Nicola has worked with EJA for over a decade as Director of Advocacy and Research, working to improve environmental laws.

She led EJA’s clean air campaign which saw her engage with grassroots environment groups and local communities around Australia to protect our right to clean air.

She has also led our federal and state advocacy work on issues such as climate and water law, and national biodiversity laws.

Previously, she worked as a senior lawyer in federal and state governments. Nicola is a Fellow of the Centre for Sustainability Leadership and holds a Masters in Environmental Management.

Elizabeth McKinnon is an experienced environmental lawyer with a passion for using litigation to create change.

After a stint in private practice, Elizabeth moved to Environment Defenders Office Victoria as a public interest environmental litigator.

She was previously General Counsel at the Australian Conservation Foundation, where she led ACF in Federal Court litigation to Stop Adani and advising across a range of operational and governance issues.

Elizabeth has been the Chairperson of Environment Victoria and sits on the editorial panel of the Australian Environment Review. She has 14 years of experience using the law as a tool for change in the environment and climate movements.

Kat is a proud Gubbi Gubbi woman raised on Dharawal and Dharug land. She is committed to centreing intersectionality in her practise as a lawyer, and believes amplifying the voices of people with lived experience is the key to effecting meaningful change.

Previously, Kat worked at Consumer Action Law Centre, including as a lawyer on the Koori Integrated Practice Project in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service.

Kat is one of the youngest speakers to have ever presented at the World Mediation Forum.

Kat holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons). Her honours research focussed on health and justice impacts experienced by incarcerated First Nations women based on intersecting race, gender and economic discrimination.

Jocelyn lives in Newcastle on Awabakal and Worimi Country.

Jocelyn works in the Coal Pollution Team to protect communities and the environment impacted by pollution from coal fired power stations.

She supports communities across the Hunter region by giving legal advice, strategising litigation opportunities and assisting with community campaigns and law reform projects.

Prior to joining EJA, Jocelyn worked for the NSW Government, as an in-house prosecutor at the Environment Protection Authority and before that, as a strategic and statutory planning officer at the Department of Planning and Environment. Jocelyn holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Science. 

Nicola is a lawyer working in the ecosystems team. She was previously a lawyer at the Environmental Defenders Office and was researcher (associate) to Justice Preston, Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of NSW.

Nicola has a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Monash University and a Master of Laws (with Distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Jay is a proud Ngadjuri man. He is incredibly passionate about global health and particularly the health of First Nation’s people.

He has the honour of working with Aboriginal peoples on projects that empower the community through the restoration of native ecosystems.

Jay would like to complete an honours degree by investigating and exploring the links between climate change and criminality amongst Aboriginal youths.

Tessa Fluence leads EJA’s communications team.

She has green thumbs and big dreams for a better world. She is passionate about sparking participatory movements to shift the public conversation, re-engage people in our democracy and reconnect communities with each other and our planet.

Before joining EJA, Tessa led change the story campaigning at the Australian Conservation Foundation. She has worked on environmental advocacy campaigns for over a decade, across engagement, communications strategy, narrative research and campaigning.

She has Arts and Law degrees from the University of Melbourne, where she also did a PhD in cultural studies. 

Sam believes deeply in the power of words and stories to connect people, imagine a better future, and create change. Luckily, as a digital campaigner, she spends much of her time thinking about exactly that.

Her background is in climate justice activism and community organising, previously the Communications Manager at the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. Sam has a Bachelor of Arts and is currently completing a Masters of Environment at the University of Melbourne.

Beyond her work with EJA, Sam is a writer and keen open water swimmer, regularly throwing herself into the lovable, icy waters of Port Phillip Bay in Naarm/Melbourne.

Aaron has over 20 years’ experience in I.T desktop, infrastructure and application systems in corporate, education and Arts based organisations. In recent times, becoming conversant in Mac, SaaS and SQL systems, along with security and I.T policy audits.

He has volunteered for organisations such as the Centre for Sustainability Leadership, the South-Side Greens for 2014  council elections, the Victorian Greens in their 2017 campaign and Get-Up for the 2019 Federal election.

He holds a Bachelor of Computing from Monash University and is certified for ITIL v.3.0. and ACS’ inaugural Green I.T course

Outside of work he is a full writer/member of APRA/AMCOS, having toured dive-bars of the world with indie-pop band the Earthmen and hopefully his new experimental rock band Ekranoplans.