Summary
GRI Stakeholder Council Oceania (Vice Chair) GRI Focal Point Australia (Chair) Environment Institute of Australia and New Zeenaland (EIANZ) Association for Sustainability in Business (ASB) International Association for Public Participation (IAP2 The Total Environment Centre – Board member The Climate Institute – Climate Partner Green Cross Australia – Business Adaptation Network Infrastructure Sustainability Council Australia – Founding member Asian Pacific Network for Climate Adaptation
Director - Environment Policy of Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) Sydney, Australia; key negotiator to provide policy advice to the Minister of Climate
Executive Director - Environment at Hornsby Shire Council, Hornsby Australia
Senior Researcher, Sustainability at Institute for Sustainable Futures, ISF, Sydney Australia
Legal Specialist (Climate Change/Environmental Law/MEAs)
Community Development Specialist
Proposal Writing
Community Trainer Specialist
Capacity building specialist
Environmental and social safeguards specialists
Countries of Work Experience: Australia, New Zealand USA Canada England Europe Union countries Japan South East Asia Pacific India Africa Brazil
Senior Executive -Sustainability and Climate Change at RPS Group. Worked with leading international and Australian organisations on a host of climate risk strategies. Role was to help clients understand the exposure, adaptive capacity and sensitivity of assets, operations, services, suppliers and communities to climate risks and to assist them in proactively improving their planning and preparedness. Role included providing training and mentoring in climate and sustainability across the private and public sector. Board member and Vice Chair of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Stakeholder Council for over six years representing Oceania – collaborating on corporate social responsibility (CSR) with governments, international agencies and leading companies across the globe. Chair of GRI Focal Point Australia over that same period. Member of the Asia Pacific Network for climate adaptation.
Responsible for managing a service line of 50 plus professional staff globally who provide sustainability services. Stella provided services to many of Australia’s top 100 companies on their sustainability performance and services; this work has included corporate social responsibility work. Stella lead consultancy advice to major public and private sector clients internationally on urban planning, green building, environment, CSR, Sustainability Strategy and GRI reporting. She led the development of tools, methodologies and protocols, and was also responsible for the oversight of GHD’s 2009 CSR Reporting framework, including an advisory role to GHD Board. While at GHD Stella was responsible for many of the firm’s strategic partnerships, including the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) – both the global network and the GRI Focal Point Australia based at the Saint James Ethics Centre.
Key Government’s negotiator with major local government, corporate, industry and other stakeholders on complex environment, planning and sustainability reforms. Provided policy advice to the Minister of Climate
Change, Water and the Environment, as well as the Premier, Planning, Local Government, Health and Transport Ministers. This advice spanned a large variety of policies, strategies or legislative changes. Pioneered climate change adaptation plans (COAG National Climate Change Adaptation Framework) and led the publication of NSW State of the Environment Report as well as running water and air community education campaigns (Water for Life, greenhouse and Clear the Air Campaigns. Responsible for the delivery of major multi-million dollar environmental and sustainability programs including the Sustainability Advantage, Clean Air Fund, the Stormwater Trust and more recently work on the Urban Sustainability Program and Clean Air Healthy Communities Fund
While working at Hornsby Shire Council, was responsible for a April 2009 Australia Director -Environment department of 140 staff and managing a budget of AUD 23 million. Within this position was responsible for the planning and delivery of Council’s environment services, strategy and policy development. Role also included the delivery of award-winning sustainability initiatives and projects.
Established the ISF Local Government Unit from scratch -a small scientist and professional team.
In the first year of operation of the Unit generated > $400k consultancy income. The Unit undertook research and consultancy for broad range of clients on sustainable development, community development community, water, transport, waste, energy and environmental policy. Project included environmental management reviews and sustainability reporting for wide range of business, government and local council clients. Responsibilities included leading a pioneering action research project on local sustainability involving a large number of key councils in NSW and was author of the Commonwealth Local Agenda 21 Manual (1999).