About Rewiring Australia

Rewiring Australia is a non-profit, independent, non-partisan organisation dedicated to representing the people, households and communities in the energy system. We empirically demonstrate and communicate the cost savings, emissions reductions, and energy system benefits of electrification.

Rewiring Australia has reached millions of Australians with our work. We deliver practical climate progress through our research, advocacy, and working on the ground with communities to electrify everything.

There are four core pillars to our work:

  • Education & communications: Mass adoption of electrification requires millions of homes and businesses replacing 100 million petrol and gas machines. We want to make it easy for householders to understand the economic, health and environmental benefits of electrification and why they should make the switch. Check out our media profile here and electrification explainer here.
  • Advocacy: Our current energy system, the policies, regulations and funding surrounding it, are set up for a fossil fuel world. We engage directly with all levels of government, members of parliament, industry and regulatory bodies to advocate for reform to the energy system to support rapid decarbonisation through electrification. This includes supporting homes and businesses to electrify and shift to clean energy.
  • Data driven research: Our advocacy and education resources are underpinned by robust data analysis. We bring together data from a diverse range of areas including detailed energy flows, economic, demographic and emissions data to build the case (and narrative) for electrification. Our reports are here.
  • Deployment of electrification: We work to support electrification happening right now. We’re working with communities and local councils to develop and enable on the ground community led climate action today. Sign up to be an electrification ambassador here and see some information about our pilot work here.

Rewiring Australia Team

Dr. Saul Griffith
Co-Founder and Chief Scientist

Saul is an engineer and entrepreneur specialising in clean and renewable energy technologies. Saul has founded a dozen technology companies across 20 years in Silicon Valley. Saul is the author of 3 books including `Electrify', and `The Big Switch'. Saul has recently turned his attention from Otherlab, his independent Research and Development lab, to policy work and writing, including founding Rewiring America and Rewiring Australia, non-partisan organisations dedicated to electrification and decarbonization. More about Saul.

Dan Cass
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Dan is a leader in the clean energy transition. He has advised investors, wind companies and the rooftop solar sector and worked on energy market reform at The Australia Institute. He has an Bachelor of Science (Hons) in science history from the University of Melbourne, a Graduate Diploma in Energy and Resources Law from Melbourne Law School and is a Research Affiliate at the University of Sydney Business School. In January 2023 Dan was appointed as the first executive director of Rewiring Australia. He first worked on climate in 1991 and says that electrification is the first policy that will win mass support for ending fossil fuels, because it saves consumers money. Dan lives in Naarm (Melbourne) with his partner and their two young boys who love fishing, zoos, beaches and the bush.

Kate Minter
Managing Director

Kate is a social researcher and campaigner. She has worked with non-profits and membership based organisations leading projects on pressing social issues including women’s safety, the rights of migrant and gig-economy workers. She has degrees in social research and applied statistics. At Rewiring Australia, Kate works across the organisation’s advocacy, community and research work, helping bring our big vision to electrify everything to life. In her work at Rewiring Australia, Kate is driven by how we bring all households and communities on the electrification journey and make sure access to the benefits of renewable energy are accessible to all. Kate loves to swim and loves watching almost every sport.

Bianca Acimovic
Fundraising Manager

Bianca has spent over two decades working across various sectors, such as government, universities, consultancy, and not-for-profit organisations, focusing on for-purpose work. Her core values centre around fostering strong collaborations in and around activities that contribute to social and cultural change. These activities span liability, employment, and infrastructure. Bianca has a proven track record of developing and leading fundraising campaigns, partnerships, and business strategies that have resulted in organisational growth and success. She is recognised for her ability to lead complex projects through shifting environments, utilising her strategic leadership and communication skills, stakeholder engagement and partnership, and exceptional project management skills.

John Buchelin
Pilot Operations Manager

John has spent over 18 years in the insurance industry in various roles across partnership management, technology transformation and sustainability. He has extensive experience in carbon accounting, emission reduction strategies, electric vehicles and leading teams through complex changes. He has been part of the core volunteer group for the Electrify 2515 community campaign since 2023 and been the key organiser of the Electric Vehicle Open Days.

Caitlin Chang
Communications Manager

Caitlin Chang is an editor and content maker with over 15 years of experience in mainstream media. During this time, she worked for public broadcaster SBS, where she specialised in storytelling for diverse audiences. Caitlin’s work is underpinned by the idea that storytelling can bring about social change. Inspired by Rewiring Australia’s optimistic and inclusive vision, she is working hard to make sure more Australians know the benefits of electrification.

caitlin@rewiringaustralia.org

Aimee Davies
Supporter Relations Associate

Aimee Davies is a creative that specialises in the social impact and not-for-profit space, with over 15 years of experience in the arts, health, and social impact sectors. She emphasises the critical role of fundraising and financial sustainability in making a meaningful impact, recognising that strong community work and connections rely on securing the necessary resources. Aimee is passionate about advancing equality in social supports and housing, with a focus on affordability and green energy, across both metropolitan and regional Australia. She lives in Meanjin (Brisbane) with her two dogs, who love swims at their local beach.

Josh Ellison
Senior Analyst, Research, Design and Development

Josh leads research, design and development work at Rewiring Australia. He has co-authored Rewiring Australia’s research papers and models since its establishment. He also works with industry and communities to design and implement on the ground electrification.

Elsa Evers
Pilot Communications and Engagement Manager

With over 15 years of experience in strategy, marketing and engagement in the not-for-profit sector, Elsa is a champion of community-led social and environmental change. Her career highlights include leading communications on a campaign that resulted in the protection of Antartcia’s Ross Sea, setting up a solar program for schools, and leading digital and community engagement with Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (Australia). Elsa lives on Dharawal country in Austinmer, and volunteered with the Electrify 2515 community group before taking up her current role on the pilot project.

Calum Harvey-Scholes
Pilot Deployment and Research Manager

Calum is an energy policy research specialist living on Dharawal country. He began in the energy sector delivering home energy upgrades including rooftop solar, batteries and heat pumps. Within the Energy Policy Group at the University of Exeter, Calum led research projects which influenced energy policy change across the UK and European countries. Before joining Rewiring Australia in 2024, Calum led policy development and change projects at Solar Victoria such as designing the Solar for Apartments program and changes to installer accreditation. Outside work, you will find Calum contributing to community campaigns pushing for clean energy across the Illawarra or out in the bush with his tent.

Kristen McDonald
Mobilisation & Engagement Manager

For nearly 20 years Kristen has worked on climate change, environmental and social justice campaigns. A communications, education and engagement specialist, Kristen is passionate about empowering individuals and communities to bring about positive change. She is one of the founding members of community group, Electrify 2515, and works with Rewiring Australia to create electric communities across Australia.

Jessica Nairn
Executive and Communications Assistant

Jessica is a communications and marketing professional who brings over a decade’s experience in a broad range of industries including media, government administration and higher education. She has tertiary qualifications in Communications and International Relations. With skills in content development and strategy, stakeholder engagement, events coordination and business administration, Jessica supports Rewiring Australia and the leadership team in all facets of the electrification movement. In her spare time, you can find Jessica in the natural environment with her young family.

Francis Vierboom
Market Transformation Manager

Francis is a business leader and technologist. He was co-founder and CEO of Propeller Aero, one of Australia’s fastest-growing technology start-ups, from 2014-19, and has worked in technology policy and implementation for many of the largest enterprises and agencies in Australia. He was part of the core volunteer group that launched the Electrify 2515 community campaign in 2022. With the support of Rewiring Australia he’s now helping to lead the electrification pilot to show the world how a cleaner, cheaper energy system will work.

Nick Lucchinelli
Communications & Media

Nick Lucchinelli is a former journalist who specialises in editorial advocacy and political communication. He has launched think tanks, campaigns and peak bodies, shaped national conversations and sparked fresh debates. Nick was first inspired by the electrification movement when he heard an Ezra Klein podcast with Saul Griffith as bushfires ravaged Australia during the 2019/20 summer. He has assisted Rewiring Australia since its launch in August 2021. Nick is a passionate ocean swimmer when he’s not wrangling three small children.

+61 422 229 032

Theresa Nguyen
Finance Manager

Theresa’s career journey extends across the not-for-profit, private, and public sectors, encompassing roles as a business owner and a vital contributor to Executive Teams across diverse industries. Her wide-ranging experience has cultivated a profound understanding of business dynamics. Bringing a wealth of management, reporting, and corporate governance skills, Theresa excels in intricate domains like Grant Acquittals and the development of meticulous financial policies and procedures.

Advisors

Sharan Burrow
Special Advisor

Sharan is a global advocate for human rights, climate action and Just Transition. She is the Former General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (2010-2022) and was President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (2000–2010.) Sharan is well known for her international advocacy on employment, human rights, industrial relations, corporate responsibility and climate action with just transition solutions. Sharan is currently a Visiting Professor in Practice to the LSE-Grantham Institute, a Vice-Chair of the European Climate Foundation, a board member of the Green Hydrogen Association, Co-Chair of the IEA Labour Council, an adviser on Temasek’s Sustainability Panel, a board member of Novonix and Chair of the Curtain University Institute for Energy Transition Advisory Council.

Audrey Zibelman
Special Advisor

Audrey is a global leader in the clean energy transition. She has been at the helm of multiple organisations as a CEO, Board Member and government leader. She is senior advisor to Pollination, a Board Trustee on the Rocky Mountain Institute and Senior Advisor to Meridiam. Audrey’s most recent executive appointment was at X, Alphabet’s moonshot factory where she led an effort on grid digitalisation and now serves as an independent advisor. Before joining X, Audrey was the Managing  Director and CEO of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), the national power system and gas system operator for Australia. Before AEMO, Audrey was the Chairwoman of the New York Public Service Commission where she was a member of the Governor’s cabinet and led comprehensive regulatory reform of the electric industry to support a decarbonised grid. Audrey also previously was the Executive Vice President and COO of PJM, and Vice President at Xcel Energy, one of the US’s largest electricity utilities

Karen Chester
Special Advisor

Throughout her career as a public policy economist, Karen has delivered better consumer and commercial outcomes by government and business. Beginning in the Hawke-Keating Government, Karen worked on ‘shift the dial’ reforms in the Prime Minister’s Department and the Treasury. Karen was also the first woman promoted to Treasury’s executive. In business, Karen was the inaugural CEO of Access Economics and a Global Partner at Mercer, establishing and leading Mercer’s infrastructure advisory business for large US and Asian pension plans. Karen returned to government in 2014 as the Deputy Chair of the Productivity Commission, presiding on 15 inquiries and securing ‘consumer changing’ reforms to Australia’s superannuation system. Appointed as ASIC’s Deputy Chair in 2019 to implement the Hayne Royal Commission actions, Karen was a member of the Council of Financial Regulators and its Climate Working Group.  Today Karen is a Board Director of Chief Executive Women, Grattan Institute Public Policy Committee Member, Kilfinan Australia CEO mentor and LifeLine (Naarm) crisis support worker and fundraiser.

About Saul Griffith

Born in Australia, Dr. Saul Griffith is a father of two, and a consistent champion of STEAM education (including the A for ART!).

Saul Griffith is an engineer and entrepreneur specialising in clean and renewable energy technologies. Saul has founded a dozen technology companies across 20 years in Silicon Valley. Saul is the author of 3 books including `Electrify', and `The Big Switch'. Saul has recently turned his attention from Otherlab, his independent Research and Development lab, to policy work and writing, including founding Rewiring America and Rewiring Australia, non-partisan organizations dedicated to electrification and decarbonization and the associated policy and regulatory implications of meeting our climate goals.

Saul received his Ph.D. at MIT in the junction between materials science and information theory. Prior to MIT, he studied in Sydney, Australia and at UC Berkeley in metallurgical engineering. Since graduating in 2004, he has founded and co-founded numerous technology companies based in the Bay Area. These include Treau (now Gradient), Sunfolding, Roam Robotics, Fablight, Wattzon, Canvas Construction, Makani Power (acquired by Google), Instructables.com (acquired by Autodesk), Squid Labs, Howtoons, Optiopia, and Potenco.

Saul has received numerous awards and honours, including National Inventors Hall of Fame National Collegiate Inventors Awards 2001, Time Magazine Top Inventions of 2005, MacArthur Fellows Recipient 2007, World Economic Forum Young Global Leader 2011, Global Australian Advance Award Winner for Advanced Manufacturing 2012, The Tällberg/Eliasson Global Leadership Prize 2019 and multiple more.

One Bogan's
Climate Journey
Read Saul's Story

Our Donors

Rewiring Australia is a philanthropically-funded organisation powered by the generosity of our supporters to continue our advocacy for a healthier, cleaner and fairer energy system for all Australians. We work with and receive funding from both climate regranters and direct-grand philanthropy. A huge thank you to all of the individuals and organisations who have contributed to our work so far.

Some of our key supporters include:

Boundless Earth

Climate Imperative Foundation (US)

Energy Consumers Australia

Groundswell Giving

Rewiring America

Hewlett Foundation (US)

Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation

Australian Ethical

If you’d like to make a contribution, visit our donation page.