Our Committee

Dr. Peter French

Chair

BSc (Syd U), MSc (Syd U), MBA (Deakin U), PhD (Deakin U)

Scientist, businessman, founder of several biotechnology and medical technology companies in Australia and the US.

Dr Peter French is a scientist, businessman and entrepreneur with extensive experience in both medtech and therapeutic company formation and development in the biotechnology industry in Australia and the USA. He has founded or co-founded and led several start-up biotech companies. Since 2000, he served as managing director or as a non-executive director on Boards of several public and private companies including Cryosite, Probiomics Limited, Bioxyne Limited, BCAL Diagnostics Pty Limited, and Benitec Biopharma Limited.
He has been responsible for raising over $70M to support the growth of many of these companies, and listed one (Benitec Biopharma) on the NASDAQ.
Peter was awarded the title of “Innovator of Influence, 2015” from the Australian Science and Innovation Forum. In 2019 he received the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Science Alumni Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW. He currently acts as a mentor and advisor to Australian and USA-based early stage biotech companies, and is Chairman of Innlanz Limited.

Sue Lennox AM

Secretary, Public Officer

BSc (Syd U), DipEd (Syd U), AM

Co-founder of OzGREEN, a social entrepreneur who has played a key role in delivering OzGREEN’s programs since 1991. 2020 NSW Senior Australian of the Year.

To Sue, OzGREEN is not a job – it is her strategic response to her deep concern for the environment and her vision to build a more sustainable, peaceful and equitable world. Sue, along with her husband Colin, has been the driving force behind OzGREEN since it’s inception.
Sue is a social entrepreneur (Social Ventures Australia Big Boost 2002) and a former high school science teacher. She has played a key role in the design and delivery of OzGREEN programs since it began in 1992. These programs have directly involved over 50,000 people from urban, regional, remote, corporate and Indigenous communities in Australia, India, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, USA, Canada and Central America.
Sue was named as one of the Most Influential People in Sydney in 2007 and 2020 NSW Senior Australian of the Year.
Connect with Sue on LinkedIn

Fran Cobbold

Treasurer

Stewart Smith

Director

Stewart spent 30 years at NSW Parliament and has supported OzGREEN since the early 1990s. He’s passionate about sustainable communities and has rejoined the management committee.

Stewart had a thirty year career serving democracy in apolitical roles at the NSW Parliament, first as an Environment Research Officer in the Research Service and then Director in the Legislative Council. With an early interest in environmental education, Stewart became involved with OzGREEN in the early 1990s, serving on both the management committee then Board for Fund for the Rivers. Stewart has a keen interest in sustainable communities and has a strong legacy in community participation, including the Sydney Heritage Fleet, surf life saving, Mens Table, and has recently rejoined the management committee,

Dr. Cath Cosgrave

Director

BCom (Melb. U), MA (Monsah U), PhD (UNE)

Co-President and Treasurer of Bellingen’s Northbank Community Garden, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at QUT and a Churchill Fellow.

Dr. Cath Cosgrave, Co-President and Treasurer of Bellingen’s Northbank Community Garden , is an accomplished researcher, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at QUT, and a Churchill Fellow . As the founder and CEO of Attract Connect Stay , she leads a consultancy business delivering innovative, evidence-based solutions to strengthen rural skilled workforces, particularly in healthcare, earning both national and international recognition.
A passionate advocate for ecological sustainability and community connection, Cath recently joined OzGREEN’s committee, where her leadership aligns with its mission to create vibrant, resilient communities. Committed to justice-doing, Indigenous redress, and capacity building, Cath’s work and community activities empower rural communities and promote sustainable development.
Connect with Cath on LinkedIn

Vanessa Moskal

Director

BPESS (Syd U)

Dedicated OzGREEN engagement for 15 years. Youngest person elected to Warringah Council. Currently Carbon Integration Manager at Origin Energy focussed on Net Zero.

Vanessa Moskal has been a part of OzGREEN for over 15 years, facilitating in the first YOUth LEADing the World in 2009 and being a Board Member since 2018.
In addition to OzGreen, in 2008 Vanessa represented Australia at the Youth Precursor to the G8 Delegation in Hokkaido, Japan. Following this, she became the youngest person elected to Warringah Council at 21 years old, serving for five years in Local Government.
Now working as Carbon Integration Manager at Origin Energy, for years Vanessa has been dedicated to net zero emissions targets and carbon markets to reduce the impacts of Climate Change.
Her passion has been recognised with an Order of Australia Certificate of Commendation for Service to the Community. Vanessa is committed to supporting young leaders and believes in the YOUth LEADing the World program to inspire.
Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn

Henare Degan

Director

OzGREEN volunteer since 2018. Passionate about our beautiful, healthy rivers, citizen science and practical STEM education. Software engineer in the charity sector with startup and not-for-profit leadership experience.

Henare first became involved with OzGREEN through Riverwatch water quality monitoring in 2018 and has since volunteered across programs including Rethink Waste and Macro Muster. He is passionate about the role citizen science and skills sharing can play in equipping young people and communities to solve environmental challenges and protect their local environment.

Henare works as a software developer building technology that supports charitable fundraising and community impact, with extensive experience in design, software engineering and architecture.
He also brings experience in startup and community leadership, having helped lead a not-for-profit organisation focused on open data, transparency and access to information.
Connect with Henare on LinkedIn
Henare’s GitHub Profile

Cassandra Vockler

Director

A retired molecular genetics researcher with 40 years’ experience across leading scientific organisations in Australia and overseas, who now volunteers with OzGREEN, trains citizen scientists and shares her passion for science and the environment through OzGREEN programs.

Cassie has been a volunteer water quality monitor with Bellingen Riverwatch for the past eight years.

She also trains new volunteers in the Riverwatch program, assists with Macro Musters and the STEM Conference for Regional Girls.
Now retired, Cassie spent 40 years working as a Research Technical Officer in the field of Molecular Genetics.
Her career included positions at has seen her working at the University of Sydney University, CSIRO, the Australian Proteome Analysis Facility (APAF), the Biotechnology department of Roche Pharmaceuticals in Basel Switzerland, the Australian Museum's DNA Laboratory and Macquarie University.
Cassie is a keen lap swimmer, kayaker and a regular at yoga.
She plays Mahjong to keep her brain from atrophing.

Sam Daykin

Director

With OzGREEN for 4 years. Education Manager at Reverse Garbage, delivering creative re-use education programs. Young Citizen of the Year, Bellingen Shire.