Climate Leadership Accelerator: Into the Arena

A 10-week journey to supercharge your climate leadership: turning wisdom into action and complexity into opportunity for lasting solutions.

Start Date:
September 11, 2025
-
November 12, 2025
Dates:
10 weeks
Format:
2-day in person retreat, followed by weekly 3-hour online sessions
Cost:
Pillars
Nature & Environment
Business & Economics
Equality & Democracy

In partnership with

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Whether you're new to climate leadership or deep along your journey, this accelerator builds the confidence, connections, and concrete action plans you need to lead meaningful change in your spheres of influence.

Join business leaders, policy makers, climate scientists and changemakers for 10 weeks of transformative, systems-based learning.

Next cohort starts 11th September, with limited places available. Secure your place.

What you'll learn

Over 10 weeks, you'll develop the leadership toolkit that conscious climate leaders use to navigate complexity and drive real change:

  • Your Personal Climate Action Plan - Leave with a tailored framework outlining a personally meaningful contribution to planetary health and our collective future
  • A Curated Network of Climate Leaders - Connect with committed professionals across arts, science, business, policy, and activism
  • Navigate Complex Climate Systems - Understand how biodiversity, our energy systems, political economy, and social justice issues interconnect
  • Brave Conversation Skills - Build the interpersonal literacy and confidence to engage with a wide range of perspectives on climate change
  • Transformative Storytelling Capacities - Learn essential storytelling skills to impact change
  • Embodied Leadership Presence - Develop the inner resilience to stay centred while facing our climate reality

Who is this program for?

Into the Arena has been designed for conscious professionals ready to lead on climate. Whether you're new to climate leadership or have expertise but want to broaden your influence, this program is designed for professionals who want to integrate climate action into their work and life. This program is for you if you're:

  • A professional wanting to understand how climate intersects with your industry
  • Working in climate but looking for community or to strengthen your systemic impact
  • A leader who needs to communicate climate issues to non-scientific audiences, or groups traditional disengaged on climate issues
  • Someone with climate expertise and ideas but lacking confidence to expand your influence
  • Anyone ready to step into the arena of strategic and generative action

Recent participants include WWF researchers, renewable energy consultants, artists, young leaders, sustainable finance professionals, policy advisors, social entrepreneurs, and business sustainability leaders.

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Program details

A Transformational Climate Leadership Experience

  • Format: Live virtual sessions, expert mentorship, peer collaboration, plus a two-day in-person retreat
  • Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per week including sessions, reading, and group work

The Curriculum

Throughout ou 10 weeks together, you'll explore the climate crisis through an integrated curriculum that weaves systems thinking with interpersonal and leadership development, which practically weaves together in your personalised climate action plan.

Systems Understanding

Mapping Our Climate Challenges

  • Deep dive into interconnected climate systems: including food, farming, energy and information ecosystems
  • Understand biodiversity, energy transition, and our political economy
  • Find which areas you can leverage the most transformational change for a hopeful future
  • Discover and engage with regenerative economics and frameworks for the Next Economy

Leadership Development

Building Capacity to Step Into the Arena

  • Refine your unique leadership style and capacities
  • Learn emotional and relational literacy to support your action confidence
  • Practice brave conversation techniques to navigate diverse perspectives
  • Develop your storytelling skills for impact
  • Deepen your ability to lead in crisis with confidence for your families and communities

Strategic Action

Turning Wisdom Into Action

  • Connect with and find inspiration from speakers about their climate leadership journeys and action
  • Workshop your personalised climate action framework with your peers and mentors
  • Build a strong network of committed individuals and discover new opportunities for collaboration
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“I have been determined to transition my passion for this space to my work, but have come up with many reasons why I wasn't equipped to. This course has given me the information, the inspiration and the impetus and confidence to move forward with that transition.”

- Jeanine Bribosia, Into the Arena participant

Our Guides & Mentors

Your Into the Arena journey is guided experts at the intersection of business and climate: 

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Designer note: event will appear here on the published site.
Designer note: event will appear here on the published site.

Pip Wheaton

Planet & climate problem solver, systems thinker and facilitator

Pip Wheaton
Planet & climate problem solver, systems thinker and facilitator

Matthew Nation

Director at Nation Partners

Libby Davidson

Non-Executive Director, Sustainability Leader

Libby Davidson
Non-Executive Director, Sustainability Leader

Richie Merzian

International Director, Smart Energy Council

Richie Merzian
International Director, Smart Energy Council

World-class guest speakers & advisors

Through this program, you'll hear from world-leading climate experts, including:

  • Climate Scientists translating research into actionable insights
  • Policy Experts navigating the intersection of politics and climate action
  • Business Leaders driving sustainable transformation
  • Community Organisers building grassroots climate movements
  • Communications Specialists making complex science accessible

Amanda McKenzie

CEO, Climate Council

Ed Coper

Author, Facts & Other Lies

Ronni Kahn

Founder, Oz Harvest 

Emma Bacon

CEO, Sweltering Cities

Rachel Lowry

CEO, Bush Heritage Australia 

Rachel Lowry
CEO, Bush Heritage Australia 

Chris Cooper

Disinformation Expert, Founder, Advocacy Strategist

Chris Cooper
Disinformation Expert, Founder, Advocacy Strategist

Chris is a disinformation expert, founder, and advocacy strategist. He has 14+ years of experience co-designing and implementing social impact programs and campaigns across six continents and numerous issue areas, specialising in disinformation, climate, democracy, responsible technology, and public health - and is at his best working at the intersections of these issues. He is currently the Co-Founder of the Research & Action Hub, which is global infrastructure for collaborative disinformation research and campaigning, as well as the Corporate Accountability Director at Climate Integrity - focused on corporate greenwashing.  Chris is also non-executive director of Sweltering Cities, a grassroots organisation working at the intersection of health, economic injustice and climate change to amplify the voices of suburban communities experiencing the debilitating heat of increasingly hotter summers. His career is built on his academic experience in media production, political science and anthropology, enabling his work with communities to leverage culture and storytelling to change behaviour, policy and systems. He is an Australian based in Indonesia, and working globally.

Rebecca Huntley

Author, How to Talk About Climate Change

Rebecca Huntley
Author, How to Talk About Climate Change

Gayle Hardie

Co-Founder of Global Leadership Foundation

Gayle Hardie
Co-Founder of Global Leadership Foundation

As the Co-Founder of Global Leadership Foundation, Gayle is internationally recognised for her capability, enthusiasm and experience in the world of leadership and organisation transformation. She currently works with boards and senior leaders across the globe in a range of areas including transformational change in individuals, teams and organisations, strategic planning and implementation, emotional health and resilience, leading through facilitation, strengthening collaboration, board governance and performance, and Board and Executive mentoring and coaching.

Amongst her professional accreditations, she is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders, a Fellow and former Board Member of Leadership Victoria and is currently a Director of BLabAANZ and The Chalice Foundation. Gayle holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Relations and Organisation Behaviour and a Master of Arts and is the co-author of two books ‘The Emotionally Healthy Leader’ and ‘Working with Emotional Health and the Enneagram’.

Global Leadership Foundation was formed in 2003 with the intent of raising emotional health levels across the globe. It is a ‘for purpose’ organisation and a certified BCorp since 2016. The organisation leads by example in its stewardship role, providing pro-bono support to a number of community programs and non-profit organisations. It strongly believes in sharing its resources and knowledge – as volunteers, facilitators, mentors and more – with a diverse range of important projects and causes that have limited access to funding. Its annual profit has been placed in a philanthropic fund, held with the Australian Communities Foundation from 2006, which allows us to combine pro-bono support with grant-making for the development of leaders in community.

Jade Miles

CEO at Sustainable Table, Regenerative Farmer

Jade Miles
CEO at Sustainable Table, Regenerative Farmer

Jade is the CEO of Sustainable Table, a Regenerative Farmer, Author and Podcast Host. In 2020 she launched her podcast Futuresteading and with 140 episodes spanning 9 seasons now under her belt she has also released a book with the same name and has a second one due out in April 2025 titled 'Huddle'. To be sure she is putting her efforts where her mouth is, Jade is also a regenerative heritage fruit farmer together with her husband and three kids at Black Barn Farm, a biodiverse orchard, nursery and workshop space in Northeast Victoria which opens to the public for u-pick, schools programs and skills workshops from December to May each year. She’s an active presence in the regenerative space, hosting school programs, permaculture and homesteading workshops while sitting on multiple boards – all in the name of reconnecting people to nature, food and a simpler existence.

Simon Sheikh

CEO & Co-Founder at Future Group

Simon Sheikh
CEO & Co-Founder at Future Group

Simon Sheikh is the CEO and Co-Founder of Future Group, a rapidly growing ethical superannuation group in Australia with $16 billion in assets under management & advice. The business supports multiple superannuation brands, including Future Super, which was Australia's first fossil fuel free superannuation fund. Prior to founding Future Group, Simon was the National Director of GetUp, a leading progressive advocacy organisation in Australia that now has 1.1 million members. He served on the inaugural board of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, which has grown to 120,000 members. Simon has also worked as an Analyst at the NSW Treasury and consulted for various organisations, including Bendigo Bank, Minderoo, and the Queensland public sector union. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics, Accounting, and Business Law from the University of NSW.
Simon is passionate about parenthood and climate action. He is the father of an 9-year-old who loves surfing and cricket.

Victoria McKenzie-McHarg

CEO at WELA

Victoria is the CEO of Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA), and has worked in climate and environmental leadership for the past 17yrs. Her former roles include Chair of the Climate Action Network Australia (CANA), Climate Campaign Manager of the Australian Conservation Foundation, and Manager of Strategy at Bank Australia.

WELA is an independent not-for-profit organisation that is empowering, supporting and funding diverse women’s leadership for our environment and climate, in order to transform Australia’s response to these crises.

Oliver Costello

Fire Sticks

Tom Campbell

Co-Founder at Footy for Climate

Tom Campbell
Co-Founder at Footy for Climate

Tom is an experienced AFL player with 14 years at Melbourne, St Kilda, North Melbourne, and the Western Bulldogs. He is passionate about safeguarding the future of the sport through climate action. As a co-founder of Footy for Climate, Tom supports AFL and AFLW players in reducing emissions, sharing personal climate stories, and driving climate action across clubs and fan communities. He also holds a Bachelor of Business (Management & Innovation) from Victoria University.

Tavale Ilalio

Creative Director & Founder at Mahana Culture

Tavale Ilalio
Creative Director & Founder at Mahana Culture

Tavale is the Creative Director and Founder at Mahana Culture. With a lifetime of work in the Human Services space spanning across New Zealand, USA and Australia as well as a passion for the complex space of difference, Tavale is super curious about the relational space that exists between us and ourselves, us and others and us and the systems we live, work and play in. This curiosity about the relational space is at the heart of Mahana Culture: a movement in the shape of a business with a purpose of Awakening Cultural Dignity for all.

Claire O'Rourke

The Sunrise Project

Kirsty Gold

Investor & Philanthropist

Anna Rose

CEO Environmental Leadership Australia

Anna Rose
CEO Environmental Leadership Australia

Lesley Hughes

IPCC Scientist

Marc Light

Principal, The King David School, Melbourne

Marc Light
Principal, The King David School, Melbourne

Arielle Gamble

GROUNDSWELL Co-founder & CEO

Arielle Gamble
GROUNDSWELL Co-founder & CEO

John Blackburn

Chair, IIERA and Co-Founder, ASLCG

John Blackburn
Chair, IIERA and Co-Founder, ASLCG

Alexa Firmenich

Alexa Firmenich is an investor, consultant and facilitator focused on climate and biodiversity. She is the co-director of SEED, a new centre of the Crowther Lab at ETH Zurich. SEED is developing the world's most holistic measure of biodiversity that reflects multiple scales of nature's complexity for any location on the planet, with the goal to steer financial and political decision-makers to crystallise the value of nature into the global economy. Alexa is also the founder of Ground Effect, an animist investment vehicle that supports early stage nature-based solutions, scientific research and new economic models. Parallel to this work, she is trained as a group facilitator in leadership development and ecological pedagogy, designing multi-day learning journeys through her role at Leaders' Quest.  She is also an author, podcast host of Lifeworlds, a founding board member of Terra Habitus – a Mexican environmental fund that operates large-landscape conservation and watershed restoration – and a wilderness guide.

Eleanor Gammell

Creative Director, Curator, Investor

Eleanor Gammell
Creative Director, Curator, Investor

Eleanor is a curator of immersive experiences, bringing people together to explore the ideas defining our time.

Eleanor is the Executive & Creative Director of TEDxSydney, most recently co-curated the Forest Economics Congress with MONA (Museum of Old and New Art, Tasmania) and designed the Climate Leadership Accelerator for Small Giants Academy.

She was previously the Head of Programs at Small Giants Academy, co-creating deep impact learning journeys including the Mastery of Business and Empathy, Impact Safaris to Israel and Palestine (conflict & innovation), Bhutan (GNH & systems of measurement) and the Tarkine Rainforest (regeneration of people and place), as well as various courses exploring the interplay of wisdom and action required to meet global challenges.

Prior to this, Eleanor was the Managing Director of The School of Life Australia, a platform exploring emotional intelligence through philosophy, anthropology and culture, staging ambitious public programming with interdisciplinary thought leaders across the country.

Eleanor co-founded First Light to contribute to the growing global community investing in climate responses. She is a board director for Groundswell Giving and co-chair of the Atelier Council at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

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Ready to transform your climate leadership?

This 10-week intensive program includes an in-person retreat, live online sessions, expert mentorship, ongoing fellowship, and lifetime access to our climate leader network.

Program Investment: $4,960 + GST

What's Included:

  • Transformative 2-day in-person retreat
  • 9 weeks of live virtual sessions with climate experts
  • Mentorship and coaching
  • Small cohort experience (maximum 23 participants)
  • Personalised climate action framework development
  • Lifetime fellowship access and ongoing network
  • All program materials and resources

Concession Rates Available:

  • B Corps: $4,464 + GST
  • NFPs, Registered Charities, First Nations People: $3,968 + GST
  • Partial scholarships based on financial need

Monthly payment plans available

*Note: Accommodation and travel for retreat weekend not included

FAQs and Details

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Ready to Step Into the Arena?

Climate leadership has never been more critical. The question isn't whether you're ready - it's whether you're willing to begin.

Next cohort starts September 11th, with limited spots remaining.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena." — Theodore Roosevelt

Invest in Your Team's Climate Leadership

Sponsor your employees to join our Climate Leadership Fellowship and build organisational resilience for a rapidly changing world. Corporate sponsorship includes:

  • Individual employee participation in full program
  • Organisational integration planning
  • Custom climate action framework for your business context
  • Ongoing fellowship network access

Download the brochure to learn more, or book a chat with us to learn more about Into the Arena for your organisation.

Nature & Environment
Business & Economics
Equality & Democracy