Katie Norman

Steward and Director

Katie has previously worked in the Department of Justice in Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia as a therapeutic program facilitator and drug counsellor.  Since having her three children, she has lived overseas in Hong Kong where her school-based volunteer experience commenced. Katie was an active volunteer at local schools for approximately seven years assisting in classrooms, fundraising and coordinating the creation and production of Tallebudgera State School’s Taste of Tallebudgera cookbook and more recently, assisted with the development a sustainability program. 

With an undergraduate Bachelor of Science (Psychology) with Honours and current participation in a Masters of Teaching (Primary) program, Katie has strong critical thinking, communication and collaboration skills.  After exposure to environmental issues overseas, and a developing knowledge about Education for Sustainability, Katie has been steering the Sustainable Schools Network for the last two years. 

Katie was recently awarded the Community Spirit of Somerset Award and Beaded Gecko Award for her service to the Gold Coast community.  She is also a ROAR Social Hero Finalist and 2020 McPherson Community Achiever.

Erin Merrin

Chairperson and Founding Member

Erin has worked as an educational professional in the Humanities field since beginning her career in 2004. With an undergraduate Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics, Economy and Society and a Graduate Diploma of Education – secondary Humanities, she is particularly interested in research in these fields. Erin spent her first 4 years teaching as a high school teacher educating grades 8 to 12 in a broad range of Humanities subjects including Geography, Ancient and Modern History, Business, Legal Studies and other areas. Erin is currently the specialist Geography teacher and Head of a dynamic Humanities Department for a large private school on the Gold Coast, Australia. In her role she leads a group of committed and driven students, the Social Justice & Sustainability Committee who coordinate sustainability projects and events across the school as well as teaching an engaging senior Geography program to Years 10 to 12. More recently Erin completed an Advanced Leadership Program through Monash University and as a lifelong learner she continues pursuing further educational opportunities. Erin has worked in various other roles including with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority and the Australian Geography Competition and has presented recently at the Australian Geography Teachers Association conference on ‘Sustainability in the Geography Syllabus’ in October 2019. She has been awarded the 2020 ‘Leading the Change’ teacher of the year ‘runner-up’ for the Schools Sustainability Awards as well as pledging to be a #TeachSDGs educator. Erin is a passionate environmentalist with over 17 years’ experience and has encouraged students in schools where she has been involved to become active and informed global citizens who engage with the Millennium Development Goals, more recently the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and continues to influence her local and school community to work on partnerships for the SDGs. She is currently the Chairperson of the Sustainable Schools Network and a founding member of the not-for-profit organisation as well as being an energetic and compassionate individual.

Kate Rogers

Strategic Director and Founding Member

Kate Rogers is a Registered Urban Planner with sixteen years experience working in public and private sectors in Brisbane, Vancouver, Auckland and the Gold Coast. During this time, Kate worked in and then managed the Urban Renewal Task Force (URTF), a Brisbane City Council unit responsible for preparing planning policy, assisting the development process, infrastructure coordination and stakeholder engagement for some of Brisbane’s largest inner-city projects. Sustainable urban systems underpinned this work.

Practicing sustainable thinking daily, Kate specialises in strategic planning, project coordination and facilitation in her urban planning role on the Gold Coast. She has worked in policy and regulatory roles and understands how effective political systems and governance structures are critical to strategy implementation and quality outcomes.

Living on the Tweed with her husband and three young children, Kate is currently Nipper secretary, age manager and patrolling member at Tweed Heads and Coolangatta SLSC. She has previously performed P&F President and Secretary roles and enjoys seeing through projects from concept to practical completion.

Sylvie Garner

 Director

Sylvie Garner is a system’s thinker and a communications and change management specialist. She has extensive experience leading and delivering strategic transformational projects across a range of industries including resource recovery, personalised transport, renewable energy and mining exploration in Queensland.

Sylvie is recognised for her collaborative approach and ability to foster cooperative working relationships across a wide range of stakeholders to deliver impactful and achievable solutions.

Nick Brinkworth

 Treasurer

Nick has had a career in financial services for over 25 years, specialising in retail financial advice and funds management.  He currently works for a group founded originally on the Gold Coast called Fitzpatrick’s Private Wealth where he is responsible for managing a community of ‘equity partnered’ advice firms across Australia. 

Nick is passionate about the difference quality retirement-focused financial advice can make in a community and has made the Gold Coast (Australia’s retirement capital!) his home, with his wife Kat and 2 kids, Abigail and Aidan, for the last 12 years.

Nick is also involved in Gold Coast Community Radio, and currently holds the office of Treasurer of 4CRB 89.3 - the number one FM station on the Gold Coast for over 50’s so is excited about sharing his skillset in supporting the financial goals of not-for-profit organisations with the team at SSN.

Alison Sammel

 Director

Check out Ali's book here

Dr. Alison Sammel teaches at Griffith University where she specialises in Science and Sustainability education. She completed her Doctorate (Western University, Canada) and Master’s degree in Environmental and Sustainability education. Ali has been a teacher in the primary, secondary and tertiary education sectors for nearly 30 years, with over fifteen years as a teacher educator and academic. Her research and teaching centres on building capacity and advocating for environmental literacy and justice, and community-based activism. To this end, her publications include 4 books, over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles or book chapters, two commissioned government reports, and over 50 International conference presentations on Environmental and Sustainability education.

Ali has won university teaching awards and has been a school board director; a university chair of department; a Head of Senior School; and a board member to numerous organisations including: The North America Association for Environmental Education, UNICEF and UNESCO. She is a Smithsonian Fellow and has received a Gecko award for service. Ali lives on the Gold Coast and is passionate about nature and being a wildlife carer.

Tegan Watkins

 School Engagement Coordinator

Tegan is a dedicated primary school teacher and mother of two young children. She is extremely passionate about education and the environment and her family share her deep love and gratitude of the natural world. She believes that through education, connection and compassion we can help move towards living in harmony with nature. Tegan is volunteering her time to help schools to foster hope and commitment in working together to become a more sustainable network.

Emily Towle

 Youth Coordinator

Emily is one of the new Youth Coordinators for the SSN. She is 20 years old, studying at Griffith University doing a double Bachelor of Law, and a Bachelor of Government and International Relations. New to the Coast, Emily has moved to Coolangatta from Port Macquarie in NSW where she grew up.

In her spare time she is usually at the beach, skating through Cooly, doing uni readings, drinking coffee (or wine), and hanging out with her mates

Kaykay Sun

 Youth Coordinator

Kaykay Sun is currently in grade 12 studying Visual Art, General Math, Math Methods, English, Physics and the Diploma of Business at Varsity College. She will be a 2020 graduate, the first grade going through ATAR and the first to transition to high school in grade 7.

Kaykay is a senior college leader and the captain the of Varsity College’s first ever sustainability group, Generation Green.

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Outside of school since mid-2019 Kaykay became involved in army cadets and at the end of 2019 she was awarded the cadet of the year. She now serves as a corporal and found her passion for leading.

She loves to be involved and aspires to make the world a better place. Thus, Kaykay aims to use leadership to unite, inspire and educate youths and communities about what it means to be sustainable.

Sarum Men

Research Data Analyst

Sarum is a passionate English Teacher and a dedicated and compassionate yoga Teacher. She has taught at a public school in the countryside of South Korea and a town in Vietnam, a private institute in Cambodia and at a Ladies Applied Medical Science and Nursing University in Abha, Saudi Arabia.

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Due to her exposure to environmental concerns across the globe she is passionate about researching how institutions in Australia can make a greater positive impact on the environment through informed data analysis.

Sarum holds both a B.A of Business with a Major in Marketing and a Master of Applied Linguistics from Macquarie University. In 2018 and 2019, she spent four months living and learning about sustainable practices and organic farming as part of an eco-yoga community in NSW, Australia.

Georgia Liussi

Resource Coordinator

Georgia is a passionate educator with over 20 years experience in Australia and overseas. Sharing the sustainability message with others has been a priority throughout her career. She wants to continue helping others to appreciate and care for our world whilst inspiring young minds to create new and innovative solutions to the problems we face.

Patricia Lee

SSN Journal Coordinator

Patricia is a business, policy, public administration and environmental professional with over 10 years of experience in the field. Originally from Mexico, from a young age she developed a strong connection with nature and love for wildlife.

Patricia holds a B.A. in International Relations and a Masters in Environment from Griffith University. She has lived and worked in Latin America, Canada and now resides on the Gold Coast where she lives with her husband and two young sons.

Mandy McKinnon 

SSN Media Coordinator

Mandy worked with the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) as the World Tour Media Co-Ordinator from 1985 through to 2016. Her main roles were in event/surfer promotion and creating International Broadcast TV News Feeds from each day of competition. 

Mandy was also involved in the media coordination of Kelly Slater’s 11 world championship wins, Stephanie Gilmore’s 7 ASP world titles and Mick Fanning´s three world tour victories.

Mandy has worked in numerous countries and remote locations including Tahiti, South Africa, Indonesia, Maldives, Puerto Rico, America, Brazil, Hawaii, France, Spain and Portugal.

In 1998 she was honoured with an Australian Hall of Fame Award for outstanding contribution to the Sport of Surfing.

For the past five years she has been living between Australia and Bali where her son and grand daughter reside. 

Pranjal Bhandari

SSN Marketing Coordinator

I am 26 yrs. old and come from India. After working in a marketing agency for approx. 3 yrs, I moved to Australia in 2018, to pursue a Master of Business in Event Management and Marketing at Griffith University. Besides academia, I served as the Director of Communications for GCAP, an organisation committed to creating a positive student experience for postgraduates at Griffith University, Gold Coast.

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In my spare time I have learnt about the art of Improv and developed an obsession for coffee and beaches. Or you could also find me on photo-walks, experimenting in the kitchen or reading.

Paola Restrepo

SSN Marketing Coordinator

Paola has been working for 20 years as a key leader with a role in the digital business responsible for the client's development, Marketing leader, delivery of digital transformation initiatives, focus human-centered design, engagement, and digital strategies experience, innovation methodologies to make a difference in business, customer experience, and digital transformation for retail brands, construction, banking, production and film services, big brands around America and Latin America.

She ❤️ loves entrepreneurship, startups and companies that make a difference to social inclusion, women empowerment, and sustainable networking. Who's helping that’s possible with mentoring and volunteer time.

She has lived and worked in Colombia, and now resides on the Gold Coast where she lives with her husband and his son. She´s learning surf also loves museums and arts!

Shelley Davis 

SSN Marketing Coordinator

Intrinsically curious and an avid explorer, Shelley is a Graphic Designer turned Marketing Manager with over 10 years experience in various sectors and countries. Passionate about making a positive impact on people’s lives, she spent over 8 years connecting diverse audiences with the magic of live orchestral and chamber music. Shelley wore many hats leading marketing activities for two of Aotearoa New Zealand’s flagship national arts organisations. Now, she’s excited to be branching out into sustainability and education. Currently influenced by Aubrey Bergauer, Kristy Swink Benson and Brene Brown, she aspires to lead with innovation, empathy and a people-first approach.

Having recently returned from Canada, she’s looking forward to enjoying the Gold Coast's famous white sandy beach life (plus much-missed good coffee) whilst pursuing her next big adventure.

Jennifer Boyle

Accounts Manager

Jennifer has worked in various sectors for the New South Wales Government including with the NSW Office for Ageing in the Department of Family and Community Services in roles including service coordinator and policy and project officer. Jennifer is currently a volunteer member of the Sustainable Schools Network focusing on policy development, procedures, guidelines and best practice documentation for board approval, minute taking and recording for board meetings, assisting with event management for the annual symposium, general correspondence, and assisting the board members with administration activities. Jennifer has always had a passion for sustainability and has throughout her life made conscious efforts to live more sustainably.

Ven Grollmus

 Administrative Support

Ven has over 30 years’ experience in the IT field as an Analyst/Programmer developing applications for clients, producing documentation and assisting the client in understanding what they actually needed.

I also spent 2 years in the Army Reserves as a Sapper (Private) in the Royal Australian Engineer Corp.

I have also mentored and trained overseas staff, and had to travel internationally and interstate to ensure that the staff were adequately trained and setup to perform the work that was required by the corporate client so as to meet their high expectations.

I currently lives in George Town, Tasmania, Australia, and was originally born in New South Wales, and still consider myself a New South Welshman.

Ven does enjoy watching Rugby League when I get the chance, and haven’t really got into Australian Rules Football.

Ven’s employment history is as follows:-

• I am currently running my own business

• Worked for Traffic Technologies as a DBA/IT Support Officer.

• Board Member for the George Town RSL Sub-Branch