Staff Members

Lizzie Brown - CEO

Lizzie was searching high and low for opportunities to work as an engineer on community development projects when she stumbled upon EWB – what a discovery! Linking up straight away with a couple of like minded people in Brisbane they formed the Queensland chapter.

This entangled Lizzie in the development and growth of EWB and its community and opened up an opportunity for her to take a trip to India on Oxfam’s Community Leadership Program. Wow. This experience of hearing directly from these communities convinced Lizzie that her greatest contribution lay within supporting learning and change initiatives here in Australia, both within the engineering profession and students.

Lizzie loves meeting new people and has lots of fun getting involved with local chapter events and being an amazing EWB champion. She loves riding in Gap Creek Reserve, immersing herself in a good book for days on end or walking the dog with the coolest name in town (sorry Danny!), Disco.

 

Shane Korosec - Webmaster

After completing an aerospace engineering / business administration degree at RMIT in 2000, Shane shortly after wrapped up a brief engineering career to pursue interests closer to his heart.

Subsequently he found himself involved in assisting a dedicated team in raising EWB Australia from a idea to an operating organisation. He is now our website programmer and enjoys music, travelling and expanding his awareness of the the universe around him when he's not (and also when he is) looking at a computer screen.

Kim Axworthy - South East Asia Programs Coordinator

Kim first came across EWB via the Internet in 2005. She realized that there was no chapter in Western Australia so set one up. WA quickly became one of the most successful chapters within Australia. In 2006 Kim became a member of EWB staff coordinating fundraising for the organisation. Her bright and bubbly personality was just what the doctor ordered and she quickly turned the EWB deficit into a surplus.

Kim now coordinates the south east Asia volunteer program another program which is going from strength to strength. With recent departures she is now the senior member of the working with communities team and second longest serving member of staff.

In her spare time Kim volunteers with the local WA chapter coordinating a new Indigenous program, teaches gymnastics and is a spectacularly bad vegetable gardener.

Lizzy Skinner - Indigenous Australia Program Coordinator (currently on maternity leave)

Lizzy began her career working at Melbourne Water where she developed quite a reputation for disappearing for up to months at a time. One such disappearance took her to Kooma country to assist with land management projects and in return, Lizzy was offered the unique experience and education into Indigenous culture in Australia. Lizzy was more inspired by this education than her formal engineering/science one and so she jumped off the mainstream engineering ship. Weee!

A passion for travel took her on another big adventure which included working with farmers in southern Namibia on sustainable practices. But then she was dreaming of a return home, and a desire to be back working with Indigenous Australians. This is where Lizzy’s EWB adventure began! 

Lizzy is the most passionate ambassador about everything Indigenous, she just loves it and can’t imagine ever wanting to do anything else. She still loves disappearing off on amazing outdoor expeditions mountain biking across beautiful parts of the world, cross country skiing and makes the best lemon cakes in town.

 

Ian Cunningham - South Asia Programs Coordinator

Ian worked in environmental engineering in Sydney with a stint in NZ before joining the EWB team. He got his feet wet when he landed the ultimate 18 mth placement as an EWB volunteer in Bali on the Tenganan Water Supply Project. Fully entangled in the EWB community, it was a natural step he move to Melbourne to take on the South Asia Programs Co-ordinator role at National HQ. A dream position doing something he cares deeply about - connecting people and helping others achieve their aspirations, whilst getting to travel occasionally to exotic locations overseas!

Outside of his fun working hours, Ian is always striving to live a dynamic life, he is a fan of anything and everything outdoors - particularly if it involves salt water. 

 

Nick Byrne - Knowledge Manager

Nick’s EWB journey began in Adelaide, where he was amazed by the inspiring attitudes of EWB volunteers. Nick studied civil & environmental engineering in Adelaide, before moving up to sunny Queensland for work while also completing his masters in International Development. Busy bee!

After relocating to Queensland, Nick quickly found himself making contact with the SEQ Chapter and becoming even more passionate about development. 12 months later, he has left the engineering consulting world to become the newest member of the EWB staff team and help to engineer a better world - hurray!

Nick is based in the QLD office with Jenny and is lucky enough to wake up everyday living by the beach. In his “spare” time, you can find him down the beach rowing surf boats or at the CrossFit box.

Annie Wormald - External Relations

Annie first joined the Melbourne EWB headquarters in 2009 to work within the Organisational Development team. After an extensive stint in London working in the Music Industry, she returned home to Oz to fulfil the dream and find that job that really makes a difference. Boy did she find it!

Annie is a non-gineer, and feels very lucky to have such lovely workmates. Annie works part-time with EWB team after bringing baby Ruby into the world. She loves thanking the EWB donors and supporters for their hard work and keeps them inspired with stories of all that goes on in the EWB community. Annie is keen to talk fundraising, loves gardening, travel, playing guitar and of course sunshine - its a rarity to see her without a smile!

Sunny Oliver-Bennetts - Corporate Partnerships Manager

Sunny has joined EWB in 2010 as our Corporate Partnership Manager! After completing her bachelor degree in business, she decided to dedicate her career to social business so she set to completing a PhD in corporate social responsibility and branding.

Sunny is a non-gineer and her background includes teaching (business subjects at University, surfing, snowboarding and abseiling), partnership management in the third sector, and even managed to squeeze in establishing a small not-for-profit that takes indigenous kids surfing. Wow!

You can often find Sunny out in the ocean, on the mountain, at a festival, gallivanting OS or spending time in indigenous communities. Sunny is as bright as her name suggests and is really passionate about sustainable partnerships. She is incredibly excited about being part of, and contributing to EWB as much as we are to have her on the team.

Katie Blundy - Fundraising, Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Katie is a non-gineer who has recently taken on the role of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications Coordinator – her dream job! Before finding her place with EWB, her heart for humanitarian change took her across the world which included spending 2.5 years working in community development in South Africa.

She also has a love for art and is incredibly passionate about Art in Action, an art school she co-founded in a disadvantaged community in rural South Africa. Outside of the office Katie loves to paint, travel, learn about new cultures and cook (specialising in learning new dishes from around the world).

Katie is really excited about raising funds for EWB’s incredible programs and celebrating our success stories! We are just as thrilled that she is here to share her creative flare, excellent comms skills and huge heart with our team.

 

Dan Loden - Leadership and Training Coordinator

Dan came along to his first WA Chapter meeting in 2006, not realising that he was about to become entangled for the long haul! Since then, Dan has created and coordinated the WA Chapter’s extensive education initiatives and mentored a growing group of volunteers to develop a broad range of programs and material. In 2008, Dan became the WA chapter president and promptly headed overseas to India on an EWB placement.

Dan spent several months at the Uluru Children’s Home, conducting an energy audit, making recommendations, and teaching the kids how to ride bikes. Dan then worked as a member of staff coordinating the EWB Challenge, running an Australia-wide design competition for first-year engineering students and now coordinate Leadership and Training Initiatives across the organisation, specifically the Development Education and Leadership Experiences. Dan also enjoys riding his bike and throwing dress up parties.

Dan is extremely passionate about EWB, particulary the WA Chapter or anything Western Australian!

 

Julian O'Shea - Curriculum and Research Coordinator

Julian hails from beautiful South Australia and brings experience in engineering and education. His role involves working with students and universities on international development research programs. He looks forward to seeing what great ideas they can come up with!

Before joining EWB, Julian spent twelve months travelling and volunteering in Asia, Eastern Europe and Central America. His adventures include riding the Trans-Siberian Railway across Russia, climbing volcanoes in Guatemala and swimming with sting-rays in Belize. While travelling, he made the decision to find a job that would incorporate his passions for engineering, international development and education - I think he found it!

Julian is committed to working in partnership to explore various ways in which technology can be applied to improve quality of life. Away from work, he loves travel (surprise!), reading, and searching for cool new bars and cafes. 

Kate Rogers - Finance 

Kate is our finance department. Seriously. She is our super star beancounter and loves everything about her department. Mention the words reconciling, processing, budgeting and forecasting and her eyes shine. Kate joined the EWB team after spending many years at Village Cinemas. She slipped into the Organisational Development team in late 2009 and is already mastering the maze of EWB acronyms!

Kate has 3 lovely boys; 1 big, 2 small. One of the small ones recently donated his tooth fairy money to EWB (cute!), she loves spending time down the coast with them all and is enjoying the challenges of life with a new puppy Molly – especially during a storm.

Jenny Turner - EWB Challenge Coordinator

Jenny joined the University of Queensland Chapter in 2005 whilst in her final year of chemical engineering. She continued her studies at UQ with a PhD in biological engineering and continued volunteering at the same time. During her time with the UQ chapter she volunteered in the educational program running school outreach modules and helping out with the EWB challenge.

Working with the students and partner organisations and seeing the impact that it had proved to be inspirational to her. Her love for the work led her to apply for the position of EWB Challenge Coordinator position. Jenny has enthusiastically begun her new role and is excited about the opportunity to expand the challenge into overseas universities.

Jenny enjoys the wilderness areas around Brisbane where she can often be found bushwalking and camping. She is also an enthusiastic dancer having studied the art of rock and roll and is keen to turn her hand, or foot, to the pleasures of swing.

Mark McNee - Member Engagement Coordinator

Mark's EWB journey began at the University of Queensland when he became the Vice President in 2006. Since then he has been involved with running chapters, supporting local projects and the Kooma partnership. In July 2011 he made the big move down to Melbourne where he is currently working as the Member Engagement Coordinator.

Summed up in his own words; 'EWBers never cease to amaze me. I'm SO stoked to kick into the next phase of my life with EWB!' 

Mark has worked as an engineer in design and construction. He has often been overheard saying how much he loves building stuff that has a positive impact on communities and the environment.

His personal source of renewable energy is his family and friends and he disappears to his salty playground for a surf as often as possible.

 

Alanta Colley - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Program Coordinator

Alanta was born at an early age and a bit later graduated from the University of Sydney with History Honours and a desire to see the world. She has since worked in the public health domain with the United Nations in Cambodia, and clinics in Timor Leste.

Working with the Office of Aboriginal Health in Sydney gave Alanta her first experience of the issues contributing to the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Having completed her Masters in International Public Health Alanta recently returned after two years working in village-level public health interventions in Uganda, and is very excited about joining the EWB team of passionate volunteers and professsionals. 

When not EWBing Alanta like dabbling in photography, assaulting musical instruments with gleeful incompetency, exploring and circus related things.

Office Volunteers

A big round of applause to our fantastic office volunteers. We couldn't do it without you, thank you!
 

Tracey Main Joli Price Emma Fawcett Emily Zitkevicius Hank Tao Lewis Peaty

Annabel Suffren Emily Wisniewski Erwin Renaldi Melissa Nicholson Vaishnavi

“

At EWB we talk about a spark, a mojo, that vibe that attracts and holds people to EWB. It was there at the start with the inspiration and determination to make a difference.  It created a focus and direction for meaningful engagement and tapped into an aquifer of energy and passion for sustainability and development. In a world striving for sustainability, EWB's mojo has become our source of renewable energy.

EWB is a thought leader, shaping the minds of future generations. Our membership is young, vibrant and enthusiastic. Akin to the creative supporting environments for modern start-ups, EWB is about innovative discovery, a 'development incubator' if you will, always looking for new ways to engage humanity and deliver our vision.

”

Samuel Redmond            
EWB Founding Board Member