Hey I’m Chris

I drivepositive socialandenvironmental changethroughsystemic,andresearch-drivendesign.

About

  1. Bio

    Hey! I’m a strategist, system thinker and design researcher passionate about using participatory methods to create positive social and environmental impact.

    I work with teams to navigate the complexity of climate change and do so by helping them zoom out to see the broader context their project or product exists within, illuminating strategic points for intervention.

    The climate crisis is a threat multiplier, and as global challenges continue to unfold, I feel a strong responsibility to contribute my time and skills to solutions that address not only the immediate impacts of climate change but also deep-rooted social inequalities. It feels unjust and inhumane not to recognise the responsibility to fight for a world where everyone has equal access to opportunities and resources.

    I’m open to opportunities to dedicate my time and skills to purpose-driven, genuinely collaborative projects—either at the strategy or implementation level, and across mitigation and adaptation. I'm particularly interested in advancing local initiatives with communities at high risk to climate change. I want to listen to the voices of the people we’re exploring new possibilities with and surround myself with smart individuals or teams confident in their practices.

  2. Guiding constellation

    Rather than a single north star, I'm guided by a constellation of values, collectively shaping my vision and approach to creating impact.

    Social & environmental impact

    I recognise the deep interconnection between people and nature and look at challenges through a social-ecological lens.

    Adaptation & resilience

    Climate change disproportionately impacts communities already vulnerable to its impacts. I recognise the social Inequities in policy implementation and I'm driven to support those at high risk of climate change.

    Continuous learning

    I'm always keen to explore new topics, perspectives, and approaches.

    Collaboration

    Collaboration is essential for innovation. Engaging and interacting with others sparks creativity and unlocks new possibilities. Multiple perspectives are critical.

  3. An unconventional path

    I have 7 years of professional experience across advertising, community organising, academia, NGOs and in a tech start-up. I've dipped my toes in various fields but I see that as a strength. It’s provided me a trans-disciplinary perspective that I can apply to projects.

    Bachelor of marketing

    Developed building blocks in strategic campaign development and creating, communicating and delivering value propositions.

    Digital marketing

    Honed my digital marketing skills, including quantitative analysis and communicating data-driven decisions. Disillusioned with advertising I started freelancing to open up time to focus on projects I cared deeply about and to explore critical issues like climate change.

    Community organising

    Started a community group with friends to advocate for reform of local, state and national climate policy. Here I discovered the importance of being an active citizen, advocacy, networks and continuing to show up.

    Master’s of environment

    Completed a masters of environment, specialising in climate change. The program offered an interdisciplinary view of climate policy, science, and technology, emphasising the need for a trans-disciplinary approach to global environmental challenges.

    Non-government organisation

    I worked on a program called Cities Power Partnership (CPP) - where we facilitated collaboration between a network of 186 Australia local governments - to help scale climate action. This is where I first started wearing my systems thinking hat and examining how we influence change.

    Research lab

    I spent time working as a research assistant with the Melbourne Centre for Cities, a research centre focusing on urban governance. Here I conducted research for a policy brief for the US State Department’s Subnational Diplomacy Unit.

    Tech start-up

    Currently I’m freelancing as a strategic designer for Kausal. I’ve been helping them understand the broader context their products are used in, as well as examining the need for a new tool they are considering developing.

  4. What I bring to the table

    Design research is not a linear process, despite how 'design thinking' is often presented. Linear approaches fall short when it comes to driving systemic change because complex challenges demand adaptive and iterative methods. To help embody this philosophy, I lead with:

    Curiosity and care

    My curiosity fuels both my work ethic and creativity. It sparks questions that help reframe challenges and fosters a genuine interest in others' perspectives, helping us collectively consider new pathways to futures we can imagine. I pair this curiosity with deep care—for the projects I work on and the people I collaborate with.

    Collaboration

    I am open-minded, an active listener, and adaptable. My strength as a communicator helps me align stakeholders, gain support for participatory methods, and deliver feedback that refines and adapts strategies. Collaboration is essential; it breaks down silos and fosters shared ownership of outcomes.

    Systems thinking

    I take a step back to explore the root causes of problems, identifying the interconnected factors that shape them. This systems thinking approach highlights leverage points that can drive positive change. I incorporate diverse perspectives, maintain a long-term outlook, and stay flexible and open to changing direction when necessary.

  5. End-to-end skillset

    Continually learning.

    What I'm great at, and love doing

    Qualitative research, synthesis, stakeholder engagement, workshop design and facilitation, leveraging systems change frameworks, and feedback loops.

    What I'm great at, and don't mind doing

    Problem framing, project management, policy advocacy, ideation & prototyping.

    What I can do, but others can do better

    Systems mapping, climate risk assessments, funding and investment strategy for systems change, and future thinking.

  6. Experience

    I’m currently open to work. I'm looking to work on purpose-driven projects that are collaborative and that prioritise elevating the voices of those we're working to support.

    Professional experience

    Kausal
    Strategic Designer
    The Climate Council
    Climate Projects Officer
    The Academy

    User Researcher
    Impressive Digital
    Digital Campaign Manager

    Education

    University of Melbourne, Australia
    Monash University, Australia
    Monash University, Australia
    *Recently enrolled

Projects

Project & programme development

Helping 186 cities collaborate on climate action

Role —
Climate Projects Officer
Organisation —
Cities Power Partnership
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Strategic and systemic design

Discovering how cities prioritise climate action

Role —
Strategic designer (freelance)
Organisation —
Kausal
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Policy innovation

Unlocking multilevel climate governance

Role —
Lead author and researcher
Organisation —
Cities Power Partnership
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Master’s Thesis

Advancing national climate outcomes by empowering local governments

Role —
Student
Organisation —
The University of Melbourne
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