Our team of highly skilled individuals approach everything they do with a holistic outlook – considering the impacts on both people and planet. Team GECA is deliciously diverse, with a vast range of experience in various fields – including the health and environment sector, sustainable design and engineering, biodiversity conservation and practical construction experience. We understand what it takes to create and procure sustainable products, materials and services for the Australian market and beyond.
CEO
Having worked in fundraising, marketing, and sales throughout her career, she has a wealth of business experience that she now uses at GECA to drive positive change. Michelle values her abilities to negotiate and collaborate and sees genuine working relationships as crucial to building robust and lasting sustainability strategies.
Her career was established in the UK before relocating to Australia in 2011. She has been fundamental in creating, building, developing and nurturing partnerships with clients, suppliers, and staff. She has exceptional management skills; a mentor leading and developing strong teams from the front with a hands-on approach.
With a keen eye for detail, she is well versed in business process improvements and developing strategies to drive best practice and increased value to all partners.
Head of Engagement & Marketing
She has worked in various sectors (including corporate health, advertising, marketing, print, design and hospitality), that involved delivering creative direction, management and marketing, whilst pursing to market with purpose and inspiring people to take action.
Her interest in health and environmental issues saw Paula working in corporate health for ten years, in a mix of management, marketing and editorial roles and playing an integral part in corporate health change. She also extended her project management skills across to facility management, building maintenance and landscape design. Paula draws on her experience, skills, qualifications and passion to market GECA’s vision for a society in which people demand sustainable products and services.
Strategic Communications Manager
She has over a decade’s worth of experience working in the field of environmental conservation and holds a Fellowship with the Centre for Sustainability Leadership. Kendall is also a member of the Fashion Revolution team in Australia, an international movement advocating for a fashion industry which values people, the environment, creativity and profits in equal measure.
Project & Relationship Manager
Marlene has studied logistics, supply chain management and marketing, followed by several years working in the corporate world as a project manager. Marlene has decided to concentrate her time and skills to help build a more sustainable future for the people and the planet. She has since undertaken further study in environmental management and sustainability.
Marlene has a keen interest in new technologies, renewable energy and sustainable designs. She believes that the key to a more sustainable world is education and has been delivering educational programs and events for many years. She uses her spare time volunteering in a community garden, playing soccer and exploring nature.
Head of Business and Strategy
Jess started her career working for the Australian Red Cross, managing local food security programs. She has worked for other not-for-profit organisations and state government agencies, obtaining skills in program management, community engagement, research, training, policy development and analysis, consumer advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and business development and strategy.
She recently completed her SA8000 Standard Auditor Training with Social Accountability International in her quest to improve supply chain transparency via mechanisms that support human and labour rights and environmental justice.
Jess’ role at GECA focuses on working with industry, government, universities, consumers, and other organisations to identify collaborative opportunities for sustainability action.
Standards & Technical Manager
As an environmental engineer, she combines expertise in low carbon solutions in the built environment and a profound background in life cycle assessment. She has previously worked for European green building labels and is a Green Star Accredited Professional.
During her time as a university researcher and throughout her whole career, she has collaborated with various architects, civil and building services engineers, councils and state departments. In her opinion, engineering is as much about finding the best technical solutions as it is about creating an equitable and just society.
Standards & Technical Officer
Joel started in the waste industry in 2009 and has provided ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 and OSHA 18001 compliant waste management solutions for various industries including transport, food and beverage, petroleum, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing in the Asia Pacific region.
He received his Doctorate in Chemical Engineering from UNSW, Sydney, in 2021 for his thesis titled “Development of Membrane Distillation for the Removal of Volatile Organic Compounds from Industrial Trade Effluents”. Joel is now working at GECA to help Australian industries achieve sound, sustainable and economically viable practices.
LCA, Standards & Technical Officer
Her main areas of focus have been Sustainability Assessments, Environmental Impact Assessments, Environmental Modelling and Environmental Auditing. At GECA, Shahin assists with creating Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). She also supports developing and revising GECA’s lifecycle ecolabel standards.
Standards & Technical Officer
She completed her PhD in 2021 from RMIT University in Melbourne. Shadia’s thesis explored the environmental impact assessment of textile supply chains. She has extensive experience in lifecycle assessment. She is very keen to apply her passion for ecolabelling to improve the sustainability performance of products and services.
Standards Strategy Project Manager
She received her Master’s in Sustainability from the University of Geneva in 2019. Her thesis examined the green building and construction sector, benchmarking certification schemes and tools to achieve sustainable construction practices and outcomes.
Equipped with international experience, Jasmin brings her skills, qualifications, and passion for sustainability to drive GECA’s standards strategy to help Australian industries reach robust environmental, health, social and economic performance.
Operations Officer
Having had a passion for the environment from a young age, Raven decided to bring her skills from sales and consumer experience to the field of sustainability. Raven’s role focuses on supporting the GECA team, as well as spreading our key messages via digital platforms and educating those who are on a journey of continuous improvement for people and planet.
Project Officer
Karina is a marketing and communications professional who has extensive experience developing insight-driven marketing and engagement strategies, creating digital marketing campaigns and project management.
She has previously worked in the higher education sector in Australia and for large corporations in the telecommunication sector in Brazil. Karina possesses vast experience in marketing strategy development and implementation. Her focus areas include digital marketing, content creation, project management, campaign management, events, and sales and marketing partnerships.
Karina holds a Master of Business degree with a major in Marketing at the University of Sydney and has recently taken further studies in Environment.