Who are the Facilitators?

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Rosemary Bissett

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Rosemary has more than 15 years experience working in areas including sustainability and corporate responsibility, environmental and trade waste management, cleaner production, and community education. She is now Head of Sustainability Governance & Risk at NAB, where her role includes climate change strategy and policy, and environmental performance reporting. She has facilitated stakeholder engagement in both government and private sectors. Rosemary is committed to developing responsible leadership and engaging business and a broad range of stakeholders in meeting the challenges presented by sustainability issues. She holds number of degrees including an MSc and MBA and is on a number of not-for profit Boards including the Moreland Energy Foundation. Rosemary is coming to World Wide Views because she believes it critically important that all stakeholders, particularly everyday community members, can have their voice heard by governments of the world as they make decisions about how we respond globally to climate change.

Annie Bolitho

Annie Bolitho is a researcher and facilitator. She is interested in bringing together the interests of people 'on the ground' with those of policy makers and experts. She has extensive background in the area of public participation, including the design and facilitation of citizens’ juries, community cultural development and capacity building for natural resource management. She is Executive Officer of the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute at the University of Melbourne.

Mirella De Genua

Mirella is a stakeholder engagement, facilitation and communications' specialist with over 18 years experience in the utilities, infrastructure development, workers compensation, manufacturing, health, children's services and disabilities sectors. Mirella was most recently employed as the Manager of stakeholder engagement and social planning at GHD. She recently co-project managed and facilitated the Futures Project for Port Stephens Council. The Futures Project has involved the largest community participation process yet undertaken by Council, including a Futures Forum at which over 180 stakeholders coming together to share their ideas. She is committed to fair and transparent processes that will derive creative but practical solutions from participants. She is getting involved in the WWV event as she is passionate about community building and believes that the event is a fabulous way to gather community members ideas and a step towards creating momentum for change.

Astrid Edwards


Astrid Edwards works for the Allen Consulting Group in the areas of climate, emissions trading and natural resources policy. In this role, Astrid facilitates stakeholder and industry consultations, mainly with clients from the private sector. Astrid also works for the Asia-Pacific Emissions Trading Forum, coordinating quarterly Business Roundtables for organisations interested in developments in emissions trading policy in the Asia-Pacific. Although now working in climate policy, Astrid began her career as a secondary school Latin and French teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (International Relations Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts (Latin Honours) from the University of Sydney, a Diplôme de langue et civilisation françaises from the Sorbonne University in Paris, and is currently studying a Masters Degree in International Business. Astrid is particularly interested in the development of an international climate policy framework, and is volunteering with World Wide Views on Global warming to support, in some small way, a successful international negotiation process in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Brenda Finlayson

Brenda Finlayson is a communications and campaign consultant who works as a contract qualitative researcher and writer for Auspoll, running focus groups that examine attitudes into social and political issues. She recently completed the Australian Market and Social Research Society’s 2009 Winter School in qualitative research. Brenda started her career as a journalist and sub-editor on metropolitan newspapers in New Zealand and Australia, then worked as a freelance writer and photographer for magazines and unions. Brenda was Communications and Campaign Director for the ACTU from 2000–2002. She worked extensively with small groups as a consultant to Forests NSW, developing and implementing safety and environmental management systems to meet international standards. Brenda was Campaign Director for former NSW Environment Minister and Attorney General Bob Debus in the successful campaign to win Macquarie in the 2007 federal election and she has worked recently as a contract social planner in local government, facilitating community and stakeholder consultations. Brenda is a founding member of Transition Blue Mountains, which is developing community strategies to mitigate against global warming and peak oil. Brenda is participating in World Wide Views because she believes that many voices should be heard in the debate about actions to fight global warming.

Rowena Finnane

Rowena has many years of experience in facilitation as well as training and experience in mediation, adult education and educational design, policy development and law. She has worked for Commonwealth and State government agencies as well as taught at university and has facilitated meetings and planning processes over many years with community groups/small NGOs. She has a research Master of Arts and an honours degree in law from the University of Sydney as well as a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and a Cert IV in Workplace Training and Assessment. She is an accredited facilitator with the International Association of Facilitators, a trained mediator, a member of LEADR - Association of Dispute Resolvers, and is currently working on training design for an international mediation program. She is coming to World Wide Views on Global warming because she wants to be part of a worldwide process that values the wisdom of ordinary people from different walks of life grappling with the issues involved in climate change.

Helene Forsythe

Helene Forsythe has 15 years of experience in Local Government working in environmental education and sustainable development. She has worked with community members to facilitate their engagement in environmental issues through consultation to inform the decision-making processes in Government. Her experience includes community engagement for surveys, focus groups and consultation on issues such as urban wildlife management, stormwater management, care and protection of natural environments and urban planning for sustainability. Helene has qualifications in Environment & Resource Management, Education and Management.

Alex Frankel

Alex has more than ten years experience in group facilitation in commercial and university contexts. Alex specialises in qualitative political research (talking to people about what matters to them). He is currently employed as General Manager with Auspoll, a research firm with a campaigns focus. Projects in 2009 include: the Australian Council of Trade Union’s - “Australian Unions: Working for a Better Life”; The Australian Nurses Federation “Because We Care”; and the Southern Cross Climate Coalition “Clean Energy Jobs”. He is interested in connecting organisations with the public to build popular campaigns for change. He has degrees in Politics and International relations, and is a member of the Australian Market and Social Research Society. He is coming to World Wide Views on Global warming because it is all about making the punters views heard.

Col Freeman

Col has 15 years experience working in the areas of natural resource management with a focus on community engagement, group facilitation, strategic planning and project management. Some examples include facilitation of environmental management planning workshops for horticultural producers on the NSW Central Coast as part of the national Horticulture for Tomorrow pilot program for Horticulture Australia Ltd; and design of a participatory approach to landholder engagement in sub-catchment planning for the Healthy Country Waterways Restoration Project in South East Queensland. He is most interested in projects and processes that identify the ‘attractors’ for practice change by surfacing and validating the mental models of members of the community. Col has qualifications in social science, environmental science and environmental management, has been trained in facilitation and group processes, and is a member of Australian Institute of Professional Facilitators. He is coming to World Wide Views on Global warming because it offers a glimpse of a future in which citizen participation is valued and nested within global governance systems.

Kristy Garner

Kristy has two years experience working for social research company Auspoll. During this time she has attended many focus group discussions covering a variety of community issues. She has been involved in a many projects on climate change. Prior to this she was working with children and families for local government in the community services sector. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science, Diploma of Community Services and is a full member of the Australian Market and Social Research Society. She is coming to the World Wide Views on Global warming because it is a unique way to engage citizens in the extremely important debate on climate change.

Tony Gleeson

Tony is married with two adult children and lives in Northern NSW. He has taught English and History for over thirty years. He has organized and facilitated countless school events, mainly centred around student leadership, and has also done the same for AFL carnivals. He has been involved on the organizing committee for two International Student Representative Council events, first in Sydney in 2000 and then at Edmonton in Canada. At both of these he had facilitation roles and also ran workshops. He has held executive positions on numerous community groups, which has sometimes involved facilitating large and vocal public meetings, and he has been a community representative on several local government advisory committees. He is looking forward to being involved in WWViews as he is passionate about the topic, eager to develop more facilitation skills, and excited about the way the project is structured and the fact that it is grassroots based.

Samantha Graham

Sam has been facilitating sustainability and cultural transformation workshops for 15 years, both in Scotland and Australia. She has worked with not-for-profits, corporate and government clients including The Total Environment Centre, The Australian Conservation Foundation, ANZ, Diageo, Phillips and Microsoft. Her current interest is in the power of bringing diverse groups together to enable uncommon dialogues that lead to new, unanticipated ways of doing things (“whole systems” change). Sam has a Masters degree in Human Ecology and a PhD in Corporate Sustainability from a UK Management School. She is delighted to be a facilitator at the World Wide Views on Global Warming event because of the scale of the project (linking findings globally) and its democratic principles which are in keeping with Citizen’s Juries and similar methodologies. When not facilitating, Sam loves body-surfing and roller-blading with her 3 year old son Taran and husband John, down at Bondi Beach.

Megan Hughes



Megan Hughes has 8 years experience working in the areas of ecological restoration, volunteer capacity building and more recently, facilitating an integrated and values-based approach to urban catchment management. She has worked on community consultation for design, promotion and engagement of residents in stewardship of local reserves. Currently, she is collaborating with internal staff, government agencies, academics and volunteer groups to recognise and promote values placed on urban greenspace. She is interested in creative, effective engagement techniques and contributing to innovative programs for a better living environment. She has a Degree in Applied Science majoring in Natural Resource Management, a Masters in Environmental Education and is a member of the Australian Association of Environmental Educators and Restoring Biodiversity Industry Association. She is coming to World Wide Views on Global Warming because it’s a unique way to explore the current awareness of impacts and opportunities that climate change presents and is an example of sustainability in action, with people being the solution.

Sara Jellie

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Sara is a practising lawyer within the sustainability & climate change team of PwC. She has 6 years experience, and her job has exposed her to litigation, alternative dispute resolution, mediation and more recently teaching. Sara has been involved in delivering climate change courses for the University of Technology Sydney, and the University of Adelaide. She is most interested in the policy responses to climate change. Sara has degrees in Science and Law and is a member of the Green Building Council of Australia and an accredited Greenhouse Gas auditor. She is coming to World Wide Views on Global warming because her job involves communicating with industry on climate change, and she considers this will give her an opportunity to connect with the public, and gain insight into public opinion in a collaborative forum.

Steve Jack

Steve has 6 years experience in working in professional services with PricewaterhouseCoopers, in Financial Assurance and Sustainability & Climate Change Services. Examples of his group facilitation experience include leading workshops to analyse the impact of climate change on his clients' business and operational strategy and providing training on compliance with climate change-related legislation to a range of clients. He is most interested in assisting his clients adapt their business and operational strategies to the impacts of climate change. He has a bachelor degree in economics and is a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. He is coming to World Wide Views on Global warming because he wants to contribute to the global movement to reach agreement to combat the adverse effects of climate change.

Kate Henderson

Kate Henderson is a Statewide Engagement Adviser for Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE). In this role Kate provides specialist support for DSE staff in effective community engagement planning, methods, facilitation and evaluation for policies and projects. Over the past four years she also has designed and co-facilitated a number of Community Engagement Courses for Victorian public sector staff. Through this work (and in a private capacity) she has facilitated groups using a variety of methods such as world cafes, open houses, search conferences and strategic planning workshops. Her passion is designing processes for groups explore and discuss issues that lead to shared decision-making. She has attempted to apply the principles of democratic decision-making in mothering her lovely toddler… to no avail - her favourite word is still ‘no’! Kate has a Masters in Sustainable Development, from the Graduate School of the Environment (Macquarie University) and has worked as a research leader and co-facilitator for the Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability, Macquarie University. Kate has completed a post-graduate course in Deliberative Democracy and Public Engagement from the School of Economics, Government and Business (University of Sydney).

Rodger Hills


Rodger Hills has been involved in many public forums over the last 15 years both as a presenter, organiser and facilitator. His most recent engagement was as a table facilitator at the Australian Citizens’ Parliament held in Canberra in February 2009. He is the author of the important civic education book, The Consensus Artifact (ISBN 9780646478296). Currently he is spearheading the Rethink Australia project, which aims to create a new Australian Constitution by getting ordinary Australians deliberating over the rules that govern our nation. He has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Industrial Design) degree, a Masters degree in Technology Management and is a non-active Graduate Associate of the Institute of Company Directors. Rodger is coming to World Wide Views on Global warming because of his longstanding passion for both environmental protection and participatory democracy.

Joanne Kentish

Joanne Kentish has 11 years experience in working in the area of consultancy for business and Government, including 6 years specifically focused on sustainability and climate change issues. Her experience includes holding meetings and facilitating workshops to understand and synthesise the perspectives of different stakeholders in relation to sustainability issues. For example, she recently held meetings with different stakeholders in the buildings industry to understand their views on the possibility of moving towards zero carbon buildings, and facilitated a series of focus groups with different functional units of a major Australian business in relation to their own carbon strategy. She is most interested in sustainable communities and clean energy, and has a Masters degree in Environmental Technology. She is coming to World Wide Views on Global warming because its a unique way to gain a fresh perspective and understand more about how Australian citizens feel about taking action to address climate change.

Marnie Kikken

Marnie Kikken is Team Leader (Community Engagement) at the Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC). Having worked at the NCC since 2005, her role is responsible for the development and delivery of programs around community engagement and education on environmental issues, particularly climate change. Marnie recently coordinated a community engagement program, which utilised the innovative approach of deliberative democracy to enable representative groups of everyday citizens in NSW to contribute to policy and program development on climate change at a both a local and State level. Marnie has a background in tourism and spent five years between 1999 – 2004 travelling and working overseas.

Sean Lucy

Sean Lucy is the Head of Performance Enhancement Solutions / Environmental Finance Solutions team, which delivers a wide range of environmental finance solutions to the banks’ institutional and business client base. The team is also closely involved in implementation of NAB’s Carbon Neutral by 2010 commitment. Coming from a legal and consulting background, Sean has been working on climate change and environmental issues for the past 10 years. Sean has served on a wide range of boards and committees, including the Australian Business Council of Sustainable Energy (now Clean Energy Council) and as chair of the Law Institute of Victoria Environmental Issues Committee. He currently sits on the Victorian Government's Ministerial Reference Council on Climate Change Adaptation and REEEP (Oceania’s) Advisory Committee. He is married with three children, and is excited about the opportunity World Wide Views creates for community members to clearly express their opinions on one of the most pressing issues of our time.

Siobhan Marren

Siobhan Marren is a high school teacher and a casual academic at the School of Education, University of Western Sydney. Working in the field of International Humanitarian Law for ten years prior to returning to study, Siobhan has worked extensively in the field of conflict resolution and social justice advocacy. Currently undertaking a PhD in Political Philosophy, with a focus on public apologies, Siobhan’s academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and a Bachelor of Education. She is involved in the Rethink Australia project, which encourages all Australians to examine the current Constitution and the laws that govern Australia. Her involvement in World Wide Views on Global Warming is driven by her passion for deliberative democracy and participatory processes

Dorothy Mullins

Dorothy Mullins is a Senior Policy Officer Climate Change Policy with the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment with special interest in community engagement in climate change. Her passion is direct participation in policy and planning processes. The urgent need to build a shared government/community response and resilience to climate change is her motivation for involvement in World Wide Views. In her previous role with the NSW government Dorothy assisted the CMA’s contribution to planning and coordinated a community of practice for native vegetation. She moved to Melbourne in 2008 for Victoria’s active climate change program and two young grandsons. Dorothy has a Bachelor of Arts Degree (University of New England) in geography and planning and is trained in facilitation, engagement strategies and conflict resolution. Dorothy has facilitated many small and large groups, workshops and conferences. She is committed to the independent role of a facilitator.

Anne Murphy

Anne has a substantial background as learning specialist. In that role she has designed and delivered learning strategies and solutions principally within corporate and consulting environments. Her demonstrated ability for facilitating and coaching has led her to running core skill and leadership training to executives across Asia-Pacific. Her previous career in management consulting and project management has seen her holding broad responsibilities across diverse industries and technologies. She has growing interest is participating as a facilitator in community projects ensuring all voices are heard and positions that may be otherwise marginalised are represented. This year that interest has taken her to the Citizens Parliament in Canberra, a Marysville Community planning day and a CSIRO Climate Change and Energy Workshop in Adelaide. Anne holds a Master’s in Conflict facilitation and Organisational Change from the Process Work Institute in Portland Oregon. She is enthusiastic about participating in World Wide Views on Global warming.

Janette O'Neill

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Janette O'Neill has 13 years experience in corporate strategy and corporate responsibility (CR) / sustainability consulting working primarily with Accenture and PwC. Her experience includes working with clients on CR risk assessment, strategy development, stakeholder management, supply chain management, internal auditing and reporting. Janette has worked in Australia, Ireland and the UK and returned to Australia at the beginning of 2008 where she continued to work as a sustainability consultant until she joined NAB as their Head of Sustainability in early 2009. Janette has acted as a facilitator with a wide variety of both government and corporate clients, most recently with Amcor Global and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. Since returning from the UK, Janette is loving being back in Melbourne and is enjoying the lifestyle and the more consistent stream of sunshine. She is not so happy that Essedon aren't top of the league anymore! Janette is passionate about sustainability issues and is supporting World Wide Views to ensure other passionate Australian citizens have a chance to be heard.

Bill Parker

Bill Parker spent a fruitful 25 years in the horticulture and land conservation sectors years before moving into the training market, franchising and corporate management. He is currently employed at the Macarthur Business Enterprise Centre where he runs the Symmetry Sustainable Business program, helping small business improve their environmental practice and their bottom line. Bill has over 10 years executive experience as a presenter, facilitator and event organiser for business and the community. He recently presented ‘The Great Debate - Is Sustainability Sustainable?’ by bringing some of Australia’s leading sustainability experts together, and is the lead facilitator for the Macarthur Future Food Forum. Bill is events coordinator for both the South West Networking Group and the Camden Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and an environmental mentor for the local Young Achievement Australia program. He would normally spend most of September surfing, cooking, gardening and following the Sydney Swans through the AFL finals series. This year he has only three hobbies. Bill believes that community engagement is essential in providing any solution. He has joined World Wide views to be part of the important dialogue necessary to help solve the world’s most critical issue, climate change.

Andrew Petersen

Andrew is a qualified and practising lawyer in Australia and has been part of PwC’s global Climate Change Services team since joining the firm in 1999. He advises clients on the wide ranging aspects of emissions trading, environmental compliance requirements, emissions trading schemes and stakeholder engagement. Andrew’s carbon credentials have been developed through becoming an accredited auditor under the NSW Governments Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme, a verifier under the Federal Governments Greenhouse Friendly Scheme, a representative on the Business Council of Australia Greenhouse Gas Committee in 2002-2003 and 2005 and as an industry delegate in the to the Federal Government’s representation to the United nations Conference of Climate Change. He is the lead author of PwC’s 2009 Report Carbon Ready or Not which surveyed 151 businesses on their preparedness for Australia’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and the low carbon economy.

Robert Perey

Robert has a background in organisational change and development. He has a BA in Ancient History, an MA in Complexity Theory from the University of Western Sydney and is now undertaking a PhD investigating how organisations are engaging in change for sustainability. He has worked on projects ranging from biodiversity awareness in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities (CALD), sustainability case study development for inclusion in MBA programs, to assisting a large Not for Profit Organisation, design and integrate sustainability into their strategy and operations. In his research and facilitation work he is particularly interested in exploring the relationships between decision-making and change for sustainability. Earlier in the year he was a facilitator in the NSW Community Climate Summit; he is coming to World Wide Views on Global warming because he thinks it is important and that participative actions like this are powerful ways to engage in change.

Sandie Pullen

Sandie Pullen

Sandie Pullen has more than 11 years' experience in communications and corporate social responsibility. During this time she has worked for the Victorian Government on water communications and facilitated a range of community and employee workshops. In her current role at NAB she is responsible for project managing the bank's sustainability programs, events and sponsorships. She's passionate about working for an organisation that can have a meaningful impact, particularly in its response to climate change, and is part of the team delivering NAB's carbon neutral 2010 commitment. Sandie is coming to World Wide Views on Global Warming so she can participate in a movement that will ensure government leaders hear the voices and opinions of everyday Australians.

Brad Rilat

Brad has 15 years experience in facilitating workshops, small group dialogue sessions, high risk & reward conversations, large group engagement processes and enterprise change interventions. He has worked throughout Asia, in the Middle East and the USA. He is interested in the creation of viable, effective and sustainable organizations that balance purpose, function & form with lifestyle & potential. Brad holds tertiary qualifications in Business Management and Quality Management. He is a Director of Social Enterprise Commitment, an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, a Certified Professional Facilitator with the International Association of Facilitators and a member of the International Coach Federation. Brad is coming to World Wide Views on Global warming because it’s a unique opportunity to participate in an international community dialogue to discuss and assemble collective views on one of the most significant global issues of our time. This is an opportunity to impact our children’s future.

Margo Smith

Margo has worked in local government for the past seven years on a variety of community education and monitoring projects. In 2008 she was one of the Central Coast local government project coordinators partnering the Nature Conservation Council's successful Climate Consensus Project. Margo worked with two groups of local, randomly selected and non aligned, participants over two days to assist them in reaching recommendations to address climate change. She states the deliberative democracy model provides a unique opportunity for informed decision making within a community. In a previous life Margo worked in a number of different roles within the health profession.

Geraldine Star

 

Geraldine Star is a recognised leader in the facilitation, coaching and communication fields with many years experience working with businesses and the public sector. She lectures part time at the University of Technology, Sydney in Public Communications and chaired the inaugural Board of a major independent school in western Sydney. She works with Aboriginal leaders as part of her coaching practice. Her group facilitation work includes being a member of the facilitation team for the NSW Climate Change Summit; running the Working Together workshop in NSW Health; strategic planning; and working with local community groups on a voluntary basis. Geraldine has post graduate qualifications in education, management and is an Accredited Certified Coach as part of the International Coaching Federation. She is joining the team at the World Wide Views on Global warming to help community representatives to get their ideas and concerns to decision makers to make a better world.

Bruce Turner

bruce turner

Bruce has nearly 20 years experience in facilitating stakeholder involvement in complex planning and environmental projects, including a background in land use planning and environmental impact assessment with the Victorian Government. For the past 10 years he has worked independently as a facilitator, mediator and trainer for a diverse range of organisations. He has a particular interest and expertise in designing and facilitating multi-party consensus-building processes, and currently chairs a Community Engagement Steering Committee at the only landfill in Victoria licensed to receive the most hazardous industrial wastes. He is a Certified Professional Facilitator with the International Association of Facilitators and a member of the International Association for Public Participation. He is excited about the opportunity to be part of such an important, large scale public participation event.

Scott Williams

Scott Williams is a carbon assurance, reporting and emissions trading scheme expert currently working in the PricewaterhouseCoopers Sustainability & Climate Change Team. Scott has 12 years experience with PwC in Sydney, London, New York and Tokyo working across a broad range of business issues. He has a wide range of facilitation and presentation experience, recently working with a wide range of businesses and community organisations to guide them in the development of their broader Corporate Responsibility programs. He has a particular interest in helping companies understand the impacts of the climate crisis and modify their behaviour accordingly. Scott holds Bachelor degrees in Commerce and Japanese and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. He is passionate about providing a future for his children's generation and is coming to WWViews to contribute to the public response at Copenhagen. When not worrying about 5 degrees of warming, Scott runs marathons...lots of marathons!