Meet the Reground team
A group of engaged change-makers working hard to improve our planet.
NINNA K. LARSEN - Founder & Director
Ninna is an expert in behavioural design, marrying her passion for sustainability and practicality to create real change in the waste and innovation space. She founded Reground in 2014 after experiencing the unnecessary coffee waste in Melbourne. Ninna is determined to see businesses stepping into the circular economy and put impact over profit.
A minimalist and sustainability fan, Ninna is an active follower of the ‘less is more’ lifestyle. She enjoys nature and great design.
Annaliese Lawry - general manager
With a business background in operations and logistics, a Masters in Environment and a passion for sustainability, Annaliese is a perfect fit for our dynamic crew.
You’ll find her covering all bases with operations and logistics at Reground, working to connect cafes and businesses with community gardens all over Melbourne and the Surf Coast and build smart, innovative and sustainable solutions to the waste crisis.
Outside of Reground, Annaliese loves connecting with nature and is keeping busy cultivating a new obsession with gardening.
OLIVIA ASHTON - senior Project manager
With extensive experience as a sustainability consultant, Liv is using her expertise in relationship building to take Reground’s work to the next level.
She’s loving the tangible, real-world aspects of Reground’s work and being a part of our fun, hard-working team.
Outside of office hours, you’ll find Liv out in nature camping and mountain biking or working on upcycled craft projects with friends.
Tessa Leitch - Senior Project Manager
Tessa is an accomplished horticulturist renowned for her innovative solutions. She thrives on transforming challenges into successful projects and crafting thriving outdoor spaces.
Beyond her expertise, Tessa finds solace in outdoor adventures, exploring nature's wonders through tramping and embracing the invigorating rush of cold swims. Her pursuit of excellence extends even to her palate, where she enjoys the thrill of trying new ice cream flavours. Tessa's alignment with Reground is driven by the perfect confluence of sustainability and down-to-earth impact. She's excited to contribute her skills to a team dedicated to greener, impactful landscapes.
Andrew scott - Project coordinator
With a background in Industrial Design, Andy is on a mission to rethink waste and recycling, finding smarter, more sustainable solutions for a better future.
As part of Reground’s consultancy team, he loves the mix of collaboration, problem-solving, and the chance to make a real impact on sustainability practices across Australia.
When he’s not diving into waste systems, you’ll find him tending to his garden, exploring new trails, or happily lost in a bike project—probably covered in grease but loving every second of it.
MIA DABACO - SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
With a background in environmental engineering and a eagerness to contribute to the circular economy, Mia is working hard with the Reground team to bring better waste solutions to Australian practices.
For Mia, Reground represents the intersection of innovation and simplicity, providing real-world changes on a community level.
If you can’t find her, she’s probably cooking up something yummy, on the hunt for a new coffee shop, or in the back row of the cinema. Mia is always on the lookout for a new favourite camping spot, so if you know of one, let her know!
TOM STEPHENSON - OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR
Coming to us from the world of specialty coffee, Tom is eager to contribute to Reground’s mission of transforming the Melbourne’s coffee industry into a more creative, sustainable and community-oriented space.
With a Masters of Publishing in hand, Tom hopes to leverage his experience to support Reground’s partners and people.
A lover of all things process, he finds genuine satisfaction in refining systems to be the best they can be.Outside of office hours, you’ll find Tom aimlessly strumming a guitar, reading a book in Darebin Parklands or suffering through yet another disappointing performance by his beloved St Kilda Football Club.
Jesse Hamilton - Account manager
After 10 years of owning a café in Byron Bay, Jesse felt a strong pull to join a movement making a positive impact, which led him to Melbourne and to the Reground team.
He’s here to help shift the climate change narrative, and he believes the best way to do that is by celebrating the small, daily actions that add up and by working together, as individuals and as businesses.
When he’s not deep in sustainability thinking, you’ll find Jesse playing beach volleyball in Brunswick, exploring Melbourne, or out in nature reconnecting with what we’re all here to protect.
If you’re one of our partners, get ready to meet Jesse. He’ll brighten your day and help you do more of the good stuff.
Bruno Ataide Martins - SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
Bruno brings a blend of engineering precision and creative problem-solving to Reground’s team. Originally from Brazil, he pursued a degree in Electrical Engineering, driven by his passion for innovation, sustainability, and efficiency. His journey continued with a Master’s in Project Management, equipping him with the tools to implement impactful solutions within the circular economy.
At Reground, Bruno helps bring innovative strategies to clients, assisting them in making sustainable decisions by transforming complex waste challenges into practical, community-focused solutions.
Outside of Reground, Bruno focuses his creative energy on arts and crafts projects, exploring the Australian outdoors and diverse food scene, and caring for his extensive collection of houseplants.
Hannah Myers - COntent Strategist
Hannah’s a Content Strategist with a passion for helping brands connect the dots between media, pop culture and their own story. Since launching her freelance business, she’s found purpose in helping impact-driven organisations like Reground share their mission and connect with their audiences in a fun, approachable way.
Before moving to Melbourne in 2020, Hannah grew up surrounded by the natural beauty of WA. From the red dirt of the Kimberley, to the pristine coastlines of Perth, this early connection to nature sparked a deep appreciation for the environment and a drive to protect it.
When she’s not filming content or scrolling TikTok (for research!), you’ll find Hannah trying out new cafes and restaurants - or as she calls it - "stimulating the local economy.”
OLIVIA ST-LAURENT - SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
Olivia is a sustainability advisor and social-ecological scientist passionate about creating a more resilient and circular future. In 2019, she co-founded La vague in her hometown of Montreal to help cafés and restaurants transition towards more sustainable practices.
Armed with a BSc in Environmental Sciences and an MSc in Renewable Resources, Olivia explores system change and transformation pathways that support both people and the planet.
Outside of work, she’s usually chasing a trail, a coastline, or a delicious coffee. She loves nothing more than a good hike, a long run, and getting lost in a great read, preferably somewhere with trees and sunshine.
Matt Trumble - DRIVER & SITE ASSISTANT
A keen gardener, mountain-biker and bushwalker, Matt has been studying and working in sustainability and resource efficiency for many years and has built a wealth of knowledge, experience and ideas in this area.
For Matt, doing work that has a positive effect on environmental sustainability is vitally important; seeing tangible results in his day-to-day work at Reground is a bonus.
“I enjoy meeting the great people joining us on the waste diversion journey, and at the end of a hard day's work seeing the mountains of coffee, chaff and plastic that will be put to good use.”
Rhys young - DRIVER & SITE ASSISTANT
Rhys has always been passionate about waste, animal and environmental issues, and his interest in communal trading and circular economies was just taking off when, as he says, ‘the stars aligned’ and he found himself at Reground.
Rhys enjoys the simplicity and calm of his days behind the wheel (and in the garden) for Reground; his easy-going, positive nature means that even roadworks in the CBD don’t seem to stress him out.
Outside of work, Rhys is pursuing a minimal, tread-lightly lifestyle as a fantastic (formerly professional) cook, a rock climber and a long-distance skater.
DARREN VANDENBERG - DRIVER & SITE ASSISTANT
Coming from a background in corporate IT, Darren was in search of a more hands-on, local role. As a passionate and avid recycler for most of his life, Darren came across Reground while researching soft plastic collections.
As an environmentalist and animal lover, Reground was the perfect fit.
When he's not behind the wheel - you can find Darren on a run, enthralled by a great novel, or solving a brain-teasing jigsaw puzzle.
Yoshi Tanaka - DRIVER & SITE ASSISTANT
Yoshi is a trained chef with many years experience in hospitality and coffee.
Ready for a change and eager to tackle the growing problem of food waste, Yoshi says that joining Reground was an opportunity for him to engage with a community of people who are passionate about sustainability and the environment.
As part of the Reground team Yoshi is happy to be learning more every day and spending time with people who care about the environment and our future.
leon Raftopoulos- DRIVER
After 27 years building IT solutions in the Victorian public service, Leon was ready for a change. With a strong passion for reducing waste and protecting the environment, Reground felt like the perfect fit.
Now, Leon spends his days collecting coffee grounds and organics from across Melbourne, helping return valuable resources back to the soil. Outside of work, he enjoys reading, yoga, swimming, and watching his boys play footy on the weekend. He’s also a big fan of the NYT games app and loves a good crossword. You might even spot him driving his EV around town for Uber when he’s not on a Reground run.