Martin Brennan has had a long association with local government as both an elected representative and a professional working in the sector. He was an elected member of the Melbourne City Council for 9 years. In his final term on Council (199-2002) he was Chair of the Finance, Corporate Services and Governance Committee.

Martin was a founding staff member of the ICLEI - Oceania Secretariat in 1998. As Deputy CEO Martin was responsible for providing political and partnership support to ICLEI campaigns and programs and high-level briefings to elected representatives and management. In July 2011 Martin was appointed CEO and Regional Director.

His role internationally on behalf of ICLEI Oceania has included attendance at the United Nations Climate Conferences. Martin has worked in Indonesia, South Korea, Viet Nam, Taiwan and China in support of local government’s role in supporting sustainable development and a low carbon future.

Prior to working with ICLEI Martin was the National Facilitator for Regional Cooperation and Development with the Australian Local Government Association. Martin has a Post Graduate Diploma in Urban Policy and Planning from RMIT University, Melbourne.

Martin regularly contributes to the CEO Snapshots.

Email Martin Brennan

Phone +61 (0)419 355 820

Elisabeth Sturrock brings significant practical skills and experience in natural resource management, much of which has involved water, as well as strong research skills.   Lis holds a BSc in Sustainable Development, a Diploma in Natural Resource Management and an MA.

A member of numerous voluntary, community driven groups, Lis is an advocate of the strength and power of grassroots movements and is committed to social and ecological justice, sustainable living and enabling individuals to reconnect with the wider community of life.  She has a wide network of affiliations which include research groups, cultural workers, sociologists, Earth scientists, cosmologists, historians, artists, psychologists and others.

Email Elisabeth Sturrock

Phone +61 8 9364 0635

Alison Dorn joined ICLEI Oceania as Water Project Officer in Febuary 2012. Having recently completed a BA in Sustainable Development and with a background in horticulture, Alison brings both academic and practical skills to apply to the Water Campaign.

Alison's particular areas of interest in the sustainability field are WSUD, bringing nature into our urban spaces and the importance of reconnecting humans with nature.

Email Alison Dorn

Steve held senior management positions in Australian local government, in both Victoria and South Australia, for over 20 years. Over this period Steve had responsibility for most functional areas of local government.  He was CEO (City Manager) of the City of Holdfast Bay in Adelaide from 2001 to 2004 and CEO of Frankston City Council in Melbourne from 2004 to 2008. 

Since March 2008 Steve has worked with ICLEI Oceania developing their international programs.  At present he is coordinating the ICLEI role for the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Indonesian Climate Change Policy Advice Project (PAKLIM) funded by GTZ. Steve is also active in developing climate change training programs in cooperation with the ICLEI World Secretariat.

Steve is currently based in Jakarta and works under a partnership agreement with the Indonesian Mayors’ Association APEKSI.  He also held the position of Interim CEO ICLEI Oceania from July 2009 to May 2010.

Read the latest news updates for ICLEI's International Programs

Email Steve Gawler

After graduating from RMIT with a BAppSc in Computer Science, Sue spent over fifteen years in the Telecommunications industry working internationally before undertaking a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability at Swinburne University.   It didn’t take long before she traded her much loved EH Holden for a bike and plunged headlong into the sustainability sector.

Her previous employment was with the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand, EIANZ and she is currently an active member of the Yarra River Keepers Association. Sue is committed to a more balanced and self-aware world through social change.

Email Sue Oliver

Phone +61 3 9639 8688