Karen is the Manager, Environmental Systems for the Lake Macquarie City Council in Australia. She has 20 years of local government experience across several disciplines including accounting, strategic planning, asset management, environmental management and climate resilience.
The Environmental Systems team brings together environmental strategy and city resilience, managing our natural assets, and identifying and implementing innovative ways to manage our asset base.
The Lake Macquarie local government area is home to coastal communities that are among some of the most vulnerable to sea level rise in Australia. Karen’s team works with these communities to develop actionable climate adaptation plans to ensure future generations enjoy Lake Macquarie’s enviable lifestyle near-pristine bushland, an expansive saltwater lake and our stunning beaches.
Karen’s team leads the way in climate change mitigation through a focus on transitioning to a circular economy and our pathway to net-zero carbon emissions.
Our localised climate adaptation plans bring together key stakeholders including government, scientists, consultants, community groups and businesses, but importantly are developed by the community.