People

Annika Kearton
Chief Executive Officer

Annika comes to CVGA from the community development sector, having worked for the last six years with local non-profit ARC Justice where she led strategic and legal advocacy programs to protect and promote the rights of rural and regional Victorians. Annika has also worked extensively as a project manager and technical advisor on community-based natural resource management, public health, and climate change adaptation projects with government and civil society groups across Southeast Asia and the Pacific. She holds an interdisciplinary Master of Environment degree from the University of Melbourne, where she specialised in sustainable development, policy and management, and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Political Science.

Dr David Gormley-O'Brien
Programs Director

After completing degrees in Computer Science and Communications Engineering, David had careers as an engineer at Ericsson's and later as ITS manager at La Trobe University. He also undertook postgraduate studies in ancient history, religions and philosophy in the United States and England, completing his doctorate at the University of Oxford, and teaching ancient Greek and history for 15 years. Drawing on his research on ancient Greek ethics, David has edited a book and written several papers and chapters on living sustainably today. David has also been the President of the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group for the past four years and was named Macedon Ranges Citizen of the year in 2022 for his work in the sustainability area.

Sandra Ryan
Office/ Finance Manager

Sandra started her career as a paralegal and assistant project manager in a number of community legal services. She moved to the Castlemaine in 2012 before starting and family and taking on the job as stay at home mum. She started working at the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance in 2016 as an Administrative Assistant before taking on a larger role as Office/ Finance Manager.

Gemma Watson
MASH Program Lead

Recently joining CVGA, Gemma is in her final year at RMIT University studying Environment and Society, specifically interested in communities, climate change and the environment. Previously working as a textile designer for a sustainable clothing label, Gemma decided on a career change after completing a Permaculture Design Certificate at Ceres Environmental Park. Gemma has volunteered for a food rescue organisation, creating and distributing meals to vulnerable communities, cementing her career direction in working with communities and climate change mitigation.