Quest 2025 is an Australian-based non-profit incorporated association founded on 1 January 2001 by ecological economist, environmental scientist and futurist Richard Sanders. Trained as a transdisciplinary thinker, Richard has spent the past 20 years grappling with the problem of ecological sustainability and what it means for our society and economy.

In recent years, the urgent problem of global warming with its associated damage to the ecosystems on which human life depends has given an extra impetus to Richard’s work with Quest 2025.

Quest 2025 is working to:

• raise awareness of what an ecologically sustainable future requires;

• identify the underlying causes of our current ecological problems; and

• motivate and inspire people to act together to ensure that nature’s life-support systems are maintained both now and for future generations.

There is an urgent need to create an ecologically sustainable society over the next two decades while there is still time. This is a daunting challenge but it is also an exciting opportunity.

Quest 2025 receives financial backing from private donors. We will not accept donations that compromise our independence.

Quest 2025 Staff

The Quest 2025 office in Brisbane (Australia) is staffed by Executive Officer Richard Sanders and Coordinator Brian Feeney.

Richard is the founder of Quest 2025 and the driving force behind our activities. Brian is an experienced urban planner and strategist with extensive experience working with the community sector on land use planning and environmental planning issues.

We also have a number of volunteers who provide valuable assistance with specific tasks.

Quest 2025 Management Committee

President – Gary Seaton

Gary Seaton is 50 years of age and is an arts graduate from the University of NSW majoring in economics and political science. Since graduating, Gary has been in the corporate world, heading up various corporations in Australia and overseas. From 1988 to 2004 he managed businesses predominately in agriculture throughout Asia, Africa, India and China. Group turnover of these companies exceeded $AUD 1 billion per annum.

Gary has always been involved in social and community projects. One of his main passions has been in education where he has worked to establish and support schools and orphanages in Africa, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Singapore, India and Indonesia.

Gary brings to the Quest 2025 management committee his extensive business knowledge, together with a demonstrated concern for our global community.

Vice-President and Quest 2025 Founder – Richard Sanders

Quest 2025 founder and Executive Officer Richard Sanders is an experienced environmental scientist and futurist. Trained as a transdisciplinary thinker at Griffith University in Brisbane, Richard has spent almost half of his 53 years grappling with the problem of sustainability as a university researcher and government advisor.

His deep understanding of the nature of the crises that humanity faces gives an urgency to Richard’s work as a catalyst for positive change leading to ecological sustainability.

Richard’s insights provide the knowledge platform for the activities of Quest 2025. Without him, the organisation would not exist.

Treasurer – Rita Kugler

Rita is a Chartered Accountant with nearly 20 years experience in the private, public and community sectors, with specific involvement in systems assessment and process improvement. She has also trained in Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) and other personal development and healing techniques.

Rita is passionate about self development, holistic healing and service to the community and the planet. She enjoys learning about different cultures and has travelled extensively.

Rita was born in Argentina and came to Australia in 1977, spending her first 11 years in Sydney and the rest in southeast Queensland. She now lives in Brisbane.

Secretary and Coordinator – Brian Feeney

Brian has degrees in civil engineering and town planning and has worked as an urban planner in southeast Queensland for more than 30 years. He joined Quest 2025 as Coordinator late in 2005 just before his 60th birthday and has a project management and coordination role, as well as actively participating in policy development for the organisation.

Brian has had extensive experience in providing advice to the community sector on land use planning and environmental issues including presenting at workshops run by the Environmental Defenders Office (Qld) on the 2005 regional plan for southeast Queensland.

He published his first novel in 2006.

As well as his technical skills, Brian brings to the Quest 2025 management committee his deep concern for the future of our planet and its people.