Our Board

Jo BarraketChair

Jo is passionate about the value of diverse societies and community-led approaches to social change. By day, Jo is Director of the Centre for Social Impact Swinburne and is Australia’s premier researcher of social enterprise. She has extensive experience in nonprofit governance, social enterprise policy and practice, and measuring social impacts. Jo is a passionate veggie gardener and thinks CERES is the most relaxing place in Melbourne, and possibly the universe. When not looking at the veggie plots or doing her shopping at CERES, Jo can occasionally be found meditating on the chickens.

Natalie AbboudCouncil Representative

Natalie Abboud is a business owner and mother to three boys. She is a chef by trade and worked in several great Melbourne restaurants before opening the famed Rumi restaurant with her husband Joseph in 2006. Natalie has been a Greens candidate for the federal seat of Calwell and the state seat of Yuroke and was elected to the NE Ward of the Moreland City Council in October last year. Natalie is a director of Community Food Marketplace which is a NFP that runs the Melbourne Farmers Markets. She is passionate about food related issues and the community and is currently a member of the CERES board as a Moreland City council representative.

Noel BlencoweSecretary

Noel retired as a CERES Team Leader (co-CEO) in 2012 but has continued voluntary involvement – particularly on CERES Purposes Review group, and in helping CERES Global trips support excellent sustainability and community development work in India. Noel believes that climate change and social equity are two of the biggest issues needing tackling for creating a safer world and greater well-being for all life on the planet. Government inaction on such issues means that there is a vital role to be played by community organisations in catalysing action. Noel has recently become a grandparent and come to understand more acutely the importance of local spaces like CERES for children and carers.

John BurneStaff Representative

John grew up the youngest of five in a quiet coastal town of Tasmania and travelled to Melbourne to expand his horizons. Three decades on, he is still here enjoying a vibrant urban lifestyle. John’s career experience and qualifications are in the fields of product design, engineering and environmental management systems. These are put to good use at CERES, in his role as Infrastructure Manager and part of the Green Technology Group. John is passionate about design & technology; how it can be cleverly used to help us appreciate and look after the environment. He is also part of the team contributing to the CERES Global Projects, sharing some of our sustainable technologies knowledge with Indian communities. When not at CERES, John relishes the hunter/gather role of his household, along with the preparation of food for sharing.

Greg DicksonSite Groups Representative

Melbourne born and bred, Greg Dickson is a Registered Architect and Builder. At CERES Greg has been involved with the Bike Shed Group for over 10 years, and is a fan of human powered transportation. He is the current Site Group representative and believes that the diversity provided by these small independent groups on site greatly enhances the CERES experience for visitors and other fellow travellers.

Thomas DobsonTreasurer

Thomas has been the CERES Treasurer for the last eight years and a proud CERES advocate for a decade. He believes there is even more potential here to unlock now that we’ve learnt how to complement our prized environmental and social contributions with stable financial management and innovative enterprises. Tom works at NAB in Media & Partnerships and has postgraduate business and company directorship qualifications. He lives locally and rides everywhere. Tom’s favourite season at CERES is autumn.

Rod DuncanGeneral Member

Rod is an East Brunswick resident with a diverse career in urban design and planning. He joined the Site Planning and Infrastructure Committee in 2015, and was elected to the Board in Nov. 2016.
Rod believes that genuine engagement supported by thoughtful design can support communities – and CERES – in identifying and pursuing a ‘preferred future’ that is sustainable, equitable and fulfilling. Managing rapid change is increasingly important, particularly transitioning smoothly into a low carbon future.

Sophie GaballaGeneral Member

With several years’ experience as a sustainability educator and project manager working in non-profit and state government organisations, Sophie brings extensive experience in and a passion for, community engagement and sustainability in the built environment. In recent years at Brimbank Council and through her current role at the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority, she has developed environmental and sustainability project and contract management expertise, in the areas of building management, retrofit programs and sustainability rating tools. Sophie has a passion for natural environments and sustainable living, and can often be found camping out bush or enjoying Melbourne on her push bike.

Sarah HousemanGeneral Member

Sarah brings experience in NGO governance, leadership and environmental education to the board, as well as in enterprise management and marketing. She is currently in the midst of a PhD exploring the ways the governance of high-functioning, ecological organisations might operate and be experienced, and working as an occasional organisational consultant. Sarah has played a key role in the New Pavilion Consultation, investigated options for establishing longer term fund building for CERES and along with Josh Floyd and others, assisted in developing a Carbon Policy for CERES. Currently Sarah is continuing to support the establishment of the Inner North Community Foundation fund and developing the terms of reference for the new CERES Carbon Policy Strategic Working Group as part of our active response to the challenge of climate change.

Mark RileyDeputy Chair

Mark grew up in Western Gippsland, where parts of ‘our’ best farming land are now being turned into housing! He’s been a primary teacher, community development worker in HIV/AIDS, youth homelessness and urban planning. He became a Moreland City Councillor in October 2016. Mark is passionate about a safe climate for our future generations, participatory democracy, growing urban orchards and livable, friendly cities. Mark is keen to see CERES tackle climate change, achieve zero emissions on site, and engage with others to find solutions for living more lightly.

Our Senior Managers

Cinnamon EvansCEO

Cinnamon initially joined the CERES Education Team, delivering sustainability education programs to visiting groups, and in time she became leader of that team. When CERES evolved, through expanding education programs and building social enterprises Cinnamon joined the leadership team, and was appointed CEO in 2012.

Cinnamon is particularly passionate about the role of social enterprise in delivering environmental and social change. She has formal tertiary qualifications in education and environmental science. She has also studied collaborative management and group facilitation, and has provided community engagement and facilitation services to the not-for-profit, government and industry sectors. Cinnamon is a member of Moora Moora Co-operative Community, a residential, off-grid, eco-village in the Yarra Ranges. She is a student of yoga philosophy and practices asana (postures) and kirtan (chanting) as regularly as possible.

Sieta BeckwithCommunications

Over the past 10 years, Sieta has worked in strategic communications roles in social enterprise, for-profit and non-profit organisations, always engaged in assisting to deliver the mission and vision of the places she works, via articulating their strong social and environmental purposes. Since 2014, Sieta has been actively engaged in the emerging spiritual ecology movement, which seeks to explore what is the role of spirituality in social, economic, political and ecological change.

Through her work at CERES, which has a strong narrative about the power of community to bring about lasting change, Sieta is using stories centred on universal human values, to articulate the potential power of bringing spirituality and action together. When not at CERES she can be found climbing rocks, weaving baskets or talking to chickens.

Nick CurmiHabitat

Nick is Melbourne born and bred, with a background in Socio-Environmental Assessment and Policy, Environmental Management and Welding & Blacksmithing. He is committed to preserving the unique character of CERES as a public offering, and feels privileged to be part of an organisation striving for a better future. Having co-ordianted the design and build of many community projects and sculptures, Nick’s expertise lies in collaborating with people on the development of ideas. Nick is passionate about connecting to nature through time in water surfing, rafting and kayaking. When not spending time with family and kids, Nick can be found in his workshop building, making and experimenting.

Chris EnnisFair Food

Coming from a family of farmers, general store owners and social activists, Chris really had no choice but to come to work at CERES. In 2002, with a burning passion for urban agriculture, he began his CERES life in the community gardens as volunteer co-ordinator before accidentally becoming the Organic Market manager. Chris worked with Coburg farmer Joe Garita on the handover of Joe’s Market Garden and also started The Urban Orchard, Australia’s first produce swap. Teaming up with Melissa Lawson on the Organic Farm, he launched social enterprises, often working with asylum seekers, growing mushrooms, catering, aquaponic farming and more recently producing microgreens.

In 2010 Chris went offsite to begin Fair Food, which since its launch in 2010 has become Melbourne’s most popular organic online grocery. His hobbies outside CERES are food waste decoupage, and cycling.

Judy GlickPartnerships

Judy has been part of CERES for over 21 years. She started as a casual teacher and held a number of positions including Energy Education Coordinator and Excursions Manager. Judy developed the knowledge base of CERES in renewable energy, energy conservation technologies and behaviour change strategies throughout this time. External relationships with government, community and industry partners have been integral to acquiring expertise in “greentech”, and it is this network of relationships that lead to her present role of Partnership Manager.

As chair of the Green Tech group, Judy has been instrumental in the delivery of the CERES Carbon Budget Policy and in the progressive and strategic implementation of actions to achieve the goals outlined. Judy’s strength is in facilitating the translation of the good intentions of others to sustainable outcomes for everyone, providing benefits to CERES, external partners and the environment.

Melissa LawsonFarm & Food

Melissa is passionate about connecting people to community food systems and manages all farm and food related projects at CERES including The Merri Table, Tamil Feasts, the Community Kitchen and the Organic Farm.

Melissa initially started as the Office Administration over 15 years ago, before she found her happy place with the Farm Team. Joining forces with Chris Ennis, the early days found her immersed in a wide range of activities including everything from building commercial kitchens to helping start the Propagation enterprise; from making coffees at Market, to wrangling sheep across farm paddocks. Alongside this, Melissa also developed and implemented training programs and enterprises around urban food systems and hospitality, with a particular focus on engaging marginalised individuals. Melissa also loves bringing people together for celebrations around food and the seasons at CERES, as well as at home.

Lorna PettiferEducation & Training

Lorna has been working in environmental education and presenting to community groups on sustainability for over 10 years. She currently manages education programs at CERES and passionately focuses on adult education and training programs. Her background in sustainability stems from ecology and zoology and has broadened to community engagement, environmental management, behaviour change and farm and food programs.

Lorna has worked as a ResourceSmart Facilitator in schools supporting teachers, students and school systems in sustainability management and whole school behavior change. She has worked with schools, organisations and communities to help integrate environmental and ethical options into their systems, lives and behaviours. Lorna also has experience as a researcher, bush regenerator, environmental consultant for subject design, GIS consultant and environmental modeler.

Nico PorterFinance

Nico is passionate about helping organisations who do good in the world, achieve financial sustainability. Nico has worked in trade finance in a bank in New York, managed a family business in Brazil and after instructing and coordinating outdoor education programs around Australia, was Finance Manager for Outward Bound Australia. He has recently completed an MBA with a specialisation in Social Impact through the Australian Graduate School of Management and the Centre for Social Impact.

Before joining CERES as Finance Manager, Nico and his wife cycled & walked through South East Asia, Spain, Morocco, India, Uruguay and Argentina for 18 months.