Meet the team: Sasha Dobson, Programs Manager

Meet Sasha Dobson, Biolinks Alliance Programs Manager - one of our longest standing and dedicated team members who brings abundant enthusiasm to everything she does. 

Sasha deftly makes sure our larger projects (with multiple stakeholders!) run smoothly. With plenty of vigour, smarts and creativity, Sasha executes our programs with a focus on having the biggest impact for nature. Not only is Sasha, an expert project manager, she also creates and produces many of our wonderful and insightful videos.

1. What inspires you to work with Biolinks Alliance? 

I feel a strong sense of personal responsibility to positively contribute to the environment, climate change and biodiversity. Seeing the influence that Biolinks Alliance has with its Network Members and the large-scale impact it can have rippling across Central Victoria continues to inspire me. I feel genuinely blessed to be able to contribute to work that has a real world impact.
 
2. What does your job entail? 

My role can be quite broad, but primarily I am responsible for the delivery of our larger programs in conjunction with our subject matter experts such as Cameron, Chris and Sophie. My background is in operations so I also work closely with Sophie to develop our business strategy and nurture our network partnerships. 

3. Is there an outcome for our environment you feel most proud of in your time with Biolinks Alliance? 

The Spring Plains Watershed Repair Pilot Project has been very personally rewarding for me. Having toured the site prior to our interventions and seen how degraded it was, I felt a real sense of urgency to help restore the area. 

4. Why is restoring our ecosystems so important in Central Victoria and what is the urgency around this? 

Victoria's such a stunning biodiverse region and I think it is greatly under appreciated. A lot of Victorians don't recognise the abundance of nature and diversity we have here. It's incredibly vital to protect our existing assets to ensure they have longevity. 

5. If you were an animal, insect, or plant – what would you be and why? 

I would be a mushroom, because I could use my underground network to pick a new home every day, and I could gossip with my mushroom friends. 

6. On your days off - what do you like to do? 

I love to spend time with my son, Monty, swimming at our local pool, riding bikes, climbing on the playground and chasing after our dog, Colin. During summer our family enjoys spending days at our local beach at Phillip Island, and in the colder months we always take a trip to Hotham to go skiing. Having a toddler means we also spend a lot of our weekends at other children's birthday parties!