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Our People

Our Ambassadors

Dr Garnett Hall
Dr Garnett Hall
Dr Garnett Hall is veterinary surgeon in Perth, Western Australia, with over 14 years of experience in small animal, beef, dairy and equine veterinary services. He is the co-owner of two veterinary practices and is the founder of VetChip, a biotechnology company developing the next-generation of smart animal healthcare products. Dr Garnett has extensive experience working with Military, Police and other Government agencies in Australia and overseas, including experience in emergency management and disaster relief, with roles in ADF responses to Brisbane Floods 2011, Cyclone Yasi 2011, Bushfires 2020 and more. He regularly conducts advanced skill training in canine tactical casualty care for organisations across Australia.Dr Garnett is the current President of the Australian Veterinary Association WA Division, and he was elected the Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) WA ambassador in 2019. He also works with various media organisations to promote key veterinary messages to the community. 
Dr Geoff Wilson
Dr Geoff Wilson
Dr. Geoff Wilson is a world-class polar explorer, dynamic keynote speaker, entrepreneur, family man and veterinary surgeon. Geoff holds multiple records for unsupported solo expeditions in Antarctica including the longest unsupported solo polar journey in history. He was also the first person to summit Antarctica's Dome Argus. In partnership with his son, Geoff’s next project is a docu-series as they explore the world's most isolated and vulnerable environments. Geoff also founded VetLove in 2015, which is a family-run and Australian-owned company of 13 state-of-the-art animal hospitals across Northern NSW and South East QLD, all focused on Love, Compassion and Excellence in Vetcare with a goal of becoming carbon neutral in two years. 
Dr Lisa Chimes
Dr Lisa Chimes
Dr Lisa Chimes is a practicing Australian veterinarian who works in the emergency and critical care department at the Small Animal Specialist Hospital. She is also the creator of DOG, an Australian business providing eco-friendly, biodegradable, recyclable and vegan luxury skincare and lifestyle products for your dog. Dr Lisa has starred in popular TV shows Bondi Vet and Dr Lisa to the Rescue. She has made regular appearances on morning television shows, as well as newspaper, magazine, digital and radio appearances. You can also find her as a regular guest and MC on the pet expo circuit. She is the author of two children’s books by Penguin - My First Puppy and My First Kitten. Dr Lisa is a proud supporter of a variety of pet rescue organisations.  

Our Board

Dr Jeannet Kessels - Board Chair
Dr Jeannet Kessels
Board Chair
Jeannet is responding with conviction and commitment to growing alarm at the effects of climate change on animals and the environment. She leads Greater Springfield Veterinary in Queensland, engages in business consulting, and dearly enjoys her family. A driving force behind our organisation, she dedicates substantial time and forward energy to VfCA.
Dr Angela Frimberger - Deputy Board Chair
Dr Angela Frimberger
Deputy Board Chair
Angela is a biologist, veterinary oncologist, mother, small business owner and climate advocate. She brings years of experience in small-scale climate advocacy, ranging from her Climate Reality training, to regular speaking engagements, to founding Climate Vets, a global network of animal health professionals concerned about climate change.
Dr Helen Scott-Orr AM PSM - Board Director
Dr Helen Scott-Orr AM PSM
Board Director
Helen comes from an extensive career in public service, including being the first female Chief Veterinary Officer of NSW, and is deeply passionate about climate and the potential for the veterinary community to advocate for and achieve emissions reductions. Helen compliments her great sense of energy and humour with a wealth of experience in governance and strategy.
Dr Jonathan Happold - Board Director
Dr Jonathan Happold
Board Director
Jonathan graduated as a veterinarian from the University of Sydney in 1998, he completed a Masters Degree in Epidemiology at the University of London and is a Fellowship Candidate of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists.
Professor Mark Howden - Board Director
Professor Mark Howden
Board Director
Mark has worked on climate variability, climate change, innovation and adoption issues for over 30 years in partnership with many industry, community and policy groups. He is currently the Director of the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions at The Australian National University and has experience in issues including agriculture and food security, the natural resource base, ecosystems and biodiversity, energy, water and urban systems.
Nick Williamson - Treasurer
Nick Williamson
Treasurer
Nick is delighted to have joined the VfCA board, growing up somewhere between a zoo and a vet school and having been surrounded by animals large and small for most of his life. He has a background in law, healthcare and for-purpose organisations, and is the father of two kids deeply concerned about our climate.
Steff Goldring - Company Secretary
Steff Goldring
Company Secretary
Over 20 years of experience in operational, logistics and business strategy. Having lived and worked across Europe and Australia, Steff has a background in team management as well as program delivery. As a former lawyer, Steff is both detail-oriented and big picture-oriented. She has led multiple complex logistics projects for clients, making the user experience simple and streamlined while masking the complexity being managed in the background. As a business administrator she has worked across the spectrum from admin support through to Director level C-suite roles such as being a COO. This gives Steff unique insights into both the visionary and practical elements of project management and delivery. Steff is passionate about solving climate change and has experience in working for climate advocacy organisations such as Environmental Leadership Australia.
Ben Tyler - Board Advisor
Ben Tyler
Board Advisor
A proud Bininj man, Ben co-authored Walking In Gagudju Country and owns and operates Kakadu Kitchen, a proudly 100% Indigenous company producing wholesale beverages infusing Kakadu native botanicals for Australia's hospitality, tourism, and Indigenous bush food sectors. Ben supports the Board as as our Indigenous Advisor.
Kelly Douglas - Board Advisor
Kelly Douglas
Board Advisor
Kelly is the General Counsel at Médecins Sans Frontières for both Australia and for New Zealand. Having previously managed the legal function for Lifeline and its related entities, she has also spent over a decade in the private sector as a legal advisor to some of the most recognised brands in Australia and worldwide. She was appointed to the board of Word Travels in the first half of 2020, and has worked in an advisory role for VfCA since early 2022.

Our Staff

Clare Werbeloff - Programs Lead
Clare Werbeloff
Programs Lead
Over 15 years experience in service and project management, Clare has a background in campaigning, events management and leadership roles. Clare has an embedded passion for the environment, animal welfare and climate change with professional experience in enhancing customer experience, and delivering quality long term vision solutions.  As a former community engagement lead, Clare is experienced in successfully driving business performance and improving business outcomes with a proven ability to establish rapport with clients, colleagues, volunteers and the wider community. As a business owner, Clare has worked with a variety of people with differentiating abilities, and this gives Clare distinctive insight into people management and the ability to collaborate with, and motivate a diverse range of people to successfully achieve positive outcomes. Clare is passionate about making positive changes for the good of the environment through the minimisation of both personal and professional impacts on climate change, and has experience working for climate advocacy organisations such as Surfrider Foundation Australia, Australian Marine Conservation Society, Humane Society International and Action for Dolphins on key events and campaigns.
Elise Anderson - Regional Lead
Elise Anderson
Regional Lead
Elise is a practising veterinarian who lives with her family in a small town in north-east Victoria.  Over the last 20 years she has worked in a wide range of clinical settings, including mixed and small animal practice, and animal welfare, both here in Australia and in the UK.  Most of her life has been spent living and working in rural and regional communities, and she has experienced first hand the threat that climate change poses to the animals and people in these areas.  Her work with Vets for Climate Action enables her to combine her professional life as a vet with her deep personal concern about climate change, and her firm belief in the power of grassroots community advocacy as a vehicle for change.  
Mel Harwin - CIO
Mel Harwin
CIO
Mel has a BA in Community Development and for the last fifteen years has been working across the international development, social impact, culture and community sectors, working to understand, influence or change issues affecting people and the planet with a broad range of stakeholders in the private, government, non-government, and community sectors. Mel is naturally drawn to communicate, engage, facilitate, research, write or storytelling.
Tara O'Connell - CEO
Tara O'Connell
CEO
Tara brings over 25 years of diverse experience including 6 years as CEO of a national environmental NFP; Chairman and Director on regional tourism boards; Head of Digital Transformation for a national NFP; and as a consultant to Government Departments and NGOs. Tara has also developed and sold her own technology company, and enjoyed guest lecturing at University during the past 20 years. Tara says she feels honoured to work with so many talented people in such a values-aligned organisation.
Steff Goldring - COO
Steff Goldring
COO
Over 20 years of experience in operational, logistics and business strategy. Having lived and worked across Europe and Australia, Steff has a background in team management as well as program delivery. As a former lawyer, Steff is both detail-oriented and big picture-oriented. She has led multiple complex logistics projects for clients, making the user experience simple and streamlined while masking the complexity being managed in the background. As a business administrator she has worked across the spectrum from admin support through to Director level C-suite roles such as being a COO. This gives Steff unique insights into both the visionary and practical elements of project management and delivery. Steff is passionate about solving climate change and has experience in working for climate advocacy organisations such as Environmental Leadership Australia. ​

Our Patron

Prof Peter Doherty AC FRS FMedSci
Prof Peter Doherty AC FRS FMedSci
Peter Doherty shared the 1996 Nobel Medicine Prize for his discoveries about transplantation and “killer” T cell-mediated immunity, an understanding that is currently translating into new cancer treatments. The first veterinarian to win a Nobel, he was also Australian of the Year in 1997. Peter is still active in research and also maintains a public profile. His twitter feed mixes his outspoken views on the need for urgent climate action with his fantastically dry sense of humour.

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