Meet the 2011 AYCC International Team!
Co-director: Heather Bruer
Heather Bruer is AYCC’s International Co-director. In her previous role Heather Co-founded and Co-directed the AYCC in South Australia and represented young Australians at the United Nations climate talks in Cancun. Prior to that, Heather volunteered for the Oaktree Foundation, environment and climate action groups. She is now studying Economics at the University of Adelaide.
Co-director: Hilary Bowman
Hilary Bowman is AYCC’s International Co-Director. Until recently, Hilary was AYCC’s Victorian State Coordinator. Last year, Hilary worked extensively with youth at the UNFCCC in Germany, 350.org Europe and the Cancun climate talks. With the UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, Hilary spoke at the Cancun conference on intergenerational equity. She is currently studying a double Bachelor in Arts & Science at Monash University.
Team Manager: Ellen Sandell
Ellen is AYCC’s National Director and International Team Manager. Ellen was recently recognised as Melbourne’s leading environmentalist, winning the Melbourne Awards for Individual Contribution to the Environment 2009 and was featured in The Age Melbourne Magazine as one of the top 100 influential Melburnians of 2009. Ellen has led Australian youth delegations to the UN climate talks for 5 years.
Conference of Youth Team: Charlie Wood
Charlie Wood is on AYCC International’s Conference of Youth Team. Charlie also Co-founded and Co-directs the AYCC in the Australian Capital Territory. Charlie is active in a range of local sustainability projects and has also co-founded a not-for-profit youth food sustainability advocacy organisation called Real Food Canberra. In 2009, she coordinated the AYCC’s delegation to the Copenhagen climate talks.
Conference of Youth Team: Isaac Astill
Isaac Astill is on AYCC International’s Conference of Youth Team. Previously, Isaac was part of the International Fundraising Team and helped to organise a Community Dinner in Adelaide to support 3 Pacific Islanders attend the UN. Isaac is also the Convener for AYCC groups in his hometown of Yankalilla and at Flinders University. Isaac is currently studying Politics at Flinders.
Conference of Youth Team: Katherine Tu
Katherine Tu is on AYCC International’s Conference of Youth Team. Katherine is also the Sydney Schools Coordinator and has been volunteering with the AYCC since 2009. She has previously volunteered with the Red Cross in raising awareness for International Humanitarian Law and with Young UNIFEM. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts/Laws at the University of Sydney.
International Exchange Team: Sandy Chambers
Sandy Chambers is on AYCC International’s Exchange Team. Sandy is also the Campaigns Co-coordinator for the AYCC Perth team and organised a publicity stunt for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. She moonlights as an international politics/security studies student, and works as the Co-director of the Murdoch University Volunteering Hub.
International Exchange Team: Jane Stabb
Jane Stabb is on AYCC International’s Exchange Team. Jane is also the Policy Director at the AYCC. She is a young campaigner from Melbourne who has worked with various NGOs on climate change for the past 2 years including Say Yes Australia, The ACF, Environment Victoria and Greenpeace. She represented AYCC at the United Nations talks in Cancun in 2010. Jane completed a Master of Environment in 2009.
International Exchange Team: Sashenka Lakshmanasingha
Sashenka Lakshmanasingha is on AYCC International’s Exchange Team. Sashenka is currently a Volunteer Manager for AYCC South Australia and is the incoming State Director for Vision Generation (World Vision’s youth movement) In SA. She is now studying a Bachelor of Law and International Studies at the University of Adelaide.
Fundraising Director: Gemma Borgo-Caratti
Gemma Borgo-Caratti is AYCC International’s Fundraising Director. Gemma is also the NSW Coordinator of the AYCC. From the Sydney suburb of Crows Nest, Gemma is currently studying a Masters of Environmental Management and is passionate about teaching young people about sustainability and climate action. She has recently returned from a leadership expedition to the Antarctic.
Indigenous Youth Delegation Director: Sheena Watt
Sheena Watt is the Indigenous Youth Delegation Director for AYCC International this year. Sheena began volunteering with the AYCC through the National Indigenous Youth Movement of Australia and has spent the last three years researching and advocating policy development in Australia and internationally. Sheena is a passionate about the disproportionate impacts of climate change on the world’s 350 million Indigenous people. Sheena also engages with Indigenous communities with the National Indigenous Climate Change Coalition with whom she is a member.
Indigenous Youth Delegate: Braden Hill
Braden Hill is an Indigenous Youth Delegate for AYCC International this year. Braden is a young Indigenous academic and activist from Perth, Western Australia. He has been involved with the AYCC since 2009 and represented young Indigenous Australians at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen. Braden is passionate about developing a consciousness around the impact of climate change in Indigenous communities.
Indigenous Youth Delegate: Abbey Ramirez-Shillingford
Abbey Ramirez-Shillingford is an Indigenous Youth Delegate for AYCC International this year. Abbey is currently a Native Title Lawyer for Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation in South Hedland. She is a proud young Ngarluma women from Roebourne, Pilbara Western Australia with strong ties to the Kimberly. Abbey is also a mentor and is involved in community development and a range of social justice issues. Abbey is committed to raising the international profile of the Australian Indigenous community in the climate debate
International Website Team: Saskia Scott
Saskia Scott is on AYCC International’s Website Team. Saskia has been involved in the Australian Youth Climate Coalition since the start of 2010 and is currently the Grassroots Co-Coordinator for the AYCC in South Australia and runs an AYCC Action group in her local area in the Adelaide Hills. She is studying Environmental Policy and Management at the University of Adelaide.
International Website Team: Rufus Coffield-Feith
Rufus Coffield-Feith is on AYCC International’s Website Team. Rufus founded and co-coordinates the AYCC in Victoria and is passionate about connecting with and building young climate campaigners across the world. Rufus has worked at Greenpeace Australia Pacific and is currently studding Arts and Law at Monash University.
