Photo credit: NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service prescribed burn
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Collaborative Consulting Co
Connecting Research, Policy and Practice
How we support our clients
Navigating complexity. Supporting better decisions.
Organisations increasingly operate in complex, interconnected environments across emergency management, resilience, climate adaptation and community systems. Our work focuses on helping organisations make sense of that complexity by bringing together evidence, lived experience, systems thinking and practical insight to support clear, confident decision-making.
Research into Practice
Publicly available projects connecting research, policy and implementation
ExploreWho we collaborate with
Our thinking
Across Australia, emergency management organisations, communities and research bodies tackle increasingly complex challenges to mitigate the impacts of increasingly intense natural hazards. Minimising the risks to community associated with these events is a continuing priority - from national capability development to place-based resilience planning and research translation. It is always a privilege to support this work.
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Appointed to Commercial and Financial Advisory Services (CAFAS) categories: CAFAS CA-1: strategic policy review, reform, and project development (including service need analysis, service planning, feasibility studies and strategic assessments) CAFAS CA-5: project, program, and business review, evaluation, and assurance (including business reorganisation reviews)
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I've had the privilege of working with and learning from the communities that live along and around the Great Alpine Road of Victoria, from Tambo Crossing, Ensay and Swifts Creek in the south and into the high country of Benambra, Anglers Rest and Omeo in the north. A clear concept has emerged for a community-led regional association, noting there are still details to work out, including the association name. However, we have developed an outline for what the regional association could look like - it's purpose, objectives, values, governance, priorities and how we work together. Feel free to view the attached.
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Who we are
Liza Gelt
PrincipalLiza is passionate about bringing a diversity of experience and skills to each opportunity or challenge to achieve remarkable outcomes.
Learn moreRosie Tran
Senior AssociateRosie Tran is a systems thinker and skilled evaluator who blends rigour with heart.
Learn moreDr Michael Rumsewicz
Science & Research AdvisorDr Michael Rumsewicz has a strong appreciation of the interface between research institutions and fire and land management services, or end-users of the research.
Learn morePhil Harbutt
Strategic Engagement AdvisorPhil has deep experience in strategic planning, facilitation, conceptualisation of complex programs, multi-party projects and initiatives, and executive level advice.
Learn moreLiza Gelt
Principal
Rosie Tran
Senior Associate
Dr Michael Rumsewicz
Science & Research Advisor
Phil Harbutt
Strategic Engagement Advisor
Perspectives and Practice
Our work is shaped by experience across emergency management systems, communities, policy, evaluation and engagement.
Liza Gelt
Focus areas: Decision-making under uncertainty, emergency management systems, and helping organisations make sense of complexity
ExploreRosie Tran
Focus areas: Impact evaluation, intergenerational and cultural insight, and making sense of what matters
ExploreHow we work
We work with organisations operating in complex, uncertain environments.
Often, the challenge is not a lack of information or capability. It is making sense of what matters — and deciding what to do next.
Making sense of complexity
We help organisations interpret complexity — not simply collect more information.
- multiple stakeholders
- competing priorities
- long time horizons
- decisions under uncertainty.
Working with people, not around them
We place strong emphasis on how work is understood and experienced across organisations and communities.
This includes recognising:
- different perspectives across roles and agencies
- intergenerational differences in how people engage with work
- the diversity of communities organisations serve
From insight to action
Our work is not just about understanding systems — it is about supporting decisions.
This means focusing on:
- Clarity. What is known, and what is not
- Transparency. What the evidence can and cannot support
- Usability. Whether insight can be applied in real contexts
Where possible, we work to embed thinking into how organisations operate.
This often means working iteratively — testing ideas, refining approaches, and building shared understanding across teams.
Practical and grounded
Our work is informed by experience across government, community organisations, and complex multi-agency environments.
We understand that decisions are made:
- under time pressure
- with incomplete information
- and within real constraints
No single method
We do not apply a single model or framework to every problem.
Different contexts require different approaches.
Our role is to bring together the right combination of:
- analysis
- engagement
- and practical insight
Contact us
- The Commons QV, 3 Albert Coates Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
