Environmental Leadership Australia

Environmental Leadership Australia Board

Patty Akopiantz
Chair

Patty has deep strategic and business-building expertise across the consumer-facing landscape. She spent more than 35 years as a top ASX company board director and senior manager in companies within the retail, energy, health, and financial services sectors. Patty is a co-founder of Assembly Climate Capital, an impact investment firm which invests in companies and ideas that can have significant climate impact. She is a Non-Executive Director of Sea Forest, the Belvoir Theatre Company, The Hunger Project and serves as an external independent board member of KPMG. She is committed to the role that businesses can play in decarbonisation and is passionate about the role of women in the net zero transition. She is a member of Chief Executive Women and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Nathan Quigley
Director

Nathan spent over a decade on the front line of election campaigns across Australia, emerging as one of the leading political communicators in the country. A former State Director of the New South Wales and Western Australian National Parties, he retains a passion for advocating for rural and regional communities across Australia. Since leaving politics, Nathan has been a Director at Res Publica, a strategic communications consultancy advising businesses and industry groups on public policy engagement. Nathan holds Master of Commerce (Economics) and Bachelor of Science degrees, both from the University of Sydney.

Claire Dawson
Director

Claire is a senior executive with broad experience in government relations, corporate affairs and community engagement. With nearly 30 years’ experience across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, Claire spent four years working in Prime Minister Howard’s office (2001-2004) and in 2017 was responsible for managing the Australian marriage equality campaign’s successful political strategy. Prior to that campaign, she was the Federal Government’s Women’s Adviser overseeing policy for women’s safety, leadership and economic security. In her most recent role at the Commonwealth Bank, she managed a large social investment program focused on supporting people impacted by domestic and financial abuse. Claire holds a BA in Government, International Relations and Art History (USyd) and is currently studying an MBA (ANU). She is a graduate of the Company Directors Course and a Non-Executive Director of the Canberra Grammar Foundation Board.

Jon Berry
Director

Jon is an economic policy consultant specialising in international trade and global affairs. He has significant experience in public policy, budgeting and financial forecasting, philanthropic networks and knowledge and organisational evaluation. Jon has worked in policy and management roles in Australia, Europe and Asia, including for the United Nations World Food Programme, and is currently Associate Director of KPMG’s Australia Geopolitics Hub. He is a member of the Myer Foundation and convenes the Foundation’s Sustainability and Environment Committee. Jon has a particular interest in evaluating the effectiveness of advocacy groups and political engagement work. He holds a Masters of Public Policy and Management from the University of Melbourne and an MBA from the University of Geneva.

Samantha Meers AO
Director

Following a successful career in commercial law, media and business, Sam and her father, Nelson, established Australia’s first Prescribed Ancillary Fund in 2001. Over the past 20 years, under her direction, the Nelson Meers Foundation has funded over 200 projects nationally across a broad range of not-for-profit organisations. Sam has also held board roles in a number of public, university and government institutions, spanning the arts, climate, and gender and social equality; these include the Art Gallery of NSW, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Documentary Australia Foundation, Australians Investing in Women, Philanthropy Australia and The Climate Institute. Sam’s current not-for-profit board appointments include Chair of Belvoir St Theatre and Chair of the Brett Whiteley Foundation.

Sam holds degrees in law and arts and a master of letters (literature) from the University of Sydney. She is a member of Chief Executive Women, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Royal Society of NSW and the State Library of NSW. In 2018, Sam was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the community.