Miriam Lyons is the Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Development. Formerly the Policy Coordinator of New Matilda, Miriam has a history of bringing policy ideas to new audiences, as the former director of the Interface Festival of Ideas in Sydney, and the Ideas Program for the Straight out of Brisbane Festival. Miriam has also worked as a freelance writer and researcher and as a media development consultant in East Timor. She is on the advisory committee of the Centre for Cosmopolitan Civil Societies at UTS. Miriam was a delegate to the 2020 Summit and was profiled in the Thinkers category of The Australian’s Emerging Leaders series, as a ‘Woman Shaping Australia’ in Madison Magazine and as an AFR Boss 2010 ‘True Leader’. She is an occasional guest on the ABC shows Q&A and The Drum and co-edited the book ‘More Than Luck: Ideas Australia needs now‘ with Mark Davis.
View Miriam’s recent work here.
Marian Spencer is the General Manager for the Centre for Policy Development. Marian worked in London as the membership secretary for The Women’s Environment Network and then as the administrator for The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. She moved to Sydney in 1998 and worked as the NSW Manager for The Wilderness Society. After leaving full time work to have a family Marian worked part time as a community educator with TEC’s Safer Solution Campaign before joining CPD.
Contact: marian.spencer(at)cpd.org.au*
James Whelan is the Research Director for Public Service Research Program at the Centre for Policy Development.. James’ research history includes lecturing and leading social science research programs with several universities and research institutions on topics including deliberative governance, environmental politics and social movements. He has published widely and contributed to national and international conferences. James has also been a campaigner and strategist with social and environmental justice organisations and networks. He is founder-director of the Change Agency, a not-for-profit education and action research initiative that supports progressive social movements in the Asia-Pacific region.
Contact: james.whelan(at)cpd.org.au*
Laura Eadie is the Research Director for the Sustainable Economy Program at the CPD. Laura’s core skill is providing rigorous thinking to support evidence-based decision-making, with a focus on the intersection of policy, economics and sustainability. Her experience spans corporate strategy consulting, management experience in green finance and natural resources policy advice. Laura is a member of the Green Capital advisory committee for the Total Environment Centre. She has qualifications in environmental management, finance & investment, and industrial chemistry.
Contact: laura.eadie(at)cpd.org.au*
Christopher Stone is the Research Assistant on CPD’s Public Service and Sustainable Economy Research Programs. Christopher has previously worked in university research centres focusing on environmental law and policy. He has qualifications in law and psychology, and is currently undertaking a PhD on using social science concepts and research to improve the effectiveness of environmental governance.
Contact: christopher.stone(at)cpd.org.au*
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