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 Management 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
Sue Burton has extensive experience in the environmental education, focusing on sustainable practices and community engagement. She is skilled in leading initiatives that promote environmental stewardship, resource management, and educational outreach. With a strong background in strategic planning and program development, Sue is passionate about empowering communities and fostering a deeper understanding of environmental issues. Her commitment to creating positive change makes her a valuable member of the EENSW Executive Committee.
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
Matt joined the exec team in 2024 bringing 20+ years of large corporate experience. Matt’s qualifications include a Degree in Economics, a Masters of Accounting and a Masters in Sustainability and Climate Change Policy and is backed up by experience working with large iconic Australian companies. Matt is excited to be joining a group of equally passionate people working at a community and school level delivering education and real change.
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Rose Tilbury
Rose has over 10 years experience in primary education and the not for profit sector. Her experience as a teacher in a range of roles in schools in NSW has given Rose skills in incorporating environmental education into the curriculum and varied learning contexts. She is passionate about making learning opportunities inclusive and accessible. Rose is also experienced in the not for profit sector, providing professional development to school staff and hands on support to students and young people. She is proud to learn from and with the EENSW community
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.
Jess Menendez
Jess is the Education Manager at Sydney Zoo in Western Sydney. She’s passionate about sparking curiosity in nature for everyone and creating connections to nature and wildlife. She started her career studying a Bachelor of Science in Biodiversity and Conservation which only grew her interest and passion for the environment and wildlife. She was drawn to zookeeping as a career and worked for a number of years caring for Australian wildlife, large carnivores, primates and reptiles while delivering educational talks in schools and for the general public. Her love of the educational aspects of her job led her to study her postgraduate in Education and become a secondary science teacher as well as teaching in TAFE for budding zookeepers. She stepped into teaching at environmental education centres within the NSW Department of Education for a number of years before taking on her current role. Jess started attending AAEE conferences in 2022 and feels that the community they build and shared learning are so valuable for the work we do. She joined the EENSW executive this year to support the organisation to grow and make more connections across the state to benefit environmental education.
Julia Barnes
Julia is an Environmental Scientist and Primary Teacher with more than 15 years’ experience in the environmental education sector working for NFP, consulting and industry. Her career has focused on the interrelationships between people and the environment and ways to foster action in sustainable living, climate action and environmental protection. She currently works in Catchment Management with WaterNSW, specifically advocating for the long-term protection of water quality and stream health in the Sydney Drinking Water Catchment. Julia is a Climate Reality Leader and was awarded as the NSW Environmental Educator of the Year (2023) and the current Australian Association for Environmental Education Inc. Environmental Educator of the Year. Julia’s engagement with EENSW began in 2017 supporting EENSW with the Sustainable Schools NSW initiative, and she is now looking forward to being a part of the EENSW Executive alongside a team of inspiring Environmental Education Professionals, working towards a regenerative future.
Chloe Wyatt
Chloe Wyatt has over a decade of experience in community engagement, communications, and education. As Manager of Community Programs, Education, and Communications at Women’s Legal Service NSW, Chloe led statewide programs and initiatives that amplify the organisation’s impact, while also fostering digital engagement projects with First Nations communities. Her skills in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and fundraising, coupled with her experience in event management and community relations, enables Chloe to contribute innovative ideas and drive collaboration. Environmental education has become a passion of Chloe’s in her work with local school and community groups. She has joined EENSW in the desire to use this passion to foster positive change.
Danielle Blenkhorn
Danielle is a sustainability education consultant, working for the last 5 years working on the Sustainable Schools NSW initiative for EENSW. Danielle has worked for State and Federal Government, in the tertiary sector, as a consultant and community volunteer. Skills and interests include community engagement, practice-based research and evaluation, and engaging communications. She is passionate about social justice, feminism, the environment and words. All her mentors have been AAEE members, and she is grateful to be part of a community of like-minded professionals.
