Blanche Verlie | Chair - Subcommittees: Strategy; Fundraising, Grants & Income; Finance

Blanche is an environmental sociologist at the University of Wollongong whose work focuses on how everyday people understand, experience and respond to climate change. She is the author of Learning to Live with Climate Change: From Anxiety to Transformation and is recognised as a global leader in climate change education and emotions research. Blanche also has over a decade of experience in community climate change engagement roles. At Climate for Change, she was part of the first team of trainee facilitators in 2016, and helped develop early versions of the facilitator training and mentoring programs.

Mike McEvoy | Deputy Chair - Subcommittees: Finance; Fundraising, Grants & Income

Mike was the National Program Manager at Climate for Change 2019-2023. He was elected as a Local Councillor in 2016 and has served on the boards of several small arts companies. Currently working on the Primary Prevention Program at Our Watch, he has led the design of culture change programs in both the corporate and disability sectors, and has 15+ years experience working as an actor, theatre-maker and facilitator on community-building and creative projects. He loves to work collaboratively and harness the creativity and energy of others to make magic happen. Mike is pleased to support the next exciting C4C chapter. LinkedIn

Joanna Cary | Secretary - Subcommittees: Risk & Governance; People & Nominations

Joanna is a lawyer with 25 years experience in environmental law and policy. Currently a Principal Solicitor at the Victorian Environment Protection Authority, she has worked in a diverse range of organisations including government, leading Australian law firms, large corporates and small business. Joanna has a long history of volunteering in the not for profit sector as a legal adviser, mentor, Australian Youth Ambassador, Board member and Executive Committee member. She is a founding member and current Secretary of Lawyers for Forests Inc, an association of legal professionals advocating for the protection of native forests for over 20 years.

Zey Basarin | Treasurer - Subcommittees: Strategy; Finance; People & Nominations

Zey is a purpose-driven General Manager and team leader with over 15 years of experience in the private and not-for-profit sectors on issues spanning climate change, financial literacy, mental health, civic participation, and human rights. Zey deeply cares about community-led responses to climate change and was C4C’s first Climate Conversations National Program Manager, growing the organisation’s flagship program from pilot phase through to successful interstate expansion. Zey recently set up a registered Australian charity, The Information Rights Project, and currently works in the EdTech space supporting the achievement of SOC2 certification. Zey recently completed the AICD Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors Program.

Lisa Whiston - Subcommittees: Communications; Programs & Volunteer Support; Systems & Data

Lisa is a Bachelor of Business (Management) graduate who joined C4C as a staff member in 2019 after a year of volunteering as a Climate Conversations Facilitator. Within the Climate Conversations Program team, Lisa held several roles between 2019-2023 - most recently as the Recruitment and Training Coordinator. She has a strong passion for improving the volunteer facilitator experience and has spearheaded several iterations of the onboarding and training process, leading these communications and educational development projects. She is excited to ensure the ongoing legacy of the C4C volunteer community remains. LinkedIn

Sue Dwyer - Subcommittees: Strategy; Communications; Systems & Data

Sue is a former journalist, editor and teacher, and parent of three. Her long-term passion for the environment, climate action and social justice led to the completion of a Fellowship at the Centre for Sustainable Leadership in 2016, after which she left teaching to focus on climate and environmental issues. She has been a core volunteer with Climate for Change since 2016 and is enthusiastic about citizen democracy. Sue is mentor for the MP Engagement Group (MPEGs) program, which she created to support people to demand MPs and governments take bolder climate action. LinkedIn

Peter Cook - Subcommittees: Strategy; Programs & Volunteer Support; Risk & Governance

Peter is a clinical psychologist who worked in psychiatric services, as a senior manager and planner. He helped develop a number of community-based services and was Executive Officer to a Ministerial advisory committee. He is currently in private practice and sits on AHPRA panels. He has 10 years experience on the Victorian Psychology Registration Board (including time as President and Vice President). He has been involved in climate related activities since the 1970s and is passionate about social change and community empowerment. He coordinates C4C’s MPEG briefings and is a leader with a local ACF group and an MPEG organiser.

Oli Moraes - Subcommittees: Strategy; Fundraising, Grants & Income

Oli was an inaugural C4C volunteer, facilitator and team leader and is passionate about climate justice and transformative climate responses that empower communities. Oli has worked in a range of sectors with a focus on climate change since 2016 and now leads climate change and regenerative forestry programs at the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation. Oli has also been a co-director of Climates since 2019, a volunteer based NGO that works on building Pacific climate resilience. Oli is now excited about how C4C's Conversations program can be used to build climate resilience in diverse communities around Australia.

Jeremy Dore

Jeremy is a lawyer and rambler by training and leads Climate Friendly's legal and governance team, helping to develop projects to regenerate our land. Jeremy has tended to take the lessor road, taking side trips to work on a peace mission in Bouganville and as a land council lawyer in Alice Springs, but always returning to his passions of land and environment. Jeremy was an early volunteer at C4C, helping with admin and the books, before training as a facilitator. Jeremy stills find inspiration in the climate conversation program because it goes to the heart of the matter: it reaches new people not connected to the movement and breaks down the climate silence around us.

Board Observer | Clara Kiefel Johnson - Subcommittees: Finance; Communications

Clara is a strategic marketing and communications leader, with experience working for not-for-profits and purpose-led organisations. Clara is passionate about sustainability, social and climate justice, and does pro-bono work for not-for-profit organisations within these areas. Clara brings a global perspective, having worked in Lisbon and Seattle. She sits on COBA’s Emerging Leaders Committee and is Chair of Run for Climate, an employee resource group dedicated to raising awareness of and funds for climate action through running. Clara believes great teams result from sharing a clear purpose, embracing diversity and valuing individual strengths.

Board Observer | Maresa Seabrook 

Dr Maresa Seabrook (PhD, MBS, MSc, CPHR, Chartered MCIPD) has been a Victorian State Councillor in the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) since 2021, the AHRI Certification Council since 2023, and a board member for VicWISE from 2022 to 2023. In her current role as Head of People – Workforce Strategy at RMIT Maresa demonstrates her passion and commitment to People Management through leadership development programs, workforce planning strategies, wellbeing and engagement initiatives, HR metrics reporting for leaders all whilst applying both a domestic and international lens to current human resources topics and trends. In her spare time Maresa loves to travel and spend time with her family.