About

The WinZero team

WinZero is run entirely by volunteers. Meet the board members who give their time and expertise to steer our work.

Leadership

Our board

Chris McGuigan

Chair

Chris brings extensive educational leadership and environmental advocacy experience to her role as WinZero Chair. With a Master of Arts in History from Macquarie University and over two decades in education management, Chris has served in senior roles including Education Manager at the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists and History Faculty Head Teacher at Sydney Distance Education High School.

She is actively working towards solutions for a cleaner, greener future through her involvement as a steering committee member for the Virtual Energy Network (VEN) Wingecarribee Pilot and her advocacy work with the FOSSIL OFF! campaign. Chris combines her expertise in review and report writing with her passion for the renewable energy transition to help guide WinZero's strategic initiatives toward net-zero emissions in the Wingecarribee Shire.

Gaye White

Deputy Chair

Gaye brings a unique combination of educational expertise, technology leadership and environmental advocacy to her role as Deputy Chair. A professional teacher with experience spanning from Yarrabah Aboriginal Mission to East Sydney TAFE and the University of Western Sydney, Gaye was CEO of Dot Com Mob in 2008, a charity providing internet access and digital literacy skills to Indigenous communities.

Having witnessed extreme weather events on the Gold Coast and lived across Brisbane, Mt Isa and Sydney before settling in the Southern Highlands, she brings first-hand understanding of climate impacts to her environmental work. Gaye is passionate about bush regeneration and native gardening, and expresses her advocacy through mixed media art that celebrates the natural world.

Derek White

Secretary

Derek was founding Chair of WinZero and now serves as its Secretary, bringing over four decades of mining industry expertise combined with strong environmental advocacy and community leadership.

Born and raised on a sheep property in Western Queensland, Derek studied mining engineering at the University of Queensland before a career at Mt Isa Mines, Delta Gold, GMA Garnet and Pacific Precious Metals. His deep industry knowledge has made him a powerful advocate against harmful mining projects, including his 2021 testimony to the Independent Planning Commission opposing the Hume Coal Project. Derek served nearly 20 years at board level in Rotary and is part of the Virtual Energy Network development team.

Neil Warner

Treasurer

Neil brings extensive leadership and governance experience from a long career in the engineering and communications sectors, including 12 years at Thales Australia in senior executive roles such as Director of Engineering.

Now retired, Neil contributes his skills to community-based environmental initiatives. At WinZero he ensures financial operations are transparent, accountable and aligned with best practice for grant management and reporting.

Committee members

Jeff Aston

Committee

Jeff brings 27 years of winemaking expertise and pioneering sustainable agriculture to WinZero. The founder and winemaker of Tractorless Vineyard in Berrima and Bowral combines ancient Georgian winemaking traditions with modern regenerative viticulture.

His biodynamic, tractorless operation saves approximately 7.4 tonnes of carbon a year through solar power and up to 9 tonnes a year by avoiding chemical sprays, using sheep for vineyard maintenance instead of tractors.

Heidi Fagan

Committee

Heidi grew up in a family with deep roots in the Sutton Forest area, dating back to 1871. After studying Health Science at Sydney University she worked as a Registered Nurse before a post-graduate degree in Mental Health.

Alongside her husband, Heidi runs a local building company while pursuing her interests in biodiversity, sustainability and planning. She serves on the executive committees of The Exhibition Poultry Association of NSW and The NSW Waterfowl Association, and is passionate about breeding and exhibiting rare waterfowl.

Kirstine McKay

Committee

Kirstine is an international award-winning journalist, television reporter and sustainable living advocate. She spent 12 years with the Nine Network as a reporter, producer and researcher for the Sunday Programme and A Current Affair. A bestselling author and magazine columnist, she has been instrumental in WinZero's technology set-up and social media presence since the early days.

From her historic Bowral property, Kirstine runs “Life at Greenlaw” workshops on sustainable living and gardening, and advocates for community solar farms, electric vehicle infrastructure and landscape regeneration.

Clive West

Committee

Clive contributes legal and policy expertise from a career in government and international organisations. He studied economics and law at Monash University, earned a Master's in US Government Procurement Law in Washington, and spent many years in the Attorney-General's Department in Canberra and in the legal department of the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency in Paris.

A member of the Austral and Boral community committee and active in Bushcare and Landcare, Clive has long advocated for action on global warming because of its impact on biodiversity.

Personal journeys

Stories from WinZero members

Want to help steer WinZero? Board nominations open before each AGM. Email us to find out more.

Join the team

We all volunteer to keep the wheels turning. Whether you have an hour a month or a skill to share, there's a place for you.

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