BECOME A JUDGE
Volunteer your expertise
We are always on the lookout for experts in the natural resource management, energy, conservation, waste management, education, and communications fields to assist with judging our entries each year.
If you, or someone you know, would be interested in contributing to NSW’s longest running sustainability awards program we would love to hear from you.
To register your interest, please email events@kabnsw.org.au.
MEET OUR 2025 JUDGES
Thank you to our awards judges who do an amazing job reviewing and scoring all of the entries each year.
There is an amazing wealth of knowledge, expertise and experience across the panel and we are extremely grateful for the time and support our judges so generously give.
Peter Clark
Managing Director,
Calleo Green
Peter operates a consultancy that offers services across a diverse range of areas including emergency management, incident training, bushfire risk assessment and environmental protection and assessment.
For over two decades, Peter has served as an assessor for the long-running Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Tidy Towns program, and more recently the Sustainable Cities program.
For a number of years, he has also acted as an assessor and judge for the internationally renowned annual open space awards program, Green Flag Award.
Doug MacDonald
Doug is an Urban Designer, specialising in the planning, design and building of sustainable and resilient communities.
He brings to the Tidy Towns Competition expertise in environmental management, heritage, architecture, civil engineering, landscape architecture and public sector management. He has been on ‘both sides of the fence’, working with specialist consultants, councils and property developers.
Doug has a deep understanding of Torres Strait Islander & Aboriginal culture and an affinity with rural Australia having grown up in the Torres Strait Islands and Papua New Guinea and attended boarding school in rural Australia.
Tasneem Rangwala
PhD Aspirant, ISF UTS –
Developing Adaptive Planning Framework
Tasneem is a 2020 National Council of Women NSW Australia Day Award winner for research achievements.
She is a dedicated leader driving change towards environmental enhancements. Her skills include environmental impacts assessments, project management, overseeing strategic regulatory programs, compliance audits and driving efficiency via enhancing quality of processes.
Tasneem has over 25 years’ experience working across a range of industries including Environmental Consultancy, State Government Regulatory Authorities and the Biomedical Engineering field.
Matthew Taylor
Owner/Director, Heart HR
As a former CEO of Keep Australia Beautiful NSW. Matthew brings over 7 years’ experience from his time managing the organisation, including the Tidy Towns program.
Since leaving KAB, Matthew held a number of roles but his passion for the environment has remained.
Currently, Matt runs his own HR consultancy to support small to medium sized businesses – including many not-for-profit organisations.
Dr Trevor Thornton
Senior Lecturer – Hazardous Materials Management, Deakin University
Trevor is currently employed as a Senior Lecturer at Deakin University and also consults widely on processes to develop and implement programs to reduce environmental impacts for a broad range of industry sectors.
Trevor has a wealth of experience, particularly in areas associated with waste management.
Trevor has been working in various aspects of the waste management industry for over 30 years as a regulator and consultant.
Ana Corpuz
Senior Project Officer, Murray Darling Basin Authority
Ana has over 25 years experience in strategic and operational policy and planning, regulatory review, project management, technical analysis, research and reporting, communication, stakeholder engagement, organisational systems, benchmarking and process improvement, governance framework setting and compliance monitoring.
Her focus areas are on environment and sustainability, water and catchment management, air quality, climate change, waste management, mining and exploration, land use, zoning and redevelopment, transport, contract management and mentoring.
Chris Tola
Manager, Skilled Workforce Program, Regional Development Australia & Publisher, Surfing Roadies
Chris has had an active involvement with many organisations including Surfrider Foundation, Take 3, the Australian Coastal Society, the Australian Radioactivity Protections and Nuclear Safety Agency, National Parks and Wildlife and the EPA.
Since 2002, Chris has periodically been the Keep Australia Beautiful Clean Beach Challenge National Assessor and State Judge, and the Tidy Towns Assessor; and was the Keep Australia Beautiful (NSW) Program Manager for Clean Beach Challenge and the Tidy Towns Program (2002 – 2005).
Lynda Newnam
Principal, Citizen Science Partnerships
Lynda is passionate about bringing volunteered knowledge, ideas and expertise into planning and regulatory processes to address environmental challenges within a framework that champions honesty, accountability and transparency and encourages collaborative stewardship. She has extensive project management experience, particularly in the environment and higher education, as well as 30 years in volunteering. Her formal qualifications are in primary school teaching and carbon management, with undergraduate degrees specialising in structural linguistics, anthropology and government as well as a Master in Environmental Management.
Jeanne-Vida Douglas
Head of Innovation, Property Industry Foundation
As an award-winning marketer, business journalist, and author, JV has built her career at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and impact.
She spent the first half of her career championing sustainable solutions across start-ups, media, and professional services. After witnessing the devastation of the 2019–20 bushfires, she shifted her focus to organisations driving environmental change, including renewable-energy and circular-economy leaders Nectr, 5B, and TerraCycle.
Now, as Head of Innovation at the Property Industry Foundation, JV applies that same systems-thinking approach to social sustainability; helping reimagine how Australia tackles youth homelessness through cross-sector collaboration and the creative reuse of under-utilised spaces.
Paula Clasby
Senior Manager, Business Development, TerraCycle ANZ
Paula is a creative, marketing, and business development professional with extensive experience supporting businesses to advance positive environmental and social change. She has worked in various sectors including health, marketing, design, print, hospitality, and over 10 years within sustainability and the built environment. Prior to TerraCycle, Paula worked with GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia), helping individuals and businesses to advance the circular economy.
Paula prioritises purpose in all her work, drawing on her passion to drive TerraCycle’s mission in Eliminating the Idea of Waste®.
Anna Lei
PR & Communications Manager, TerraCycle ANZ
Anna Lei is a public relations professional with experience across a range of industries.
She began her career at award-winning agency Ogilvy, specialising in consumer PR and influencer marketing, working with global clients such as Netflix, Xbox, eBay and American Express.
In 2023, Anna joined the TerraCycle marketing team hoping to incorporate purpose in her work and combine her passion for environmental advocacy with her professional expertise to champion sustainability and inspire positive change. Anna drives media relations, publicity, and community outreach to inspire and educate on sustainable practices at TerraCycle.
Kylie Flament
CEO, Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT
Kylie Flament is an award-winning social enterprise leader and sustainability expert with experience managing large teams and projects across corporate, government, and not-for-profit sectors.
She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of SECNA, where she advocates for building an economy that enables people and the planet to thrive.
She also sits on a number of boards and committees including as a non-executive director of People for Nature and on the Circular Australia industry taskforce.
Yolande Franklin
Small Business Owner/Contractor
Yolande started working in local government in 2002 and quickly learnt the ropes of waste education, resource recovery and sustainable practices.
A horticulturist by trade, Yolande has long been an advocate of the environment, having grown up in the world heritage Blue Mountains and going on to study Resource Management at University before moving into her career alongside many other waste professionals. “The great outdoors is my greatest joy and being a caretaker my most challenging task”.
Layla McNeil
Strategic Business Manager, Thesium
Layla has experience in environmental strategic policy development, project and contract management, program delivery, EMS auditing, stakeholder facilitation.
She has knowledge and expertise in developing and delivering strategic environmental and communication plans, cooperative agreements and contracts with multi stakeholders; educational and behaviour change campaigns; environmental auditing, waste and resource management planning; to creating, implementing, reporting and evaluating a variety of sustainability programs.
Luciano Mesiti
CEO, Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia
Luciano is the CEO of Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia, whose aim is to promote food and fibre education in schools nationally. Prior to his appointment he was a high school teacher, teaching agriculture and technology.
Luciano has extensive experience in curriculum development in agriculture and technology and is a very passionate advocate of Landcare and sustainable land manage curriculum in schools. He has been a Tidy Towns judge and assessor for over 15 years and a great supporter of Keep Australia Beautiful.
Mike Ritchie
Managing Director, MRA Consulting Group
Mike has over 35 years’ experience in the waste management and recycling industry. He has worked with all levels of government and the private sector.
Mike’s roles have included Managing Director of MRA Consulting Group, Group General Manager SUEZ Australia, General Manager WSN Environmental Solutions and State Manager of VISY Recycling. He was also a director of a local government and Senior Advisor to the Mayor of Brisbane.
Jessica Speechley
Senior Coordinator Environmental Health, Blacktown City Council
Jessica leads a team of 17 Environmental Health Officers across three teams.
Jessica has been instrumental in implementing and advancing environmental health programs that enhance the well-being of Blacktown’s residents.
Her dedication to creating a healthier and more sustainable community is reflected in her successful prosecution record.
Rick Wiezel
Manager Community Law Enforcement & Waste, Blacktown City Council
Rick has had a varied career working in the registered club industry, community capacity building sector, and local government.
Rick has led teams undertaking environmental education, city cleansing, graffiti removal and is currently leading community law enforcement (parkers and rangers) and waste collection at Blacktown Council.
Rick has been an assessor and judge for Keep Australia Beautiful periodically for over 20 years