Claire Harvey

Claire grew up in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and worked her first retail job at Forest Hill Chase Shopping Centre, so joining the ISCAST team right across the road feels a bit like coming home!

Claire completed a Bachelor of Commerce at Monash University (1995–1997) with majors in Accounting, Administration, and Management. She worked as a Finance Manager within industry for a couple of years before commencing a ministry internship at Crossway Baptist Church, working with young adults. During this time, Claire undertook a Master of Divinity at the Bible College of Victoria, now MST (2000–2003). This time of learning was crucial for developing a deeper ecclesiology that had community, relevant cultural engagement, and creation care at the heart.

Between 2004 and 2014 Claire invested her time in a range of roles that included Donor Management and HR positions at Pioneers of Australia, Academic Administration with UNOH (Urban Neighbours of Hope), teaching Accounting Basics at Chisholm TAFE, sessional lecturing with ministry students at Tabor’s Berwick campus, Business Administration and Carbon Accounting for CarbonetiX (an energy-efficiency engineering consultancy). She also started a family. In 2014, Claire co-authored A Climate of Hope: Church & Mission in a Warming World with eco-theologian and meteorologist Dr Mick Pope as well as joining the staff team at Bayside Christian College. During her eight years at the school, Claire worked with staff as HR Manager as well as students (and caregivers) as the Careers Coordinator. This time included completing a Grad. Cert. in Career Development Practice.

Claire says,

I am thrilled to be joining the team at ISCAST to assist with the promotion and distribution of Tony Rinaudo’s award-winning book The Forest Underground. I am hugely passionate about the book, particularly given its emphasis on integral mission, global justice, community development, reforestation, and meaningful and hope-filled action on climate change. The way that Tony weaves so many of these relevant and interesting themes into a single story makes for a profoundly moving Christian biography that deserves wide readership.

Claire also spends time serving on Frankston City Council as an elected councillor, being a part of The Village Church in Mount Eliza, and contributing to the Board of the Ethos Centre for Christianity and Society.

Read Claire’s review of The Forest Underground.