Board
Environmental Leadership Australia Board
Patty Akopiantz
Chair
Patty has deep strategic and business-building expertise across the consumer-facing landscape. She spent more than 35 years as a top ASX company board director and senior manager in companies within the retail, energy, health, and financial services sectors. Patty is a co-founder of Assembly Climate Capital, an impact investment firm which invests in companies and ideas that can have significant climate impact. She is a Member of the Climate Change Authority and and Independent Non-Executive Director at KPMG. She is committed to the role that businesses can play in decarbonisation and is passionate about the role of women in the net zero transition. She is a member of Chief Executive Women and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.
The Hon. Leslie Williams
Director
Leslie is an experienced senior leader and former New South Wales MP with a deep understanding of legislation, public policy, government relations and community dynamics. Celebrated for her enduring advocacy and genuine impact across health, education, environment and social equity, she brings a proven ability to operate at the intersection of public accountability, ethical leadership and strategic decision-making. Her board interests span purpose-driven not-for-profit and commercial organisations in sectors such as women’s leadership, Indigenous communities, renewables, education, aged care and community wellbeing.
Nathan Quigley
Director
Nathan spent over a decade on the front line of election campaigns across Australia, emerging as one of the leading political communicators in the country. A former State Director of the New South Wales and Western Australian National Parties, he retains a passion for advocating for rural and regional communities across Australia. Since leaving politics, Nathan has been a Director at Res Publica, a strategic communications consultancy advising businesses and industry groups on public policy engagement. Nathan holds Master of Commerce (Economics) and Bachelor of Science degrees, both from the University of Sydney.
Jon Berry
Director
Jon is an economic policy consultant specialising in international trade and global affairs. He has significant experience in public policy, budgeting and financial forecasting, philanthropic networks and knowledge and organisational evaluation. Jon has worked in policy and management roles in Australia, Europe and Asia, including for the United Nations World Food Programme, and is currently Associate Director of KPMG’s Australia Geopolitics Hub. He is a member of the Myer Foundation and convenes the Foundation’s Sustainability and Environment Committee. Jon has a particular interest in evaluating the effectiveness of advocacy groups and political engagement work. He holds a Masters of Public Policy and Management from the University of Melbourne and an MBA from the University of Geneva.
Samantha Meers AO
Director
Ms Sam Meers AO is co-founder and chair of the Nelson Meers Foundation, Australia’s first prescribed ancillary fund. Over the past 20+ years, under her direction, the Foundation has funded over 300 projects nationally across a broad range of not-for-profit organisations.
Ms Meers is an experienced non-executive director, having held board roles spanning the arts, climate, and gender and social equality. She is currently chair of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia and chair of the Brett Whiteley Foundation.
Ms Meers began her career as a commercial lawyer, and holds degrees in Law and Arts and a Master of Letters from the University of Sydney. Ms Meers was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2018. She is a member of Chief Executive Women, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Royal Society of NSW.