Alumni Profiles

Lotte Hoekstra-Fokkink

Green Steps for Professionals Graduate, Melbourne 2008

Lotte Hoekstra-Fokkink

After successfully completing her BSc in Geography at Nottingham University in the UK Lotte went on to do her Honours research in Honduras studying the health status of coral reefs. Following this Lotte undertook a work placement at CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research and in August 2007  joined Maunsell Australia as a Graduate Climate Change Consultant. At Maunsell, Lotte works on projects advising both government and business on climate change impacts and opportunities, risks, policy and strategy. She is also currently completing a Master of the Environment at Melbourne University.

“I really enjoyed the Green Steps for Professionals course and thought the material taught was very useful and beneficial for professionals working in the environment field. The subjects that focused on Behaviour Change were the most relevant for me and I have been able to put this theory into practice in my workplace. The facilitators were extremely effective and I met some fantastic likeminded people through the course.”

Dan Adams

Green Steps Graduate, Melbourne Region, Semester 2 2007

Dan Adams

Dan was 18 when a confronting experience in a Samoan hospital inspired him to organise the Make Poverty History Concert. On the 17 November 2006, this concert inspired 50,000 Australians to sign up to the campaign to end extreme poverty. Following the concert Dan travelled to South Africa to set up a project with the Oaktree Foundation linking schools in Australia with schools in the developing world. While in South Africa, Dan coordinated an MTV documentary exploring the key issues facing young people in South Africa.

Dan is passionate about communicating the threat that climate change presents to both developed and developing regions of the world. He found Green Steps to be “a unique opportunity to meet other young people with a similar passion for change". Since Green Steps, Dan has completed an internship with the Garnaut Climate Change Review. He is currently studying a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering and Commerce at Monash University and in recognition of his outstanding achievements, he was named Victorian Young Australian of the Year for 2008.

Mercedes Ramirez

Green Steps for Professionals Graduate, Melbourne 2008

Mercedes Ramirez

Mercedes Ramirez has long been passionate about the environment. Originally working as IT Procurement Coordinator for TXU, Mercedes founded a green office team back in 2002 and has not looked back since. She is now the coordinator of the Sustainability department at her company, which has since become SP Ausnet. Mercedes and  her team have pushed for increased environmental awareness within the company, which employs over 1000 people across Victoria, running workshops and competitions to identify new sustainability initiatives and get other staff on board.

Mercedes’ work-based project involved a very successful campaign to promote Earth Hour and push her company, SP Ausnet, to take the concept as far as they could, including unplugging all non-essential equipment across sites and buildings state-wide. The project required careful planning including brainstorming ways to get the message out, arranging all of the logistics, and assessing the risks to the company.

“Green Steps has taught me to start from the beginning and do things in a strategic way – not just coming from my heart. Previously I would try to finish a project before I even got to Step One. Green Steps for Professionals also showed me that what I had been doing all this time – in encouraging environmental improvements – was good, and that many others shared my views. It gave me confidence and a lot of great contacts – all these young people with so many fresh ideas”.

David Robertson

Green Steps Graduate, Griffith University, Semester 2 2007

David Robertson

David has always had a fascination with science, nature and the environment. Throughout his degree in environmental science he became more interested in the role of science in society, especially with regards to public perception, communication and policy making. "While some of these issues were touched upon in my studies, it was the Green Steps program that effectively opened my eyes to the nature and complexity of these relationships".

David's work placement at Photon VFX at Warner Roadshow Studios placed him in a business setting that had minimal ties to the fields he was familiar with and provided him with a valuable insight into the way individuals and businesses perceive and respond to environmental issues. Since completing Green Steps in 2007, David has graduated with first class Honours and a university medal. He has continued with research and teaching at Griffith University and intends to travel widely in 2009 prior to pursuing a PhD.

Ashleigh Mayo

Green Steps Graduate, Total Environment Centre (Sydney), Semester 2 2007

Ashleigh Mayo

Ashleigh completed a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts at the University of Sydney in 2007. Near the end of her degree she became convinced of the urgency of the environmental problems facing us all and felt obligated to help contribute to finding solutions. While her scientific background gave her a good understanding of how to model and explain phenomena like climate change, it did not give her the skills to contribute in an active way to achieving change.

"Green Steps filled the gaps for me and gave me a solid foundation in environmental issues and ways to affect change. Participating in Green Steps has been immensely valuable, providing me with skills and knowledge, while having fun and meeting like-minded people."

Ashleigh completed her work placement with the head offices of the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney where she conducted audits and presented results to the board, kick-starting their environmental program. She is now completing a Master of Environmental Management at UNSW and looking forward to helping train new Green Steppers in Sydney this year.

Emily Ballantyne-Brodie & Emma Anglesey

Green Steps Graduates, Monash University (Melbourne) Semester 1, 2004 & Semester 2, 2005

These two talented and tireless former Steppers are the directors of EM2 Pty Ltd, a unique business that offers consultancy services on a range of sustainability issues. They assist organisations that want to achieve sustainability at best practice, making recommendations on culture, behaviour, technology, infrastructure, systems and products and providing advice, tools and strategies for sustainable practices. Emily is also the founder of Future Canvas www.futurecanvas.org,  an independent, not-for-profit organisation which promotes environmental sustainability and social connectedness through supporting, developing, and implementing a diverse range of creative projects. Emma, a gifted musician, is currently organising the Future Canvas Festival incorporating her passion and talents for music together with sustainability. 

Emily and Emma completed Green Steps in 2003 and 2004 respectively and gained a lot from the course. They learnt practical skills which gave them the capacity to make change in organisations they went to work for in their Green Steps placements. The Green Steps Program also gave them an opportunity to become a part of an amazing network of people in the sustainability field in Australia and internationally. 

Emily did a placement with BP and Alinta. She went on to work for Alinta (Australia's largest energy distribution company) where she developed an all-round business sustainability program called Alintavation. She is currently completing a Masters of Environment and Sustainability at Monash University. Emma worked with the City of Monash and gained experience with environmental change management leading to freelance consulting and then the establishment of EM2 International. Emma has worked for Green Steps as a trainer and as the Program Development Coordinator helping to develop and establish the Professionals and WA programs.