Who we are
Restore the Bay is an independent project entirely conceived and run by, and for, the community’s benefit. We are a team with global expertise, most of whom are local and live in the area. We have assembled ourselves to facilitate outcomes and actions on behalf of the Bayside community.
Simon Mustoe, Senior Ecologist, Odonata Foundation
Project Manager
Simon is a qualified ecologist and expert in survey design, ecological impact assessment, wildlife and ecosystems. He works with a range of conservation organisations in communications, marketing and the development of community research. He has supported the development of multinational projects for ecosystem restoration overseas and designed threatened species prioritisation involving large community stakeholder groups. Simon has coordinated numerous scoping studies, approvals, environmental impact / risk assessments and developed management plans.
Dr Matt Edmunds, Australian Marine Ecology
Principal Ecologist
Matt Edmunds is a Principal Ecologist at Australian Marine Ecology. He has extensive experience in ecological field studies, including long-term monitoring of marine protected areas, habitat mapping, ecological impact assessments, conservation surveys and mapping marine ecological condition. He has worked in Port Phillip Bay for over 27 years, including scientific diving, vessel and underwater robotics surveys. His work in recent years has included the development of new systems, models and methods for supporting wholistic, ecosystem-based management.
Anissa Lawrence, Managing Director, OceanEarth Foundation
Community Consultation Lead
Anissa has over 25 years experience providing strategic assistance and program design, management, implementation and evaluation expertise to build and strengthen the capacity and governance of organisations and communities engaged in managing natural resource and conservation issues. She is an experienced environmental communicator, facilitator and strategist strives to facilitate government, corporate, industry and community action to understand and manage business, social and environmental risks to achieve sustainable outcomes.
Karen Milward, Karen Milward Consulting
Aboriginal Consultant
Karen has held senior policy and program management positions in Government and has been working and consulting in Aboriginal Affairs for over 20 years. She has extensive experience working with First Nations communities at grassroots and organisational levels and up to peak body representative level. Karen is the Chairperson of four and a Director of two First Nations community organisations. She remains a representative on many Government and non-government First Nations-specific committees and reference groups.
Dr Brad Jessup, University of Melbourne
Advisor, Law and Policy
Brad Jessup is the program director for sustainable communities of the Melbourne Centre for Law and the Environment, and inaugural Director of Sustainability at Melbourne Law School. Brad has worked as a planning and environmental lawyer with Herbert Smith Freehills since 2003. He is a human geographer and environmental and planning law researcher with expert knowledge of environmental law processes, and experience conducting case study and empirical research of law in society. Brad has researched and written about marine protected areas, the regulation on coastal areas, and the Channel Deepening Project in Port Phillip.
Andrew Foudoulis, OzFish
Advisor, Recreational Fishing
Andy has been a keen angler from a young age, having fished small creeks in the high country of Victoria, to out deep off Port Phillip Bay Heads and everything in between. Andy has a very strong understanding and passion of fire ecology and conservation management. He has 13 years’ experience in the Natural Resource Management industry, where he learnt fundamental skills in managing remnant and degraded grasslands and grassy woodland ecosystems in the northern parts of Melbourne. Andy has also spent time collaborating with traditional custodians on best practise, and giving Tafe and University talks helping pave the way for future generations of conservationists.
Peter Lamshed
Communications and Video
Peter Lamshed divides his time between working as a Trauma Therapist with groups, in a private psychiatric facility and underwater videography. He has extensive experience in Human Communications and Behaviour Change. Peter also has a passionate interest in ecosystem protection and restoration. He sees education and empowering others with knowledge, especially in the community setting, as one of the most effective way of protecting our natural assets. Peter’s videos are directed toward showcasing the rich diversity of underwater life and its immense importance to continued human survival. Peter owns and operates a small video production company, Salvage Films.
Sam Marwood
CEO, Odonata Foundation
Sam works closely with partners enabling them to save our native wildlife and increase biodiversity. Sam founded and sat on the board for multiple social enterprises, and most notably established and co-founded farm match-making social enterprise, Cultivate Farms, and fundraising platform, Edge Pledge. Sam has fostered some of Odonata’s key partnerships across the public and private sectors, with the likes of the Victorian Government Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, NAB, CJ Arms, Biosis and Tilt, as well as be an important driving force behind many of our most notable and successful projects, including our sanctuary network, the 2021 Great Australian Platypus Search and the Wild Idea Business Incubator Program.
Ray Nias, Ocean Earth Foundation
Ecologist and Ocean Earth Director
Ray has a Bachelor’s Degree in Science (Flinders University) and a PhD in Zoology (UNE). From 1988 – 2009, he was the Director of Conservation for WWF Australia and led the development of WWF Australia’s large and growing program of conservation related activities including the management of research, policy development, advocacy, and community outreach programs. In 2009, he helped establish TierraMar with the aim of assisting organisations that work on coastal and marine conservation issues in Australia, South-east Asia and the Pacific. From 20012 – 2018, Ray was the Director, Southwest Pacific Region for the international NGO Island Conservation.
April Seymour, Ecocentre St Kilda
Volunteer Coordination
April Seymore serves as EcoCentre Executive Officer since 2015, previously coordinating EcoCentre Education Programs for five years. April brings innovative, integrated expertise with over 15 years of community development, tech projects, sustainability initiatives and school teaching experience in Australia, Ireland and the USA. She brings a global systems perspective, and is committed to empowering meaningful action across our whole community. She is also a ResourceSmart Schools facilitator and assessor, a Board member
Tyler King, Ecocentre St Kilda
Volunteer Coordination
Tyler is a passionate environmental advocate, educator, and researcher. He studied Environmental Science at the University of New South Wales and is currently completing a PhD in urban environmental management at Deakin University. Tyler’s research focuses on how wildlife-friendly spaces are established and maintained by local residents, community groups, and local councils in Melbourne. His research is situated at the intersection of ecology, anthropology, and urban geography, and aims to inform more ethical and inclusive approaches in environmental management, conservation, and planning.
Dr Beth Fulton, CSIRO Centre for Marine Socio-Ecology
Socio-ecological Modelling
Beth Fulton is a Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO and has been with CMS from the start. Beth has more than 170 peer reviewed publications in marine resource management and has been recognised with numerous awards, including the Beverton Medal (2020) and Kay Radway Allen award (2019) for lifelong and outstanding contributions to fisheries science; biennial medal of the Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand (2017); Ecological Society of America Sustainability Science Award (2011); a Pew Marine Conservation Fellowship (2010-2014); and the 2007 Australian Science Minister’s Prize for Life Scientist of the Year.
About the Odonata Foundation
Odonata' Foundation’s vision is that by 2050, Australia's once threatened species are thriving outside of sanctuaries in healthy, productive landscapes. It is our mission to empower and enable all Australians to play important roles in saving our wildlife and reversing the impacts of climate change. Odonata develops innovative ways for businesses, landusers and entrepreneurs to get involved in taking action for nature. We address multifaceted challenges faced by our wildlife, with new solutions and collaborations for biodiversity resilience.