Judges

Our 12 judges are from a wide spectrum of movements representing regenerative design, permaculture, food sovereignty, transition, biomimicry and eco-village networks. We aim for a gender mix, and representatives from around the world. Each prize cycle a ‘Lush Customer Judge’ and ‘Lush Staff Judge’ are also selected to act as additional independent members of the judging panel.

For 2023 we also have additional judges for the Ancient and Indigenous Wisdom Award, and the Permaculture Magazine Award.

Anne Rammi

Photo: Anne Rammi

Judge for the Ancient & Indigenous Wisdom Award.

Anne Rammi is an immigrant woman, artist, activist and mother of three. Born in Brazil, she was a member of several activist communities and movements, focused on social and environmental regeneration as a result of participatory processes.

With solid background in mobilization, campaigning and culture hacking, Anne is currently living in the United Kingdom and leading the Communications & Community area of Be The Earth Foundation, an organisation that combines diverse types of funding into local and regenerative ecosystems that pave the way for planetary regeneration.

Once a child that had small animals, plants and rocks as inspiration for imagination and learned from nature the language of belonging, she now dedicates her adult life into creating resilient change, based on collaboration, trust and affection.

Asad Rehman

Photo: Asad Rehman

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards.

Asad Rehman is the Executive Director of the radical anti-poverty and social justice charity War on Want, that works to achieve a vision of a just world, through their mission to fight against the root causes of poverty, inequality and human rights violations.

Asad is a leading climate justice activist whose work has helped to reframe the climate crisis as a crisis of neoliberal capitalism, inequality and racism, and is co-coordinator of the Global Green New Deal Project.

Over the last 35 years he has worked with many social movements (both globally and nationally), including the anti-racist movement, the alter-globalisation movement, and the anti-war movement.

Charlotte Mulliner

Photo: Charlotte Mulliner

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards.

Charlotte is the customer judge for Spring Prize 2023 and has worked in grant making since 2013 in a range of roles focused on children and young people, natural and built heritage, communities and place-making and social justice through systems change.

In her current role as a Funding Manager with Esmée Fairbairn Foundation Charlotte has enjoyed learning about agroecology and regeneration and how communities can be supported to develop capacity for owning and sustaining the changes to systems and the environment that they want to see.

Charlotte is interested in how regeneration and environmentalism can be democratised and how those most at risk of injustice and the climate emergency can be empowered to create change.

Charlotte is currently taking part in the Ten Years’ Time Grant Givers programme to learn about fresh perspectives in grant making and outside of work enjoys volunteering for a range of causes including supporting care experienced young people and species conservation.

Dr Fassil Gebeyehu Yelemtu

Photo: Dr Fassil Gebeyehu Yelemtu

Judge for the Ancient & Indigenous Wisdom Award.

Fassil is a conservationist, a social anthropologist and is currently the General Coordinator of the African Biodiversity Network (ABN).

ABN was initiated in 1996 by a loose grouping of individuals concerned with promoting and protecting African bio and cultural diversity.

It is now a network with more than 25 partners ranging from small community-based organisations to non-government organisations and works with strategic partners and alliances from 25 African countries, Spain, UK, Colombia, India, Brazil and Europe.

ABN enables Africans to voice their views on issues such as genetic engineering, agro-ecology/ biodiversity, biodiversity protection, mining and the rights of small farmers. It does this by providing network partners with technical and strategic support.

Fassil is trained as a trainer of community mobilisation and has experience of a range of related techniques, including Participatory Rural appraisal, community dialogue, community ecological map and inter-generational learning.

Dr Georgina McAllister

Photo: Dr Georgina McAllister

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards.

Dr Georgina McAllister has worked in the humanitarian and development sectors in Europe, the Middle East, South East Asia, the Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa since the early 1990s.

Co-founding UK NGO GardenAfrica in 2001, she has been co-designing and co-developing social-ecological programmes with civil society organisations and family farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. This work has incorporated a focus on promoting regenerative agroecological farming practices and processes for human and agroecosystem health in politically, socially and ecologically fragile environments.

She has a particular interest in promoting more inclusive forms of community engagement and voice, within which the relationship between people and their environment is central to co-creating more durable and equitable outcomes.

George is an assistant professor in Stabilisation Agriculture at the Centre for Agroecology, Water & Resilience (Coventry University).

Dr. Jeff Su

Photo: Dr. Jeff Su

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards.

Dr. Jeff Su is the Managing Director of nRhythm, a design and management firm that believes organizations are living systems that require a fundamentally different approach to the current mechanistic models.

Jeff has led a diverse and international career as an ecologist, academic, executive director, consultant and psychotherapist in the USA, Australia, Europe, and Africa.

Throughout his career he has applied systems thinking and holistic approaches to help organizations address the most pressing environmental and social issues of our time.

Jeff applies systems thinking to his own life experience and development through a dedicated Buddhist practice. He holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Environmental Science and a graduate degree in Holistic Psychology.

Filipa Pimentel

Photo: Filipa Pimentel

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards.

Filipa Pimentel works for Transition Network – a small charity which aims to inspire, encourage, connect, support and train communities world-wide as they self-organise around the Transition model.

She is a Portuguese forest scientist by training. After 10 years working in EU Institutions and organisations related to sustainable development, she quit her job to dedicate herself fully to the Transition Movement.

Filipa now works as the International Coordinator of the Transition National Hubs, exploring with people all over the world how to develop the social infrastructure, collaborative culture and new forms of leadership capable of supporting a distributed movement for social change. She also acts as a bridge between Transition Network and the EU (and other Brussels-based organisations).

She is co-founder of a Transition Initiative in Portalegre, Portugal and initiator of AJUDADA, an experimental community empowerment international event, under the theme of gift economy.

I feel excited and interested to join the Lush Spring Prize judging panel, seeing this as an opportunity to contribute in a different way to the systemic change many of us are dreaming of.

Gamelihle Sibanda

Photo: Gamelihle Sibanda

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards and Ancient & Indigenous Wisdom Award.

Gamelihle Sibanda is a certified Biomimicry professional.

He fuses his training in civil engineering (BSc Eng. Honours), business (MBA) and biomimicry (MSc Biomimicry) towards creation of a sustainable and regenerative planet; where there is enough for all forever.

A visual story teller and rapid ideator, he uses his diverse skills to abstract strategies from nature to inspire, teach and create solutions to human challenges.

He co-developed the Biominga Innovation Model based on strategies that nature has continuously tested and refined over the past 3.8 billion years.

Where others see things that exist and ask “why?” Gamelihle dreams about things that do not exist and asks “why not?”.

 

Jessielee Pearce

Photo: Jessielee Pearce

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards.

Jessielee is the Lush staff judge for Spring Prize 2023.

Jessielee is a proud Māori wahine, a māma, an environmental and indigenous land rights activist. She is a member of several activist communities and movements focused on social, environmental and upholding indigenous land rights.

Jessielee has worked for LUSH Aotearoa (New Zealand) for nearly a decade. In this time she has worked alongside many different regenerative organisations that focus specifically on permaculture, education and restorative practices.

Raised with indigenous mara kai (vegetable gardening) practices, permaculture has been intrinsically woven into her way of life. Companion planting and following a lunar/solar structure is rooted in Indigenous knowledge and is a way of connecting with the Te taiao (the environment) and ensuring that we have something to hand on to our future generations. Jessielee has also volunteered at a local community garden, teaching families the basics of permaculture and how to successfully grow their own food in a regenerative way.

Jessielee has assisted RE:Fund NZ in granting the very first application for Australasia to Papawhkaritorito a Hua Parakore (permaculture) Project, a Māori organic seedling CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) project that grows rangatahi (youth) leadership and skills in seedling production.

With a fair understanding of permaculture I dont always look at it from a singular lense of gardening. It is much broader than that, though social and economic impact is really where permaculture has its true potential.

John D. Liu

Photo: John D. Liu

Judge for the Permaculture Magazine Award.

John D. Liu is a renowned filmmaker. He made the documentaries Green Gold, Prix Italia award winner, and Hope in a Changing Climate, named the best ecological film at the International Wildlife Film Festival.

He recently founded the Ecosystem Restoration Foundation.

 

Kajaby Tinga

Photo: Kajaby Tinga

Judge for the Ancient & Indigenous Wisdom Award.

Idealizer of the Sabuká Kariri-Xocó Culture Centre.

He is the one who receives groups and organizes the experiences and cures, by opening trails, preparing bonfires and everything necessary to be in the Kariri-Xocó forest environment.

He is a warrior craftsman, who creates beautiful spears, maracas and headdresses.

 

 

Kayode Olafimihan

Photo: Kayode Olafimihan

Judge for the Permaculture Magazine Award.

Kayode Olafimihan is the chair of the London Permaculture Network.

He organises the annual London Permaculture Festival, founded Permablitz London and has established a permaculture LAND project at Cecil Sharp House, headquarters of the English Folk Dance and Song Society in London.

 

Million Belay

Photo: Million Belay

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards.

Million Belay has worked for over two decades on issues relating to inter-generational learning of bio-cultural diversity, sustainable agriculture, the right of local communities to seed and food sovereignty.

He currently coordinates the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa – a network of major networks in Africa – and is a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food). Million is a founder of ‘MELCA – Ethiopia’, an NGO working on issues of agroecology, inter-generational learning, advocacy and livelihood improvement of local and indigenous peoples.

Million’s main interest is now advocacy around food sovereignty, learning among generations, knowledge dialogues and the use of participatory mapping for social learning, identity building and mobilization of memory for resilience.

He has a PhD in environmental learning, a MsC in tourism and conservation, and BsC in Biology.

Pawana Crody

Photo: Pawana Crody

Judge for the Ancient & Indigenous Wisdom Award.

Pawana Crody Cacique Pajé Pawana is an indigenous leader of the Kariri Xocó Indigenous Territory of Porto Real do Colégio, Alagoas, Brazil, in the lower São Francisco River (called Opará by the indigenous people), where around 4,000 indigenous people live.

He promotes the culture of his ethnicity and leads the group Sabuká Kariri-Xocó, which uses Toré and sacred songs as a source of aggregation, rescue and ancestral healing.

Leading the process of retaking their lands, he has also carried out important work as director of the Sabuká Kariri-Xocó Indigenous Association and leader of the Sabuká Kariri-Xocó Cultural Centre.

He is the zealous father of 4 curumins (children), of various ages, who live alongside his struggle and work on a daily basis.

Precious Phiri

Photo: Precious Phiri

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards and Permaculture Magazine Award

Precious Phiri is a training and development specialist in regenerative agriculture issues, an educator of Holistic management and a seasoned community organizer from Zimbabwe. She is a founder of EarthWisdom and IGugu Trust in Zimbabwe where she continues to inspire change.

She recently co-authored a miniguide book on how to create whole landscapes and whole communities using regenerative agriculture. This book will be used in the agroecology training series in Southern Africa through a regional partner; Seed and Knowledge Initiative.

Precious is a steering committee member and African Coordinator for Regeneration International. Her work currently focuses on training, network and awareness building on regenerative agriculture and its role in rejuvenating soils, reversing climate change, rebuilding communities and replenishing the fast dilapidating wealth of society values. She is also involved in inspiring policy change in the African continent through regional networks.

We are in the era of regeneration rising, and now more than ever do we need enabling platforms that will make this incredible vision soar. LUSH Spring Prize is one of the winds beneath the great wings of the regeneration movement globally

Rozie Apps

Photo: Rozie Apps

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards and Permaculture Magazine Award.

Rozie Apps is the Publishing Director and Assistant Editor at Permaculture magazine and Permanent Publications.

She lives with her partner and two dogs in Sussex, where they love to roam the South Downs, local woodlands and wild swim.

She also runs a small kitchen garden, which produces weekly veg boxes through summer and autumn, along with a veg stall for surplus.

Rozie is passionate about local food and hopes to one day see permaculture farms surrounding every town and village across the country.

 

Ruth Andrade

Photo: Ruth Andrade

judge for the Ancient & Indigenous Wisdom Award.

Ruth started working for Lush in 2004 and soon became the head of environment at Lush, inspiring many environmental initiatives during that time. After a long hiatus, Ruth is now back to mainly work on three aims: lead brand strategy on regenerative impact, support organisational development based on living systems and help evolve our charitable giving strategies. She is passionate about how to transform business into a force of regeneration and to leverage the power of a global brand to do good.

Ruth has a masters in Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies. She is a Trustee and co-founder of Re.Alliance, a collective of practitioners bringing regenerative design to the humanitarian sector, a co-creator of Regenerosity, an initiative for finding, funding and learning from the planet’s most regenerative projects.

Ruth’s linkedin profile.

Sarah Queblatin

Photo: Sarah Queblatin

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards and Ancient & Indigenous Wisdom Award.

Sarah Queblatin is a regenerative solutions designer – weaving experiences in environmental education, cultural heritage, peacebuilding, and humanitarian assistance.

Her life-long practice is in restoring and re-storying narratives of place and belonging through ecosystem restoration and leadership.

As part of this work she formed Green Releaf Initiative to support community leaders in response and in prevention of more disasters and displacement using permaculture design in the Philippines.

She co-designed REGEN NATIONS, a design lab on regeneration in Asia and the Pacific with the Global Ecovillage Network.

Sarah also crafted a proposal for Principle 0 – to formally acknowledge traditional ecological knowledge in permaculture.

She is a member of Re-Alliance and co-founder of Permaculture for Refugees.

Keeping to her path as a creative, she also founded Living Story Landscapes which harnesses cultural memory and imagination in climate and conflict vulnerable communities.

Simon Constantine

Photo: Simon Constantine

Judge for the Permaculture Magazine Award.

Simon Constantine started his career in perfumery at Lush, a natural progression for a man who was literally brought up on fragrance and beauty products as the son of two of Lush’s co-founders, Mark and Mo Constantine.

He is responsible for buying and sourcing the high quality ingredients and raw materials used across all of Lush’s product ranges.

He travels the world setting up co-operatives with local people, ensuring consistent quality, quantity and fairtrade.

He is a global champion of permaculture.

Tomás de Lara

Photo: Tomás de Lara

Judge for the Spring Prize Awards.

Tomás de Lara is the co-founder and co-lead at Ciudades+B / Cities CAN B – an international movement of citizens committed to the Sustainable Development Goals.

He is a board member of Sistema B Brasil (B Corps Movement); an advisory board member of CEBDS (Brazilian Business Council For Sustainable Development); a board member and chief sustainability officer at Estância do Chalé (Agribusiness located in the south of Brazil); and a co-founding curator of Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre’s Hubs of Global Shapers Community from the World Economic Forum.

Tomás is a Responsible Leader at BMW Foundation global network and a member of Well Being Economy Alliance (WE All).

He is a specialist on collaborative, circular and sustainable economies, and an invited speaker and teacher at many universities and schools on the topic of sustainable development.