Joe Lea
Professional Background
Joe works across a range of environmental and social projects at FPC, with particular interest in community-based evaluations and systems thinking approaches. He enjoys working closely with communities to understand their needs and strengthen resilience, bringing his empathetic nature and genuine interest in people to develop rapport quickly and get people talking. His approach combines strong qualitative research skills with practical community engagement experience.
Intersection of Environmental and Social Issues
Joe is most comfortable working at the intersection of environmental and social issues, where complex challenges require nuanced understanding of both human and environmental systems. His academic background in political ecology provides him with theoretical frameworks for understanding how environmental and social issues are interconnected, while his practical experience enables him to apply this knowledge in real-world evaluation contexts.
Sensitive Research and Interview Skills
Joe has developed expertise in conducting interviews with people experiencing challenging circumstances, including ex-forestry workers dealing with unemployment and personal distress, and people with lived experience of cancer navigating complex healthcare systems. His empathetic nature and genuine interest in people allows him to develop instant rapport with interview participants, making them feel comfortable and empowered to speak about their experiences.
Systems Thinking and Social Change
Joe's recent work on systems thinking projects demonstrates his interest in understanding and addressing complex societal issues through collaborative approaches. His work with the Geelong Systems Thinking Project exemplifies his ability to facilitate systems mapping workshops that build capability among service providers and foster collaboration to enable positive systems shifts in addressing chronic disadvantage.
Community Engagement Expertise
Before joining First Person Consulting, Joe worked as a community engagement consultant with i.e. Community, working with organisations to understand the concerns and aspirations of the communities they serve. In this role, he worked on a range of different projects, ranging from environmental projects such as the South Gippsland Coastal Strategy, which saw the establishment of a Community Dialogue to deliberate on the future management of the region's coasts, to social and infrastructure projects like the Port Phillip Housing Strategy and the City of Banyule's Waste Strategy.
Areas of Expertise
Joe's expertise spans community engagement, qualitative research, and environmental-social evaluation, with particular strength in facilitating inclusive processes, conducting sensitive interviews, and working at the intersection of environmental and social justice issues.
Community Engagement and Stakeholder Consultation
- Workshop facilitation: Experience facilitating workshops, focus groups, and systems mapping sessions with diverse stakeholder groups
- Diverse Community Engagement: Experience engaging with different parts of the community, from people with lived experience of cancer survivors, forestry workers, CALD groups and people living with disabilities.
- On-the-ground data collection: Using intercept surveys and listening posts to guide conversations and collect data in community settings
- Sensitive interviewing practices: Skills in conducting interviews with people experiencing challenging circumstances, including personal distress and trauma
- Survey design: Expertise in designing surveys and engagement plans that capture meaningful data across different community contexts
- Qualitative data analysis: Strong skills in thematic analysis, cross-tabulation, and developing frameworks for analysing large qualitative datasets
Environmental and Social Systems
- Political Ecology: Academic background in understanding how environmental and social issues intersect and influence each other
- Climate Adaptation: Experience in community-led climate adaptation planning and coastal hazard management
- Environmental Justice: Understanding of how environmental issues disproportionately affect different communities
- Systems thinking: Skills in systems mapping and collaborative approaches to understanding complex social and environmental challenges
Selected Projects
Joe has led and contributed to diverse community engagement and evaluation projects spanning environmental management, healthcare, workforce transitions, and social justice. His work demonstrates expertise in facilitating inclusive processes, conducting sensitive research, and working collaboratively with communities to identify solutions to complex challenges.
People with Lived Experience Engagement - PROMs/PREMs
Coordinated focus groups and interviews with people with lived experience of cancer care. Led establishment of EOI process and contacted participants to gauge comfort in speaking about cancer experiences. Facilitated generative research process with diverse communities including regional, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and multicultural participants.
Evaluation of the Worker Support Program
Delivered significant number of interviews with ex-forestry workers, their families and staff following closure of native timber industry. Interviews often dealt with delicate subject matter including unemployment and personal distress. Developed instant rapport allowing participants to feel comfortable and empowered to share experiences.
Evaluation of the Food Collective
Heavily involved in collecting data from community members at events, analysing data and reporting for evaluation of multi-faceted food system initiative. Contributed to understanding effectiveness of Food Collective model in addressing food insecurity, training, employment, and community connections.
Evaluation of Q+Law
Assisted in collection of primary data and reporting for evaluation of community-led LGBTIQA+ legal service. Undertook data collection through interviews with stakeholders and service users, instrumental in analysis of data to understand service effectiveness and impact.
Geelong Systems Thinking Project
Contributing to systems mapping workshops with network of providers in Geelong addressing social disadvantage. Supporting collaborative systems thinking approach to map issues and build capability among providers to foster collaboration and enable positive systems shifts.
CCFP Energy Programs Evaluation
Part of team evaluating four major energy programs including New Energy Jobs Fund and Renewable Hydrogen Commercialisation Pathways Fund. Contributing to assessment of program scope, implementation, delivery methods and outcomes to inform future policy development.
Education & Qualifications
Joe's educational background combines international relations, political science, and environmental studies, providing a strong interdisciplinary foundation for his work in community engagement and environmental-social evaluation. His focus on political ecology gives him particular insight into power dynamics and environmental justice issues.
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IAP2 Australasia Certificate of Engagement
International Association of Public Participation, in-progress
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Master of Environment
University of Melbourne, 2021
Advanced study with focus on political ecology, examining the intersection of environmental and social issues, power relations, and environmental justice. Developed understanding of how environmental challenges are shaped by social, political, and economic factors, essential for community-based environmental evaluation work. -
Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
Deakin University, 2018
Undergraduate study in International Relations with Honours in Political Science. Developed critical analysis skills, understanding of political systems and governance, and research methodologies essential for understanding complex policy environments and community dynamics.
Professional Experience
- Associate Consultant - First Person Consulting (current)
- Consultant - i.e. community (previous)
- Customer Experience Officer - Health.com.au (previous)
Professional Commitment
- Working collaboratively with communities to understand their needs and strengthen resilience
- Ensuring evaluation processes are inclusive and accessible to diverse community members
- Supporting community-led approaches to addressing environmental and social challenges
- Using evaluation as a tool for social and environmental change
- Building capacity within communities to engage effectively in planning and evaluation processes
- Promoting environmental and social justice through participatory research and evaluation