Peter brings to the table nine years of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) experience in conflict, emergency and development settings. His experience has accumulated between NGOs and international organisations, taking him to Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, and Jordan (conflict and complex emergency), Nepal (earthquake), and Sierra Leone (Ebola), as well as the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu (water resilience).
Peter is a long-time EWB member, from the early rumblings of the Newcastle Chapter in 2006, to the Chapter’s President in 2008–2010, supporting the EWB challenge at Newcastle Uni, and remaining an active professional member since. In 2010, he took on a volunteer EWB placement alongside the Lama Lama Lands Council (LLLC) and the Centre for Appropriate Technology (CAT) in Cape York – a profoundly formative influence for his work and life – in particular yielding a much-increased appreciation for listening and learning in community with others. This ethos more than anything keeps him coming back to EWB as it goes about its bold, innovative, yet humble approach to its work.
Prior to the humanitarian sector, Peter worked in public water for four years at Hunter Water Australia, having gained his Bachelor of Engineering (Civil). He’s since completed a Masters of Peace & Conflict Studies (Sydney) and is delving into a PhD on experiences of water conflict in divided communities (Sydney; UEA).
He is currently Deputy Water and Habitat Coordinator for Iraq with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).