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 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: director@qldconservation.org.au
Larissa is an environment and science communication specialist with extensive experience in the implementation of communication strategies both with Qld state ENGO's and Australia's National Science agency, the CSIRO. As a Bachelor of Science graduate, Larissa was positioned in Vancouver at the David Susuki Foundation, and upon return to Australia led the Queensland Wild Rivers campaign for The Wilderness Society. The campaign focused on the protection of high conservation value rivers of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York and the Western River catchments. The last ten years have seen Larissa manage communication strategy in the biodiversity science portfolio of CSIRO, and most recently communication manager at The Atlas of Living Australia. Larissa lives in Brisbane with her husband and two kids.
Email: larissa.cordner@qldconservation.org.au
Claire’s role at the Queensland Conservation Council is Climate and Energy Campaigner. She has a long history working both front-line, and strategically in NGOs in Australia and internationally. Claire specialises in campaigns and communication, and her varied experience has allowed her to develop a unique set of skills to bring to this role. She believes each individual has an essential role to play in protecting our environment and is excited to be part of this important campaign.
Email: renewables@qldconservation.org.au
Liz's role at Queensland Conservation Council is QCC Manager. Liz has been with QCC since 2016. She has a background in administration, peace and conflict resolution, emergency services, event management, community organising and campaigns. She has worked on administrative audits, governance projects, organisational systems development, change management, capacity development and the implementation of organisational systems, strategic planning and organisational change. She was involved in anti-nuclear and peace campaigns in South Australia. In Tasmania she worked in the area of sustainable building and the development of local produce markets. Liz has a Masters in International Studies (Peace and Conflict Resolution) and a Bachelor of Arts - majoring in International Relations + Law. Liz is particularly interested in social change through participatory processes. She believes in the strength of diversity and working together to achieve strong, positive and effective outcomes.
Email: admin@qldconservation.org.au
Andrew is Queensland Conservation Council's National Parks Program Manager. Andrew has been active in conservation and land management for over twenty years where he has been involved in advocacy, bushland restoration, research, consulting and policy development. He also has a degree in social science and in 2016 Andrew completed a research Masters in applied science studying the ecology of the Bunya Pine. Most recently, Andrew has worked for the Australian Conservation Foundation as their Cape York and Northern Australia campaigner.
Email: andrew.picone@qldconservation.org.au
Elise’s role at Queensland Conservation Council is the Finance Officer. Elise has completed a Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting and a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney with a major in Accounting. She has over 10 years experience working in various roles within the accounting sector, including corporate financial accounting, small business advisory and tax compliance. Elise made the move to the not-for-profit sector in 2018 when she took on the role of Finance Officer for GetUp. Elise has a passion for animals and loves the opportunity to use her skills and experience to help an organisation fighting for issues that she cares about.
Email: finance@qldconservation.org.au
Hayley's role within the Queensland Conservation Council is Supporter Engagement Officer, responsible for engaging and organising volunteers to increase capacity for our campaigns. Hayley has been working and volunteering in community organising roles within climate and environment campaigns for the last 7 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: organiser@qldconservation.org.au
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.
Since 1985, Kevin has worked with or for environment and Indigenous organisations on a range of issues including energy, land clearing, protected area management and native title negotiations. Kevin lives in West End and works full-time as a bookseller being the co-owner of Avid Reader Bookshop and Where the Wild Things Are Bookshop.
Kevin has had a long-term commitment to environmental issues, having helped establish the Newcastle Branch of the Wilderness Society in 1987, worked as the Editor of Wilderness News (1988-89) and been TWS’s Cape York Peninsula Campaign Coordinator from 1990-91. He previously worked for the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre on the successful Tully-Millstream campaign. He has also served as an Australian Conservation Foundation Councillor (Queensland) and as an Executive Member.
He has experience and interest in policy development and community capacity building for non-government organisations.
Email: chair@qldconservation.org.au
Environmental Science is a passion Sherie has been pursuing for over 10 years. As a First Nations Arrente/Yolgnu woman with experience in the Mining Industry and State Government, she has a unique perspective on the environment in Queensland. As Coordinator of Capricorn Conservation Council, she has focussed on pursuing environmental advocacy, justice, and protection through evidence-based science and collaborative partnerships.
Lucy is passionate about the role that Queensland Conservation Council plays in our movement and is committed to continuing to help us succeed. She has been involved with the Cairns and Far North Environment for a number of years, and is currently working as Director. She is deeply interested in regional Queensland and the important role that regional bodies play in helping protect our environment. Having lived in Far North Queensland for the majority of her life, she brings an important perspective to our organisation. She deeply understand the community, the challenges that Far North Queensland faces as well as the history of Cairns And Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) and its role there. Lucy brings community organising and campaigning skills, and is particularly interested in the role that QCC and CAFNEC have to play in combating and adapting to climate change in regional communities.
Email: secretary@qldconservation.org.au
Terry has been a financial planner since 1989 and is the director of Ethical Investment Advisers, a company specialising in ethical investment. He is Chair of the Ethical Advisers Co-op which is the peak body for ethical advisers around Australia. Terry has previously been facilitator and chair of Alternative To Violence Project (Qld), a group dedicated to conflict resolution, and has also previously been Chair of Jacaranda House, a social housing company. He is involved, through personal investment or for clients, in 6 Body Corp committees in which he is the secretary or chair.
Email: treasurer@qldconservation.org.au
Emily is a community organiser with over 5 years experience and training building the climate, nature and environment movements. She has good relationships with activists across South East Queensland and New South Wales, and an appreciation of working with regional Queenslanders in our movement. Emily believes it is of fundamental importance that there be tight coordination and strategic direction of the environment movement in Queensland, as we are currently losing increasing amounts of natural habitats and climate impacts start to worsen across our state.
Peter has been involved with Mackay Conservation Group (MCG) since he moved to Mackay in 1993. Prior to that he was a volunteer with various environmental campaigns in Brisbane and a volunteer with QCC. In 1988 he re-established Bicycle Queensland after it had become defunct and left BQ in 1993 with a strong membership base and financial security. As a QCC Executive member he will bring organisational experience.
Peter appreciate the support that QCC has given to MCG and other member groups in the past and believe QCC should continue to play a key role in formulating environmental policy.
Narelle undertakes the liaison and advocacy roles with the Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC), the peak environmental advocacy group for the Sunshine Coast region since 1980. SCEC currently represents and engages with its 64 community groups working on environmental protection, conservation, natural resource management, resident interest, and sustainability. This membership collectively represents over 15,000 people across the Sunshine Coast and Hinterland with a further 4,000 people as SCEC supporters. With experience in the spheres of Federal government and not-for-profit organisations, Narelle has been actively studying and working across the environment and conservation sectors for 15 years. This experiences encompasses a range of areas including advocacy, strategic policy and planning, community and stakeholder engagement.
Sarah has been active in the movement in Qld since about 1994 - started with rivers & water (a self-confessed Murray Darling Basin (MDB) tragic). Sarah was Co-ordinator at Toowoomba & Region Environment Council 1995-2002. TREC no longer exists, it was replaced by Darling Downs Environment Council. She has had 3 stints with WWF, all wetland conservation related. One project in Queensland's Warrego - Paroo - Bulloo - Nebine catchment and a longer one preparing management plans for the Ramsar listed wetlands in the Gwydir catchment downstream from Moree. She has sat on the Gwydir env flows committee for well over a decade now.
Sarah was one of 3 conservation representatives on the Qld Great Artesian Basin Advisory Council and has been the national environment sector representative on the Great Artesian Basin Coordinating Committee since 2007. She has done policy work for Invasive Species Council and produced water and wetlands educational materials for Inland Rivers Network. Sarah is a founder of Lock the Gate and currently sits on the Board. She has long term involvement with Qld NRM Boards in the MDB Advisory committees include the MDB Commission's Community Advisory Committee and MDB Authority's Northern Basin Advisory Council. She is currently chair of QCC member group Western Downs Alliance which provides support to landholders in the Surat Basin living with Coal Seam Gas projects.
Gemma Plesman is the Queensland Campaign Manager with The Wilderness Society (currently on maternity leave). For the last three years she has worked on a campaign to end deforestation in Queensland and Australia.
She has a Bachelor of Education with Honours in Education for Sustainability and is a graduate of the Change Agency’s Community Organising Fellowship. Gemma co-founded the ‘Girls against Gas’ to oppose Coal Seam Gas mining in Northern NSW before relocating to work as QLD State Coordinator for the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. She moved to Mackay in 2013 to work for the Mackay Conservation Group, building community opposition to the expansion of coal export ports along the Great Barrier Reef. Before TWS, Gemma worked for Australian Marine Conservation Society as Great Barrier Reef Campaigner on the Fight for the Reef campaign.
Throughout our history volunteers have played a critical role in the work we do. Creating the change that we need depends on people getting active and being strong voices for nature, we need volunteers and active communities to run successful campaigns.
Our dedicated volunteers and interns currently help out with a broad variety of tasks and projects, helping and leading on online and face-to-face outreach, organising events, digital campaigning, research, admin tasks and member support. We have three volunteer working groups who work around our main campaigns and projects including our National Parks For Life campaign, Power Up Queensland campaign and the Greater Brisbane Environmental Advocacy Network.
Interested in getting involved? Sign up today!
Volunteers at a QCC welcome event, January 2020