ICLEI Oceania Team

Kobie is one of ICLEI’s two Deputy Secretary Generals, supporting the Secretary General in directing the organisation and guiding its development. She has worked within all levels of government and has more than 25 years of practical and managerial experience in environmental management and urban development, with degrees in law and politics. Kobie has been responsible for the strategic direction, growth, partnerships, programmes and scope of work for ICLEI in Africa as Regional Director since 2008, and now takes on the temporary role of interim Regional Director for the ICLEI Oceania Office while we undertake a comprehensive revitalisation process. Kobie is also Global Director of ICLEI’s Biodiversity Center.

Steve brings a wealth of skills and experience to ICLEI Oceania. He has a Master Business Administration degree and worked in local government for 20 years until he joined ICLEI in 2008. He was based in Jakarta for 7 years, coordinating climate change and disaster risk reduction programs with cities in Indonesia and other parts of Asia. During this time Steve established the ICLEI Indonesia Office and managed projects funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, German Government and European Union. In 2015 Steve returned to Australia to take up the position of Regional Director. In this role, he has worked extensively in Solomon Islands, Fiji, Kiribati and other Pacific SIDS supporting sustainable urban development, climate change and disaster resilience building.

Sharin is a climate and sustainability professional with nearly two decades of local government experience across disciplines of biodiversity, climate, and sustainable energy. Sharin’s background includes emissions reporting, climate change and mitigation policy development, and delivering energy transitions and resilience projects across Africa and Oceania. Sharin has a Master of Science in Sustainable Development. She is currently pursuing joint post graduate studies in Carbon Management and Sustainable Energy, with a Masters in Environment and Climate Emergency. Her extensive experience in influencing environmental and regional planning processes, and mobilising climate finance and partnerships make her a valuable addition to the ICLEI Oceania team.

Luigi is an Accredited Economic Development Practitioner (AcED), bringing over twenty years of project management expertise from local government, consulting, food and agribusiness to ICLEI Oceania, where he will be growing circular, resilient and people centred development initiatives. With a Masters in Markets and Institutions in the Global System ASERI, Universita` Cattolica S.C. Milano and B.A. (Honours) from the University of Melbourne, Luigi has both academic and industry research understanding in business clusters, innovation precincts and the role of NGOs and the public sector in shaping job creation and investment initiatives and sustainable urban development.

Cara is a sustainability education professional with 20 years of experience in local government, not-for-profit and tertiary education sectors. She has worked in program management roles with ECO-Buy and CERES Resource Smart Schools, and also as an internal sustainability business partner within local government. Cara is adept at developing and maintaining co-operative stakeholder relationships and drawing on these relationships to facilitate effective delivery of collaborative, multidisciplinary sustainability projects aligned to strategic directions. She is passionate about sustainability education and behaviour change, sustainable procurement, connecting people with nature, and climate change risk assessment and resilience.

Michelle has more than 20 years of experience in the field of environmental communications, most of these within local government, and covering a broad range of sustainability issues. Her MSc in Environmental Biology, various leadership and communications qualifications, and extensive writing experience, allow her to strategically guide a large team of communications professionals and proficiently translate complex issues and concepts into accessible, action-oriented information. Michelle has managed and guided communications for ICLEI Africa and the Cities Biodiversity Center since 2017, and has now stepped into the interim role of Communications Director for ICLEI Oceania.

Kate holds a PhD in Environmental Science, focused on coastal changes associated with climate change. She has a special interest in understanding climate change and the associated risks, especially relating to coastal cities. She joined ICLEI in 2018 an has a worked with and for local governments to build climate resilience, developing climate adaption plans, and identifying challenges and opportunities associated with natural assets to overcome shocks and stressors associated with climate change. She brings a decade of specialist experience to support the ICLEI Oceania team in this area of work.

Thea joined ICLEI in 2016 after completing her Master’s at Nelson Mandela University’s Sustainability Research Unit. Her interests are underscored by combining her aptitude for communication with her passion for driving sustainability. Her expertise includes integrated digital communications, website conceptualisation and management and fostering creativity in her team. Thea is excited to take on the interim role of Communications Manager for ICLEI Oceania and learning about the culture and history of the region.

Stephanie joined ICLEI in 2011 and is currently ICLEI Africa’s Financial Manager, overseeing a large team and all of the company's accounting processes and financial project reporting. She ensures the books are in order for the Annual Financial Statement, that the financial deadlines for all projects are respected, and that the relevant policies and protocols are adhered to. Stephanie is supporting the Interim Regional Director to consolidate systems and help manage Finance, HR and Governance in the ICLEI Oceania office.

Marina is an international affairs specialist who joined ICLEI Africa in 2021. Prior to this, she worked in the International Relations Unit in the Office of the Executive Mayor at the City of Cape Town, South Africa, a position she held for 5 years. She has also worked as a Senior Policy Officer (Political Affairs) at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Marina is working with the ICLEI Oceania team to support them with membership administration and services.