Meet Our Speakers for EFWA 2024
Jane Milburn
Sustainability consultant Jane Milburn believes in the power of adaptation in the natural world and her own. After agricultural science and leadership study applied to a career in rural communications and advocacy, Jane navigated a unique pathway to influence change in the way we dress in a climate-changing world. She is the founder of Textile Beat, author of Slow Clothing: finding meaning in what we wear, and won a prestigious Churchill Fellowship. As a natural - fibre champion, trained permaculture teacher and lifelong maker, Jane is at the forefront of social change in Australia and a keen supporter of Eco Fashion Week Australia.
Hon Dr. Brad Pettitt
Dr Brad Pettitt was elected to the Legislative Council of the WA Parliament in 2021. Until taking up this role in the Upper House of the State Parliament, Brad was the Mayor of the City of Fremantle. He was first elected mayor in 2009 and re-elected in 2013 and 2017. Prior to this Brad was the Dean of the School of Sustainability at Murdoch University.
Sylvia Calvo
Sylvia Calvo, born in Barcelona, studied English Philology and a MBA in Chicago, USA, where she lived for about 15 years. After attending a conference about Eco-Fashion in 2012, she started to investigate sustainable fashion and the alternatives available to have a positive social, economic and environmental impact in the fashion industry. In 2015, she created “Sylvia Calvo BCN”, working mainly with original used coffee bags to transform them into garments and complements. Furthermore, Sylvia co-founded the Nonprofit Association “Moda Sostenible Barcelona” (MSBCN), the first association of this kind in Spain, in order to promote the benefits of sustainable fashion, its creation, production and sale, and to bring it closer to consumers. Sylvia stands out as a speaker and promoter of circular fashion and circular economy. Sylvia is now a board member of ModaFad, Gremi Artesà Tèxtil de Catalunya, and PIMEC, as well as a member of PIMEC’s Circular Economy Commission.
Jeff Hansen
Jeff Hansen, Managing Director of Sea Shepherd, is a passionate advocate for marine conservation. He joined Sea Shepherd in 2007 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the Australian Director. His strategic contributions played a key role in saving hundreds of whales during antarctic campaigns.
Leading and co-leading impactful campaigns, Jeff has achieved significant victories, from stopping harmful practices like the WA shark cull to protecting vital habitats like the Kimberley coast and the Great Australian Bight.
Driven by a deep respect for nature and a belief in collective action, Jeff continues to fight for the future of our oceans with Sea Shepherd Global, Australia, and New Zealand.
Nina Gbor
As the founder of Eco Styles, Nina Gbor is a sustainable fashion educator, international speaker, sustainability consultant, clothes swap maven and eco stylist. Eco Styles engages with media, councils, organisations, schools, community groups and individuals to provide ways societies can move towards a holistic sustainable fashion future.
Nina Gbor is the Director of the Circular Economy & Waste Program at The Australia Institute. She was featured on season 3 of ABC TV's award-winning environmental series, War on Waste. Nina is also an impact consultant on the War on Waste tv show. Nina has a master’s degree in International Development and guest lectures at universities in Australia and abroad. She is the founder of Clothes Swap & Style and has been hosting clothes swaps for 12 years. Nina coined the phrase ‘get off the fashion trendmill’ to help people embrace sustainable personal style instead of fashion trends.
Dr. Anne Farren
Anne Farren was responsible for the introduction of fashion studies at Curtin University and course coordinator for over 20 years. Sustainability has always been central to her practice and was introduced as a major unit of study for fashion design students in 2010. She is a researcher in the areas of fashion design, textile art and exhibition curation. Issues of circularity are overarching considerations in her practice and research. She recently led the WA Circular Fashion Consortium in the writing and launch of 'The State of Fashion & Textile Circularity in WA' Report and is a key member of the School of Design & the Built Environment 'Closing the Loop on Textile Waste Locally' research team.
Lisa Piller
A researcher, academic and advocate for systemic change to the fashion supply chain, Lisa lectures in innovation, fashion design and fashion business at the University of Canberra and South Metropolitan TAFE. This follows a 16-year career working in fashion product design and development, and sustainable supply chain management.
Author of Designing for Circularity: sustainable pathways for Australian fashion small medium enterprise, Lisa is published in the International Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management. Lisa is active in research as a WA response to the National Product Stewardship Scheme led by the Australian Fashion Council and is currently partnering with Curtin University to provide a local context to the national agenda.
With a passion for holistic and conscious design models and zero-waste approaches, Lisa is dedicated to supporting students and industry in lasting careers as ethical, sustainable and innovative designers.
Jimmy Jackson
Jimmy Jackson, a pioneering figure in the Australian wool industry, boasts over five decades of expertise across the entire wool supply chain. With a Master’s Degree in Textile Technology and numerous accolades, including a Bronze Medalist honor, Jimmy's career highlights include spearheading R&D for machine-washable wool and representing Australia internationally. Formerly the General Manager for Product Development & Commercialization at Australian Wool Innovations Ltd, he celebrated 50 years in the industry in 2020. Retired since 2016, Jimmy founded Woolconsult Int Pty Ltd, offering valuable insights into sustainable wool practices.
Dr. Zuhal Kuvan-Mills
Founder and Curator of Eco Fashion Week Australia, Visual artist and Sustainable Environmentally conscious haute-couture fashion artist . The Western Australia-based artist has two unique labels to her name – Atelier Zuhal, an artisan studio specialising in handmade textiles alpaca and merino fibres, and Green Embassy, a cutting-edge avant-garde ‘slow fashion’ clothing label employing earth-friendly, handcrafted techniques.
Zuhal began her professional career as a Veterinary Surgeon graduating from Istanbul University in 1986. She then worked as an Animal Science , Environmental Science and Conservation lecturer in England until 2004.In 2004 she return to her biggest passion of Contemporary Art, she studied at the University of Creative Arts in Farnham, England and in 2010, graduated with a Visual Arts degree from Curtin University in WA with several awards.