I am The Whitelum’s Group climate change, energy and land-use specialist; providing technical advice and support for sustainable development projects. The Whitelum Group specialises in providing high quality technical support to international development initiatives, priding ourselves on bringing sustainable and innovative solutions to complex problems. We are a values-based company that believes good development requires informed and active communities, a diversity of voices, responsive governments, and a vibrant private sector that engages with communities for mutual benefit.

I was part of a team that led a detailed forest restoration opportunity assessment in Quang Tri, Vietnam. The assessment used restoration models, GIS tools, and economic analysis to identify high-value business models for landscape investment. The analysis also examined systemic issues that are impeding progress in forest landscape restoration.

At this Clinton Foundation, I played a leadership role in building SLEEK, Kenya’s Measurement, Reporting and Verification for land-sector carbon emissions. SLEEK is the first carbon estimation system in Africa and required the development of unique technical and governance solutions to a wide range of challenges.

In this short-term role, I provided policy advice to the Shadow Minister for Planning, Infrastructure and Major Projects on a range of infrastructure and renewable energy issues. I led the publication of "Blown Away" – an analysis of the impact of planning regulations on jobs in Victoria. The report was the centerpiece of a media story on ABC’s Stateline and ABC online.

Upon returning from Oxford University, I was invited to spend three months in the Department of Climate Change. Whilst at the Department I assisted the Strategic Partnerships Team manage bi-lateral relations with Australia's key international partners and developed a policy handbook on Emissions Trading Scheme design. I also drafted speeches and communications materials regarding China's climate change policies.

As part of a small team based at the ALP head office, I was responsible for assisting in the planning, delivery and evaluation of key state and federal campaigns. This included preparing pre-election budget and policy submissions, drafting advertising and website copy, managing social media engagement, fundraising and planning public opinion research.

In this leadership role, I co-ordinated policy development on energy policy and climate change, directly lobbied Ministers and Federal and State Members of Parliament and developed an ambassador program that trained 50 ALP members to speak at local party branches and unions.

In this role I managed local media engagement, developed communications materials and assisted members of the public to navigate Government Departments to access immigration, housing and social services. This required empathy, patience and tenacity. However, through this work I was often able to get high-quality outcomes for members of the public.

In this elected position I was responsible for developing the Student Union’s policies on major changes being implemented at the University and to implement programs to better support students. In particular, I expanded the Peer Support Program from one faculty to six faculties, which provided just-in- time advice for students facing unsatisfactory progress committee and established the Exam Support Stalls, which provided advice and support to students at their exams.