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Advocacy Committee

As the peak body for the community and engagement sector, IAP2 Australasia believes that engagement, when done well, improves environmental, social and governance outcomes and increases trust in the democratic process. We advocate for all communities to be authentically engaged in decisions that affect them, in alignment with the IAP2 Quality Assurance Standard for Community and Stakeholder Engagement.

To support our Advocacy strategy a representative Committee was formed, they play a crucial role in championing community engagement, influencing policy and driving change. We brought together IAP2A members with a shared commitment to the cause, allowing for targeted and strategic efforts. This collective focus helps streamline activities and ensures that advocacy efforts are coordinated and effective. The members on the committee bring a wealth of expertise and experience. Their specialised knowledge guides the development of strategies and inform policy proposals.

Advocacy Committee Objectives

The objective of the Advocacy Committee is to provide key advice, guidance and feedback to IAP2 Australasia to support the implementation of the IAP2A Advocacy Strategy.

The Committee acts as an advisor to Management to assist them in achieving the Advocacy Strategy, which includes:

  • Review and input into advocacy priorities and plans;
  • Guidance on the development of position and/or policy papers;
  • Guidance on the development of any frameworks or guidelines to support advocacy efforts;
  • Advice on key advocacy matters and/or opportunities at a local level.

Committee Members

Marion Short

Marion Short (Chair)

A transformational leader with over 15 years’ experience as a CEO in the not-for-profit sector, coupled with extensive senior management experience in the private sector and 20 years’ experience working within collaborative models.

Under her leadership, IAP2 Australasia focused on delivering a suite of valued initiatives to members which has resulted in tremendous growth, membership has more than tripled to over 16,000 and revenues have likewise increased.

Marion has an MBA from Henley Management College, UK. She has been married to Kevin for over 30 years and is enormously proud of her two adult sons.

A resourceful optimist, she grew up in the Northern Territory, and much of her life has been shaped by her dad’s words “well it can’t be that hard”.

Julie Boucher

Julie Boucher

Leading the Social Sustainability and Planning practice at Just Add Lime, Julie has a passion for working with organisations to build and develop connections with communities. With a collaborative approach and creative leadership skills, Julie brings together the right people and the right tools at the right time in a winning formula.

As a qualified Environmental Planner, Community Engagement and Social Impact Assessment specialist with formal Project Management qualifications and experience, Julie brings a uniquely broad range of skills and depth of experience to support project development and delivery. Having worked in the public and private sector as well as consultancy, Julie also understands what drives organisations and what that means for projects. She has worked in transportation, resources, defence, aviation and education sectors within both New Zealand and Australia. Julie is also responsible for guiding and supporting the company’s growth through people, planning, process and overall operational excellence.

Julie hatched the concept of the brain food cupboard at Just Add Lime. This is where you go to grab a snack before heading to the comfy seats to chill out or get the creative ideas flowing. She is also known for bringing baking into the office and if you get in early enough you might even be able to make a request.

Cass Erbs

Cass Erbs

Cass Erbs is a strategist and impact seeker, having held senior roles in Australia’s leading science and environment not-for-profit sectors and consultancies.

She currently serves as the Missions and Strategic Engagement Corporate Affairs lead at CSIRO, where her focus is developing mission-driven innovation that aims to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time, from transitioning to zero emissions or stopping the next pandemic to feeding our growing population or ending plastic waste.

With a background in science, business, and public policy, Cass’s work is part of CSIRO’s efforts to conduct impactful scientific research for societal benefits.

Cass has spent 20 years driving innovation across various sectors, making significant contributions in her field. From delivering $500 million initiatives to leading award-winning campaigns, her expertise lies in systems thinking, flexibility, and creativity.

She has a not-so-secret passion for all things science, climate, environment, tech, data, innovation, sport, and coffee.

Donna Groves

Donna Groves

Managing Director and Principal Stakeholder and Community Engagement Consultant at Comacon Pty Ltd. Author of Shine and A Difficult Woman (to be released late 2024). Podcast host Shine.

Donna is a community engagement specialist with 30 years’ experience delivering the stakeholder and community engagement for over 200 infrastructure and natural resources projects. She has owned and operated Comacon for 15 years and throughout her career has worked in senior stakeholder and community engagement roles for both Government and the private sector, including Infrastructure Australia.

Donna has a passion for supporting people and communities to own and share their stories, including how they are engaged with. The wellbeing of communities and people is at the core of her work and the focus of Comacon’s delivery of stakeholder and community engagement,

Donna is a passionate sportsperson and supporter. She is a current football (soccer) player, a retired netballer, a current netball coach and sits on the board of numerous sporting bodies. Wellbeing, community empowerment and supporting women in sport are what drives Donna.

Kate Kernaghan

Kate Kernaghan

Kate Kernaghan is the founding Director of Factotum Communications, currently working with clients across Transport, Mining, Renewables and Water Infrastructure.

Among other projects, Kate is currently the Independent Chair of a community advisory panel for a mining project, ensuring the engagement remains authentic, transparent, accountable and productive for all parties involved.

From State Significant Infrastructure planning and delivery to stakeholder relationship rehabilitation (and a great many tangents in between), Kate has 2 decades of government, interagency and private sector experience under her belt. She is well equipped to navigate the approvals, social and political licence, and stakeholder management aspects of any project.

Having recently completed an Executive MBA at UoW, outside of work, Kate is happy to have traded reading lists and highlighters for taxi-ing around her three “spirited” daughters and mediating spotify or front seat disputes.   

Helen Leayr

Helen Leayr

Helen has over 25 years’ industry experience across community, government and business sectors including five years as Executive Director of the Canberra Business Council. During her tenure as Managing Director at Communication Link, the company has been involved in some of the most significant discussions in Canberra, from the establishment of infrastructure such as light rail, major city-centre renewal projects, bushfire recovery, the creation of the ACT’s wellbeing indicators and Canberra’s energy transition towards net zero by 2045. Helen is a passionate advocate for stakeholders, believing in active listening to inform meaningful engagement. She is an experienced facilitator that loves a room full of passionate and engaged people.

Claire Paddison

Claire Paddison

Claire Paddison is a strategic communications, engagement, and facilitation specialist, with a demonstrated 25+ year history facilitating large and often complex and controversial projects for major public and private sector projects across all levels of government, resources, infrastructure, land development and the not-for-profit sector. 

Playing a key leadership role across several businesses, Claire has been responsible for building internal capacity and leading and facilitating the design and implementation of strategic organisational planning, change management and stakeholder engagement and communications, to achieve both corporate and operational business outcomes. Claire’s achievements have been recognised at the national and international level by IAP2.

Claire is passionate about building relationships with and between people. As a facilitator she enjoys designing processes which enable participation and gives people a voice through respectful and purposeful conversations. Claire is comfortable and confident working with and between cultures.

Leigh Moran

Leigh Moran (Our Government Relations Advisor)

Leigh is a leading government relations practitioner, who has worked in and around Canberra and Parliament House for more than a decade.

Throughout Leigh’s lengthy career in political advocacy, Leigh has delivered government relations strategies for Australian and multinational companies, not-for-profits, national peak bodies, and leading think tanks. He has held senior roles in business and has first-hand experience of the business impacts of government decision making.

Leigh sits on the board of Garran Primary School ACT, one of the roles he holds to give back to the community.

Counsel House are engaged as a government relations adviser to IAP2 Australasia.