Climate change is the biggest challenge facing current and future generations. The world’s poorest people and communities will feel its impacts the hardest, as they have lower capacity to deal with damage from more volatile weather, rising sea levels, more frequent natural disasters, food insecurity and habitat loss.
International development specialists, environmental scientists, engineers, natural resource economists and others bring knowledge and skills to work alongside communities and help them prepare for extreme weather events, protect homes, and land, and mitigate the effect of climate change on infrastructure, the environment and livelihoods.
Climate change will impact every role in the sector so come along to hear from speakers who support communities with sustainable climate change adaptation and mitigation projects that build community resilience and reduce the impact of natural disasters. Our speakers will also share how their experiences have shaped their career in the aid and development sector.
Join us for our inaugural Brisbane event - as in other cities, the event will involve a relaxed chat - facilitated by WiAD city leaders - with questions to follow, and it will be an excellent opportunity to network.
Everyone is welcome, so please share the event with your friends and colleagues. Hosted by Brewski Bar.
Cost: $20 - Non-members $10 - Students and unwaged Free - Members of Women in Aid & Development
Eliza Smith
Eliza Smith is an ecologist, veterinarian and Technical Manager/MEL* Lead at Kyeema Foundation working to effect positive social, economic and environmental impact in marginalised communities globally.
Eliza’s career in aid and development started in 2013 on the Australian Aid’s Youth Ambassador for Development Program with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Kenya and Uganda. She joined Kyeema 7 years ago and has helped grow the organisation – founded with focus on ‘livestock for nutrition, health and livelihoods’ - to a broader scope strategic plan working with communities globally to tackle poverty, address environmental degradation and climate change and build better lives. This includes work with corporate partners to deliver grant programs for innovation challenges, humanitarian relief and community projects.
*MEL Monitoring, Evalusation & Learning
Laura Grubb
Laura is a Senior Associate at Palladium International and came to International Development from the agriculture sector having managed farms and worked in the corporate red meat industry for over 10 years to drive value chain innovation. Laura enjoys seeing the impact that adoption of best practices can have on both the farm business and the surrounding community. Likewise, how communication with customers can bring a deep appreciation for the journey the food they eat has taken.
Laura moved to Palladium 18 months ago, drawn by a keen interest in the Pacific, inspired by her PNG born father who has spent half of his life in country.
Laura is now working to bring the company’s nature-based solutions to the APAC region. This work is centred on fair and transparent value chains that serves to diversify farm income, deliver positive and sustained environmental outcomes, and support strong positive social impact for surrounding communities.
Dr Anna (Anya) Phelan Lecturer, UQ Business School
Dr Anna Phelan is a Lecturer within the Strategy and Entrepreneurship Discipline at The University of Queensland Business School. She is also Entrepreneur in Residence with the CSIRO Plastics Innovation Hub and Impact Initiatives Advisor for Blue Oceans Capital. Her ongoing research efforts are structured around the following streams: 1) circular economy and plastics 2) social entrepreneurship and small-scale enterprise development 3) decarbonisation and business sustainability.
Dr Phelan’s research portfolio includes working closely with stakeholders from government, industry, sustainability sector, not-for-profits, and community. She brings 23 years’ combined academic and industry experience in business sustainability, technical consulting, and sustainable development.
She is currently a CI for the following projects: Cape York Recycling Project, which aims to support the advancement of people living in Far North Queensland through innovative recycling solutions, and Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre (ITTC) for bioplastics and biocomposites. She is also part of the Future Fuels CRC.
In 2020, Dr Phelan led the Global Change Institute Flagship Project - Small Island Initiative for a Plastic Free Ocean - investigating factors contributing to ocean plastic pollution in Indonesia. She has designed and delivered research studies and was part of the Business Development team for the Capturing Coral Reef & Related Ecosystem Services (CCRES) project, focused on alternative sustainable livelihoods that protect and enhance coastal ecosystem services.
