We're pleased to welcome three new staff members to the Renewable Energy Alliance team, all doing critical work to support rural and regional communities in the renewable energy shift.
Mark Squires
NSW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
As our NSW Community Engagement Manager, Mark works with rural and regional leaders, local governments and industry across New South Wales to ensure the best outcomes for communities. He has spent more than 25 years in energy and sustainability, with a deep knowledge and expansive network across the energy, government and climate change sectors. Based in Newcastle, Mark has worked on local, statewide and national energy programs with a focus on community engagement in the renewable energy space. He’s also commercialised renewable energy technologies at CSIRO, developed partnerships between research and industry and been a director on a cleantech start-up company. He holds an MBA, a Bachelor degree in Social Science and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Megan Kessler
POLICY AND RESEARCH MANAGER
As our Policy and Research Manager, Megan works with our policy team to advocate for good renewable energy policies and practice in regions. She is deeply passionate about protecting Australia's environment and driving action on climate change. With over 25 years' experience in environment and nature focused roles, including over a decade as the Scientific Director at Environmental Defenders Office, Megan is motivated by a desire to influence take-up of solutions and actions by governments, industry and communities to improve outcomes for nature. Megan lives on the NSW Mid North Coast, manages a small beef and conservation property, and in her spare time is currently attempting to breed dung beetles.
Thomasen Knight
REGIONAL PROGRAMS MANAGER
As our Regional Programs Manager, Thomasen works with rural and regional leaders and supports local governments across the country in the renewable energy shift. She works best as a connector, bridging the divides between stakeholders, facilitating partnerships to collectively problem solve and supporting capacity building. Her experience includes 10 years in Local and State Government and 5 years of climate-related strategy and audit work in consultancies. Thomasen gets dizzy thinking about the wildly beautiful solutions that could and should exist in this energy shift we’re experiencing. Working with communities, she hopes to enable some of these creative, innovative, fair and fast solutions.