Catherine Fitzpatrick

Director

Catherine joined the Board in July 2019. She has a deep understanding of activism, strategy development, communications and audience understanding, having worked for more than three decades for non-governmental organisations in Australia, the Pacific, Canada, Asia and Europe.

Catherine first got involved in activism during the Franklin campaign in the 1980s working for the Wilderness Society. Since 1996, Catherine has campaigned full-time on climate and energy issues, first with the David Suzuki Foundation in Canada, leading their successful air pollution and climate campaign. From 2002 to 2021, Catherine worked for Greenpeace in Australia, China, Europe and Southeast Asia on climate, renewable energy, communications, and audience engagement and segmentation.

Catherine now works as a consultant, supporting and enabling a new generation of campaigners to develop and deliver campaign strategic work globally.  She is deeply committed to supporting the mission and work of the Sunrise Project through her work as board member and Vice-Chair.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live and work and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Claire Mallinson

Board Chair

Claire joined the Board in December 2019, she is passionate about the Sunrise Project’s mission and purpose and brings strategic expertise, business acumen and leadership experience. Claire has a deep understanding of campaigning and the power of activism across international boundaries with over 30 years of senior leadership experience with environmental, human rights, disability and cancer research INGOs/NGO’s in Australia and around the world.

Claire was the National Director (CEO) of Amnesty International Australia (AIA) for twelve years and part of Amnesty International’s Global Leadership Team for a decade. Whilst National Director of AIA Claire oversaw the growth of AIA’s supporters by 400% and the delivery of significant human rights wins in Australia, Asia Pacific and globally.  She built, led and developed key partnerships including business leaders, major funders, Indigenous communities and elders and civil society leaders and activist groups and was part of the Board team that developed and implemented major governance reform. Claire is an advisor, coach and mentor to CEO’s, senior executives and Boards and is a Member of AICD, Chief Executive Women, and Women on Boards.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live and work and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Erna de Vries

Director

Erna is a retired petroleum geologist and financial analyst with a keen interest in sustainability and corporate ethics. She studied Earth Sciences and worked as a geologist with international oil and gas companies including Shell, BHP and Ampolex. After working in the Netherlands, UK and Brunei, her career brought her to Australia. Erna obtained her MBA in Sydney and went on to work as a senior executive in corporate and institutional banking with Bankers Trust and then Westpac as Head of Resources Research and Commonwealth Bank as a senior risk manager. She has been involved in the financing decisions of many major mining and energy projects. For the last 15 years Erna has been an active volunteer in various local community campaigns.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live and work and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Giles Gunesekera

Director

Giles is the Founder and CEO of Global Impact Initiative. Giles has over 25 years’ experience of building and developing teams and businesses for global enterprises. Giles has held senior roles in the financial services industry spanning recruiting, training, product, distribution and leadership.

Giles has received an Outstanding Alumnus award from Oxford for creating an innovative, sustainable business that generates positive social impact. His business, Global Impact Initiative (GII) is one of only forty-one (41) Global Compact LEAD companies, recognised for their high levels of engagement in the United Nations. GII has been a UN LEAD since 2019 and is the only Australian firm to be recognised as a UN LEAD. The business works under five key pillars of Gender Equality, Indigenous Communities, Health, Affordable Housing and Climate.

Giles is a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia, Fellow of the School of Social Entrepreneurs, Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders, and Member of the Australian Institute of Training and Development. Giles is an Industry Fellow at the Business School of the University of Technology, Sydney.

Giles has a unique blend of leadership and business skills gained in the corporate environment married with financial and governance skills gained in the Not-for-Profit sector. Giles holds numerous Volunteer Not-for-Profit Directorships ranging from International Aid, Human Rights, Disabilities, Education, Arts and Sports. Giles is on Advisory Boards for the United Nations for Climate & Health and Sustainable Finance. He is an Advisory Board Member of the Securities and Investments Institute of Asia Pacific.

Giles has formal academic qualifications from Oxford University, Melbourne University, Monash University and the Financial Services Institute of Australia.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live and work and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Jason Field

Director

Jason is a Koori with ancestral connections to the people Bidjigal and Walbunja peoples. Over nearly thirty years Jason has worked in the areas of human rights and Indigenous policy and programme delivery.

Jason has diverse Indigenous policy interests including land and sea management, education, stolen generations, housing and the protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples rights to their country, knowledge and heritage. He has worked at the local, regional, state, national and international, having participated in various United Nations fora including the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and as an adviser to the federal environment department for the negotiations of the Nagoya Protocol.

Jason is currently the Executive Officer with the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research at the Australian National University and is an aspiring PhD candidate.

John Hepburn

Founder & Co-Executive Director

John is the Founder and Co-Executive Director of The Sunrise Project. He has over twenty five years experience as passionate and visionary change-maker with a deep commitment to driving large-scale systemic change to solve the climate crisis.

John grew up in Rockhampton in the coal dependent region of Central Queensland on Australia’s east coast. He earned degrees in manufacturing systems engineering and business management from the Queensland University of Technology before beginning his working life as an engineer making components for the coal, gas and nuclear industries. In the mid 90’s, his understanding of the ecological crisis led him to take an abrupt turn and immerse himself in environmental activism at a grassroots level. After founding a series of successful non-profit recycling businesses, he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study job creation opportunities through grassroots sustainability initiatives. His passion for systemic change led him back to social movements and he spent over a decade leading successful campaigns with Greenpeace in Australia and internationally before initiating and founding The Sunrise Project in 2012.

In 2016 John became an inaugural awardee of the Climate Breakthrough Project, developing and launching a high impact global finance program that has led The Sunrise Project to become the global organisation it is today.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live and work and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Sam La Rocca

Co-Executive Director

Sam leads the Sunrise Project’s Australian Program. He brings over twenty-five years experience building people powered movements for a socially just and ecologically sane world. Sam holds a multidisciplinary degree in environmental science, and while completing his first class honours thesis on grassroots mobilisation, he co-founded activist education outfit The Change Agency to deliver social movement education, campaign strategy and organising training programs to community groups around Australia and internationally. He’s worked as a senior political advisor in federal parliament and led highly successful electoral campaigns. He has facilitated movement-wide processes for the Climate Action Network Australia and Friends of the Earth International’s Asia Pacific Region; and he has a strong interest in building powerful networks to catalyse system change.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live and work and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Adam Black

Senior Campaigner

Adam has four years’ experience on the climate team at GetUp, working to stop Adani, keep coal seam gas in the ground, save Australia’s Renewable Energy Agency and generally make federal climate policy less woeful. He has a journalism degree from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Ange Hirst

Senior Executive Assistant

For the last 20 years, Ange has worked in food: cooking, researching, writing & mentoring. She has a PhD in food ethics (on the avoidance of responsibility between cities and the places of their foods’ production), and has cooked professionally in Paris, London & Brisbane. Since 2013, she’s run a business called Wandering Cooks, which at its peak was the largest social kitchen incubator in the world, providing kitchen space for 120 active micro food businesses. Since 2020 until its Covid-induced closure in early 2022, Ange was head chef of her own restaurant, supporting over 40 regenerative agriculture focussed farmers and producers through an ever changing menu and weekly market. Now, her skills at running a business (and a kitchen pass) are focussed on supporting Sam La Rocca as their Senior Executive Assistant, a challenge Ange is truly honoured and excited.

Anneke Gouws

Partnerships Associate

Anneke is a passionate and energetic young person working in the climate space. They bring a broad swathe of experience to their work, from events management to ethical procurement. She holds a Bachelor of Theology, and is working towards a Masters of Theology by Research, with a special interest in gender diversity within theology. Anneke grew up in South Africa, and now lives on Wurundjeri country with her partner and their bunny. In their spare time, they like to try new recipes, play guitar and board games.

Claire O’Rourke

Australia Program Director, Social Movements

Claire has 20 years’ experience in journalism, communications and campaigning in Australia and around the world. Claire has held a number of leadership positions, including most recently at Amnesty International Australia and as National Director of community-led renewable energy advocacy organisation Solar Citizens.

Claire has a broad history of organising and campaigning in the labour movement and for organisations of social impact, including overseeing communications for Australia’s successful Every Australian Counts campaign for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Deepa Sealy

Grants Manager

Deepa has worked and volunteered for a number of environmental Not-for-Profits mostly in New Zealand.  From workshop facilitation on urban agricultural projects, to community organising, engagement and operations management, she is committed to climate, wildlife and social justice in everything she does.

She moved to Sydney in 2019 to be in a warmer clime,  and closer to family and started at The Sunrise Project in June 2020.

When not at work Deepa is out exploring National Parks by foot,  cooking army-portion meals with her family, gardening, doing weekend quizzes, reading and watching films!

Detta Guthrie

Programs and Operations Associate

Detta has over 10 years of experience working in office management and operation roles within a number of fields, including tech, government, and not-for-profit. Detta loves helping organisations create strong policies and streamlined processes to ensure operational efficiency.

Detta is passionate about health and the environment. When not at Sunrise, you can find Detta educating others on ways to improve their nutrition and lifestyle and reduce their waste.

Dominique Doyle

Senior Lawyer Legal Australia (FILE)

Dominique has practiced as a lawyer for the past 8 years, spending most of that time developing and overseeing legal strategies against coal and fossil gas infrastructure across Europe. She previously worked at ClientEarth in London and Brussels, where she led their Fossil Fuel Infrastructure program’s litigation strategy in South East Europe.

Prior to joining ClientEarth, Dominique worked for Friends of the Earth UK, where she represented local groups in their opposition to fracking applications in the north of England. Before becoming a climate and environment lawyer, Dominique worked as a commercial lawyer in London.

Ed Hill

Senior Campaigner

Ed has over ten years experience working on environment campaigns with grassroots community groups. Ed led successful campaigns to protect native forests in Tasmania and Victoria. He helped to scale the impact of forest campaigns through digital storytelling, media and citizen science.

Ed studied Natural Environment and Wilderness studies and the University of Tasmania. He volunteered in remote Vanuatu for two years, working with grassroots community organisations to establish small scale locally owned eco-tourism and marine conservation projects. Ed is passionate about applying his skills and experience to tackle the climate crisis, keep coal in the ground and protect the natural world.

Elly Baxter

Communications Campaigner

Elly is a communications and media professional with more than fifteen years of experience in media relations, communications and public relations, in the arts, not for profit and government sectors. Before joining Sunrise, Elly founded and directed her own consultancy, which provided communications advice and support to some of Australia’s leading arts and culture organisations. She started her career as an Electorate Officer in the QLD state electorate of Clayfield, then the state’s most marginal electorate.

At Sunrise Elly coordinates media and communications work on our energy transition projects, including Australia Beyond Coal. She collaborates with other organisations and individuals in the sector to plan, identify and capitalise on opportunities to build a strong public discussion about the need to immediately transition away from coal power to reduce the impact of climate change in Australia and around the world.

Emma Belfield

Senior Strategist (Campaigns)

Emma is a Senior Strategist working in the Australian Gas team. Emma brings more than twenty years’ wide-ranging experience in social movements across the country. She got her start in activism in the campaign to save WA’s old growth forests, and has since worked on an array of environmental, union-led and climate campaigns (fairer schools funding, Kimberley marine & no gas campaigns, Stop Adani, Australia Beyond Coal), as well as a stint as a political advisor in the federal parliament and a number of electoral campaigns. Alongside her role at Sunrise, Emma is completing a teaching degree.

Emma MacPhee

In-house Counsel

Emma is the Sunrise Project’s in house legal counsel. Prior to joining The Sunrise Project, Emma worked as a lawyer at a commercial law firm, Arnold Bloch Leibler, where she practised in public interest and property law and advised a range of charities and Indigenous-led organisations. She has interned at various human rights organisations including the Human Rights Law Centre in New Delhi and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Melbourne.

Emma has a longstanding interest in climate change action, having completed her legal thesis on coal and climate. She holds a Bachelors degree in Science (Chemistry), a Diploma in Applied Mathematics and a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne.

Emma lives on Bpangerang country in regional Victoria with her partner, son and energetic puppy. In her spare time, she loves yoga, gardening and all things outdoors.

Frederica Hill

Program Associate, Energy Transformation Program

Fred joined the Sunrise Project in October 2021 to support the Australian Energy Transformation program. She brings six years of experience at climate-focused nonprofits, most recently in a program manager role at the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Inc., the organisation that supports the US’s first cap-and-invest system across eleven states. Prior to that, she supported climate and energy grantmaking as an analyst at a US-based philanthropic foundation.

A born-and-raised New Yorker and new Sydneysider, Fred is excited to apply her skills and experience to support climate change mitigation work in Australia.

Gemma Borgo-Caratti

Senior Strategist

Gemma has over 10 years’ experience working on climate justice campaigns, including as the National Director at the Australian Youth Climate Coalition working alongside the Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network to build a generation-wide movement for climate justice. Gemma is passionate about building the power, skills and networks of everyday people to tackle the climate crisis. In her spare time, Gemma enjoys making amazing pasta.

Georgia Miller

Program Director

Georgia has 20 years experience as an environment and social justice campaigner and a passion for bringing together analysis and activism. Georgia spent seven years coordinating Friends of the Earth Australia’s nanotechnology project, has worked as a political advisor and election campaign manager, as liaison officer to parliament for NSW’s environment groups, and as a research assistant investigating health and medical research policy.

Georgia has a PhD in Science and Technology Studies and an honours degree in Environmental Science.

Harkiran Narulla

Senior Strategist

Harkiran has over 10 years experience as a climate and environmental lawyer, economist, policy designer & multi-stakeholder process leader. He’s worked on climate at all levels of Australian Government and led systems evolution projects in Denmark, Norway, South Africa and Brazil. He’s deeply committed to a truly sustainable, thriving and equitable world – and inspired by the potential to innovate towards this.

Harkiran holds degrees in law and commerce from the University of New South Wales, a Master of Climate Change from the Australian National University, and is a graduated enterprising leader from the Scandinavian systems leadership school Kaospilot.

Helie Fitzgerald

Programs & Operations Associate

Helie supports the office operations and the team at Sunrise Project. Most of Helie’s career has been spent as an Executive Assistant and office support for a range of not for profit organisations.

Henry Pickering

Digital Campaigner

Henry has a degree in Marketing and multiple years of experience volunteer organising within the broader climate movement. Combining these elements to improve climate messaging is his passion. When not at work you’ll find him sampling vegan dishes at local restaurants in Melbourne or powering through his latest triathlon.

Holly Creenaune

Program Director

Holly has over 10 years’ experience working on mining, energy and climate justice campaigns at the grassroots level, in non-profit organisations, and for national labour unions. Recently she directed the NSW state political and community organising campaign Land Water Future, that saw fossil fuel mining licenses drop from covering 80% of the state to just 8%. She has a journalism and law degree – majoring in corporate and environmental law – from the University of Technology, Sydney. Previously, Holly worked with the labour union United Voice as national campaign director on climate justice and fair economy.

Jazmine Mohsen

Senior Executive Assistant

Jazmine is a Senior Executive Assistant at The Sunrise Project to our Founder John Hepburn and the Board. Jazmine is a strong administrative professional with a First Class Bachelor’s degree focused in Content Development & Production from Ravensbourne University London.  Her background as a production manager and EA means she can find clarity in chaos and thrives in high pressure environments.

Born and raised in London she moved to Sydney 5 years ago to be closer to beaches and sunshine. She loves camping and being outdoors in the elements with her partner and oversized puppy.

Jess Harwood

Senior Campaigner

Jess is a communications campaigner, illustrator and facilitator with more than ten years experience in coal and environment campaigns. Jess started in this sector at NSW Farmers Association where she ran trainings for farmers on their legal rights when negotiating with coal and coal seam gas (CSG) companies at the heigh of the CSG boom in NSW.  Jess has also worked in a Parliamentary office in NSW Parliament, at EDO NSW developing an training program for Local Land Services staff, and on shark conservation at Humane Society International (HSI) where she represented HSI Australia at the Convention on Migratory Species shark conference in Costa Rica.

Jess’ art and illustration has been featured on the BBC and ABC, and has had success with viral artworks online during the pandemic (no pun intended!) She specialises in combining her communications experience with her art skills to convey campaign messages visually.

Joshua Wyndham-Kidd

Senior Strategist (Campaigns)

Josh has 10 years of experience in campaigning for people, climate and nature. He has run successful election campaigns, managed a fundraising business, and worked in federal Parliament. He has a research background in international affairs and energy security in Asia. Josh lives on Larrakia Country in Darwin with his partner, his friend’s pets, and the magpie geese and corellas that visit in the Wet.

Kajute O’Riordan

Special Projects

Kajute has over 10 years of experience developing, building and leading organising campaigns. Most recently, he was a key lead for GetUps 2019 organising mission which supported 1000s of GetUp members to make almost 1 million persuasive calls into marginal electorates. In total, GetUp volunteers have made over 2 million calls including crucial get out the vote efforts during the Marriage Equality postal vote. Before that, he worked in international development as well logistics on major events in South Africa and Australia.

He lives in Melbourne with his family, is a keen gardener and a maker of not very good things with his hands.

Kelsey Cooke

Senior Campaign Strategist

Kelsey has eight years experience at GetUp, specialising in elections, project management and member engagement. She has also worked with organisations from the Online Progressive Engagement Network (OPEN). She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney. In her spare time she is a keen potter and painter.

Krys Mossop

Project Manager & Editor, Grants Administration

Krys is a scientist, communicator and curious thinker with strengths in crafting evidence-based arguments, inclusive and collaborative environments, and processes that help teams create positive change.

She has worked as a project manager, grant developer, and editor/writer, and coordinated a range of stakeholders to help build a first-of-its-kind, $12 M national network ambitiously focussed on raising the bar in mental health treatment. With interests in equity and leadership culture, Krys is passionate about supporting a diversity of people and thinking as vital ingredients for social and environmental justice.

Krys has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Zoology and a PhD in Ecology and Evolution – having been privileged to study desert fish in the culturally significant waters of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre.

She lives on Wadawurrung Country in Victoria with her husband, two dogs, and three ducks. In her downtime, she paints (badly) and cultivates a growing indigenous garden.

Laure Legros

Head of Experience

After spending most of her career in the corporate sector as a digital marketer, Laure decided to take a sharp turn and dedicate her professional time to the climate crisis.

Laure is now leveraging her skills and corporate experience to connect with and inspire professionals who are working inside the system and want to drive change from within.

Outside of work, Laure loves spending time in nature and connecting with the outdoors through sport – she is an accomplished triathlete, trail runner, surfer and tennis player who loves a good sports challenge. She recently completed her first full distance Ironman, which she self-organised since Covid prevented her from entering the race she had entered in her state and she did not want to fly to another state for a single event.

Lauren Farrow

Senior Strategist (Corporate and Industry)

Lauren has more than 15 years’ experience in journalism and public affairs in Australia and abroad. Most recently she led the Indonesian office of a government affairs consultancy firm, supporting companies navigate the country’s complex, regulatory, policy and political environment, particularly in the areas of renewable energy and supply chains.

Previously she was the Southeast Asia Correspondent for Australian Associated Press (AAP), as well as the newswire’s chief court reporter and NSW political correspondent. As a younger reporter, she spent two years travelling throughout India producing radio packages for Deutsche Welle, focusing on the country’s development challenges.

Liz Murphy-Forrester

Program Associate, Australia

Liz has been working on environment, social justice and community development for over two decades. For the last six years she has been working closely with the Queensland environment movement to build capacity, strengthen collaboration and get organisations organised. Liz has experience in fundraising, organisational development and is a bit of a governance nerd. She believes in the power of support and a well coordinated movement.
Outside of work Liz spends time coaxing her children into nature and planting a bit of food security into her home garden.

Lucy Piper

Program Director

Lucy has spent the past 15 years working as a communications professional, working primarily in advertising and brand creative production. She has played a key role in the uptake of purpose-led initiatives within a commercial organisation, and utilised company culture and staff influencer networks to create momentum and internal support for B Corp certification, and environmental advocacy. With this first-hand experience of what it takes to transform and influence corporate culture from within to become a climate and sustainability champion, Lucy is determined to scale this across broader industries and corporations.

An experienced public speaker and panellist, Lucy is a passionate storyteller and communicator, who worked in film production during and after university in the UK. Lucy has been lucky enough to combine a love of endurance sport and filmmaking, and her career highlight (so far) was running the Inca Trail in a day whilst filming blind athlete Dan Berlin complete a record-breaking run.

Maggie Mckeown

Campaigner

Maggie has over half a decade of experience in corporate and political campaigning, striving for climate justice. Maggie has covered a lot of ground in that time, supporting grass roots organising against new coal mines in regional communities, stopping fossil fuel finance from major global bankers, and blocking new/replacing old coal power in Queensland.
Maggie has Bachelor degrees in Journalism and Ecology and a Masters degree in Conservation Science from the University of Queensland.

Mark Wakeham

Australian Program Director

Mark has over two decades of experience in advocacy, policy, fundraising and media for progressive causes and managing nimble and effective NGOs. Mark has been a CEO and board member, including a co-chair of the Sunrise Project. Most recently, Mark has been working with the Australian Council of Trade Unions supporting its members to ensure workers’ voices are heard in climate, energy and just transitions policy debates. 

Mark was recently awarded a Churchill Fellowship to learn about how other communities are making the transition beyond fossil fuels in ways that look after the interests of workers and their communities.

Mark’s now leads the Sunrise Project’s Australia-wide strategy and supports the team of brilliant program directors.

Melissa Prior

Global Director of Transformation

Melissa has worked across Australia and the US enabling businesses to scale their operations through alignment of people, process and technology. Driven by a passion for systems and social justice, Mel brings a human centred approach to transformation projects. Working in the areas of community housing, human rights and the arts, Mel strives to foster an inclusive workplace that supports everyone to amplify their impact and connect to purpose at work. With a Bachelor in Human Resources and Marketing and Grad Cert in Social Impact from UNSW along with certifications in change and service design Mel is excited to apply these skills to support The Sunrise Project and the important work being done. Mel lives on Gadigal Country, and acknowledges First Nations peoples continuing connection to country as the oldest living culture we know. When she’s not working she can be found exploring mountains and oceans, playing soccer and playing with her doggo Sir Elton at the park or trying to keep her ever growing collection of plants alive.

Mike Matters

Campaigner

Mike has 5 years of experience working in the progressive movement, in the UK and Australia. He has led the strategic direction of industrial relations and healthcare campaigns with the UK-based digital campaigning organisation 38 Degrees, and in 2020 oversaw the first year of GetUp’s grassroots campaigning platform, “Campaigns by Me”, building alliances and supporting partners and grassroots groups to hack away at the social license of fossil fuels.

Miriam Lyons

Co-Director, Australia Energy Transformation Program

Miriam Lyons leads the Sunrise Project’s work on renewable energy. Miriam has over 20 years of experience as a campaigner, policy analyst, writer and commentator. She has held a variety of leadership roles – most recently as Organising Director and Climate Justice Campaigns Director at GetUp, where she led a number of highly successful campaigns.

She is a Fellow and former CEO of the Centre for Policy Development, which she co-founded in 2007. She is the co-author of Governomics (MUP 2015), has contributed to several publications and co-edited the books Pushing Our Luck and More Than Luck. She has been a frequent guest on various TV and radio programs, including Q&A and The Drum. Earlier roles include Policy Editor for NewMatilda.com, researching freedom of speech in East Timor, and organising ideas festivals.

Nadja Hasenauer

HR Operations Manager

Nadja has worked across government, private and NFP’s in HR & project roles, with a preference for organisations focussed on environmental protection and conservation, including NSW National Parks & Wildlife and WWF. Nadja holds a Masters HRM and is deeply committed to supporting and empowering individuals, teams, and organisations.

When not working, Nadja is attempting to introduce regeneration & permaculture on a former small cattle property to contribute positively to the environment in the SouthWest – Australia’s only global biodiversity hotspot.

Nelson Aston

Research Lead, Corporate and Finance

Nelson has a finance and economics background spanning major banks and economic consultancies. He holds a bachelor degree and a master’s degree in economics but deep down wishes he did data science instead. He loves working with numbers, including data visualisation, creating spreadsheets and writing code.

Nichola Gardner

Global COO

Nichola has 18 years of experience across large multi-national, start up and state government organisations focusing on budgeting and forecasting, controls and compliance and financial operations. With extensive experience in systems and process refinement across corporate services, and an interest in data, technology and automation, Nichola is committed to supporting the operations team in enabling The Sunrise Project to focus on what matters most.
A qualified CPA with a Masters in Professional Accounting from the University of Sydney, Nichola also holds a bachelor degree in Physics from the University of Manchester.

Nicholas Kelly

Director of Legal Strategy

Nick practiced as a lawyer for 13 years, first as a solicitor with the NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office and then as a barrister in NSW from 2012 and specialised in inquiries, planning and environmental law. Nick also worked as a judge’s associate in the Federal Court and as the Legal Research Officer at the High Court, as well as teaching public and constitutional law at the Australian National University and the University of Sydney. Nick acted for a wide range of clients in his environmental work, from Ministers to activist organisations, as well as various regulatory bodies prosecuting environmental offences.

Nicole Krause

Campaigner

Nicole is accomplished and passionate campaigner and strategist, and a strong believer in the importance and power of the Australian not-for-profit and social change sector. Nicole has over a decade of experience building, growing and managing campaigns, on issues including social and economic justice, international development, health and the environment. Most recently she worked with Essential, Australia’s leading social change communications and marketing agency, on digital, strategy and production for powerful campaigns like Rosie’s Batty’s Never Alone campaign to end family violence, Fight for The Reef, Save Our Marine Life, Put Education 1st, Protect Penalty Rates and Every Australian Counts. Strategic, inquisitive and driven, Nicole brings a wealth of knowledge on campaigning, digital strategy, communications and messaging to Sunrise’s Australia Energy Transformation Program. Nicole has a Bachelor of Applied Communications from RMIT University, where she graduated with distinction.

Neo Nguyen

Finance Manager

Neo is a driven finance professional with 7 years of experience in commercial finance and business advisory across the professional services, higher education & research, performing art industry, within both for profit and non-profit organisations. His area of expertise includes management accounting, financial planning and reporting, project management, and system implementation and administration. Neo is genuinely dedicated to deliver exceptional financial services as well as supporting The Sunrise Project team in every aspects where possible. Neo holds a Bachelor Degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Technology Sydney, and currently a member of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ).

Nina Nguyen

Grant Manager

Nina has a strong passion for sustainable development and green growth. She holds a PhD degree in Environmental Management and has almost 20 years’ experience in business development, partnership development, and project management, including over 10 years working in the development sector for international non-government organisations in Asia. Before joining The Sunrise Project, Nina worked as a Senior Industry Engagement Coordinator at RMIT University where she connected students with industry partners to undertake sustainability projects.

When not at work, Nina enjoys gardening and reading. She also loves travelling.

Paul Sheehan

IT System Administrator - Help Desk Support

Paul brings over 20 years experience of IT support primarily supporting Apple products. Camping, bushwalking and getting into the ocean are his pastimes along with music travel and sport. A Cork, Ireland native who calls Sydney, Australia home.

Reece Turner

Senior Campaign Strategist

Reece has over a decade of environmental advocacy experience across a broad range of policy areas and organisations.
He has spearheaded campaigns for groups such as The Wilderness Society, Greenpeace and Solar Citizens on issues including over-fishing, land clearing, palm oil plastic pollution and renewable energy.
He has a passion for protecting nature which has seen him on the frontline defending Australia’s forests as well as spending many years investigating and exposing deforestation in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
Reece has a practical understanding of the solar PV industry having spent three years assisting large energy users and households adopt solar and efficiency measures.
Reece holds law and politics degrees from the University of New South Wales.

Saada Khalil

Operations Manager

Saada is a dynamic professional with more than 15 years’ experience spanning across a multitude of industries including: retail, telecommunications, hospitality, fashion, PR and security services. She has been responsible for managing projects, implementing new systems, managing change, procurement, managing vendor relationships and commercial finance functions. With her ability to hold an overarching vision and execute on the detail, she uses her analytical mind coupled with a big bold collaborative heart to foster cohesive, collective and convivial working environments.

To balance out work, Saada itches to get outside and grow flower meadows (because she sows more than she can actually fit) and then sits in her garden watching the dragonflies, butterflies and bees turn up. She has a penchant for foreign films, food rituals and finding the appropriate music soundtrack for any occasion.

Samuel Dariol

Campaigner

Samuel Dariol is a campaigner, organiser and performer based on Wurundjeri Country in Naarm/Melbourne. Samuel cut his teeth as a campaigner in the Fossil Free Universities campaign and has since remained active in various movements for social and ecological justice. He spent five years working in the refugee rights movement, including as the Campaigns and Digital Coordinator at the Refugee Council of Australia, where he contributed to and led high-profile movement-wide campaigns, as well as running activist training and development with a strong focus on working with people from refugee backgrounds. Most recently, he worked as an Organiser at the United Workers Union.

Samuel firmly believes in the power of people coming together to challenge structures of power that exacerbate inequity, erode important social services, and threaten the health of the planet and its inhabitants.

Samuel is also a musical theatre child and maintains a performance practice today, including as ‘La Nonna’, a drag persona lovingly created in homage to his Italian migrant grandmother.

Samuel is a proud union member.

Sarasi Jayaratna

HR (People) Generalist

Sarasi has a strong academic background, with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Business Management and Administration. Sarasi kicked off her career as an intern with a Global Software Development company called IFS based in Sri Lanka, and has worked her up and across the scope of HR within a fast growth environment, most recently focussing on HR Systems. Sarasi describes herself as a team player and is excited to apply her skills and expertise to contribute to the success of our mission. Sarasi’s free time is spent watching movies, going to restaurants, and loves food/food photography, as well capturing beautiful photographs of nature.

Saron Girma

Grants Administrator

Saron has worked in the field of social justice, community organisation and broadcasting over the past decade. Occupying both administrative and program management roles, Saron is dedicated to finding harmony between traditional cohesion and future development. Saron spends her time watching tiktok video compilations with her parents and grandparent. She enjoys humour, nature and education.

Tim Baxter

Research Lead, Climate and Emissions

Tim is a passionate climate communicator with expertise running across the length and breadth of climate and energy technologies, policy and politics.

Tom Swann

Senior Strategist

Tom has broad experience as a strategist, researcher and advocate. For seven years he was with The Australia Institute, becoming Senior Researcher in the Climate and Energy Program, where his research covered fossil fuels, renewable energy, subsidies, finance, climate impacts and much else.

He has a Masters of Climate Change and Honours in philosophy from the ANU, and was lead organiser in the Fossil Free ANU campaign. Previously he has worked as an organiser, staffer and bureaucrat. Tom got the word “Canbassador” into Hansard at the ACT Legislative Assembly.