At ECOllaboration we have over 25 years experience in the delivery of environmental management projects, as well as a wealth of experience behind each of our staff members.
Cerran Fawns – Chief Executive Officer
Cerran Fawns grew up on the Sunshine Coast and after studying at James Cook University and the University of Queensland in Far North Queensland, Brisbane and Toowoomba, she moved back to the Sunshine Coast in 1999.
Self employed she managed a successful part time tutoring business until 2003. In 2000 she was engaged by the Maroochy Mooloolah Catchment Coordinating Committee to write the first ever trajectory of the State of Rivers – Maroochy River and Tributaries, compiling two sets of river survey data from 1993 and 1998 on behalf of the Department of Natural Resources. From 2000 to 2003, Cerran also managed various water monitoring, employment and riparian rehabilitation projects for Maroochy Waterwatch and the Petrie Creek Catchment Care Group. In 2003 she was appointed manager of Maroochy Waterwatch, managing and building upon the various projects.
During the twelve years under her leadership, Cerran has led ECOllaboration through significant change and has built partnerships on all levels of government, industry and with other community groups, whilst guiding the strategic direction of the organisation. She has also helped establish several commercial business entities in order to secure income streams for the organisation.
Cerran's in-depth knowledge of environmental and community issues has led her to be part of numerous local and state government advisory committees and reference panels ranging from, but not limited to:
planning and policy development for the Sunshine Coast and regional environment,
water supply, urban stormwater quality management,
sediment and erosion control,
sewage treatment plant upgrades,
on-site effluent management,
employment initiatives,
community safety and
advice to correction services.
She is a recipient of the Qld Government Speakers Inspiring Women's Award 2013, Rotary International's Paul Harris Fellowship 2007 and the Sunshine Coast Australia Day Award for the Environment 2005. She holds current membership with the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Institute of Community Practice and Governance. Shes was the previous chair of the Qld Litter Prevention Alliance and a previous director of Landcare Queensland. She is also a published author of Our Maroochy coffee table book.
Cerran's favourite quote is 'Seize the Day' which pretty much sums up the energy and enthusiasm she has for the local community and the environment. When she is not seizing the day, she loves to travel, camp and bushwalk.
Cerran's qualifications include:
Executive Master of Business Administration
Bachelor Science (Hons) majoring in Botany and Zoology
Certificate IV Business (Governance)
Certificate IV Workplace Training and Assessment
Certificate III Water Testing
Senior First Aid and CPR
Stephen Potter – Company Secretary and Business Administrator
Stephen is a recent convert to the Sunshine Coast lifestyle, having migrated up from Adelaide, South Australia in 2013. He loves the pristine beaches, waterways, hinterland and great weather that makes living on the Sunshine Coast something unique to be enjoyed and appreciated, hopefully for generations to come.
He is an experienced Senior Manager and Business Consultant with a demonstrated history of working at senior levels in commerce and government. Prior to joining ECOllaboration, Stephen ran his own consulting business providing contract CEO/CFO services to small business and franchise groups. He has lived and worked across Australia and SE Asia, having the role of General Manager Asia Pacific for a large multi-national company and previously, assisting a local company start up business in Hong Kong.
He was a business owner and part of the leadership group of a Professional Services Practice for over 10 years, specifically responsible for the development and management of a Business Applications Consulting Team. This team delivered large Business Intelligence and IT systems to many commercial clients and government organisation. He is skilled in Financial Management, Project Management, Business Intelligence, Business & Strategic Planning, IT Systems and Professional Services.
Bachelor Business Accounting
Jim Stuart – Natural Areas Manager
Jim heads up Catchment Services and is responsible for the efficient running of the crews on the ground and tendering for projects. Jim has worked for the company for over 6 years and in the natural resource industry for over 20 years. Jim is adept at project management, cost control, human resourcing, risk management, procurement and workplace health and safety.
With forestry as a passion, Jim brings a different viewpoint on managing natural areas. Combined with a talent for business development, Jim has managed the continued growth of Catchment Services and was recently commended with the Sunshine Coast Council announcing Catchment Services to be one of their top suppliers.
When Jim is not busy with his project coordination, he can be found rehabilitating a koala habitat in Doonan.
Associate Diploma in Engineering Surveying
Associate Diploma Applied Science in Forestry
Cert IV Training and Assessment
Construction White Card
Chainsaw Level 2
Kay Drabsch – Business Development Manager
Kay has extensive experience in the environment and engineering space. She has worked on programs in Australia and New Zealand including multi-stakeholder projects with complex procurement and delivery methodologies.
Kay has worked on for purpose ventures including TEDX, Scattered People, Starlight Foundation and Power of Engineering (targeted at female students before they make their senior subject selections). She has also been responsible for CSR funding allocations for indigenous housing projects and wetland restitution and developed and run innovative targeted professional community and stakeholder engagement strategies and events.
Stakeholders include: Government Ministers and Councillors, corporate and public service professionals, CEOs of major infrastructure and property companies, professional associations and venue operators and universities.
BAdmin (Marketing)
Janine Bedros – Environmental Projects Officer
Janine has over seven years experience in Environmental Science and Community Engagement. She has practical experience in monitoring and compliance, resource efficiency, waste management, and water quality. She is a proficient user of Geographical Information Systems and databases.
Janine has all round experience in monitoring, results analysis, and recommendation and implementation of on ground solutions. She has applied her highly developed conceptual and analytical skills to interpret and present technical information for industry funded trials and monitoring reviews of intensive agricultural worksites.
Janine played a key role in diagnosing and treating potential threats to water quality for a large scale meat processing facility, including blue-green algae. She has managed an ISO14001 Environmental Management System and is also a trained Internal Auditor.
Janine is an avid volunteer, and draws on her personal experience to engage the community in volunteer programs including water monitoring, frog monitoring, litter programs, and voluntourism adventures. She is currently managing ECOllaboration's Environmental Programs including professional and community based monitoring programs, and delivering environmental education workshops to schools and holiday programs.
Bachelor of Applied Science (Hons)
Cert IV Occupations Health and Safety
Cert III Water Sampling
Sandy McBride – Education Business Development Officer
Sandy has been working for ECOllaboration since 2000. This work began with the Paynters Creek catchment restoration project, followed by a threatened frog monitoring and restoration project. Sandy set up and coordinated the Sunshine Coast Qld Environmentally Sustainable Schools Initiative (QESSI) Hub. More recently she has been promoting and coordinating the curriculum linked Eco Education field trips and workshops we deliver to schools.
Prior to starting work at ECOllaboration, she was the Waste Education Officer and one of the founding directors of Reverse Garbage at West End in Brisbane. Sandy held the position of president of the Peninsula Environment Group in Redcliffe for a number of years in the 1990s during which time she helped conduct campaigns to protect marine and bushland habitat. It became clear to her that following the short term success of a number of these campaigns, the longer term future of our natural ecosystems would only be secured with a change in community values towards the importance of protecting them. This realization inspired Sandy to undertake the Environmental Education Masters and change her career direction. Her Master's dissertation involved a case study of the Brisbane City Council's Blackfellas Whitefellas Community & Environmental Arts Project at the Boondall Wetlands. She worked for many years as a medical scientist in various Brisbane hospitals prior to this career change.
Many things shaped her current commitment and passion towards caring for the environment and they included being a Girl Guide and realizing human health is intrinsically linked to a healthy environment. Completing an Outward Bound course in her late twenties helped develop her resilience. The course involved spending four weeks travelling overland – backpacking, canoeing, caving and abseiling, from Mt Kosciusko in NSW to Orbost on the south coast of Victoria.
Sandy and her husband Joseph have been Waterwatch monitors for over 10 years. They spend many hours on a regular basis helping to restore the streambank along Whalley Creek in Nambour and have made a commitment to live more sustainably. The actions they've adopted as part of this commitment include: Sharing one small car, holidaying in Australia, being energy wise, installing solar hot water and a solar power 1.5 kW system, using rainwater tanks, having a fruit and vegetable garden and minimizing purchases that have packaging.
In her spare time Sandy enjoys gardening, learning french, watching art house movies and playing the marimba and violin.
Master of Environmental Education,
Certificate IV in Water Testing and
Certificate IV in Workplace Training & Assessment.
Allissa George – Site Supervisor
Extensive on-ground knowledge and skills relating to natural resource management and revegetation techniques. On-ground human resource management, daily deployment and reporting.
Cert III & IV Conservation and Land Management
Jessica Hale – Site Supervisor
Cert IV Conservation and Land Management
Elliott Bowerman – Site Supervisor
Cert III Conservation and Land Management
Cert III Horticulture
MUTCD Level 1
Skye Thorby – Regenerator
Onground skills and knowledge relating to weed control and revegetation techniques.
Bachelor Environmental Science
Jason Dix – Regenerator
Cert III Natural Area Restoration
Timothy Byrne – Regenerator
Bachelor Applied Science
Mona Abbas – Regenerator
Nathan Ward – Regenerator
Cert III Conservation and Land Managment
Sarah Patching – Regenerator
Snake Handling and Fauna Spotting and Catching
Daniel Bowman – Regenerator
Cert III App Env Practices
Centaine Thorogood – Intern
Julia Barnes – Intern
Jayde Turner – Intern