NATIONAL DIRECTOR

Andrew has been the National Director of RE-Alliance since 2013, including the period until 2019 when the organisation operated as the Australian Wind Alliance. In that time, Andrew has built the organisation to become the leading voice advocating for regional communities in issues around the energy transition, especially transmission, community benefit sharing and addressing impacts on local communities. Andrew has been a member of AEMO's Advisory Council on Social Licence and in 2021 was awarded the Clean Energy Council's Outstanding Contribution to Industry Award for his long standing work in these areas. Andrew is an Adjunct Research Fellow at Gulbali Research Institute, Charles Sturt University. Andrew is passionate about the contribution renewable energy can make to rural and regional economies while helping Australia transition to a cleaner future.

ADVOCACY DIRECTOR

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

POLICY AND RESEARCH DIRECTOR

Megan 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, she 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.

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Monica is a communications professional with a background in journalism and the not-for-profit sector, with a focus on regional development and Australia's renewables rollout. She has worked across some of Australia's most significant industrial regions, including the Hunter (NSW) and Gladstone (QLD). Previously she ran the Repower NT campaign while living in Darwin (NT). Monica is the author of The Stranger Country, a book covering her 30,000km road trip around Australia. She brings to RE-Alliance a deep interest in how regional communities navigate major economic and environmental change.

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

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 support regional communities to engage in the shift to renewable energy. She is a Bachelor of Arts graduate.

NSW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

Mark 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, he has worked on local, statewide and national energy programs with a focus on community engagement in the renewable energy space. Mark has 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.

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Since leaving the finance industry in 2014, Nathan has worked for several organisations across the not-for-profit sector in a variety of different roles. He is keen to use his diverse experience and passion for climate justice to help with the transition to renewable energy in Australia while supporting regional communities in the process.

REGIONAL PROGRAMS MANAGER

Thomasen 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.

QUEENSLAND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

Tom has spent his career at the intersection of human rights, climate and the environment, working to empower – and enhance the rights of – communities both within Australia and across the globe. He is an experienced campaigner, communicator and community engagement specialist, having spent more than 15 years in the Australian and international advocacy and not-for-profit sectors. Tom has completed a PhD in the UK, working for almost a decade as a research scientist, and has worked in communication and engagement with communities on the ground in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australia, to advocate at local, national and UN-levels. Tom lives on Gubbi Gubbi country in rural South East Queensland with his young family.

POLICY AND ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

Tony comes from Ballarat, Victoria where he lives with his young daughter. 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.