Green Steps Trainers
Jess Fritze
Jess has a Bachelor of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in socio-linguistics from Melbourne University. She worked as an outreach social worker for 3 years before commencing a Masters of Environment, focussing on environmental policy.
Jess completed Green Steps in 2005 and quit her day job to pursue her dream career trying to work in areas combining social justice and environmental issues. She currently works in the policy team at the Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS) where she works on transport, urban planning and climate change policy. Jess also works at the McCaughey Centre at Melbourne University as a research assistant in the area of climate change and social policy. Jess has worked as both a secondary and primary trainer with Green Steps in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.
Kat Lavers
Kat has embarked on a self-directed study adventure covering everything from beekeeping to bushfires. She aims to improve her usefulness as a permaculture designer by researching, practicing and sharing skills and knowledge that contribute to a safe future.
She has worked on a range of environmental behaviour change projects at Occupational Health, Safety and Environment at Monash University from 2005-2007 and was then the Green Steps Training Coordinator from 2007-2008. Kat has a BA with Honours in Geography, a certificate in Environmental Change Managment and a Permaculture Design Certificate. Since becoming a trainer for Green Steps in 2005, she has been involved with courses in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide and Cairns.
Stefan Kaufman
Stefan joined the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) of Victoria as the Social Research Officer in their Community Engagement unit in April 2007. His role is to provide advice, knowledge and skills to projects of the moment, and support an internal organisational change process aiming to improve community engagement at EPA. He is just about to submit a PhD at the Australian National Unversity (ANU) titled 'The roles of reflexivity in intentional social change for sustainability', exploring the implications for broader societal change in the experiences of people from an academic setting trying to understand and change the world around them.
During and after his undergraduate years studying Sociology and Human Ecology at ANU, Stefan worked in Green Office and Sustainable Transport roles with the ANU's multi-award winning environmental management program ('ANUgreen'). He developed educational and employment opportunities for environment students, including establishing and coordinating ANU's involvement in Green Steps from 2004-2007. Stefan has also provided environmental change management and social research services professionally and pro bono for a number of government, business and community organisations.
Stefan enjoys cooking good food nearly as much as eating it, and thinks ultimate frisbee is pretty neat. He'd like to find more time to read and to play bass in a band again.
Jen Ingram
Jen has recently completed a Bachelor of Environmental Management at Macquarie University. Her final research project examined the social implications of the inundation of Aboriginal heritage sites from sea level rise in Sydney Harbour. She is currently in her second last year of law at Macquarie, majoring in International Environmental Law.
Jen was a Stepper in 2006 and undertook her placement Ku-ring-gai Council researching legislation relevant to their new Sustainability Policy. She began as a Secondary Trainer with Green Steps in 2007.
Penny Jones
Originally from Hobart, Penny has just completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Environmental Studies, and a Diploma of Japanese at the University of Melbourne. After completing Green Steps in 2006, she trained both the Monash and the Melbourne Regions courses in 2007.
She currently works at Green Collect, an organisation which combines corporate sustainability with social outreach by providing work for people from disadvantaged backgrounds in areas such as waste audits and niche recycling. Penny also has experience working at SEMF, an environmental consulting firm in Hobart.
Along with completing Honours in Palaeo-ecology, Penny’s goals for 2008 are to learn the cello, take a permaculture course, to go salsa dancing far more often, and to lose the distinction of being the only Green Steps trainer who can’t ride a bike!
Erin Simpson
Secondary trainer Erin Simpson moved to Australia in January 2007, and attended Green Steps in April 2007. She began working with Green Steps as a trainer in Semester 1, 2008 and recently finished her Master of Corporate Environmental and Sustainability Management at Monash University. She now works as Program Coordinator of Grow Me The Money, a joint initiative between EPA Victoria and VECCI to help SMEs reduce their environmental impact.
Erin has a background in environmental policy and political science, and has attended uni on 4 continents (which makes her a bonafide geek). In recent years, Erin has worked in the environmental divisions of local and state government, sold wine and beer, and taught English in China. She’s really relieved to wrap up life as a uni student and become a contributing member of society, of which her participation in Green Steps is an integral part.
Michael Sherry
Michael Sherry completed Green Steps in Melbourne in Semester 1, 2007. A passionate proponent for renewable energy, he has worked in the wind industry and recently spoke at the 2007 Australian Wind Energy Conference, presenting his own research. Michael is currently undertaking a Masters of Engineering Science at Monash University through which he is investigating wind turbine technologies. He is currently living in Melbourne but on the odd occasion when his supervisor lets him leave the lab, he escapes to the nearest mountain for some form of outdoor activity.
Michael was fortunate enough to work as an environmental consultant on Rottnest Island in Western Australia for the Rottnest Island Authority in November 2007. During this work period he conducted various sustainability audits of operations on the island.
Taegen Edwards
Taegen has been a Green Steps trainer since 2007. She is also involved with the Climate Change and Sustainable Business project which aims to facilitate implementation of the Talloires Declaration at Monash University and push the green agenda within the Faculty of Business and Economics.
Taegen completed Green Steps in 2006 while in her final year of a double degree in Arts / Commerce at Melbourne Uni. Her placement was held at the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) looking into conservation incentive schemes offered by local government across Victoria. She also worked at the MAV in a public policy/research role and completed Honours in the Department of Management at Monash University.
Stefan Hladenki
Stefan has an honours degree in Development Studies and Political Science from theAustralian National University. He developed an interest in environmental sustainability during his honours year, an interest furthered by completing Green Steps in 2007. His placement was at the Australian National Botanic Gardens, scoping an Environmental Management System for the Gardens.
Stefan worked last year as an Environmental Officer at the Department of Parliamentary Services at Parliament House in Canberra, before making the long overdue move to Melbourne this year, undertaking a Masters of Environment at the University of Melbourne. Stefan has a strong interest in sustainable cities, in particular urban planning and public and active transport networks.
Stefan has been a secondary trainer for Green Steps since 2008.
Stefan spends a lot of spare time either on a bike or in the surf, and looks forward to exploring Melbourne and surrounds to continue these activities.
Nathanial (Nate) Matthews
Nate attended postgraduate studies at Monash University in 2007 during which time he participated in Greensteps. A native of Canada, he currently lives and works in Brisbane as the Education and Research Officer at the International WaterCentre. His duties include coordinating and teaching into the Master of Integrated Water Management at the University of Queensland, facilitating training courses in integrated water management in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific and assisting with the IWC’s research agendas.
In his free time Nate loves to travel and do anything outdoors.
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