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Meredith Laing
Director
Meredith has been the driving force behind the Hunter & Central Coast Regional Environmental Management Strategy (HCCREMS) for over 14 years. She has overseen its growth from a seed funded regional initiative with a single coordinator in 1996 to one which now :
- Employs 12 staff
- Manages complex, multi-million dollar, multi-stakeholder regional environmental projects and partnerships
- Designs and delivers a range of innovative research, capacity building and policy, planning & decision support tools and services to member councils
She has extensive experience in strategic planning and policy development at local and regional scales, and natural resource management and environmental program design and delivery (biodiversity, climate change, water sensitive urban design, ecosystem restoration & rehabilitation, urban sustainability).
Meredith has fulfilled a range of advisory roles to NGOs, Local, State and Federal governments including 5 years as NSW representative on the Commonwealth Government’s key natural resource management advisory body.
She has also had a long history of involvement with Landcare at the local, state and national levels, and is currently:
- Chair: Durness-Borland Landcare Corridor Board
- Board Member: Tom Farrell Institute for the Environment, University of Newcastle
- Board Member: Landcare NSW
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Steve Wilson
Regional Program Manager
Steve is the Regional Program Manager with the Hunter Councils Environment Division. A key element of Steve’s role includes assisting councils to understand and prepare for the projected impacts of climate change on their operations and communities. Steve also contributes to the implementation of a range of other HCCREMS natural resource management and sustainability initiatives, including the Regional Roadside Environment program.
Steve has 13 years experience working directly in or with local government across a range of natural resource and environmental management issues. These include climate change risk assessment and adaptation planning, land management and rehabilitation, biodiversity conservation, wetland management, Acid Sulfate Soils, energy management, climate change, environmental education, natural resource planning, State of the Environment Reporting, and catchment and estuary management. Steve has a Master Degree of Environmental Management and a Bachelor of Horticultural Science, both from the University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury.
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Bradley Nolan
Regional Sustainability Program Manager
To provide education, capacity building and compliance practices relating to sustainability to the Hunter and Central Coast Regions.
Bradley is an Environmental Scientist and has worked in a range of positions for State Government, Local Government and private sustainability consultancies since 1998. Bradley has significant experience in waste management and minimisation after his work with the NSW Waste Boards, Bega Valley Shire Council and a 3-year position for North Shire City Council (New Zealand). Whilst in New Zealand, Bradley introduced the first ever kerbside wheelie-bin recycling system and worked alongside Government Agencies, Waste Service Providers and Local Government representatives to have parliament introduce waste specific legislation to control the generation and disposal of waste.
Bradley has experience in waste management, resource recovery, local government compliance, community engagement & consultation, environmental education and contract management. Bradley has an honours degree in Environmental Science from the University of Wollongong and has completed a management course through the New Zealand Quality Standards Association.
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Dr. Mary Greenwood
Ecologist
Mary brings 20 years experience in the horticultural industry to the position, with an additional 10 years spent teaching at technical and university levels. Mary has experience in a variety of natural resource management issues related directly to weed ecology, including the physiology of stress effects, germination and competition ecology, wetland restoration and general ecosystem health. Mary gained her PhD in Environmental Science (plant ecology) from the University of Newcastle (NSW). She also holds qualifications in horticulture and landscape design and management.
In 2010, Mary produced the regional weed strategy, which will guide regionally strategic weed control activities until 2015. She is also responsible for regional projects that support recommendations contained within the strategy. Mary is presently involved in developing a wetland related research profile for the division.
Mary has been involved in an advisory role with NGOs, and the NSW Technical and Further Education Commission. Her current commitments include:
• Board Member: Hunter Wetland Centre Australia (Chair: Site committee)
• Board Member: International Society of Wetlands Scientists (Australian Chapter)
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Kerri Cornally
Regional Sustainability Project Coordinator
Kerri contributes to the implementation of a range of projects relating to sustainability and biodiversity conservation for the Hunter and Central Coast councils and their communities.
Kerri has extensive experience in the fields of land-use planning, environmental management and sustainability. She has worked in a broad range of State Government roles including the NSW Department of Planning and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Kerri has also worked in Local government, most recently at Wyong Shire Council where she was pivotal in the development and implementation of an internal Sustainability Program. In 2009, Council won the NSW Local Government and Shires Associations Local Sustainability Award in recognition of the achievements of this program.
Kerri has an honours degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of New England and post graduate qualifications in Environmental Management and Restoration (with distinction) from Charles Sturt University.
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Kate Meares
Regional Sustainability Officer
Kate is the Regional Sustainability Officer, currently working on the Regional Sustainability Compliance Program.
Kate has had five years experience working in Local Government. She worked with Great Lakes Council for two and a half years on community engagement projects relating to improving water quality, local business and household sustainability, and protecting endangered koalas in Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens. Kate was also responsible for State of Environment Reporting and assistance with the Great Lakes Coastal Catchments Initiative. Kate then worked in Hornsby Shire Council’s Bushland and Biodiversity team in 2008/09 before moving back to settle in the Hunter region.
Kate has a Bachelor of Environmental Science and a Diploma in Education.
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Eva Twarkowski
Regional Natural Resources Coordinator
Eva is the Regional Natural Resources Project Coordinator for the Hunter and Central Coast regions and has been responsible for the implementation of a number of projects including identifying and targeting Aquatic Weeds post the 2007 flood and The Roadside Vegetation Marker Project.
Eva has extensive experience in the environmental sector previously working at Pittwater Council and the Australian Museum for over 10 years. Her primary role at Pittwater Council was to seek grant funding, coordinate and implement the local and regional weed and pest control programs. A main focus of this role was to extensively engage with the community on a number of noxious and environmental weed issues, organise public events and increase awareness of local native flora and fauna. Eva has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology at the University of Technology, Sydney.
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Ellen Saxon
GIS Officer
Ellen works on the GIS mapping components of the Environmental Division’s projects.
For over 4 years Ellen worked as a Bushland Regenerator with the Newcastle based organisations, "Trees In Newcastle" and "Conservation Volunteers". Ellen has worked on projects across the Hunter region involving noxious weed removal, tree planting, erosion control works, and public education & training.
Ellen has a Diploma of Conservation and Land Management. |
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Sue O’Neill
Executive Assistant
Sue joined the Environment Division in late October 2011 and provides high level administrative and business support to the Director. Sue has worked extensively with executive teams and committees, locally and interstate, for many years.
Her industry background also includes the foundations behind property investment, property management, medical administrative work and hospitality.
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Sara Markham
Administration Assistant
Sara joined the Environment Division in January 2009. Sara’s role is to provide administrative and secretarial support to the Environment Division in order to optimise its effective and efficient operations.
Sara’s duties include providing administrative support to the Environment Division, greeting clients upon arrival, liaising with Councils Members and Clients, coordinating the logistics for events and workshops, generating invoice and payment requests, production of publications and large format printing, design and maintaining the company website.
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Matt Wierzbicki
Sustainability Consultant
Matt Wierzbicki has over 10 years of professional engineering experience with a Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering.
Matt has worked in a variety of fields, a large part of which has been construction works where he experienced first hand the requirements for constructing various works projects including mining, drainage and general civil works. Later Matt moved into design and project management for civil works where his enthusiasm for environmental and sustainable design began to emerge.
Matt’s experience now spans across many of fields from Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), creek and wetland works to water re-use, acid mine drainage and infrastructure projects.
Recently Matt worked in local government where he prepared WSUD Guidelines and Policy and importantly developed an understanding for the constraints and issues faced at a local government level.
Matt has a great interest in native flora and environmental issues, this combined with his engineering skills lends to the development of sustainable, practical solutions.
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Juliana Collins
Regional Sustainability Event & Education Coordinator
Juliana graduated from Newcastle University with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Human Geography, and has 5 years experience with community engagement and education. Juliana previously managed the Green Reserve Work for the Dole program with Conservation Volunteers Australia in Sydney, responsible for engaging mature aged job seekers in conservation projects ranging from bush regeneration, to research, park management and species identification. Juliana has worked with Manly Council, starting as the Community Volunteer Coordinator, managing volunteers across all areas of Council and helping to work with community groups in improving their volunteer management processes. Juliana then became the Waste Minimisation Education Officer implementing education programs in helping residents, businesses and schools
minimise their waste and consumption.
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Claire Carlton
Conference Program Coordinator
As an ecologist, digital media specialist and founder of Eco Change, I bring a unique combination of scientific knowledge and digital media experience to the environmental sector. With over 15 years experience, I am a forerunner in the green digital media & communications space. I am personally passionate about the planet and have dedicated my life’s work to creating meaningful dialogue that progresses us towards a sustainable low carbon future for all.
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