meet the speakers
Bob Hunter
Founder and Managing Director of Leader Ops Consulting
Bob Hunter is the Founder and Managing Director of Leader
Ops Consulting. This follows five years
as the General Manager and CEO of Rugby WA.
Prior to his Rugby WA tenure, Bob had an extensive consulting pedigree
with Leadership and Teamwork consulting via Leader Ops and also with the Chauvel
Group. Prior to joining Chauvel he had
successfully co-founded and managed for 13 years a diverse and successful International
Risk Management consulting business, OAM, now Osprey International
Dianne Appleby
Welcome to Country
Dianne Appleby was born on the West Kimberley coast of Broome WA and is from the saltwater country of the Yawuru and Karajarri people.
"I have worked in a number of sectors across the board from Corporate Companies to Government and non-Government agencies including language maintenance and teaching in local schools to the media. My current role at Nyamba Buru Yawuru as Cultural Coordinator, allows me to use my professional experience and cultural knowledge to share the Yawuru story with everyone I meet.
An important part of my cultural obligations and responsibility is contributing to community organisations. I sat on the boards for the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre (KALACC), current - Broome Aboriginal Music Association (BAMA), Murra Mala Yawuru for the Yawuru community, and the short term with Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services."
Jessica Hayes -MC
Journalist, ABC
Jessica Hayes was born and raised in Badgingarra in WA’s Midwest where her family have run a mixed sheep/cropping business for three generations. She started her career as a regional journalist with Farm Weekly in 2012 before trying her hand as an adviser in state and federal politics. Since joining the ABC in 2017, Jessica has worked a news and rural reporter having enjoyed stints in Geraldton, Hobart, Bunbury and now Broome with her trusty kelpie Tucker at her side.
John Davidson
Managing Director, GenOffGrid
Prior to founding Gen Off-Grid in 2017, John Davidson established EMC Solar Limited (EMC) in 2004 to develop and deploy solar opportunities across Australia. EMC was purchased by ASX’s Carnegie Clean Energy in 2016.
EMC became a major solar power infrastructure generator and manager in the Australian clean energy market. From commissioning the first grid-connected solar power station in Carnarvon to securing an electricity retail license, EMC lead the way in excellence for engineering, innovation and project delivery in the clean energy sector.
Dr Cassandra Wittwer
Regional Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Dr Cass Wittwer likes living in beautiful places. After a Science degree with honours in Parasitology, she eventually graduated in veterinary science from the University of Queensland in 2002, and took on mixed practice in idyllic Strathalbyn in South Australia, then roamed all corners of the UK living the glorious work and travel locum life. When the seven year itch set in she joined the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy as a field veterinary officer based in Broome, intending to stay for a year – nearly 13 years ago. Apart from the lifestyle and weather, she credits the long stay to the diversity and interesting work of managing biosecurity risk across stunning remote northern Australia.
Dr David Beatty
Meat & Livestock Australia
Dr David is a veterinarian with a PhD and background in agriculture research. In 2009, David joined Meat and Livestock Australia as the Live Export R&D Manager. Between 2012 and 2017 he was based in the Middle East firstly as the MLA Livestock Services Manager and then as the MLA Regional Manager for MENA.
Now based in Western Australia, David is the MLA Group Manager for Productivity and Animal Wellbeing. This role focuses on delivering research and development across on farm program areas including beef, sheep and goat productivity, animal health and welfare, feedbase, feedlot and live export
Simon Matwin
Rio Tinto
Simon
is a hydrogeologist and experienced sheep farmer for over 20 years from Kojonup
located in our States South East . He has worked with Rio for over 13 years driving
commercial outcomes in different areas of the business while remaining
connected to his love of farming. In the last 10 years, his efforts helped to
set up the Marandoo and Nummuldi agricultural pivots, and rewarded with the opportunity
to manage the Rio Pastoral Stations located in the Pilbara with a team of 15
people over four years ago . He is a strong leader with passion to see his team
become their best.
Andrew Gill
Partner, MinterEllison
Andrew is a dispute resolution specialist with a particular emphasis
on contentious government matters in the agribusiness sector.
He has private interests in both the horticulture and grazing sectors.
He has represented private clients and the Commonwealth in matters including the Home Insulation Program, the Southern Ocean Super Trawler matter, the introduction of the Joint Strike Fighter into Australia and data outages relating to Hewlett Packard and the ATO.
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In addition to executive roles, John is currently the
Independent Chair of the Red Meat Advisory Council and Black Box Company.
Previous non-executive roles include Chair of LAWD, and director of Dairy
Farmers Milk Cooperative, Compass Agribusiness, Dairy Australia and Meat
& Livestock Australia. |
Luke has extensive experience in Indigenous economic development across Australia, particularly pastoral development in Northern Australia.
Luke was Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association from 2008 – 2014 and a member of federal Agriculture Minister’s Industry Advisory Council.
In 2014 Luke was engaged by the Northern Territory Government to run the Northern Australian Development Office, which expanded to key responsibilities for international relations, trade and investment.
Luke is currently one of the Deputy Chief Executive Officers in the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade, with direct responsibility for Agriculture, Fisheries and Biosecurity.
Tim Shackleton
Rural Health West
Tim has extensive experience in senior public and private sector roles in rural and remote Western Australia through his long term involvement in the health and regional development sectors. Tim is currently CEO of Rural Health West and has formerly been General Manager of the Murchison Health Service, Regional Director for the WA Country Health Service’s Pilbara-Gascoyne and Wheatbelt regions and CEO of RFDS Western Operations. Tim is a past chair of the WA Regional Development Council, the Wheatbelt Development Commission and WA General Practice Training and Education Limited. He has spent much of his life living and working in regions where pastoralism is a major industry.
WA’s former Commissioner for Soil and Land Conservation Cec McConnell has commenced a new role as Deputy Director General, Primary Industries Development. Cec has been part of DPIRD’s Executive team since 2020, providing policy and scientific leadership, including overseeing the development of WA’s first Soil Health Strategy.
Cec has strong networks in agriculture developed having lived and worked in regional WA for over 25 years. Cec’s previous experience includes running a consulting business, board director positions and senior leadership roles within the Department of Agriculture and Food.
Cec holds a degree in geomorphology and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Natalie Bell and Jess Di Pasquale
Ladies Lunch Guest Speakers
The Mongol derby is the world’s toughest and longest endurance horse race. A gruelling 1000km multi horse race, self-navigated through the Mongolian steppe on semi wild horses. Lifelong friends Jess and Nat spent two years training together, testing their gear, fundraising and even travelling intestate to ride endurance races for extra experience. Their plan was to ride together, riding 120km a day, finish on day 8, avoid marmot holes and not get sick. Rock solid, simple plan. That plan lasted 40km and three hours into day one. Join Jess and Nat as they share the highs and lows of their 10 days in the steppe, from sleeping in sheep sheds, falling down marmot holes and a bout of gastro, there were fast horses and slow horses, there were moments of pure joy and the moments that almost broke them.
Angus is a Senior Analyst in the RaboResearch Food &Agribusiness Research team, responsible for research and analysis on the local and global animal protein sectors. In his role, Angus provides regular market updates on beef, sheepmeat, pork, poultry and seafood markets. He is the lead author on the Rabobank global beef quarterly and writes the Australian beef seasonal outlook.
Kate Everett
Co-Founder Dolly's Dream
Kate and Tick have worked with cattle and horses for all of
their lives, and after many years on stations both still work in the livestock
industry.
Kate and Tick met at the Warwick Rodeo, and following a
short stint in Japan where they both worked at a racehorse breeding and
training centre, breaking in horses, they returned to Australia, got married
and had their two girls Meg and Dolly.
With the cattle industry in their blood and keen for
adventure, the family continued life on the land moving to the Northern
Territory working on and managing several remote cattle stations.
Like so many remote families boarding school was always a
given in pursuit of a better education for the girls, and after a year in real
school in Katherine, the girls were sent to boarding school in Queensland.
After the tragic death of 14yo Dolly in January 2018,
following extensive bullying, Kate and Tick founded Dolly's Dream, to create
positive change and a legacy to their daughter.
Dolly’s Dream is committed to changing the culture of
bullying by addressing the impact of bullying, anxiety, depression, and youth
suicide, through education and direct support to young people and families.
Dr Marion Seymour is an experienced DPIRD veterinarian, leading livestock disease surveillance in WA. She works with a network of veterinarians to detect and diagnose significant livestock diseases and compiles evidence of the health status of WA livestock for premium export markets. Marion lives in the wheatbelt with a good appreciation of livestock production systems.
CONFERENCE ORGANISER
AA&P Events
+61 (0) 8 8942 33 88
kpca@associatedadvertising.com.au
ABOUT KPCA
The KPCA is a not for profit industry development and advocacy body that represents a diverse range of producers with, on a cumulative basis, significant pastoral land holdings across the Kimberley and Pilbara and into the Gascoyne region of WA. The membership base is also inclusive of Aboriginal producers and a number of related businesses servicing the industry.