Macarena Massuh, known as ‘Maca ' to her friends, always knew she wanted to make a difference. Originally from Buenos Aires, Maca worked for the Department of International Affairs and was driven by a desire to create change. After moving to Sydney, Maca decided to pursue a Master of Sustainability, building on her experience and passion to deepen her expertise.
Maca moved to Australia just as COVID hit, and her career took a new turn. She began volunteering on farms, where she learned about permaculture and saw firsthand the issue of food waste at the production stage. These experiences inspired her to launch a zero-waste market stall in Byron Bay.
Today, she brings together her background in politics and her passion for sustainability, working to create impact by embedding mandatory climate disclosures (a public reporting standard designed to improve transparency) into the heart of sustainability practices.
Maca’s entrepreneurial mindset and passion for sustainability accelerated at the Byron Bay farmers market, where she offered seasonal, zero-waste breakfast bowls. She soon realised that to make a significant difference, she needed to broaden her knowledge and influence.
“While it felt impactful at a local level, I realised that to drive broader change, I needed a strong academic foundation. That’s what motivated me to study sustainability. Since Australia had already been my home for four years at the time, it made perfect sense to pursue the program here,” she shares.
The Master of Sustainability provided her with a multidisciplinary foundation, drawing expertise from business, law, environmental science, health, energy, and technology – a suite designed to prepare her for real-world impact.
Master of Sustainability students are equipped with skills to tackle complex environmental challenges through hands on research. The capstone unit, in particular, enables students to work with organisations to make strategic decisions on pressing sustainability challenges.
“My capstone focused on understanding the challenges and opportunities organisations face with the introduction of mandatory climate disclosures in Australia,” Maca explains.
“Together with one of Netnada's founders and co-CEO Afonso Firmo, we conducted interviews and a market survey to research the key barriers, opportunities, and levels of readiness across different organisations. This work culminated in an industry report published in collaboration with NetNada, where I now work,” shares Maca.
The capstone project also opened doors to professional connections.
“I first met one of NetNada’s founders at a networking event early in my degree. A year later, I partnered with the company for my capstone project, which ultimately led to a full-time role after graduation,” Maca shares.
I realised that to drive broader change I needed a strong academic foundation. That’s what motivated me to study sustainability. Since Australia had already been my home for four years at the time, it made perfect sense to pursue the program here,
Master of Sustainability graduate
After graduating, Maca landed a role with NetNada after working on her capstone with them.
“I am a Sustainability Consultant and Head of Customer Success at NetNada. My role involves working closely with clients to complete their carbon accounting, define emissions boundaries, and develop sustainability strategies.”
“I also support organisations preparing for compliance with AASB S2, guiding them through both technical requirements and broader ESG strategy.”
For Maca, the degree delivered lasting skills that were immediately transferable to her current role, “The program sharpened my curiosity and research skills, and provided me with strong technical foundations in carbon accounting and input–output analysis. These continue to be central to my role today.”
