Management Committee
Learn more about how you can connect with or join our leadership team
About Us
EENSW is a registered not-for-profit association in NSW, and a registered charity with the ACNC. We are a state chapter of the Australian Association for Environmental Education with whom we share membership, conferences and communications partnerships.
We have a lively volunteer Executive Committee from various interest areas who meet bi-monthly, and we have project staff who deliver our vision. We openly welcome new members to our committee, and we hold our AGM in November each year.
Please get in touch if you are interested in joining us, your passion and ideas for furthering environmental education and supporting educators in NSW are always welcome.
AMBASSADOR
Costa Georgiadis
Costa has been a long-standing supporter of AAEE and an ambassador for EENSW since 2013, when he answered the call from Sue Martin to represent us. He brings unrivalled energy, enthusiasm and insight to our annual events. We can’t thank him enough for being there for us, despite his enormous and ever-growing schedule of engagements.
Costa is both a mentor and inspiration to our community, with his broad-ranging experiences in communicating about the environment, and energizing others to discover this love. We encourage everyone to engage with his work, notably his recent ‘Costa’s World’ book and online resources. His website holds a treasure trove of inspiration for caring for country and engaging with community.
Thank you for everything, Costa!
EXECUTIVE
President – Sue Burton
Vice President – Sue Martin
Sue was the Treasurer of EE NSW from 2004 to 2018 and has stepped into both Vice President and then President roles in 2019. She enjoys working closely with the EE NSW team to deliver goals and advocate for greater take-up of environmental education across sectors. Currently working as the Sustainability Officer at St Ignatius College Riverview (part-time), she is actively involved in Cattai Landcare and the Environment Centre at THSC, and describes herself as a ‘community person’, who strives to have a hands-on approach and to “walk the talk”. Sue is dedicated to celebrating our successes as environmental educators and hopes every opportunity will foster the health of our profession.
Vice President – Fran Hughes
Fran has been in the early childhood sector all her working life. She is now working as a casual academic at the University of New England having retired from full time work. Her professional interests include nature play and education for sustainability in the early years. Fran holds qualifications in Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood, Graduate Certificate in Sustainability and has recently submitted a PhD on nature pedagogy and sustainability. She also has qualifications in nature pedagogy; forest school practitioner level 2.
Fran brings a passion for sustainability through her work in connecting young children, early childhood practitioners and environmental educators with nature. Fran has presented at international and national conferences on sustainability and nature play in recent years. She has co-written and delivers the TAFE NSW Early Years Bush Connections course which won an Australasian Green Gown Award in 2013 and convenes the NSW Early Years Nature Connections group. In 2012 Fran was the recipient of the NSW Ministers Quality Teaching Award for TAFE NSW Sydney Institute for work in sustainability. Fran joined NSW Early Childhood Environmental Education Network as a committee member in 2012 and is looking forward to sharing knowledge and collaborating with all networks for sustainability through EE NSW.
Treasurer – Matt Kenyon
Sue was the Treasurer of EE NSW from 2004 to 2018 and has stepped into both Vice President and then President roles in 2019. She enjoys working closely with the EE NSW team to deliver goals and advocate for greater take-up of environmental education across sectors. Currently working as the Sustainability Officer at St Ignatius College Riverview (part-time), she is actively involved in Cattai Landcare and the Environment Centre at THSC, and describes herself as a ‘community person’, who strives to have a hands-on approach and to “walk the talk”. Sue is dedicated to celebrating our successes as environmental educators and hopes every opportunity will foster the health of our profession.
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Jules Laurent
Jules has been involved with adult education since graduating, in various sectors, ranging from academia to organisational change, communications and leadership training. He holds degrees in Law and the History and Philosophy of Science from UNSW and a Masters of Environment, focused community resilience to climate change adaptation, from the ANU and is currently completing in a Doctorate of Education at Meridian University.
Passionate about the role of education in bringing awareness and action towards a paradigm focused on regenerative, sustainable and holistic living, he was a board member for the Australian Earth Law’s Alliance for four years and also Thought Leadership director for the Change Management Institute in 2018.
He runs a consultancy focused on environmental education and the mindset for change and is currently the Education Officer for Coffs Coast Waste Services.
Committee – Erika Van Schellebeck
Erika Van Schellebeck is a Sustainability Education Consultant with 20 years experience delivering environmental education in Sydney and regional NSW. Erika has worked for Local and State Government, Catchment Management Committees, Landcare groups, Environmental Alliances and the Australian Association for Environmental Education. She has engaged with a diverse range of stakeholders including residents, landholders, farmers, community groups, Aboriginal Land Councils, schools, higher education and businesses, on issues such as bushland protection, catchment management and sustainable living.
Erika has also co-ordinated award-winning programs, including the Coffs Ambassadors Tours program which won the Communication, Education and Empowerment Award at the NSW Local Government Excellence in the Environment Awards 2011-12. In 2018 she received the AAEE NSW Community Educator of the Year Award for outstanding contribution to environmental education in NSW. Erika currently works for SoilCQuest, promoting climate-smart, regenerative agriculture.
Committee – Nicole Lewis
Nicole has ben an environmental educator for over 25 years and is passionate about instilling awe and respect for nature in everyone through education, immersion, and hands on experiences. Completing a Bachelor of Education (Secondary Science), a Master of Science in Environmental Studies and a Certificate III in Early Childhood has enabled her to follow her passion through a number of avenues including State and Local Government, Private and Public schools across all ages and community groups, inspiring people across the spectrum about all aspects of sustainability. Fundamental to her work is fostering a deep connection to the Earth and empowering people to alleviate their impact on her.
STAFF
Project Officer – Chay Khamsone
Chay Khamsone is an art teacher turned environmental educator. She has taught sustainability in schools throughout the mid-north coast region, worked at The Nature School in the Early Years program, was President of the community-based arts group Frugal Arts Inc, and is a casual academic in environmental education for Southern Cross University.
Chay has also worked in bush regeneration, is an RFS volunteer, a Climate Reality Leader, a member of Pappinbarra Landholders’ Conservation Group and Pappinbarra Valley Emergency Management Team – all of which have deepened her on-ground understanding of environmental management and community resilience issues. She began as Project Officer of EE NSW in 2021 and her work has centred on growing networks of environmental educators, bridging connections between stakeholders and communicating the climate emergency.
Partnerships Coordinator – Andrew Snedden
Andrew joined EE NSW as Partnerships Coordinator in 2021. From a background of biomedical science and teaching, he has experience in waste education and climate change communication. He is also currently working as Community Relationships Manager with Clean Up Australia. Andrew is a trained Climate Reality Leader and strives to encourage and support others to be part of climate solutions. As Partnerships Coordinator with EE NSW, Andrew is working coordinate and grow partnership opportunities, manage the Sustainability Connect directory, and contribute to EE NSW’s climate emergency response. Andrew is passionate about working to build strong, resilient, and vibrant communities through his work as an environmental educator.
