Our People
QCC is powered by people. Our supporters and member groups are at the heart of all our work. The staff and executive team are proud to work on their behalf to achieve our vision.
QCC is powered by people. Our supporters and member groups are at the heart of all our work. The staff and executive team are proud to work on their behalf to achieve our vision.
QCC has a small team of dedicated staff who lead campaigns, engage with the community, liaise with governments and support our member groups.
Dave is an experienced campaigner and community organiser who has spent 20+ years organising for social change in Queensland. He has been the Director of Queensland Conservation Council since 2021, and loves to push Queensland to be a climate and biodiversity leader, not a laggard. He was the founding lead organiser of the Queensland Community Alliance, and before that has worked as a union, human rights and pro-democracy campaigner and a political advisor. Dave's family have worked for generations to protect Queensland's natural wonders as environmental activists. He is committed to building people power to change Queensland and lives in Brisbane with his partner and two kids.
Email: [email protected]
As Deputy Director at Queensland Conservation Council, Anthony has responsibility for the organisation's climate and nature campaigns, as well as its work in fundraising and communications.A strategic leader with extensive experience in environmental campaigning and communications, Anthony has more than eight years of experience in leadership roles across the movement. Anthony has worked closely with conservation groups, First Nations communities, and values-aligned businesses across the country on campaigns around environmental law reform & litigation, nature conservation, and ethical divestment. Prior to joining the environment sector, Anthony was a journalist at Queensland’s Courier-Mail covering finance and business.
Jen’s new role as Organising Coordinator is focused on bringing an organising approach to how we work together across QCC’s member groups. She has over 20 years’ experience in the union movement and in community organising. Jen has worked with a broad range of community organisations, faith organisations and unions to help identify and nurture leadership potential and build collaborative power to run campaigns for long lasting change. She co-founded the Sydney Alliance which is a broad-based coalition of civil sector organisations building relationships across diversity to act together for the common good. Jen is passionate about building power for justice, nature and our climate.
Email: [email protected]
Amy’s role as Organising Lead is to build people power to win our campaigns and protect the environment.
Amy has over 20 years experience in the social change movement including 15 years in leadership roles in campaigning, community organising, fundraising and data. Prior to that Amy worked as a journalist and in the ethical investment industry.
She is passionate about building people’s capacity to engage in decision making processes and make change in their communities.
Jen’s role with the Queensland Conservation Council is Climate Organiser. She has had diverse experiences over her career, including in law, the public service, community and project development, policy and advocacy. She has worked with Government, Indigenous led organisations, community NGOs and faith-based organisations, in Victoria, the ACT, NT and across Queensland.
She now lives on Turrbal and Yuggera country in Brisbane. She loves being out amongst nature and is passionate about the health and flourishing of both human and non-human life.
Email: [email protected]
Cass is QCC’s all-rounder who comes with years of experience in administration and has wide-ranging skills in all things organisational. Her role includes office management, supporting event logistics, communications, supporting HR processes and more. Cass has recently been working her way through a Health Science Degree at The University of Queensland and is passionate about the health of people, the planet, and all the creatures we share it with.
Jenny is QCC’s Climate Lead. She has expertise in climate and environmental policy along with a passion for building diverse coalitions. Jenny experience working for government, environmental NGOs, and most recently for the World Bank where she developed targeted interventions and national GHG transition plans to enhance climate ambition across the transport sector.
Email: [email protected]
As Philanthropy Manager at Queensland Conservation Council, Nina is responsible for growing our network of supporters from Nature Guardians to Philanthropists, Trusts and Foundations. She joins us from the Karrkad Kanjdji Trust (an Indigenous-led conservation organisation) where she spent five years developing her fundraising expertise and helping grow the organisation alongside her team.
Prior to working in conservation, Nina was a primary teacher, who worked in Naarm, Berlin and Kabulwarnamyo in West Arnhem Land. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Aboriginal Studies and is focussed on decolonising practices.
Natalie joins QCC as the Nature Campaigner, leading the land clearing campaign and the Queensland Forests Alliance. Natalie is an ecologist with over 10 years experience in ecological assessments and monitoring, project management, community engagement, campaigning, advocacy and events. Natalie has previously worked for multi-national consulting companies, environmental charities and recently the Sunshine Coast Environment Council.
Steph has been campaigning to accelerate Queensland's uptake of clean and affordable renewable energy since 2019. Before joining QCC, she worked to change hearts and minds in regional Queensland by campaigning to turn Townsville into a clean manufacturing hub - unlocking good future proof jobs in new renewable-powered industries.
She has a background in science and communication, and previous experience as a digital campaigner.
Ellie is the Media Manager at the Queensland Conservation Council, leading the organisation's media and external communications strategy to help advance the protection of Queensland's natural environment and climate. A strong storytelling and communication expert, Ellie has 13 years experience in journalism and content across digital, broadcast and print, including media spokesperson experience for a national publication. This is Ellie's first official role in the environment sector after years volunteering in the conservation space in Queensland, where she found a particular passion for helping community groups gain media traction in the lead up to elections. Prior to joining the environment movement, Ellie was a journalist and editor covering finance at organisations including Canstar and News.com.au.
Email: [email protected]
Campaigning to at least double Queensland’s protected area system by 2030, Nicky works with Queenslanders from all walks of life to achieve this. Passion to ensure we as a community leave a positive legacy for future generations underpins her approach.
A former journalist on the Sunshine Coast, Nicky also brings experience from private forestry and agroforestry, tertiary teaching in sustainability and natural resource management, and forest conservation campaigning.
Nigel Parratt, is QCC's Water Officer. Nigel was the QCC Rivers Project Officer from 2005 until 2013 and has worked for WWF-Australia for the last 7 years has recently returned to QCC as the new Water Policy Officer, which is funded by the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water for the next 3 years.
Kanchana lives and works in unceded Jagera and Turrbal country in Meanjin. She has a background in psychology with a diverse career focused on equity and working with and empowering disadvantaged communities. She has worked with indigenous organisations, academic institutes, international aid organisations, Government, community NFPs, and multi cultural and multi faith community organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Australia and Queensland.
She loves being in nature and dancing. She is determined to help build diverse, inclusive and well resourced communities advocating to protect nature, and a fair and sustainable future for all.
Yaamagara, nginda ngay gayrr Winanga-li Gii Burruguu creation.
Ngaragay ngaya yana-y dhi-bidi Cawubuwan Gunigal Bumaay ngaragay Ngarabal gumbu.
Hello, my name is Winanga-li Gii, which means to listen and teach from the heart.
I come from the big light Burruguu of Bumaay Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay nation of Northern NSW and Southern QLD, and also from the Ngarabal Nation of South Eastern QLD.
For over the past 45 years, I have been continuing the age-old practices of teaching the cultural knowledge and customs of the Gamilaraay and Ngarabal Nations, from preschool, primary, secondary and through to universities. More importantly within my Gamilaraay and Ngarabal Nations, we have been using the strict but highly unique educational tools that my parents and their parents and so on have passed down to me and have continued within our nations since Burruguu.
Hayley's role within the Queensland Conservation Council is Volunteer Coordinator and Nature Organiser, responsible for engaging and organising volunteers to increase capacity across QCC as well as organiser volunteers and supporters around our national parks for life campaign. Hayley has been working and volunteering in community organising roles within climate and environment campaigns for the last 9 years as well as having a background in ecology and Landcare. Previously she worked with Lock the Gate as a Brisbane Community Organiser and 350.org as QLD university divestment coordinator.
Email: [email protected]
Tim has worked for over fifteen years in a wide variety of digital roles including website content, digital marketing, communications, and social media. This is Tim's first role in the Environment sector after working in higher and further education.
As the Digital Communications Specialist for QCC, Tim will help to engage our existing audiences and find ways to reach new ones through email, websites, and social media.
After spending the last ten years working in the UK, he has moved back to Brisbane with his wife and 4 young children, swapping beanies and scarves for sunscreen and thongs.
Having worked in the environmental field for several years now, Ines brings a wealth of knowledge in Community Engagement and Digital Communications surrounding international and national issues surrounding climate justice.
Ines has lived in regional Queensland for several years now, which has deepened her passion for the state’s environmental conservation. Her experience in community engagement, digital content production, coupled with her commitment to sustainability, positions her well to lead the delivery of supporter engagement plans and community outreach initiatives for the Protect Beautiful Queensland campaign.
QCC’s Executive Committee (often called a “board”) is responsible for overseeing the strategic and financial direction of the organisation. The QCC Executive is made up of volunteers who are elected annually by our member groups.
You can read more about the function and structure of The Executive under How We Work.
Stephanie, a local government manager with over 14 years of experience, holds a Bachelor of Business (Marketing and Public Relations) from Queensland University of Technology, complemented by certification in change management. Her diverse career includes roles in consulting, education, and local government, where she excels in community engagement, corporate communication, governance, business improvement, and operations. An environmental enthusiast, Stephanie enjoys hiking, camping, and growing fruits and vegetables at her Brisbane home.
Lucy, Director of Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) and longtime resident of Far North Queensland, is deeply interested in regional Queensland and the important role that regional bodies play in helping protect our environment. Lucy excels in community organising and campaigning, aligning her expertise with a fervent commitment to combating climate change in regional communities through QCC and CAFNEC.
Peter has been a dedicated environmental advocate for two decades and has played a crucial role in numerous campaigns across the state such as land clearing campaigns, and contributed to various climate groups, including Stop Adani Brisbane. Peter was appointed Director of the Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace in 2022 and has a heartfelt commitment to listening to Indigenous Catholic leaders and Torres Strait Islander and Pacifica community groups to understand their main priorities and concerns and amplifying their voices within the movement.
Crystal has been engaged with the North Queensland Conservation Council (NQCC) since 2017 and became their Coordinator in 2021. Dedicated to strengthening ties between the statewide environmental movement and regional Queenslanders, Crystal prioritises governance, organisational culture, community bonds, and emerging leadership. With insights gained from community organising training via the Queensland Community Alliance, Crystal brings a unique understanding of regional issues, fostering collaboration with North Queensland environmental groups for a more impactful environmental movement.
Trevor is a Lama Lama and Kuuku Yalangi man who holds deep familial ties to Princess Charlotte Bay and Palmer River country in the Cape York Peninsula. With over three decades of experience in environmental and natural resource management, Trevor holds qualifications in International Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Conservation and Land Management, and Training and Assessment. His extensive training, including Environmental Project Management and Scientific Surveys, reinforces his dedication to environmental stewardship.
Diana is a Kunggandji, Kaanju and Kulkalgau woman from North Queensland. She is passionately focused on advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s rights to self-determination and promoting community engagement. Diana recognises the profound challenges that climate change has on Indigenous health, and she aims to amplify their voices to help safeguard Queensland's climate and environment, making a meaningful impact across communities and beyond.
Andrea's upbringing instilled a deep commitment to conservation values, which she carries forward today. As a lawyer experienced in litigation, corporate, and industrial law, she brings a passionate focus on environmental issues. Andrea's expertise in legal matters empowers QCC to pursue justice, offering invaluable support in interpreting legal advice, risk assessment, and board-approved recommendations.
Bronwyn is an international aid and development specialist working in water and climate resilience sectors across Asia and the Pacific. Her educational background is in ecological science, political science with a Masters in environmental science. She is currently work at International WaterCentre in Griffith University on interdisciplinary research and capacity building projects, and as a water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) consultant advisor managing a regional team.
Bronwyn is passionate about net zero, protecting biodiversity and global climate justice, and wants to see Queensland be a better custodian of our unique ecosystems.
Matthew is passionate about conserving both biodiversity as well as our connection with nature. He holds a PhD in quantitative ecology, with expertise in threatened and invasive species management, as well environmental decision-making. Matthew often works closely with government, industry, NGO’s, Indigenous communities, and private landholders to promote effective and evidence-based management of natural and agricultural systems.
For two decades Simone has worked at the nexus of environment, human well-being, economics, planning and governance in Queensland, Australia and in nearly 50 countries, at the request of local communities, Indigenous people, national governments, and lNGOs.
Simone has extensive experience in bottom-up and top-down conservation decision making, geographically (i.e. Iocal to global, vice versa) and jurisdictionally (i.e. local communities to government, vice versa). Simone also has previous Executive Committee experience (e.9. the Ecosystem Services Partnership) and holds a leadership role with IUCN. Her passion is community natural resource management, and for a decade she has worked with the regional body in SEQ.