The Team
Andrew Coward
Co-founder/ Managing Director
Andrew is an experienced placemaker, built environment strategist, and engagement specialist with over a decade’s worth of experience working across some of Australia and South East Asia’s most notable urban renewal projects. Andrew works at the intersection of place strategy, programming and community engagement and is passionate about maintaining socially sustainable, vibrant and connected communities.
Andrew co-founded Reactivate Consulting in 2015 with Matthew Gollan, after working in a variety of roles for major Australian and international property development companies, Leighton Properties and Sekisui House Australia.
Andrew is the chair at the Sydney District Council of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Australia, a member of the Asia Pacific ULI Placemaking Product Council and Investment NSW’s 24 Hour Economy Advisory Board. Andrew is also a member of the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat and a prior member of the Design Futures Council’s advisory board in Australia.
Andrew regularly contributes to property industry panels, conferences and thought leadership initiatives and undertakes a variety of pro-bono and mentoring projects with various stakeholders.
Aleema Ash
Senior Manager Place and Programming
Aleema is a programming and audience engagement specialist with 14 years’ experience working in the arts and cultural sector. Aleema has developed extensive professional networks across all levels of government and independent arts organisations having held positions at Sydney Living Museums (now Museums of History NSW), The Powerhouse Museum, Biennale of Sydney, Art Exhibitions Australia, Queensland Art Gallery I Gallery of Modern Art, National Maritime Museum and Lane Cove Council.
Aleema has wide experience leading the creative development and implementation of diverse audience engagement initiatives spanning placemaking, cultural development projects, community art projects, creative commissions, public programs, exhibitions and digital content.
Aleema’s professional experience is underpinned by a Master of Arts and Design Education where her research focused on creating meaningful engagement opportunities for young people in Museums, along with a Bachelor of Business (Advertising/Consumer Behaviour) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Tanvi Varshney
Place and Engagement Consultant
Tanvi is a passionate urbanist who is enthusiastic about creating quality human centric places based on human needs. She has a Masters from The University of Sydney in Urbanism (Urban Design) and has joined the team as a Place and Engagement Consultant.
She is fascinated by places that embrace their local context and environment and provide space for communities to thrive. Before joining Reactivate, Tanvi worked as an architect and urban designer for over four years. She has worked with diverse communities and business sectors across India, Dubai, and Australia.
She is keen to discover and support the unique qualities of each community and place. Outside of work, Tanvi can usually be found clicking photographs, binge-watching favourite TV shows and movies, listening to music, and playing basketball and badminton. She is also a curry aficionado and loves to cook.