Our partnership approach
Our vision
Stronger together. Prepared for the future.
Under the first Resilient Sydney strategy, we forged the relationships to support stronger city governance. The work of Resilient Sydney has established a common language for understanding, preparing for and responding to shock events. It has elevated the critical role local government plays in managing places and responding to community needs.
Photo by Abril Felfman.
Message from Greater Sydney Mayors
Local government plays a critical role in supporting place-based resilience. The resilience challenges facing Greater Sydney cannot be solved individually. They require a collaborative effort from local, state and federal governments, business and community.
The Resilient Sydney program provides a pathway for collaboration to make Greater Sydney more resilient now and in the future.
Working together, in genuine partnership, will ensure Greater Sydney is a place where all communities thrive.
Governance
| Name | Position |
|---|
| Melinda Dewsnap | Chief Resilience Officer |
|---|---|
| Kate Read | Program Manager |
| Sarah Bailey | Project Manager |
| Marty Middlebrook | Project Officer |
| Name | Position | Organisation |
|---|
| Monica Barone (Chair) | Chief Executive Officer | City of Sydney |
|---|---|---|
| Melinda Dewsnap | Chief Resilience Officer | Resilient Sydney |
| Nini Purwajati | Program and Knowledge Lead | Resilient Cities Network |
| Andrew Moore | General Manager | Penrith City Council |
| Craig Swift-McNair | General Manager | Woollahra Council |
| Emily Scott | General Manager | Waverley Council |
| Kerry Robinson | Chief Executive Officer | Blacktown City Council |
| Lindy Deitz | Chief Executive Officer | Campbelltown City Council |
| Scott Phillips | Chief Executive Officer | Northern Beaches Council |
| Louise Kerr | General Manager | Lane Cove Council |
| Hugh Phemister | General Manager | Willoughby City Council |
| Steve Hartley | Executive Director, Disaster Risk Reduction | NSW Reconstruction Authority |
| Keith Baxter | Director of Emergency Recovery and Strategy | NSW Office of Local Government |
| Brett Whitworth (alt) | Deputy Secretary | NSW Office of Local Government |
| Nicholle Sparkes | Executive General Manager | Sydney Water |
| Danielle Meggos | Director of Policy, Emergency Management | NSW Premiers Department |
| Michelle Wood | Executive Director, Climate Change and Strategy | NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water |
| James Jegasothy | Acting CEO | Multicultural NSW |
| Brendan French | Chief Executive Officer | Energy Consumers Australia |
| Darren Hammond | Executive Manager, Social Impact and Disaster Resilience | IAG |
| Cara Varian | Chief Executive Officer | NSW Council of Social Services |
| Sam Kernaghan | Director, Resilience Program | Committee for Sydney |
| Jacob Walsh | NSW State Director | Australian Red Cross |
| Name | Position | Organisation |
|---|
| Francine Binns | Chief Executive Officer | Western Sydney Region of Councils (WSROC) |
|---|---|---|
| Helen Sloan | Chief Executive Officer | Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) |
| Meg Montgomery | Executive Director | Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (NSROC) |
| Joanna Kubota | Executive Director | The Parks, Sydney Parkland Councils |
A network built and led by cities
Resilient Cities Network
Resilient Cities Network is a global urban resilience network of cities, bringing together global knowledge, practice, partnerships, and funding to empower members to build safe and equitable cities for all.
By championing local government collaboration, prioritising community-led real solutions, and integrating First Nations knowledge, Resilient Sydney’s 2025–2030 Strategy is benchmarked for cities worldwide.
Working together, in genuine partnership, will ensure Greater Sydney is a place where all communities thrive.
Latest updates
Insights
Connecting people through bush care
Since 2008, Bushlink has been a driving force in fostering both inclusion and environmental stewardship.
CommUNITY Connect
City of Canterbury Bankstown hosts an annual CommUNITY Connect conference that brings together community workers from government and non-government organisations.
Hi neighbours!
Lane Cove and Willoughby councils have jointly developed a program to strengthen social connections in apartment buildings.