Our people

Michael is Chair of the federal government’s Shadow Economy Advisory Forum, and the Energy & Water Ombudsman of WA, as well as a member of the national board of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is also a member of the board of the Small Business Development Corporation of WA and the University of Canberra Council.

Michael was previously Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the ACT Small Business Commissioner. He is an Adjunct Professor at Curtin University, and a member of the Zero Emissions Enterprise Network based at Oxford University.

Gavin has significant consumer advocacy and energy policy experience. Gavin is Manager Policy and Research at St Vincent de Paul Society, Victoria. He has worked as a consumer representative in the energy sector for over 30 years undertaking research and policy evaluation on its impacts on domestic consumers. Gavin is currently a consumer representative of a number of government and industry committees, including the Australian Energy Regulator and the Essential Services Commission. Gavin is a member of the 2024 ISP - AEMO Advisory Council on Social License and a member of the Consumer Reference Group of NSW renewable energy roadmap and was awarded 2001 centennial medal for services to the community. 

Carmel Franklin is a dedicated champion of consumer rights, including serving as CEO of ACT-based Care Financial Counselling for 15 years. Carmel has extensive board experience including twelve years as Chair of Financial Counselling Australia from 2009 -2021, as Consumer Director on the AFCA board from its inception in 2018 till December 2023 and previously of the Financial Ombudsman Service Limited. Carmel was also a member of the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission until March 2024. She is currently a member of the AFSA External Advisory Committee, Way Forward Board and the ACT Registration Standards Advisory Board.  

Helen has significant corporate experience gained through directorships on government entities and ASX-listed companies in the energy, mining, agriculture and education sectors as well as entities involved in regional economic development and the arts. She currently chairs Generator Property Management and is a director of Developing East Arnhem Land, The Crawford Fund, Becquerel Laboratories and Larrakia Development Corporation. Helen is also a member of our Risk and Audit Committee.  

Chris has a background in law and public policy. He is a member of Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s (IPART) Energy Savings Scheme Tribunal Committee. Chris is a former Senior Director of the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) where he led the Retail and Wholesale Markets team addressing key aspects of consumer energy pricing and protection as well as the reshaping of wholesale market rules. He previously worked for the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal as General Manager of the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme and as Manager, Water Pricing. Chris is also a member of our Risk and Audit Committee  

Brendan leads the organisation.

Please refer to Executive Officer to the CEO, Amy Hill, for new enquiries or requests.

Alexandra is responsible for our grants program, including our scholarships.

Contact Alex for:

• grants program enquiries
• grants support and how to apply
• information about awarded grants and their impact

Ashley is responsible for data, research and analysis that informs our strategic objectives and campaigns.

Contact Ashley for:

• enquiries related to our surveys
• positions on energy tariffs and pricing
• general research and analysis

Helen provides support to the operations of our organisation, and the Grants Program

Contact Helen for:

• grants program application process
• general enquiries

Angela is responsible for strategic planning processes and organisational outcomes measurement.

Contact Angela about:

• Impact and corporate reporting
• Grants impact evaluation

Kerry leads our community partnerships and grants & is the 'front door' to our organisation for consumer organisations

Contact Kerry about:

• community partnerships/engagement
• high level grants program enquiries
• how we represent households & small businesses

Michael is responsible for advocacy/policy work on distribution network efficiency, consumer energy resources (CER), electric vehicles (EVs) & delivering fair value for consumers.

Contact Michael about:

• EVs
• distribution networks
• integrating & valuing CER

Pauline works on consumer advocacy, with a focus on distribution network efficiency, consumer energy resources (CER), electric vehicles (EVs) & delivering fair value for consumers.

Contact Pauline about:

• EVs
• distribution networks
• integrating & valuing CER

Kat is responsible for how Energy Consumers Australia supports a community of influential advocates, as well as being the project lead on our flagship annual Foresighting Forum.

Contact Kat about:

• energy consumer surveys
• Foresighting Forum event enquiries

Alice works on consumer advocacy, relating to household electrification, the future of gas, and energy pricing.

Contact Alice about:

• household electrification
• the future of gas

Elham works on data, research and analysis that informs our strategic objectives and campaigns.

Contact Elham for:

• enquiries related to our surveys
• electric vehicles (EVs)
• general research and analysis

Amy is responsible for providing support to the CEO, Board and Leadership Team.

Contact Amy for:

• CEO speaking invitations
• board and CEO enquiries
• general enquiries

Ellaha works on advocacy and policy related to energy efficiency, consumer energy information resources and energy justice.

Contact Ellaha about:

• energy efficiency
• providing support to consumers through the transition
• energy justice

Aaron is responsible for organisational finance and accounting matters.

Contact Aaron about:

• invoicing
• accounts and payroll matters

Brian leads our Advocacy and Policy, Research and Analysis functions.

Contact Brian for:

• information about our policy position or advocacy agenda on a given topic

Kai leads our corporate operations, people and culture strategy as well as governance and compliance functions.

Contact Kai about:

• Corporate services
• Ethical conduct
• Board and governance
• Career opportunities

Liz leads our external communications and acts as the 'front door' to our organisation, for government and energy industry stakeholders.

Contact Liz for:

• government and industry engagement
• enquiries relating to our external communications and corporate strategy

Michaela is responsible for digital communications and projects, including managing our website/social media and brand management.

Contact Michaela about:

• social media/website content partnerships
• strategic digital communications
• Brand assets/guidelines

Rebekah is responsible for marketing & communications, including our newsletter, grants case studies & web/video content.

Contact Rebekah for:

• grants storytelling opportunities
• website content partnerships
• content promotion through our newsletter/video

Stuart is responsible for our media liaison, including media outreach, briefings and training to amplify the needs of consumers in the energy transition.

Contact Stuart for:

• media opportunities
• story ideas
• requests for comment

Caroline is responsible for our advocacy and policy work on energy efficiency, consumer energy information resources and energy justice.

Contact Caroline about:

• energy efficiency
• providing direct support to consumers through the transition
• energy justice

Geoff is a Research Fellow at the ANU Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research in Canberra. From 2015-2022 he was a Senior Policy Officer at the ACT Council of Social Service where he managed the ACT Energised Consumers Project, undertaking evidence-based advocacy for small energy consumers and for a just and inclusive transition in the ACT. Geoff remains active in the ACT community sector as a member of ACT Shelter’s Executive Committee and as a director on the board of Council on the Ageing ACT. He remains engaged in energy consumer advocacy locally and as member of the COTA Energy Advocates national network.  

Neil has more than 30 years of energy industry experience across the electricity and gas sectors including roles in retail, distribution and asset management. He currently holds a number of roles including Director of the Research Centre for Energy Data Innovation and Director, External Engagement in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Queensland as well as Chair of the Customer and Community Reference Group for Queensland Urban Utilities  

Jonathan is Director Policy and Engagement at the First Nations Clean Energy Network, a national network established to ensure First Nations participate in and benefit from Australia's clean energy transition. He is an experienced lawyer, advocate, strategist and policy analyst with over 20 years' working across the private, public and community sectors, and in First Nations-controlled organisations and alongside First Nations people and communities across Australia.  

Simon Moore is responsible for Business NSW advocacy relating to the infrastructure businesses depend on to function, including energy as well as transport, telecoms and water. Simon sits on several energy industry stakeholder bodies as Business NSW’s representative, including Essential Energy’s customer advocacy group and Jemena Gas Network’s customer council.  

Andrew is a Director of independent energy consultancy The Energy Project Pty Ltd. Andrew’s background began in electrical engineering before shifting focus to renewable energy and energy consumer issues and has since worked as the Technical Director of the South Australian Government’s Sustainability and Climate Change Division, energy advisor to the Conservation Council of SA and the South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS), end-use consumer representative on the Australian Energy Market Commission’s Reliability Panel and a member of the Australian Energy Regulator’s Consumer Challenge Panel.

In 2018, Andrew completed a PhD in Energy Policy at University College London and has since served as Chair of SA Power Networks’ Consumer Consultative Panel and inaugural chairperson of AEMO’s Integrated System Plan Customer Panel. This experience is now being applied to managing risks and compliance of Embedded Networks around Australia. 

Caitlin has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over 40 years, in a range of roles including admin and reception, project work, management and leadership, and has sat on numerous management committees and boards of management. Now living and working in Darwin, Caitlin in originally a Sydneysider whose first job in the sector was for the Tenants Union of NSW. As Senior Policy Officer at NTCOSS, Caitlin works across a broad range of policy issues including utilities, climate change and cost of living, with a particular focus on eradicating energy poverty in the Northern Territory.  

Asha Ramzan is the Executive Officer of Sydney Community Forum.

Sydney Community Forum has been working towards social justice, inclusion, and sustainability outcomes for and with socially and economically disadvantaged and marginalised communities in Sydney since 1974. SCF leads the Voices for Power Energy Literacy & Access to Renewables Project with migrant communities in Western and South-Western Sydney.
Asha has worked in various leadership, therapeutic, teaching, community development and management roles in the Community Sector since 1989. Asha is committed to the praxis of social, economic and climate justice, social inclusion and sustainability in all aspects of her work and life.  

As Founding CEO and Director of the Thriving Communities Partnership, Ciara Sterling convenes over 350 organisations, together with people with lived experience, to forge deeper understanding of vulnerability and drive ecosystem change through social design innovation. Ciara is also a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC), is a member of the White Ribbon Advisory , the Monash Safe and Equal Advisory board and a founding member of the Economic Abuse Reference Group (EARG). She has over 20 years’ experience collaborating across corporate, government and community sectors to address the root causes of vulnerability domestic abuse and inequality.

Damian Sullivan, who joined the Brotherhood of St. Laurence in 2007, leads the Climate Change and Energy team in the Social Policy and Research Centre. Damian worked previously on the Trade, Environment and Sustainability campaign at Friends of the Earth International. He has also taught subjects in the Masters of Public Advocacy and the Bachelor of Arts at Victoria University, and presented guest lectures in the Masters of Social Policy at the University of Melbourne. His research, policy and advocacy work focuses on the intersection of social equity and environmental sustainability, particularly the relationship between energy affordability, energy efficiency and climate change.  

Dr Phillipa Watson aims to support people to live great and sustainable lives. To this end, as a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University and the University of Tasmania (UTAS), she works in applied research with a variety of collaborators, to understand and enhance peoples’ real life housing transition and energy transition experiences.