The faces behind the First Question Society
We are the family and friends of Jeff, here to honour his memory and help create a legacy.
The Robinsons
Jeff's Guiding Lights
His greatest loves.
Chris Buntine
Melbourne Regenerative Design Forum | Atelier Ten
Chris is consultant working on the sustainable transformation of our built environment, and an advocate for the regeneration of the living systems that bring health and vitality to people and the wider community of life.
He is the Melbourne Regional Director for Atelier Ten and has worked in the United States and Australia on the design of sustainable buildings and precincts for almost 30 years. Chris had the privilege of working closely with Jeff Robinson for 9 years at Aurecon where he was inspired every day by Jeff's unwavering optimism and passion for change.
Along with Jeff and others, Chris co-founded the Melbourne Regenerative Design Forum which brings individuals and organisations together to host industry events that inspire regenerative ambition.
Chris along with other sustainability practitioners living the Melbourne's Bayside community were close friends of Jeff's, enjoying many wonderful meals and great conversations, graciously hosted by Jeff and his wife Carolyn.
Pippa Connolly
Jeff's closest friend since forever
I am currently a non-executive director with a passion for sustainability and the environment. My background is in consulting engineering having led multi disciplinary teams at Arup for 27 years in the UK , Singapore, New Zealand and since 1996 in Australia, followed by a period as an Associate Professor of practice at Monash University.
I met Jeff in London in 1987 when I sat next to him just after starting work at Arup in the UK straight after graduation. He had joined Arup the year before me. He became a very close friend and colleague as we navigated, in his words, " the wonderful world of consulting engineering".
While he worked in Scandinavia and Ireland , I was in Singapore, New Zealand and arrived in Melbourne In 1987 for 5 years. We had remained very close friends and I was honoured to be Jeff's " best man" at his wedding. When I found out that Arup wanted to set up a building services practice In Melbourne I was straight on the phone to Jeff. Since then we worked as colleagues , competitors and I was even a client while I was at Monash University.
Most of all he remained one of my closest friends.
Dominique Hes
Melbourne Regenerative Design Forum | Greenfleet
Worked with Jeff from the early 2000s.
With Jeff she worked on the Living Futures Institute of Australia, Thrive, Retrofit Melbourne, BREATH, Melbourne Forum.
Jack Noonan
International WELL Building Institute
I met Jeff as a grad out of university and was connected to him at every stage of my career and in every role.
He always supported me and was genuinely excited each time I progressed, including in my most recent roles at the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). I supported him by teaching him how to use LinkedIn and sharing my local tips on wine.
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Jeff taught me to have the courage to put yourself out there, connect with others, challenge the status quo, and to advocate for what you know is right.
He shaped and influenced my career more than he ever knew, and I'm proud to continue his legacy.
Grazyna Van Egmond
Banksia Foundation
After running a not-for-profit based on sustainability for 20 years “optimism” is my key motivator. It is my go-to conscious feeling when things get tough. My optimism has enabled the team that I work with to push through difficult times and come out the other end with amazing results.
Also working around innovation and disruption I am constantly exposed to optimism around me. I see the power of determination that this develops. I am very privileged to work with young interns. I have noticed that once you infect the power of optimism to them their approach to what they do takes on a new energy.
This is such a powerful force for breaking through any barriers and is always an incredible value-add to any situation.
Caroline Pidcock
PIDCOCK Regenerative Practitioner
Caroline Pidcock is an architect, activist and advocate who has been shaped by the lands and the mighty water systems of the places in which she was born (Grafton) and raised (Sydney).
Her journey to discover what green > sustainable > regenerative architecture was about inevitably connected her with Jeff. This was particularly intensified as they worked with others to cofound and establish the Living Future Institute Australia.
She greatly appreciated his popping by, with friends from around the world, to her home in Millers Point when he was in Sydney and his engaged and energising presence at every event he attended.
Mary Casey
Introba
Mary Casey is a fourth-generation American, first-generation Texan of mixed-Euro-mostly-Irish descent, and has called Australia home for over 20 years.
A recovering architect, she has 30 years of international and Australian experience working with the environment. She is currently working in New South Wales as a Principal in Introba’s Sustainability team.
Mary is a founding director and past Chair of the Living Future Institute of Australia and got to know Jeff through their work together on the LFIA’s Board, inviting the Australian design and building community into a conversation about ‘what good looks like'.
Peter Mathieson
Aurecon
With a career as a building engineering services design professional that spans 40 years and includes projects in Europe, Asia, and North America, Jeff was a close work colleague, collaborator, and great mate for the past 22 years. We shared a mutual interest in sustainability, good design and great architecture constantly seeking ways to improve the built environment and our cities.
Currently I am investing in the development of talent and the next generation of professionals through mentoring, training and project oversight across the Aurecon business combined with supporting the evolution of our service line tools and resources. Often in this capacity encouraging others to consider what is the questions we are seeking to answer.
In addition to consulting engineering, I am on a committee at Standards Australia for the Institute of Engineers Australia, Monash Environment Advisory Group member, alternate member of the Heritage Council of Victoria and represent AIRAH on the National Construction Code energy efficiency provisions advisory committee.
Manda Ford
Everywhere all at Once!
A jack of most, master of none, friend of all and manager of Jeff's diary...
Who am I am kidding with that last bit?!
Jeff always over-ruled my diary management to be everywhere, all at once!
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Now, I sit on this fabulous society, made up with his amazing family and friends, filled with a brilliant brain trust to honour his memory - and I feel deeply honoured to be part of something bigger that carries on Jeff's legacy.
