NATIONAL DIRECTOR

Andrew came on board in 2013 after working on the 100% Renewable Campaign, building skills and leadership in local communities supporting renewable energy. Based in one of New South Wales' prime wind districts, the Southern Tablelands, Andrew is passionate about the contribution renewable energy can make to rural and regional economies while helping Australia transition to a cleaner future.

ADVOCACY MANAGER

Lu is an accomplished campaigner. In her work bringing civil society together to make the renewable energy transformation fantastic for regions and the environment, Lu brings social change strategy and systems thinking developed over ten years as an activist, political campaigner and policy communicator. Growing up in regional Victoria, Lu has an instinct for fairness and for bridging political divides. Lu is based in Far North Queensland and enjoys long bike rides to the beach. Lu holds an MA in International Development and a BA in Psychological Science. 

POLICY MANAGER

Kate has worked in senior policy roles for the NSW Government, the Australian Government, Energy Networks Australia and RE-Alliance since 2002. She has over a decade’s experience working in climate and energy policy. In 2021 Kate authored an influential report for RE-Alliance, Building Trust for Transmission: Earning the social licence needed to plug in Australia’s Renewable Energy Zones. Kate’s role at RE-Alliance initially focussed on transmission, but now also includes wider energy policy leadership. Kate is based in Mudgee in Central Western NSW.

VICTORIA/TASMANIA COORDINATOR

Tony comes from Ballarat, Victoria where he lives with his young family. Tony has extensive experience in advocacy, community education and engagement experience throughout Australia and is passionate about action on climate change and championing wind energy. He is currently conducting research at University of Melbourne and has previously obtained a Bachelor of Natural Environment and Wilderness Studies with Honours in Sociology from University of Tasmania. His side passion is beekeeping which saw him spend time in the Northern Territory, assisting the Thamarrurr Rangers experiment with Australian stingless beekeeping.

CENTRAL-WEST ORANA COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

Fiona has a background in community engagement and development spanning the local government, state government and NGO sectors. She has a keen interest in supporting community leadership and ensuring the diversity of community voices are heard. Fiona also has a strong background in policy, research and professional communications having worked with policy makers in health, and has undertaken numerous action research projects. Fiona holds a Master's in Applied Science. Fiona has a passion for regenerative agriculture and lives and works on her property near Coolah, NSW.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Cait is a communications professional, and is passionate about using these skills to empower people to bring about the change they want for their future. She has a variety of communications, copywriting, marketing, project management and fundraising experience across different sectors, notably in climate and mental health. Having grown up in regional Victoria, Cait is thrilled to be able to support regional communities to engage in the transition to renewable energy. She is a Bachelor of Arts graduate.

Taryn is the Manager at Hepburn Wind, Australia’s first community-owned wind farm and a director of the Coalition for Community Energy. She also undertakes research, policy development and advisory work for industry. She has extensive local and international community development experience.

Susan Findlay Tickner is based in Horsham in regional Western Victoria, and has worked in Communications and Stakeholder Engagement for 25 years across the agricultural and renewable energy sectors. With a background in Agricultural Research and Development, she has also worked in Agricultural Policy with the Victorian State Government and is a former member of the Grains Research and Development Corporation Southern Panel. Susan works with renewable energy developer, RES, in communications and engagement.

Dimity is a Physio, farmer and mother, who just happens to live very contentedly next door to a wind farm.  She sleeps well and finds the turbines an aesthetic bonus to her landscape.  Dimity is passionate about supporting other people in wind communities to navigate the fear-mongering around wind farms so they too can enjoy co-locating with these magnificent structures.  Dimity has experienced the benefits a wind farm has brought to her community and would like others to be able to enjoy similar benefits.

Richard is one of the most experienced people in the Australian wind industry, having worked in the industry since 1994 as a project and business development manager. Richard agreed to give his time to be Treasurer of AWA because he believes Australia is missing out on great benefits in regional areas. Richard has a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and an engineering Masters degree and an eMBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management. He is currently the Managing Director of Advanced Energy Consulting.

Luke has been a leading voice in the wind energy industry for over a decade. He entered the industry as a landholder and subsequently played a leading role in the growth of wind energy company Windlab. He advocates strongly for improved wind energy development models and more inclusivity of neighbouring landholders in wind farm development.

Luke now works at Reposit, seeking to employ home batteries en masse in the wholesale energy markets. This technology allows wind and solar to work in a complementary fashion to deliver affordable and reliable power.

Jonathan is a senior manager with over 14 years experience in the renewable energy industry. He has worked in a variety of roles, including Project Development, Government Affairs and Energy Markets.

Peter is a corporate and projects Partner at HWL Ebsworth Lawyers and leads the firm's National Renewable Energy Group.

Peter has been a lawyer in the renewables sector since 1999 and has advised in over 50 renewable energy projects in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand. Most of these projects were in wind energy. His expertise is in corporate, commercial and construction and electricity law.

Trini is a Coatings Inspector with Keppel Prince Engineering, an Australian Manufacturer of Wind Tower Sections, managing the quality requirements of Surface Treatment to completion. She has a strong belief that wind towers play an essential role in a cleaner future.

Linda is a local grazier and host of the prospective Rye Park Wind Farm. She has worked hard to rally supporters and encourage them to speak up in support of the project and is excited about the boost to the local economy. Linda is passionate about renewable energy and can’t wait for the turbines to spin at Rye Park to progress the region as a stable clean energy contributor in NSW.

Troy is the General Manager and a second-generation operator of Eureka Concrete. Eureka has experience in the production of quality concrete to wind turbine projects for over five years. Each project creates work directly and indirectly to over 1000 people while construction build is in process.