHAIR, CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP
Centre for Sustainability Leadership
CEO’S REPORT
What another amazing, inspiring and challenging year it has been for our fellows, our organisation, Australia and indeed sustainability. The challenges are getting more complex as the years go by and CSL is perhaps more relevant than when we started in 2005. So it is with great excitement and reassurance that we graduate another 52 leaders and prepare for the years ahead. CSL is committed to creating more transformational leaders of the future for the future, and to establish a strong community network to support our change makers across Australia and the globe. We at the Centre are committed to our own challenge of supporting 20,000 leaders by 2020 – in a way that is empowering and enabling of sustainable development on a global scale. 2013 ANNUAL REVIEW
We are about creativity, capability and community. And we are determined to achieve this leadership through a meaningful and transformative way. In response to this need, we are pleased to announce we will be facilitating twice as many Fellowship Programs in 2014 in order to launch twice as many creative, capable leaders who care about your world and mine, and who are committed to the challenge of creating positive change. We have also launched two-day intensives that will grow to a national offering and continue to build the online community of Leadership Rewired – our leadership tool kit. We also acknowledge that we cannot lead alone. It is only together that great things are possible. Therefore, CSL is embracing partnerships and offering client services to likeminded organisations, communities and government in order to have greater impact towards a common goal.
We are proud to and want to continue to work in partnership with individuals and organisations that want to be a part of championing a new world and a new movement of leadership for the future.
ingly, there is a recurring theme of alumni who come back to work with us at CSL with the commitment to co-create a similar experience for others, as they have had the privilege of having.
This is an opportune time to thank our supporters.
I think this is a testimony to the programs we run, the culture we create and our intent to walk our talk amongst the challenges we face today.
We are very grateful for the much needed support we receive from our sponsors, speakers, mentors and leaders in the sustainability sector, as well as all our wonderful Alumni who truly embody the power of a committed community of leaders for transformation and the “CSL” experience. Thank you to our philanthropic partners who have been with us for many years and who have believed in our work and contribution to society from the early days, such as the Ian Potter Foundation, British Council, Dennoch and George Alexander Foundation. Also the Boeing Foundation who have come on board as a recent partner to support our first Regional Environmental Leaders Program, which will commence in northern NSW early next year. This is a critical part of our expansion into the communities of Australia – regional, rural and indigenous, who will truly benefit from leadership development and who have traditionally not had access to our programs. It has also been a significant year for our own organisation with my stepping up from Director of Learning and Development to the CEO role. This has been a welcomed opportunity for me to take my passion and commitment to all that we do to a new height. 2013 also saw a nomination for a Banksia award, the launch of our new website and brand refresh, which symbolises a new and exciting time ahead. We also have embraced the expansion of our own team. We are thrilled with our new team members who have joined us, and not surpris-
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Our Alumni too have received many successes in 2013. There are too many to honour all these wonderful achievements but a few highlights are: -
Katerina Kimmorley and Pollinate Energy winning a UN SEED award in Poland
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Linh Doh winning Australian Conservationist of the Year
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Fergus Green accepting a position as Climate Change advisor for Lord Nicholas Stern
And so too the CSL community continues to grow and expand. It is an honour to be part of the development of the next generation of leaders and CSL as an organisation. I look forward to working with you over the upcoming years to continue to grow CSL and our capability for change making for the future.
KATE HARRIS
CEO, CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP
Centre for Sustainability Leadership
FELLOWS REVIEW STEPHANIE VENUTI SYDNEY 2013
The Fellowship Program was an unexpected and enlightening process of self-discovery and in-depth learning through hands-on experience. I came to CSL with a number of questions and uncertainties as to what type of sustainability leader I can be or should be. I arrived at the end of the CSL Fellowship Program with a number of those questions being answered, many of those uncertainties having fallen away, and lifelong friends and contacts. CSL adopts a unique, engaging and facilitative way of learning. The best way I can describe it is – learning through experience. It's this type of learning that really stays with you. Together, the CSL fellows travelled through a
whirlwind, life changing, transformative learning process, and through that we have all formed deep, long lasting connections and friendships. We worked together on projects, ran workshops, attended networking events, and overall loved the opportunity to learn and engage with similar individuals that are working towards similar goals. CSL has gifted me with skills, support networks, contacts and a true acceptance of my strengths and weaknesses. I know that I will continue to draw upon these learnings and friendships in all aspects of my life as I continue on my sustainability journey.
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Centre for Sustainability Leadership
CSL PROGRAMS CSL works with individuals and communities, corporations and government to develop the skills, knowledge and networks of emerging leaders. From short courses, masterclasses and the online platform Leadership Rewired, to the transformative in-depth Fellowship Program, all CSL programs are based on an award winning curriculum and approach.
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
LEADERSHIP REWIRED
The Fellowship Program is our flagship sevenmonth program for 25 participants, in both Sydney and Melbourne each year. A transformational, action-based leadership learning experience combining workshops, retreats, coaching, mentoring, and hands-on projects delivered by inspiring speakers and facilitators.
Leadership Rewired is an e-learning training program, networking platform and matching service, covering proven leadership methodologies, tools and models. Rewired Plus offers a blended learning experience combining online modules, webinars and face-to-face workshops.
NEW PROGRAMS ALUMNI PROGRAM The Alumni Program enables the alumni to stay connected with CSL and each other, and continue their leadership development beyond the Fellowship Program. Think and Link events encourage social connection, while masterclasses provide advanced learning opportunities.
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A suite of shorter courses ranging from the two-day Leadership in Action workshops to the Leadership Intensive Fellowship Program, which is available to individuals, communities, organisations and government. CSL also offer tailored courses and deep dive workshops for community groups and organisations.
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM The transformational, seven-month Fellowship Program is an action-based leadership development experience that is underpinned by 12 key leadership competencies. Run in Sydney and Melbourne, over 300 alumni have completed the Fellowship Program since it began in 2005.
Throughout the seven-month program, our fellows participate in weekly workshops, retreats, projects and NETWORKING opportunities. They also receive COACHING and MENTORING, and enjoy peer-to-peer learning and community building through our online platform and forums.
Each year CSL recruits 25 emerging leaders in both Sydney and Melbourne from a wide range of backgrounds and from across all sectors. These emerging leaders have three things in common – the PASSION, POTENTIAL and COMMITMENT to create sustainable change.
Alumni come out of the program with a finely calibrated leadership compass, clear goals and a strong sense of DIRECTION. Working on projects, participants gain experience in leadership, working collaboratively and delivering real-world outcomes. Graduates also have a large and ever expanding network of peers, supporters and mentors.
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Centre for Sustainability Leadership
LEADERSHIP REWIRED LEADERSHIP REWIRED is an online learning and community platform built around 12 modules that explore everything from leadership styles, emotional intelligence and communication to building teams, problem solving and entrepreneurship. There are interviews with sustainability leaders from around the globe, case studies, principles and tools, and quizzes and links. Rewired is designed to be used by yourself or as part of a group. You can also use it sequentially as a course, or as an online toolkit, and go straight to what interests you. A WEBINAR series including CSL and guest speakers exploring the practical use of the tools and principles in Rewired, free to all Rewired members, will launch in 2013. BLENDED LEARNING: CSL has created a complete leadership development program with the addition of face-to-face workshops, coaching and webinars to the Rewired platform. PROJECT: Many people and groups use Rewired as a project toolkit where they can learn about and apply the fundamentals of project
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planning, use problem-solving and decisionmaking tools and employ the ‘IDEAtion’ framework to develop and implement their project. NETWORK: Through the Rewired forums and webinars you can share ideas, ask questions, collaborate and assist others with their projects and their leadership journey.
ALUMNI PROGRAM The Fellowship Program is the beginning, not the end, of the alumni’s leadership development and connection with CSL. Through our ALUMNI PROGRAM we provide opportunities for our graduates to stay connected with each other, stay engaged with CSL and continue their leadership education. The ALUMNI STEERING COMMITTEE in both Melbourne and Sydney work with CSL to plan and implement the Alumni Program, and to advise CSL’s strategic direction. They engage alumni, determine themes and topics for ‘Think and Link’ events, advise on topics for masterclasses and provide input at CSL board meetings. Our alumni are our greatest AMBASSADORS. The calibre of fellows we attract and what they go on to achieve are the greatest testaments to our Fellowship Program. It is for this reason that we bring them out at any opportunity. Our formal alumni ambassadors are selected each year and represent CSL at conferences, promotional events and to potential partners.
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Yearly weekend RETREATS allow our alumni the opportunity to reconnect with fellows from their year, as well as from other years. An outof-town setting also enables them to disconnect from the busy working world, reconnect with themselves and with nature, and to reflect and reset goals and objectives. Alumni also choose a theme or specific learning context for the retreat. We offer six MASTERCLASSES in Sydney and Melbourne each year. These provide moderate to advanced level exploration of a relevant leadership topic from public speaking and social media to creating shared value, and negotiating and influencing. Masterclasses are delivered by high-calibre presenters in an engaging, interactive style with practical, realworld application. THINK AND LINK EVENTS have a social focus, but generally include a leadership or sustainability component, such as a relevant speaker, film or activity. Alumni only, Alumni + Friends and open events provide an opportunity to catch up, expand networks and learn something at the same time.
Centre for Sustainability Leadership
GORDON YOUNG STRATEGIC, HIGH-PROFILE, ACCESSIBLE ALUMNI PROFILE
Since graduating from the Fellowship Program in 2006, I have worked for seven different companies tackling seven different environmental issues, from Melbourne to Sydney to Switzerland and Indonesia. The stakeholder engagement skills I learned through the Fellowship Program have been invaluable to this wide diversity of experience, allowing me to adapt my approach quickly and confidently to the needs and interests of each new audience, greatly improving the quality of relationships and subsequent environmental outcomes. Being able to not only identify what technical improvements the situation requires, but also to understand what the stakeholders involved want, what they're concerned about and how they see the project has been critical to my work to date. The leadership and communication skills I built during the Fellowship Program have allowed me to engage audiences as diverse as abattoir workers in rural Victoria, to corporate offices in the Melbourne CBD and even communities in remote Indonesia. I have recently completed a year working with an environmental education NGO in Indonesia as part of the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development Program. This program is a Commonwealth Government initiative designed to build capacity in developing nations under the banner of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. My role was to help my hosts develop an environmental education curriculum for the region's public schools, but it turned out to be slightly more involved than that. The environmental problems in the region were obvious from the second I got off the plane, but coming to understand the driving social, economic, cultural and political causes of those obvi-
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ous environmental problems opened up a far bigger, and more complex challenge. The skills I developed through the Fellowship Program gave me the ability to assess the situation strategically, break the broad picture down into its component factors and actually achieve something, rather than just buckle under the complexity of it all. In the end we managed to have quite an effect by developing prestigious, high profile awareness raising events and then offering the regional government the chance to be involved. Framing environmental management like this managed to make it “sexy� enough that the government actually wanted to be involved, rather than being dragged along for the ride. Since returning in July I have begun volunteering with CSL, exploring ways to make the Fellowship Program more accessible, as well as opportunities to expand into the business sector. In addition, I am developing an Indonesian Strategic Partnership Project designed to give Australian professionals an understanding of environmental management in a development context. The ultimate aim of this project will be to build intellectual and economic partnerships between the two countries to the benefit of both. There is a lot of environmental management work that needs doing on the ground in Indonesia, and with a combination of Australian expertise and Indonesian understanding of the cultural context, there are great opportunities for everyone to achieve some big wins. Given the value of the CSL Fellowship Program in establishing these relationships in the first place, I will definitely be approaching the alumni when it's time to promote the project!
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Centre for Sustainability Leadership
FERGUS GREEN WHERE PASSIONS AND TALENT OVERLAP ALUMNI PROFILE
Just before 5pm on 2 December, in the twilight of 2013, I received a phone call that was to mark a major turning point in my professional life. After a long application process, culminating in a four-person panel interview and a written, policy-oriented test that morning, I was offered that seemingly elusive “dream job” - Policy Analyst and Research Advisor to Professor Nicholas Stern at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. The Grantham Institute is a large, policy and economics-focused think tank at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). My role is primarily to assist Professor Stern with his academic and policy-related research papers, briefings and presentations, and additionally to work with other Institute colleagues on climate policy-oriented projects relating to issues such as green growth, climate policy design and climate ethics. In the space of 18 months I had gone from advising Australian companies on their obligations under Australia’s now-soon-to-beabandoned carbon pricing scheme at a Melbourne law firm, and writing seemingly inconsequential op-eds criticising Australian climate policy, to being the research advisor to the man who literally wrote the book on climate change policy (the 700-page Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change was published in 2006). Reflecting on the steps that enabled this transition, CSL’s contribution is manifest in at least three ways. First, CSL helped me to define and focus on my “niche” — that fecund sweet spot where one’s talents and passions overlap. For me, it is thinking and arguing about big ideas and grappling with how to implement them in the real world. It was this insight that helped me to determine my preferred course, destination and timing of graduate study — a Masters in Philosophy and Public Policy at the LSE in 2013 ANNUAL REVIEW
the 2012/13 academic year. That clarity of purpose helped me to win a Sir John Monash Scholarship to support my studies, which ultimately put me in the right place at the right time with the right skillset for my new role at the Grantham Institute. But this last step was far from automatic. Between September, at the conclusion of my idyllic masters year, and December, when I got the Grantham job, I did not have a fulltime job and my pool of scholarship funds and personal savings was running dry. I was barely making ends meet with a poorly paid teaching fellowship at SOAS, University of London and some freelance research work. Yet, instead of taking whatever job I could get, I applied only for the positions that I really wanted. Whereas four or five years ago I would have found the uncertainty and instability extremely disconcerting, through CSL I had developed the mentality necessary to maintain this focus on my niche. I was more confident and better equipped to take risks, ask for help, build new networks and manage the uncertainty than I would have otherwise been able to. The Grantham position is proving to be an extraordinarily rewarding, yet intensely demanding opportunity. On top of it, I’m continuing to teach Global Energy & Climate Policy at SOAS this term, whilst getting involved in UK policy debates and advancing my own research and writing. Yet I am healthy, both physically and mentally, loving life and relatively un-stressed (most of the time!) in significant part because I learnt through CSL how to better shape my environment to ensure my personal sustainability. I’m sharing a homely little flat in East London with two dear friends (one of whom is CSL 2010 Sydney alumna Katerina Kimmorley) and I’m part of a wonderfully supportive and fun group of friends. I played cricket in the summer (and was very pleased to see the Ashes make their way back to Australia!) and I continue to enjoy the
seemingly endless menu of cultural and social attractions in London.
- Policy Analyst & Research Advisor to Professor Nicholas Stern
In sum, despite its challenges, 2013 was probably the most culturally enriching, socially engaging, intellectually stimulating and, ultimately, professionally transformative year of my life. My CSL experience was integral to getting me through those challenges and equipping me for those successes.
Grantham Research Institute Change & The Environment
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on
Climate
London School of Economics & Political Science - Teaching Fellow, Centre for International Studies & Diplomacy, SOAS, University of London
Centre for Sustainability Leadership
RACHEL LOWRY CONTINUING TO BOOST CAPACITY ALUMNI PROFILE
I graduated from CSL in 2008 and remember giving myself an imaginary high five for having made the decision to apply for the Fellowship Program, because it was then and still remains, to be the best decision I’ve made on the fused professional and personal front. In an effort to give back to CSL and continue to learn and meet like-minded people, I joined the CSL board and had the privilege of being a CSL Director and then Chair for three years until I became a mum in 2011. Since this time, I’ve been keeping busy raising a wonderful small human and making the most of my position within Zoos Victoria as Director of Wildlife Conservation and Science. Whilst completing CSL in 2008, I was really enjoying my role as General Manager Community Conservation at Zoos Victoria, where I became slightly obsessed with behavior change theory and its real-world applications. The year after my fellowship, whilst still in this role, I developed and led Melbourne Zoo’s ‘Don’t Palm Us Off’ campaign. This campaign started off on a small budget and within weeks had sponsorship offers that helped boost our capacity to lift the campaign’s profile. Within months the campaign was receiving media attention right across Australia (and the New York Times!), and food manufacturers that wouldn’t answer my calls months prior were suddenly flying to Melbourne Zoo to discuss the issue of unsustainable palm oil and the need to label palm oil on all food products. Since this time, we’ve seen a large number of food manufacturers voluntarily label palm oil, as well as commit to sourcing and purchasing certified sustainable palm oil. So signing a petition really can work and a massive thanks to the 163,000 people that signed up to support this campaign. Australia is now far more distanced from the issue than prior to this campaign and whilst Orangutans, Sumatran tigers, Pygmy elephants and a long list of other species are far from secure in areas devastated by unsustainable palm oil production, consumer demand for certified sustainable palm oil is certainly growing.
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With a new talented team now leading the Don’t Palm Us Off campaign (with ambitions to extend its impact on a global scale!), I was thrilled to accept a promotion in 2011 with the primary role of leading the strategy and development of Zoos Victoria’s conservation investments. As a not-for-profit organisation, Zoos Victoria directs all profits to supporting the fight against extinction. In the past two years, I’ve had a lot of fun putting my Zoology qualifications to good use working with a team of scientists who have increased the number and effectiveness of our zoo’s threatened species breeding and recovery programs, and overall conservation investment. We now run breeding programs for 15 Australian species that without captive intervention would be even closer to the brink of extinction, and have increased our conservation investment by 30% with more than 3.5 million dollars each year directly helping to fight the extinction of endangered species. I’m very lucky to have led the Wildlife Conservation and Science portfolio at a time when Zoos Victoria became the world’s first independently certified carbon neutral zoo. This has been a lot of work for every single person in the organisation but it was worth it, receiving that accreditation was such a proud day for my team. And as for what I’ll be doing in the next few years, the biodiversity crisis is exponentially getting worse and as we move into an era facing food and water insecurity, to name a few issues on the social challenge list, wherever I’ll be, I‘ll continue to work with clever and committed people to secure a species rich future because in my opinion humaninduced species extinctions should not be tolerated. Long live the Baw Baw frog, to name a just few species in desperate need of our attention and support!
www.zoo.org.au/fighting-extinction
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Centre for Sustainability Leadership
JESS MILLER A PERSONAL EXTENSION OF WHO WE ARE ALUMNI PROFILE
Holy heck, 2013! I did CSL in 2010. So now is actually the time to go and open at least one of the letters I wrote to myself, *breathe*…. …So I actually just went to find them and the place that I thought they were (in my kid’s glory box), they weren’t. I trust they’ll show up when I least expect and most need them. And that is not today. However, what I did find was a treasure of letters, newspaper articles, photos, my CSL certificate, the 12-week scan and other assorted random items which at some point I obviously thought note and glory-worthy enough to put into my daughter’s keepsake box. The thing 2013 taught me most was that the concept of “balance” is an eternally elusive construct. As people who give more than two shits about what we do, how we do it and why we do it, it’s almost impossible to differentiate the personal from the professional. For us, when you have a shit day at work, it’s not like getting home having a beer, turning off the TV and switching off. We take it very personally; it’s an affront to our fundamental being and sense of self. For most of us our chosen profession – or how we choose to express that – is personal, an extension of who we are. So if we’re shit at work, we’re shit at life. At its core what I get (still) from CSL is the idea that who you are and what you do are inextricably linked. I’ve come to think of it as the curse of the people who give a shit. It's the thing that make us take everything personally, keeps us awake at 3am and justifies us spending all weekend ‘working’, not because we're being paid, but because we genuinely and almost zealously subscribe to the 2013 ANNUAL REVIEW
idea that what we do does matter. It makes criticism an injury and praise euphoric. It can be really lonely. It’s something that now, even four years since I embarked on the CSL journey I still have trouble reconciling. How do you? Or do you extricate who you are from what you do? Sometimes I wish I could. Add to that a radical change in circumstance like say ahhh – unintended procreation, a death of a loved one, a new country, redundancy or any other of life’s crazy-arsed curve balls and all of a sudden those of us cursed with ‘I give a shit’ syndrome are thrown into turmoil of climatic proportions. We take it hard. And not many people get that. Because as people on a mission, smart, resilient, creative, movin’ and shakin’, onto the next thing, successful, ever-optimistic, brave, caring and always holding ourselves to exceedingly high expectations – it’s very rare that we find kin who actually get it, or with whom we feel comfortable being ourselves. And this is why CSL is preternaturally important. I don’t get to go to dinner and drinks anymore, I don’t get beyond the first few sentences of the CSL newsletter, I have failed miserably to remain connected to my ‘buddy’ and I missed Kate and Gareth’s marriage party and play dates which superficially makes me a total flake and bad friend. But I’m also ‘CSLian’. And this gives me some type of magical leave pass for life. Because I know that you guys get it. I can rack off a bunch of “wins” I’ve scored in the last 3 years, but more likely than not you’re aware of them. And if not, then you’ve got other more important stuff on your plate.
The measure of success is not articles in the paper. It's not awards, promotion or recognition. It’s how you feel about yourself any given day of the week and to what extent you live to your potential for good. We get that, we are CSLian. So to finish, I’d like to say that my achievements are vast but largely inconsequential. What matters is being a member of a very special ‘people who actually give a shit’ club and that’s what CSL is to me and will remain, as I’m nowhere near done. And I don’t need you guys to blow smoke up my arse, but when
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things go wrong professionally and I take it personally – you lot are the first I’ll go to and likewise when it hits your fan, I’ll prioritise your call. Beyond a sense of “failure”, for us not living to an idealised potential of do-gooding is devastating, like no-one else knows or feels, but you guys all get it. And thank goodness for that. Forever grateful and resigned to being forever a conflicted and messy ball of good intent. .
Centre for Sustainability Leadership
JANE FARAGO BEYOND SIMPLISTIC THINKING ALUMNI PROFILE
When I did CSL in 2009, I was on maternity leave with my second child, on hiatus from an MBA, and in career transition. Having been made redundant from my previous job, I was looking for a new direction that would combine my interest in the workings of business with my new-found passion for sustainability. Following CSL, I returned to my MBA with a new focus. Through the grapevine I had heard about Net Balance, a young sustainability consulting firm that was making waves. Through a CSL fellow who was working there, I approached CEO Terence Jeyaretnam to ask if I could “borrow” Net Balance as the guinea pig for my MBA assignments. Terence responded with great generosity, and there began a relationship that resulted in me joining the Net Balance staff in September 2012. For most of last year, Net Balance had surely the highest concentration of CSL fellows in the country, with no fewer than five fellows on staff. Net Balance is a purpose-driven company with an unusual hybrid structure: part forprofit, part not-for-profit. My role is to lead the not-for-profit Net Balance Foundation, which aims to inspire and enable organisations to accelerate the transition to a sustainable economy. Working at Net Balance over the past year, though challenging in several directions, has been a dream job for me. Not only do I get to work with my smart, committed and hardworking colleagues, but I have also had the thrill of interacting with some of my sustainability heroes: Jonathon Porritt, Paul Gilding, Pavan Sukhdev. In 2013 I also forged a partnership with the Cambridge Programme of Sustainability Leadership, for Net Balance Foundation to run their flagship executive training seminar, the Prince of Wales’s Business and Sustainability Programme, in Australia. The three-day intensive program is the inverse of the CSL ap2013 ANNUAL REVIEW
proach, taking people already in senior positions, and leading them through a journey to understand and tackle the sustainability challenge. A highlight of the year was talking to some 800 representatives of the not-for-profit sector about integrating social and environmental impact at the Our Community conference. I don’t think I would be in this great position without CSL. While I was already on a trajectory towards working in corporate sustainability, I was a generalist with no prior experience in the field. In a short space of time, the CSL Fellowship Program equipped me with a complex and nuanced understanding of sustainability, enriched by the widely varied experiences and perspectives of my fellow alumni. It opened the doors to a network of experts that I still draw on. It inspired me with a sense of possibility but also ensured that I don’t fall into traps of simplistic thinking. I often stop to wonder whether I am making a difference in the world, and how I could increase the impact I have. There are many CSL fellows who are more energetic, entrepreneurial and inspiring than me, but I have found a role where I believe I can best use my abilities to create change, and that is partly thanks to CSL.
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Centre for Sustainability Leadership
CLARE DESIRA CREATING A MOVEMENT OF GENEROSITY ALUMNI PROFILE
CSL helped me develop a vision of a world where volunteers aren’t needed anymore. A world where our planet is thriving. A world where people are healthier both physically and mentally than they ever have been. A world where no one is in need. But more on that later…
throughout the world. The Top Five Movement has been shared at a TEDx event, in corporate settings, in emerging young leadership programs and within training, education curriculum, blogs, magazine articles, publications and a new website (www.topfivemovement.com).
The 2011 Fellowship Program was one of the best learning experiences of my life. Personally, I've finished with a range of new tools to use, a world of new contacts and a renewed confidence to grow the impact I can have, particularly in three roles I play.
So whilst initially the idea might seem “fluffy”, loads of research shows that the benefits of practising daily gratitude are enormous. A wonderful side effect of writing a Top Five is the collective impact of many people writing a Top Five. If one person becomes more energetic, optimistic and generous from writing a Top Five, what could the world look like if everybody was more energetic, optimistic and generous? A world where no one is in need? A world where people are healthier both physically and mentally than they ever have been? A healthy planet? I am keen to find out and am inviting you to join me.
Firstly, I have leveraged my CSL experience when moving into a national role managing one of Australia’s leading corporate volunteering programs for NAB. I have led a strategy and team, which last year alone connected over 18,000 days/$7m of in-kind employee time through volunteering for social issues and opportunities in Australia. The role includes sharing the benefits of and successful models of volunteering with many different audiences including corporate, community and government. Secondly, CSL perspectives have helped in co-directing an inspiring social change and leadership program that supports young Australian leaders aged 18-25 for Rotary. I have been involved with this program for 11 years, helping young adults build their selfawareness so they can become confident, passionate and courageous leaders. Thirdly, amongst other fellows’ speeches on carbon credits and biodiversity at the CSL media retreat, I developed and presented the idea that my daily routine of simply capturing five positive memories from each day is a real opportunity to contribute to a more sustainable world. The daily routine is called writing my ‘Top Five’. Since CSL, I am well on my way to creating a movement of generosity and happiness 2013 ANNUAL REVIEW
The message is simple, accessible and powerful. The tool is practical and evidenced based. It transcends age, race and religion. It is a positive mental health routine which is particularly valuable as mental health issues are on the rise. If not for the world, start a Top Five for yourself. In just a few years, I easily recorded over 10,000 of my own Top Five moments. Research shows that individuals who feel more grateful, live longer, are healthier, happier, more confident, less lonely, more relaxed, more creative, bounce back from hard times quicker, have improved emotional balance, and sleep better. The new website includes a free template document with some of my top tips on developing gratitude. I’d encourage you to grab a pen and get started now by remembering today for five positive reasons. If you do you’ll make your world and our world a better place.
I went into CSL wanting to learn how to navigate the complex environments of social/sustainability issues and opportunities. I learnt about this but also walked out with a vision, focus and people already on board a
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movement. I will be forever grateful for the CSL experience. www.topfivemovement.com www.nab.com.au/volunteering
Centre for Sustainability Leadership
MELBOURNE FELLOWS ALICE HOWARD-VYSE I believe we can design a better future through building better business. I see digital technology as a powerful enabler of social change, helping people and organisations collaborate across boundaries to solve our most pressing problems. My role is to communicate a vision of the future that is full of possibility and ultimately empowering of others. I hold the belief that, with confidence, encouragement and self-awareness people have an inherent desire to contribute to something bigger than themselves. To this end, I work with entrepreneurs and organisations to connect and communicate the positive ideas that will expedite the change and inspire others into action. CSL has helped me to think even bigger. It has given me the confidence-boost and self-belief I needed to let go of self-doubt and get on with the job, plus an aweinspiring network of change agents to collaborate with in designing our positive future.
AMY BOLGER Responsible Business Specialist at Intrepid Travel. Optimistic. Curious. Cheeky. I loved walking into the CSL workshops every week. It’s not often you can be in a room full of people who all share a similar vision – that of working towards a more just and sustainable world. CSL has helped me unearth a few approaches that harness my passions and strengths on how to go about achieving this vision. One approach I’m currently working on is through Responsible Travel. By facilitating people with meaningful travel experiences that are both positive for the local communities and environments they visit, people tend to open up to a world bigger than their own. I’ve met many a CSLian whose ‘epiphany’ occurred whilst travelling. Whether it’s staring into the deep knowing eyes of a lion or experiencing life with communities and cultures different to our own, a sense of interconnectedness has hit us all hard and contributed to being the change we want to see in the world.
AMY PIESSE Photographer, connector, sustainability advocate and community worker. With a background in community work within the mental health sector and in remote indigenous communities in Australia, I am passionate about social justice, meaningful lifestyles and environmental sustainability. As a Sustainability Officer for Neami National, a non-governmental mental health organisation, I develop resources and programs for our service users to engage in sustainable lifestyle choices, in line with their own recovery goals. I am currently most inspired by ways to engage people to value the world, its resources and each other through communication tools, creative projects and rewarding experiences (having fun!). The CSL Fellowship has given me the confidence, networks and strategic approaches to meaningfully contribute to a sustainable world. Being a CSL fellow, and now alumna, is like getting plugged into a truly renewable supply of energy and inspiration.
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ANGUS HERVEY My purpose is to try and make the world work for 100% of humanity, in the shortest time possible, through spontaneous cooperation, without ecological damage, or to the detriment of anyone. I believe that the change our planet needs will come from small groups of people motivated by fairness, equality and an appreciation of the beauty and power of nature. My time at CSL taught me the value of storytelling, and the power of connectivity, and was a valuable and important personal and career step for me. Despite the huge challenges facing us, I believe that we are on the cusp of a series of technological revolutions in the areas of energy, health, education and data that will create a new and better world in the next 10-20 years. Having previously trained as an environmental economist, I am now using my technical and project management skills to help progressive environmental organisations and businesses bring about positive change as quickly as possible.
ANNA TRAHAIR Nature doesn’t recognise the lines on a map and neither do I. I see the whole world as my home, and I want the world to be a peaceful and sustainable home for everyone. I will continue to create and support an ecosystem of people and organisations that can make that happen. This ecosystem includes business, governments, not-for-profits, educational institutions and all sorts of change makers, working together in solidarity. I have always worked in an international environment and find cross-cultural and cross-sectoral experiences spark my creativity and push me to look at new ways of doing things. I am passionate about bringing these experiences to others through my work in international development and education. The Fellowship Program helped me to put my vision into words and developed my confidence in sharing that with others. It helped me recognise my capabilities, challenged me to take risks and explore ideas.
BRENT MASTERS As an avid adventurer and explorer, I have travelled and filmed around the world, and continue to seek and assist conservation, sustainability and social justice issues wherever I find them. I have been involved in award-winning film and television productions in Melbourne for over 15 years and am the Managing Director at Masters Media, a company specialising in the creation of digital content, which promotes sustainability, conservation and corporate social responsibility. As well as having finished the Fellowship Program, I am currently the pro bono Operations Manager for The Thin Green Line Foundation and also a Fellow of The School for Social Entrepreneurs (2009).
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DARYL ANTHONY Currently I’m developing Common Code, a company of programmers, designers and developers. Working on a few startups, including FoodStore.io. I've worked in indigenous bushland restoration, organics, farming and international development with Engineers Without Borders. For me the future involves working towards creating businesses that align with The Economics of Happiness.
DAVID HUMPHREYS As a medical professional I witness daily the negative health effects resulting from a lack of personal, community, and environmental sustainability. Frustratingly, existing barriers to change relate not to a lack of resources or knowledge. Rather, public apathy and poor governance serve to perpetuate an unacceptable status quo. The Fellowship Program has mobilised a community of like-minded, engaged, and passionate young professionals, whilst simultaneously facilitating many new and lasting friendships. Through its unique blend of practical skills and transformative knowledge, the program has provided a platform for enhancing our own effectiveness in challenging existing leadership. It’s provided clarity to our individual and collective messages, and strength to our voices.
FAM CHARKO People only protect what they care about, and it is imperative that we create change in the current value systems that affect the environment. If we will only open our eyes to the magnificence of nature, we may move away from ownership and adopt an attitude of stewardship. After all, there is no planet B. My vision is a world where humans are deeply and consciously interconnected with the natural world around them. My role in this is to help people reconnect with nature, by showing them the magical world of living ecosystems through an alchemical union between science, spirituality and storytelling. Sharing my enthusiasm for all living things has always been an integral part of my life, but the communication and leadership skills I developed during the Fellowship Program have helped me bring out the best in myself. Because of CSL’s support, I am now ready to take others with me on the journey to a better future for all inhabitants of our planet.
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FELICITY FORD Collaboration and the desire to be significant, I truly believe transformation in our society will happen if we support each other in realising our potential. The most probable and likely difference we can make in our lifetime is setting perceptible goals that continue to grow and change as we connect with passions that can and will transfer into action. I am driven by a passion for ethical business, gender empowerment, shared value and ensuring long term sustainability of our world and economy. I feel this can be done through long term future thought and strategic planning via cross-sector collaboration to change society’s current mindset and actions. The Fellowship Program has taken me on an unexpected path of personal development that looked at leadership and my personal connection to it. The program enforced in my mind that leadership is not defined by the length of your resume, but by your ability to draw others to your work.
FRANCIS MEEHAN My vision for change is for a global society that faces its future in an honest and authentic manner, with a clear understanding of its strengths and weaknesses, qualities and failings, possibilities and limitations.
JACK O’NEILL CSL was the first step in the journey to building a career and life with meaning. The value lay in the network of different minds, realising creativity and that following passion is a valuable compass. The course touched on personal sustainability and ‘going within’ which helped me shape what I want in my future. I want to continue practicing public speaking, networking and collaborating with individuals from the private and not-for-profit sector. I want to finish my studies in the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program and will apply to become a member of the Climate Reality Leaderships corps with a view to speaking and presenting to business and academics in finance, highlighting the need and opportunity for decisive action to mitigate carbon intensity and adapt to a changing climate. Long term decision-making, strategy and external risk assessment are areas I aim to focus on for the future.
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JANAKI DHAGAT Stories of human potential inspire me. My vision for the world is quite simple, I want to facilitate the transformation of human potential to realisation. I am passionate about engaging people from different walks of life and see them bring their personal ambitions to life. Leadership to me is a blend of collaboration and ownership. I believe in the butterfly effect. Sparks of brilliance are lighting up all around us. All we need to do is facilitate those which have the potential to change the world. CSL has been an incredible journey of self-discovery for me. I have come out of this experience learning my preferred style of leadership. It has given me the confidence to ask questions, challenge the rhetoric and most importantly bring authenticity to thinking. The skills I have picked up here are a gift I will treasure for years to come. I look forward to sharing this experience with people around me and hope to be seen as an ambassador for sustainable change.
JESSE NEWSTADT I am an architect and designer passionate about building connected and sustainable cities and communities. I believe that in order to re-envisage the world we live in and our potential to create positive change, we require the ‘space’ to step beyond our habitual patterns and thought processes. I am interested in the role of design to influence the physical, built spaces that shape our connection to the external world. I am equally curious about processes of self enquiry that reveal interior spaces within ourselves and connect us more deeply to who we are. I have a strong vision to cultivate a world where our deepest values are reflected in the lives we lead. The Fellowship Program has helped develop my capacity to create and guide both the physical and interior spaces necessary to instigate these transformations. While trained in architecture, I have worked across roles in urban, set and permaculture design and I have a background in meditative practices.
KAT LAVERS I am a dirty-handed change maker! As a professional composter, urban farmer, freelance trainer and facilitator, I have worked in various roles as an educator and technical advisor for Cultivating Community, primary trainer for Monash Sustainability Institute's Green Steps Program, and an organiser for Permablitz Melbourne. At home I have established an urban permaculture system called 'The Plummery’ on a 1/14th acre, which produces almost all the fruit and veg, water and electricity consumed by the household, while recycling all organic waste onsite. I am passionate about soils, food, compost, community and change, and intend to use my learning from CSL to establish large scale, closed-loop food systems within the urban fabric.
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KATHERINE LAKE I’ve been working in the climate change law and policy area since 2002 in Europe and Australia, including for the Federal Government during the development of the carbon price. I'm committed to developing and communicating practical solutions to climate change. I'm deeply concerned about the politics of climate change and the community's increasing disengagement on environmental issues, and feel strongly that this can be changed through involvement in practical projects where the benefits to the environment, people and the economy are clear. Doing the Fellowship Program in 2013 was a great way to connect with a fantastic bunch of like-minded people, and it both refined and reinforced my commitment to working with business and community to implement solutions to climate change, as well as opening up new opportunities. I love living in Melbourne again and especially going down to the coast on weekends with my family and our kelpie, Tidge.
KIRSTEN WOOD I am a policy maker, project manager and researcher who is absolutely committed to working towards our transition to a low carbon future. I am particularly interested in the effective deployment of renewable energy generation technologies and demand-side responses to smarter energy use. My vision is for a world where people work together to create positive change for themselves, building strong communities that live within their fair share of Earth’s resources, but also live well. I am looking forward to the day when Australia switches off its last coal-fired electricity generator. I am inspired by the resilience and tenacity of the human spirit and the endless power of our natural environment to inspire, create and adapt. I also hopes to one day be able to look young people in the eye and tell stories about how, back in the early 21st century, we re-oriented our entire civilisation to secure a safe climate for all.
MEGAN NORGATE I am motivated by changing the way people live for the better. I do this by creating spaces that foster resilience, connectivity, ecological health and human happiness. I am actively working towards my vision of society that is open, bold, trusting, resourceful and imaginative. I believe we have a unique opportunity to step outside the failings of a consumer driven system and seek a meaningful, reverent and less destructive way of living. CSL has given me a clearer view of the complex ecological and social challenges we face. My understanding of the full landscape of sustainability activity across diverse sectors and in a global context has deepened and expanded, as has my capacity to lead, have influence, and drive social change. I am left with a deep respect and love for the natural world and humanity, and with that, an abiding commitment to a resilient and abundant future for both.
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MICHAEL BROWN My vision for the world is one without fossil fuels because I would like to live in a world where we all truly respect and value our natural and human resources. I don’t believe this is possible in a world were fossil fuels is our primary source of energy. I am passionate about and reverent of the incredible beauty of the world in which we live. I my driven to maintain this beauty and do what I can to make sure future generations can experience that beauty too. The Fellowship Program increased my capability, credibility, influence in teamwork and communication. The program has also inspired me to believe that change is both possible and something I can influence. I am more courageous in my ability to challenge the status quo and I have learnt to trust myself.
SAMARA PARTRIDGE Improvement: Creating a momentum towards an environmentally and socially diverse, equitable and healthy future with no crescendo, but the perpetual and sustainable growth of the human species. Passion: We have more ability to choose and influence our collective futures than at any other point in time. I believe this choice is the responsibility of everyone, and to act on it the responsibility of all. My passion is to make that choice and quietly influence by being genuine in my convictions as much as my uncertainties. Potential: The greatest gift I have taken from the program is a deeper appreciation of diversity in leadership, and diversity of concern that motivate change. By taking those learnings I hope to help create space in individuals to similarly appreciate and make the choice for positive change.
SHANE KNIGHT My vision is for our leaders to have the courage, compassion and commitment to do what needs to be done for the environment, community and society. My journey this year has been a step learning curve. I came into the program with a naive view on the role of government and the scale of change that small organisations can achieve. I finished the program with a more complete understanding of how each organisation has their role to play in creating change and a renewed sense of optimism. Programs like CSL bring together leaders from across different organisations and industries, and get them tackling problems together. We live in a world of silos, and through strong cross industry networking and relationship building, multifaceted solutions can be created. The biggest single thing I learned from CSL was the power of relationship building and motivating people through story telling. I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the program and the people I got to meet.
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STACEY IRVING I hope and strive to live in a world characterised by connection and understanding. I envision a shift in the current global social paradigm, where respect and care for our common humanity and for the environment that we live with, dominates. My passion is working with people in creative ways to foster connection, storytelling and learning. I work to allow people from different cultures, communities, perspectives and experiences to connect with one another through the medium of art and creativity. What a beautiful way to unite cross culturally to engage with and work towards changing social justice and environmental issues. During the 2013 Fellowship Program I learnt to embrace my unique leadership style, I don’t have to be the loudest person in the room to be heard. I am now able to tell my story, to bring people along with me to work towards a more socially and environmentally sustainable future.
STEPHANIE BOAG My vision and passion is for a sustainable future where women and men are prepared to speak up, step up, challenge the status quo and provide inspiring leadership for the benefit of future generations to come. We must ensure diversity in leaders becomes a reality and is celebrated in every aspect of our society to make positive change happen. The time is now, and the health and prosperity of all of our futures globally, depends on it.
SVENJA KEELE My vision is a world where we all live safe, healthy and free, and where we focus on wellbeing within environmental limits. To achieve this, we must be guided by ethics, inspired by a deep connection to nature and supported by strong communities. The 2013 Fellowship Program challenged me to “stand somewhere and say something with an authentic voice”. I now see my role being about thinking, empowering and communicating. Curiosity and inquiry are fundamental to creating a more sustainable future and I am passionate about helping people discover their natural and social worlds and reimagine alternative futures. I want to be part of a new generation that reinvigorates the role of academia, teaching and research. To do this, I will use the power of storytelling to make big ideas personal, promote field-based learning to make complex issues real, and adopt interdisciplinary approaches that build bridges between people.
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THEA NICHOLAS If I could wave a magic wand and children around the world woke up knowing one thing, it certainly wouldn’t be Pythagorean theory. I would want them to know that everything is going to be all right and they should feel hopeful about their future. I am fiercely passionate in helping young people see the value of nature. To understand that everything is interconnected and what we do to our planet we do to ourselves. I want to help them connect and experience the natural world so they feel empowered and enabled. CSL was a transformative experience. I learnt to tell my own story in order to help others tell theirs. I have the skills, knowledge and drive to help create a more sustainable future. And though our challenges are great, I feel hopeful about the future because I know so many capable and inspiring people are working towards change.
TANYA MASSY My experience over the last year with CSL has equipped me with tools for drilling into my own vision, and for harnessing it into actionable, practical pathways. What a gift! Leadership flows from these headwaters, and they must flow clear. So my vision drills down to rethreading the way we relate to country - learning and making common the knowledge and ways of eating, working and living that ground us in the reality of the landscapes of which we are a part, and our impact thereon. Through CSL I have sharpened existing, and gained new skills that will enable me to live and work by this vision across the variety of spheres in which I work - at the farm, household, community and regional level, with soil, plants, farmers and eaters old and young, words spoken and words written. There is much to learn and do, and an incredible network from the CSL realm to work alongside. The adventure has only just begun.
TIM MAHLBERG My vision is for a world that engages and inspires us all to be our very best, to find purpose and contribute meaningfully to society. I imagine our communities, organisations and our nation coming closer together through shared values and working towards a future of possibility. I believe that every person has the potential to be inspired and to inspire others. We have so many challenges ahead of us and we are going to all need to work together to find solutions. The greatest change required will be within ourselves. We need to find greater purpose, both individually and collectively, and hold the vision for others who cannot see. We need to find the courage to reconnect with our own humanity and recognise what is really important in life. CSL has enabled me to build confidence in my ability to lead and bring others on the journey, and to help others to know themselves, to find their own inner greatness, and lead their own positive change in the world.
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SYDNEY FELLOWS ALECIA WOOD My goal is to help shape a society in which all people have access to fresh, healthy, locally produced, affordable, delicious food – the creation of which doesn’t damage the environment, in which the joy of eating and sharing food is expressed in all facets of our culture, and in which the people who produce food are celebrated. The Fellowship Program encouraged me to pursue a career aligned with this vision. I’m now a freelance food and sustainability writer, which I hope will improve awareness of food issues and contribute to a more sustainable food system. I also took on a leadership position with Youth Food Movement, attending public speaking engagements and coordinating a passionate team. The program has had a huge impact on me professionally and personally – boosting my confidence, fine-tuning my goals for creating change, and introducing me to a network of sustainability change makers providing invaluable support and guidance.
ANDREI BOBYLEV I was born in Russia, a country which does not have a particularly great track record for sustainability. I have spent most of my adult life abroad, living in Germany for almost five years, where issues related to the degradation of our planet became painfully apparent to me. But it is only after I arrived in Australia, I realised that something needed to be done to change the status quo. I came to a sad realisation that change was not happening or happening too slow, and decided that my next mission would be to become a change maker. Since then my professional and personal journey has changed its trajectory, and from being a software engineer working in consulting I am focusing on developing myself as a sustainability leader, while working in the business community and changing the attitude from within. CSL gave me the right tools and boosted my confidence that I can change things!
ANGLEA ANDREWS I have recently returned to Australia after spending some time travelling abroad. Previously, as a secondary school teacher, I co-founded a sustainability group for students, staff and parents. We organised events such as Earth Hour, Clean-Up Australia Day and Ride2School Day, and encouraged teachers to integrate environmental themes into their lessons by providing access to online resources, videos and learning activities. I contributed to our School Environmental Management Plan and participated in collaborative inter-school working groups to develop and implement environmental sustainability programs. I am now moving out of secondary teaching and am keen to use my skills and energy to tackle broader, more structural environmental issues. I am also deeply committed to encouraging women to take on leadership roles in this area. The exact nature and form of my future is uncertain, yet I am thrilled to be participating on this journey of discovery, adventure and change.
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SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 ANNIKA STOTT Meaningful change is centred on connectedness – to each other, to communities, to food, to land, to the economy, to water and to ourselves. There cannot be any sort of trade-off, or one without the other. My vision is a world where everyone takes responsibility and is aware of their impact on the connected world. CSL has given me the opportunity to deeply reflect on myself as a human and as a leader. As a result I have been able to redefine my vision of how to create change in the world and place high value on courage, vulnerability, honesty and openness. Recently I have taken a job at Chance for Change, an International NGO working with young kids around the world from disadvantaged backgrounds. Offering young people new life skills and greater confidence so they can be the author, rather than the character in their new, positive life story. It is from CSL that I have the confidence and ability to do this.
BETH RICKWOOD I have two beautiful kids. I want my kids to inherit a world that is as rich in living things as the world I was born into. For this to happen, we need to better understand and appreciate how absolutely dependent we are on living systems for maintaining our health, our wellbeing and our economy. I believe that one day, society will view a ‘healthy environment’ as equal in importance to ‘well-educated kids’ and ‘a healthy population’. But we have a long way to go and we face enormous challenges in the years ahead. I believe we already have most of the technology and the resources we need to solve these challenges. What we need now is the will. CSL is training young leaders to inspire this ‘will’ in others. I am honoured to be among the graduates of the 2013 Fellowship Program and am looking forward to playing my part in leading positive change for the environment.
BETHAN HARRIS Everything you need is inside you, and everything the world needs is inside everyone one of us. We all have the potential to live a life of purpose. Being around 25 people living life this way has been the most fun, refreshing and positive experience of my life. Imagine a world that was as happy as the cohort of CSL Sydney 2013? Imagine what we could collectively achieve? A year ago I wanted to change systems and organisations, but CSL has taught me that transformation begins with the individual, and that leadership is not about telling people to change, but enabling them to discover what truly lies within so that they can transform themselves. I want to live in a world where people no longer have to hide their passions in their lives or at work. My contribution? Making sustainability desirable and ensuring those who desire it can make it happen.
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SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 CARLOS FLORES I was born in a world where the selfish accumulation of material wealth was not only accepted, but a skill most people admire and where policy makers would not hesitate to sacrifice the environment to achieve short term economic progress. Born and raised in South America, I have also seen the injustice created by a system that requires a large poor majority to sustain the standard of living of a privileged minority. But it wasn’t always like this, and it won’t be like this forever. CSL has helped me remember that while we do not choose the world we were born into, we can choose to shape it every day of our lives, when we choose to do something and when we choose to do nothing. A few years ago I chose to do something about climate change and social injustice. This year at CSL has been a refueling station for purpose and inspiration, and a reminder that all we need to change the world is already inside each one of us.
CATH BLAKEY The Fellowship Program has given me the opportunity to reflect on and hone my passion. It has built upon my theory of change, strengthening my confidence in the work that I do to shift consumption culture, and foster good health, wellbeing, social justice and ecological sustainability. The program has inspired and equipped me to move from being a reactor, to seeing myself as a shaper of change. As an environmental educator in local government, it is a privilege and a joy to constructively showcase and foster practical and inclusive sustainability initiatives though an asset-based community development approach. The program has bolstered my first year as a director in the Flame Tree Food Cooperative – a thriving social enterprise prioritising organic, local, unpackaged groceries. Like a delicious chocolate avocado pie made from organic home grown and cooperativebought ingredients, sustainability is tangible, positive, nourishing and to be shared.
CHRIS VERNON I have a passion for sustainability born from my days volunteering as Co-Director at TEDxPerth. Upon returning home from studying engineering/finance abroad during the Global Financial Crisis, it became clear that a career of contribution was the best path for me to remain intrinsically motivated and fulfilled. My vision for change is for others to realise the same, that you don’t need a ‘Road To Damascus’ moment to understand the importance of sustainability and how working towards its improvement is actually more rewarding long term than material wealth could ever be. Now working in the crux of the economic system in institutional banking. I am collaborating with my new-found network of sustainability leaders to activate leverage points to allow for much needed long term sustainable development. I am continuously inspired by the fantastic work that is being done in areas of responsible investment that are growing ever committed to creating positive change.
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SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 CLAIRE TUCKER My passion for working at the intersection between social and environmental problems for Australian and international corporates comes from a deep belief that business can and should be more socially aware, and seek opportunities to make positive contributions as a result of doing business. Profit that puts lives, communities and the environment at risk is not good enough, and we must strive for something better. Undertaking CSL in 2013 has demonstrated that leadership is an important skill to understand and utilise throughout your entire career, and you can exercise leadership capabilities in many different ways in your personal and professional life. It’s not always about being the “expert”, but rather using leadership qualities like emotional intelligence, active listening and effective communication to get your message through. I will inspire others through my authenticity, determination, strength and by proving that everything you need is already inside you.
CLAUDETTE RECHTORIK My vision for change is having every person realise they are a citizen of this planet, our only home. With that realisation comes the notion of heightened personal responsibility to make sustainable choices and lighten their ecological load. I’m inspired by humanity when it’s at its best – fighting for forests and oceans, and educating others on how we can live without damaging our environment. CSL has exposed me to a vast network of like-minded people from all levels of business, government and the wider community. Working in sustainability is a bit like swimming against the current, it can be lonely, hard work. CSL showed me that there are a plethora of incredibly inspiring, passionate people all working toward a common goal – to save the planet. This new and broad network will enable me to reach further with projects and initiatives to protect our marine life.
CONNOR MCCAULEY My vision is to see sustainability become the status quo across small businesses, organisations and communities driving efficiencies through continual innovation and collaboration. I work as an Environment and Safety Analyst at the GPT Group and am based in the Sydney CBD. In this role I am responsible for improving systems and processes, and contributing to the implementation of GPT’s sustainability strategy across its entire portfolio of assets. I am inspired by those people that step out of their comfort zone in an effort to make a lasting positive impact. The Fellowship Program has given me the confidence and skills that I require to become a sustainability leader, and has taught me the importance of networks and “walking the talk”. In the future, I will continue to influence sustainable practices at both a personal and professional level.
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SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 CORINE MULET I dream of a world where all neighbours speak to each other and hold street parties every year. Neighbourhoods where belongings are shared, skills passed on and where food grows in local communities! I also love to cycle and want to share this passion with others. Our city could become a cycling city! CSL has been a transformative and challenging experience for me. I have understood what it is that drives me and how I can make a difference. I have met and heard many leaders’ stories and I feel ready to go on my own leadership journey. I feel that I have the confidence to drive initiatives, and the Bike Buddies project that started during the program is one of these. Finally, I have started to listen to myself, and what it is that drives and inspires me deeply. The exposure to different processes and ways of thinking, and the importance of creativity have been fundamental in helping me grow during the program, and will be valuable tools for my future.
CRAIG HAYMAN I believe that moral leadership drives change and that the best leaders are those that empower others to lead. My vision for change is an individual and collective shift to thinking long term, a return to values-driven action, and the strengthening of communities through participation. I'm fortunate to have two passions: design and conservation. The Fellowship Program has shown me how vital it is that I pursue my passions with purpose. I am working towards combining sustainable architectural design and strategy with wilderness conservation and ecotourism, in the belief that good design can assist in preserving and restoring the environment. Through CSL I have gained invaluable project management skills, an enriched understanding of the depth and breadth of sustainability in real terms, and a diverse and close-knit network of like-minded friends. I’m excited to apply these news skills in 2014.
DAVID KALDOR For me, a sustainable world is one in which humans have meaningful connections to their (natural and social) environments and consume mindfully. It is a thriving world in which humans are bold and innovative, while also looking around to give back and nurture others. Communication is central to what we do, yet too often it is used to sell cynical messages and products contrary to our social and environmental interests. In the face of this, we need creative storytelling and engagement on issues that matter. Art has a large role to play in addressing the social, political and environmental challenges that we face today, and we all have something unique to contribute to this collaborative work. The Fellowship Program has left me newly energised to tackle the challenge of using art, communication and technology to connect people, nurture creativity, instigate debate, and drive improvements to our collective human experiment.
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SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 FIONA BERRY My vision for change is balanced and considered action. Personal sustainability means finding time for reflection. This helps us solve problems from ‘why’ rather than ‘what’, ‘how’ or ‘when’. I am passionate about collaborative, collective change and questioning traditional models. The energy we use, food we eat, way we travel and lifestyles we choose. I am inspired by community-based sustainability – simple ideas based on intrinsic values show that together we are capable of using less, making renewable energy, supporting or growing local and organic food, reinventing transportation and respecting nature. Through CSL, my potential for approaching dilemmas in creative and meaningful ways has increased. I now consider many solutions for a problem rather than a few. Personal growth and valuable lessons from role models and peers will now reinforce my personal and professional pursuit for change. I hope to inspire simple changes to create positive outcomes for us and our planet.
JENNY RIESZ Through my research in renewable energy power systems I’ve developed a deep conviction that we have the technology to solve climate change. Through the program I’ve added to that a much deeper understanding of the social dimensions to creating change. No one of us can solve this alone – the world needs to act together, and that means investment in building relationships is more important than ever, from the scale of individuals to whole nations. From CSL, I will bring to my research a new sense of joy in my work, the deep understanding of how it’s part of a much larger whole, and the courage to bring the strength of genuine laughter, emotional vulnerability, deep acceptance and real connection into every part of my life. I know this will move me into a whole new level of influence in my leadership.
JO HORSLEY In my lifetime I want to see businesses, communities and governments believing and developing long term, sustainable ways of living and cohabiting. I am passionate about the power of the human imagination and our ability to adapt, invent and innovate, and want to be a part of the revolution that must happen to get to this place. CSL has taught me that there are many ways to make a difference, whether I choose to be a leader in a large corporate, a social entrepreneur, or a teacher. I see opportunity for positive change every day and with the support of my fellows, past, present and future, I now have hope that we will lead and empower others to join our mission. I am very excited and motivated by the possibilities that lay ahead.
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SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 JOSEPH CAPARROTTA I play with ideas and make them happen. Most recently I helped the City of Sydney Council take a step towards sustainable road design with their trialing of light coloured road materials which help reflect more heat than they absorb. My areas of passion include revolutionising the design of residential construction, making collaborative, creative and considered learning environments in schools, and promoting radical transparency in the hospitality industry. I am raw and driven. The knowledge that my generation is entering a realm of global influence excites me. The Facebooks and Instagrams of sustainability are emerging and my confidence as a leader in sustainability has not only been reinforced but has multiplied by factors. As a result of the Fellowship Program, I now see everything around me as an opportunity and I am currently piecing together inspirational change champions across an array of industries to get the impossible made, done.
JULIA ADAMSKI CSL reached into the muddy recesses of my mind, dragged out my dreams and ambitions, shoved them in front of my face and said go for it! Before CSL I was sick of seeing people and the environment being exploited for the benefit of a few. Sick of seeing my friends and family feeling disenchanted with the direction our world is heading and disempowered to make change. I want people to understand the power of their actions. To know that the way they choose to consume will shape our future. That even the most mundane activities can have the most profound impact. It is bloody scary going after your dreams, mine still aren´t clear and no one can guarantee they will be a success, but I know I have the most amazing people around me to support me and help me along the way.
LAURA HAMILTON Custodian of the earth, this is how I see myself and what my ultimate mission is. This is fuelled by my deep commitment to nature as well as my passion for lifelong learning. Although these values have always been clear to me, how to act on them has not. CSL has been quite a journey. I have been exposed to heroes of industry, new ways of thinking, being brave, having a mentor and really stretching my boundaries. I loved every minute of it and have come away confident that I have the capabilities to make the change I want to see in the world. More than anything this year, CSL has been about forming relationships and trusting the people around me. These friendships nourished and inspired me. Although CSL has officially ended, I know these will continue to flourish and out of this community, great things will emerge.
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Centre for Sustainability Leadership
SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 MELANIE LEE My mission is to take part in co-creating a world with children and adults that empowers them to thrive. I am an artist, illustrator and writer who passionately encourages the creative exploration and connection in others. I have written, illustrated and self-published ‘A Girl In The World’, the first in a series of children’s books created to inspire children and adults to share meaningful and philosophical communication about their thoughts and feelings. Subsequent books ‘Girl In The World Follows Her Dreams’ and ‘A Boy In The World’, are due for release soon. 2014 will see the launch of The Creative Kind, a partnership and platform created to inspire children and adults to connect with and explore their imaginations and innate creativity. The Creative Kind will actively encourage others to see and experience creativity and kindness as powerful forces for positive change in the world.
SEBASTIAN MAUPAS The Fellowship Program has greatly helped me to rediscover my creativity, and given me tools and a network of high potential and dynamic leaders that empower each other and work towards connected goals. The program is just the launching platform for a spree of projects that have been kick-started and there are more to come. Personally, I simply want to be a better person – kind, minimising my impact on the environment and visualising the big picture in time and space. I will inspire people through innovation and creativity, connections with others and the environment, and an acute sense of risk taking. As a young leader I recognise the importance of deep connections with people and the environment that surrounds us. To me, vulnerability is the key to this deep connection.
SHUBBA YOUNG I hold a Bachelor of Music and Advanced Diploma of Acting from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), and am passionate about the role artists can play in addressing and solving community issues. In 2011, I joined Investa Property Group where my responsibilities included working with funds management and operations teams to drive effective sustainability services and initiatives. This includes active participation in organisations such as the City of Sydney’s Better Building Partnership. Recent projects include working with the City of Sydney, Deutsche Bank and Carbon Arts to implement ‘Building Run’, the first sustainability public artwork commissioned as part of the Art and About Festival.
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SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 SYDNEY FELLOWS 2013 STEPHANIE VENUTI I am driven by a passion to learn and understand why our anthropocentric systems operate the way they do and how those systems can morph into governance structures with a more eco-centric foundation. CSL facilitated a personal process of self-discovery. I have arrived at the end of the program with a deep understanding of my purpose as a conduit for change and have discovered a level of authenticity that I can now attribute to my passions and goals to impact environmental legal and governance systems. I will use the momentum I have gained from CSL to spread my message, educate, create awareness and offer solutions. I believe in myself as a change maker in the realms of environmental law, ethics and philosophy regarding governance systems. CSL has equipped me with support networks, contacts, skills and acceptance of my strengths and weaknesses. I now have the confidence to pursue my goal as a change maker through further academic research and environmental law practice.
ZANA WRIGHT My experience of growing up in the bush yet living most of my adult life in cities, has inspired my vision of reconciling nature with the urban realm. As an architect, I have come to see my role as a catalyser and designer for the creation of spaces and experiences, which offer interaction and communion with nature. The Fellowship Program has been a simultaneous process of expansion and refinement for me. I am now equipped with a richer knowledge of leadership for change and a more diverse set of tools to approach problems with. At the same time, I have been able to hone in on how my unique skills and character can have greatest leverage in fostering a sustainable relationship between humans and the earth. Most of all, my solo mission has been interrupted by a new comprehension of the magnified power of collaboration in working towards a shared vision.
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Centre for Sustainability Leadership
SPEAKERS & MENTORS Without the generous support of all our guest speakers and mentors, CSL’s programs would not happen. We thank you greatly for the invaluable contribution you provide our fellows and alumni. Alex First Media and Presentation Training Pty Ltd, Managing Director Alex Rosenthal Arup, Associate Alexandra Iljadica Youth Food Movement Australia, Founding Director Andrea Pape The Giver Grid, Project Manager Anique Vered Centre for Sustainability Leadership, Ambassador Anthony Aisenberg CrowdSpot, Founder and Director Anthony Ogilvie Goodman Fielder, Environmental Manager Arabella Douglas Queensland South Native Title Services, Chariperson Astha Batra Future Business Council, Director and Co-founder Bec Harcourt ASB, UNSW, Program Manager Indigenous Business Education Ben Roche Southern Cross University, Head of Sustainability, Partnership and Community Engagement Bruce Jeffreys GoGet Carshare, Co-Founder Cate Faehrmann Australian Greens, Lead Senate Candidate for NSW Cecile van der Burgh Victorian Child and Nature Connect, Founder Chris Riedy Institute of Sustainable Futures, Associate Professor Clinton Squires Interface, Managing Director and Senior Vice President Australia and NZ Costa Georgiadis Independent Media Production, Environmental Educator Danny Almagor Engineers without Borders, President Dave Gravina Digital Eskimo, CEO and Founder Dexter Dunphy University of Sydney, Emeritus Professor Dimity Williams Nest Family Wellness Clinic, General Practitioner Eliza Muirhead Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Media and Communications Emily Ross Kerb Media, Director Francois Faure Ensemble Partner, Partner Frank Ryan Frank Ryan Advertising, Owner Gareth Johnston National Energy Efficiency Network, National Leader Geoff Gourley Sustainability Integration, Director Greg Bourne Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), Chair Janette O'Neill National Australia Bank, Sustainability Manager Jason Clarke Minds at Work, Founding Father Jean Ogilvie British American Tobacco, Oceania SAP Change Manager Jenny Gray Zoos Victoria, CEO Jeremy Rudge Coca-Cola South Pacific, Creative and Content Excellence Lead for South Pacific Joanne Jakovich u.lab, Co-founder John Daly Jesuit Social Services, Executive Director John Thwaites National Sustainability Council, Chair Josh Floyd Centre for Australian Foresight, Founding Partner Julian Caples Dairy Futures CRC, Non-Executive Director Justin Medcalf Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network, Advisory Council Member Kate Nicolazzo Yarra Energy Foundation, CEO Kelly O'shanassy Australian Conservation Foundation, CEO Kerry Arabena Monash University, Professor and Director of Research Larissa Brown Australian Greens, Victorian State Director Lee Stewart Fujitsu Australia New Zealand Limited, Principal Sustainability Lead/Head of Sustainability Leigh Ewebank Friends of the Earth Australia, Yes 2 Renewables Campaigner Leyla Acaroglu Eco Innovators, Founder and Director Lindsay Soutar 100% Renewable, National Coordinator Lindsay Tanner Wagga Wagga City Council, Manager Infrastructure Planning Louise Metcalf Pax Leaders Labs, Director Lucy Sharman City of Sydney Council, Senior Project Officer, Green Roofs and Walls Luke Hockley Midnightsky, Owner Maggie Haertsch Art Health Institue, CEO Mara Bun Green Cross Australia,CEO Marcus Godhino FareShare, CEO Maree Davidson Davidson Consulting, Owner
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Mark Diesendorf Institute for Environmental Studies University of New South Wales, Deputy Director Marnie Kikken Nature Conservation Council of NSW, Community Engagement Team Leader Matt Gordon OurSay Pty Ltd, Project Development Director and Co-Founder Matt Perry DuluxGroup Limited, CIO Matthew Levinson GetUp!, Communications Director Melissa Field Mind Australia, Director Michael Mobbs Sustainable Projects, Sustainability Consultant Mikey Leung Digital Storytellers, Creative Director Miriam Lyons Centre for Policy Development, Executive Director Murali Neelamegam Dynamic Wisdom, Founder and Principal Consultant Natalie Isaacs 1 Million Women Campaign, CEO and Founder Nick Morait Moraitis, Founder Pablo Berrutti Colonial First State Global Asset Management, Head of Responsible Investment (Asia Pacific) Paul Metcalfe Rethinkers.com.au, Creator Peter Ellyard PreferredFutureInstitute, Chairman Peter Rogers Gumala Aboriginal Corporation, Governance Specialist Peter Williams Localz, Product Director and Co-Founder Richard Boele United Nations Global Compact Network Australia, Director Sally Hill Wildwon Projects, Impact Stategist and Co-Founder Sam Lynch Fair Work Commission, Advisory Regulatory Compliance Sandi Middleton Department of Environment and Climate Change, Regional Operations Officer Sandy Blackburn-Wright Centre for Social Impact, Impact Investing Fellow Sara Phillips Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Online Environment Editor Sarah Hunt RMIT University, Media and Communications Teacher Selena Griffiths UNSW COFA, Lecturer Simon O’Connor Responsible Investment Association Australasia, CEO Siobhan Toohill Westpac, Head of Group Sustainability and Community Stephen McGrail Swinburn University of Technology, Research Fellow in the Sustainable Cities Flagship Stuart Hill University of Western Sydney, Emeritus Professor Sue White Sydney Morning Herald, Freeland Contributer Sue Wilbin The GPT Group, National Manager Community Engagement Tania Crosbie Sustainability at Work, Director and Co-owner Tim Longhurst KeyMessage, Senior Futurist Tom Dawkins The Australian Centre for Social Innovation, Director of the Australian Changemakers Festival Tom Grosskopf Office of Environment and Heritage (NSW), Director Metropolitan Branch Tom Roper Climate Institute, Board Member Tony Robinson EPA Victoria, Manager Major Projects Vanessa John Wollongong City Council, Environmental Strategy Officer
VOLUNTEERS CSL could not exist without the support of dedicated volunteers – Individuals who so kindly lend us their time, their expertise, and their enthusiasm to help with almost every facet of our operation, from assisting at workshops, marketing and coordinating events, curriculum research, business analysis, to designing and writing the Annual Review. We are extremely grateful for the contribution of this wonderful group of people. We love having them around, but we also love to see them move on to their next big thing with the help of their CSL experience. A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2013 VOLUNTEERS • • • • • •
Christine David Christoph Hewett Elin Pollan Emily Wilson Gordon Young Isobelle Cooke
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Centre for Sustainability Leadership
CSL TEAM KATE HARRIS Chief Executive Officer, Program Facilitator Kate took the reins as CEO of CSL in June 2013, having previously been CSL's Sydney Program Director and Director of Learning and Development. A former business coach, facilitator, and performing artist, she has completed a Master of Arts (Social Ecology), and is passionate about the continued learning and development of both herself and others. Kate works to empower individuals to achieve positive and sustainable change by engaging with their own vision and creativity for sustainability and leadership. Like CSL, Kate is all about passion and potential for the future.
DAVID SEIGNIOR Learning and Innovation Director, Melbourne Program Facilitator Dave is an educator, communicator and facilitator with over 20 years experience in the sustainability sector. His current work is at the forefront of transformative leadership education combining best practice face-to-face facilitation with cutting-edge collaborative online learning. He has previously held roles as a community engagement practitioner, teacher, scriptwriter, performer and media producer. He is also the Creative Director of PlayThinkInc; fostering playful thought and thoughtful play. Dave brings a particular interest and expertise in the interplay between creativity, innovation, collaboration, and technology in harnessing the power of story and of play to his work at CSL.
ALESHA YOUNGHUSBAND Strategic Operations, Melbourne Fellowship Program Manager Alesha transitioned to the sustainability field from film and video production after being inspired by the documentary ‘Who Killed the Electric Car?’, and has since been committed to building a career focused on securing a safe climate for all species and all generations. She has extensive experience in personal and professional development, with a focus on leadership, team management and teamwork skills, and has worked with community groups, universities, NGOs, government and business. Alesha holds Bachelor Degrees in Media Arts (Film and Video) and Social Science (Environment).
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JEREMY MAH Learning for Sustainability, Sydney Program Facilitator With over 10 years experience as a consultant, researcher, communicator, educator and facilitator in the field of sustainability, Jeremy’s experience extends across the corporate, government and education sectors. He has a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing and Japanese) and a Masters of Environmental Management. After completing the Program in 2011, he is now exploring how creative practice and transformative learning might support leaders for sustainability as a basis for a PhD. He hopes to enable others to build their capacities for change in line with their authenticity, values and hopes for the future.
JEN HALLDORSSON Social Impact and Alumni, Sydney Program Manager Jen is inspired by people, nature and the connections in between. She has a diverse background in research, sustainable transport, languages, yoga and permaculture, and holds a PhD in materials science and nanotechnology. Having completed the Fellowship Program in 2011, Jen loves empowering others as change makers, capable of bringing about their own visions of a sustainable, socially-just future. She delights in seeing people grow and flourish through operating from their heart, in line with their passions and values.
LARA MCPHERSON Communications Manager Lara’s background is centred on content marketing, community engagement, digital communications and business strategy. Having spent 5 years working on sustainability in the fashion sector, her more recent work is focused on economics, ethics and systems. She is a 2011 CSL alumna, holds a Bachelor of Arts (French), is completing a Master of Commerce and lectures in Ethical Business. A part-time farmer and committed yogi, Lara brings a passion for health and wellness, personal sustainability and authentic creative process to her work at CSL.
CSL BOARD MATT PERRY Chair Matt Perry is Strategic Director of The Centre for Social Impact, and former Partner and co-founder of sustainability communications agency, Republic of Everyone. A seasoned marketing and communications professional, having worked in London, New York and Sydney for agencies including M&C Saatchi, Matt completed CSL's Fellowship Program in 2007. Matt credits the program as an important step in focusing his work on helping organisations deliver projects with outcomes centred on real social and environmental good.
ALEX GRAHAM Vice Chair Alex has 10 years experience working with business, government and non-government organisations including the Australian Conservation Foundation. She is currently a Principal Program Development Officer with the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. Alex is interested in the role that social and individual behaviour change can play in creating a sustainable future and, in her capacity as Honorary Member of Monash University, researches the effectiveness of behaviour change policy intervention.
MELISSA FIELD Treasurer Melissa is a Chartered Accountant and has an MBA from Melbourne Business School. Much of her professional career has been spent working with entrepreneurial and growing businesses and currently she is a part of the Melbourne team that champions the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards program. Melissa believes that the future of sustainability leadership lies with innovative, successful, entrepreneurial businesses that stay true to their vision – to show that there is a better more sustainable way of doing things.
MICHAEL MCKITERICK Secretary Michael McKiterick is a Legal Supervisor at the Sunshine Youth Legal Service. Formerly a Senior Lawyer at PILCH Victoria, Michael has been a solicitor since 2005. He was awarded the Victoria Law Foundation Fellowship in 2011. He is the author of the VLF report on volunteering in community legal centres and completed the CSL Fellowship Program in 2010. 2013 ANNUAL REVIEW
PHILLIP KINGSTON Director Phillip Kingston is an interdisciplinary business professional who works with governments, IGOs, NGOs and companies to solve complex problems involving technology, people, policy and finance. He works in many countries through his global management consulting and technology services company Kingston, and is the author of The War for Eyeballs – An Introduction to Internet Marketing. Phillip is an experienced company director, sitting on a range of private company and not-for-profit boards in Australia.
BRIAN GARDNER Director Brian Gardner works as a Change Consultant across a variety of industries, ranging from small not-for-profits, to large corporates, and with a wide variety of people, enabling positive sustainable change. He is interested in cross-cultural and virtual work team performance and engagement, after extensive work experience in the US, Africa, Europe, Australia and Asia Pacific, and is passionate about enabling people to live sustainable lives and develop sustainable careers. Brian has extensive multi-disciplinary management and leadership skills and experience.
KATIE PAHLOW Director Katie Pahlow is Director of Visitor & Community Development for Zoos Victoria. Katie has used her unique combination of talents – spanning zoology, conservation education and business entrepreneurship – to transform Zoos Victoria into a world leader in community education while also driving major improvements across the organisation's commercial operations. Before Zoos Victoria, Katie was a biology teacher and managed the successful business advisory firm that she co-founded.
JANETTE O’NEILL Director Janette O'Neill is the Head of Sustainability for NAB. Janette has consulted with companies including Enviros, PwC UK and Shaper Group. Clients have included Accenture, British Telecom, and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Services. She also worked on an internal secondment with PwC to assist the UK Board to CR develop internal CR strategy to support their business service priorities and their first CR Report. She has completed an honours degree in Economics at Monash University.
JEREMY BASKIN Director Jeremy has worked on the design, development and delivery of learning programs for sustainable development, having worked with Cambridge University’s Program for Sustainability Leadership. He is an Adjunct Professor at La Trobe University and a Principal Research Fellow on Education for Sustainable Development. Originally from South Africa, Jeremy worked in the trade union and anti-apartheid movement before advising the Mandela government on a range of cross-sectoral development policy issues.
LINH DO Director Linh Do has worked within the social change space in and out of Australia for the last five years. She is currently leading the Australian Conservation Foundation's engagement with the general public as their community coordinator. Linh was a founder of OurSay, a project born from her completion of the CSL Fellowship Program in 2009 alongside two fellows. She is also actively engaged within the UN process and is the editor-in-chief of The Verb, a newswire service that focuses on issues that matter.
ROLAND DILLON Director Roland Dillon is an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, where he works on strategic, operational and organisational issues facing large private and public organisations. Prior to this, Roland worked in environmental policy and regulation as a policy maker and lawyer for several Government agencies. He is passionate about communicating the business case for sustainability and has been involved in LIV's Green Practice Project and the Legal Sector Alliance. He completed the CSL Fellowship Program in 2008.
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PARTNERS In 2013, the Centre for Sustainability Leadership worked in partnership with a number of great organisations. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Dennoch Fund
2013 ANNUAL REVIEW
GOVERNANCE CSL is a registered, not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and governed by the Corporations Act. CSL is an Income Tax Exempt Charity with Tax Deductibility Status (DGR). CSL is not politically aligned and places major importance on governance issues and is overseen by a high quality independent board.
CREDITS EDITORS Greer Allen
PHOTOGRAPHY
Jeremy Mah
Mikey Leung
Lara McPherson WRITERS DESIGNERS
Kate Harris
Alesha Younghusband
Lara McPherson
Liz Steel
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Centre for Sustainability Leadership
‘CSL’s vision is to help create a sustainable future by expanding the influence of people who care about sustainability. It seeks to do this by building the knowledge, skills and networks of emerging leaders and social changes agents. Its target is to support the development of 20,000 leaders by 2020. It is delivering a suite of leadership education and development programs to do that.’ Ian Potter Foundation
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