AEGN

Speakers

Here are our speakers for the AEGN Annual Conference 2023

Dr Beth Hill

Program Development Coordinator at Psychology for a Safe Climate

Beth is the Program Development Coordinator with PSC and has worked as a facilitator over the last ten years. Beth’s research is concerned with the cultural and psychological dimensions of climate change, in particular how local communities in Australia navigate the reality of their vulnerability and responsibility as they come to terms with what climate change means in their daily lives. Beth facilitates workshops drawing on the Work that Reconnects, as well as deep ecology, mindfulness practices, non-violent communication and creative processes involving art and writing.  

Dr Beth Hill

Dr Beth will speak at our pre-conference workshopThe personal impact of the climate and biodiversity crises: nourishing yourself to sustain effective action” on Tuesday 2 May at 2.00pm to 5.00pm AEST.

Bruce Lourie

President of the Ivey Foundation

Bruce is a best-selling author, policy expert, social entrepreneur and award-winning global sustainability leader. In addition to serving as president of the Ivey Foundation, he is Scholar-in-Residence at the Faculty of Engineering, McGill University and Guest Lecturer at the Said Business School Social Finance Program, University of Oxford.  He is active on many boards of directors and advisory boards including the Canadian Climate Institute and the Transition Accelerator. 

Bruce is one of Canada’s most influential leaders and experts on sustainability and has been instrumental in creating more than a dozen organisations that play critical roles in Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy, including the Canadian Climate Institute, the Institute for Sustainable Finance, Farmers for Climate Solutions, Efficiency Canada, Summerhill Group and the Transition Accelerator.

Bruce Lourie

He initiated the largest climate action in North America, the phasing out of coal-fired electricity in Ontario and helped establish the Ontario Greenbelt. He is also the co-author of two books, including the international best-seller Slow Death by Rubber Duck.

Bruce Lourie will speak at the conference opening Session 1 on Wednesday 3 May at 9.30am to 11.00am AEST.

Carol Ride

Founder and ED of Psychology for a Safe Climate

Carol is the Founder and ED of Psychology for a Safe Climate. She is a psychologist with long experience as a therapist and trainer in work with couples and their relationships. Her activism within the climate movement in Melbourne led to awareness of a key role that could be offered by mental health professionals. 

Carol Ride

Carol will speak at our pre-conference workshopThe personal impact of the climate and biodiversity crises: nourishing yourself to sustain effective action” on Tuesday 2 May at 2.00pm to 5.00pm AEST.

Christie Wilson

Psychotherapist at Psychology for a Safe Climate

Christie is a clinical psychotherapist, climate activist and facilitator working with people at the front line of the climate emergency. She develops and facilitates professional development workshops to explore the eco-psycho-social experience of engaging with climate change and climate justice. Outside of her clinical practice, she facilitates and presents for Psychology for a Safe Climate, organises for Extinction Rebellion Global Support and serves on the Boards of the Anthropocene Transition Network and the GreenLaw Network. 

Christie Wilson

Christie will speak at our pre-conference workshop “The personal impact of the climate and biodiversity crises: nourishing yourself to sustain effective action” on Tuesday 2 May at 2.00pm to 5.00pm AEST.

Professor Graeme Samuel

Monash University

Graeme Samuel AC is a Professor in Monash University’s Business School. He is also Chair of Airlines for Australia and New Zealand (A4ANZ), Chair of Dementia Australia, Chair of the Dementia Australia Research Foundation, and Chair of the Australian Dementia Network Ltd (ADNet), co-chair of the National Network of Comprehensive Dementia Centres Steering Group and Chair of Quipex Pty Ltd. He was a member of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority’s Panel to conduct a Prudential Inquiry into the culture, governance and accountability of Commonwealth Bank of Australia and was Chair of the panel which conducted a Capability Review of APRA. He conducted an Independent Review commissioned by the Commonwealth Government of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, as well as a review for the Commonwealth Government of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct.

Graeme Samuel

He was Chair of the Commonwealth Government’s Panel of Review of Australia’s Independent Medical Research Institutes and advisor to the Commonwealth Department of Health in relation to its review of private health insurance. He was also a member of the Review Panel of Australia’s Wool Selling Systems. In 2014 he completed a project as Independent Reviewer to advise the Victorian Government on economic regulation, governance and the efficient operation of the Victorian urban water sector.

Graeme will speak on Day 2 Session 1 at the conference on Thursday 4 May at 9.30am to 10.40am AEST.

Rachel Walmsley

Head of Policy & Law Reform, Environmental Defenders Office

Rachel Walmsley has over 20 years’ experience working on public interest environmental policy and law reform. Rachel spearheads national law reform work at Environmental Defenders Office. She has written and presented extensive submissions and discussion papers, and advised governments, parliamentary inquiries and NGOs on a range of environmental law issues including climate policy, natural resource management and biodiversity laws. She is a member of state and Commonwealth government advisory committees on biodiversity and environmental law reform, a legal advisor to the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, legal advisor to the Places You Love alliance on national law reform, and guest lectures in environmental law.

Rachel Walmsley

Rachel was a member of the Australian Panel of Experts on Environmental Law (APEEL) and is a member of IUCN – World Commission on Environmental Law. Rachel has also been a Co-Consulting Editor of the Australian Environment Review and Chair of the Australian Committee for IUCN. Rachel is listed in Best Lawyers Australia in the climate change and environmental & planning law categories.

Rachel will speak on Day 2 Session 1 at the conference on Thursday 4 May at 9.40pm to10.30pm AEST.

Dr Sally Gillespie

Writer, workshop facilitator, lecturer and public speaker

Sally is a writer, workshop facilitator, lecturer and public speaker with a background in depth psychology and ecopsychology. Her book Climate Crisis and Consciousness: Reimagining our world and ourselves (Routledge 2020) explores the psychological experience of engaging with climate change and related ecological concerns. She has presented talks and facilitated workshops in this area for academics, activists and the general public since 2010, both nationally and internationally. She is an active member of Psychology for a Safe Climate in Australia and the Climate Psychology Alliance in the UK. 

Dr Sally Gillespie

Dr Sally will speak at our pre-conference workshopThe personal impact of the climate and biodiversity crises: nourishing yourself to sustain effective action” on Tuesday 2 May at 2.00pm to 5.00pm AEST.

The AEGN Annual Conference 2023

Building power, shifting power

We can influence the pace and the nature of change, so let’s come together and make sure we’re driving transformation towards a prosperous and sustainable future for all.