Speakers

Kaitie Nash is a speaker, content creator and rural advocate best known as "The First Time Farmer." After leaving city life to join her husband's family farm in regional New South Wales, Kaitie began sharing her journey of learning agriculture from the ground up. 

What started as a way to document her experience has grown into a platform that connects urban and rural Australians through her authentic storytelling. 

Passionate about bridging the gap between producers and consumers, Kaitie uses social media, public speaking and community engagement to shine a light on the people, challenges and opportunities that shape rural Australia.

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Sam Kekovich is a larger than life, public dynamo. As one of the very real personalities of AFL football, a flamboyant media identity and the face of the Australian meat and livestock campaign for lamb, Sam Kekovich holds huge appeal amongst Australian audiences. A naturally gifted entertainer, Sam brings a wonderfully satirical, irreverent and hard-hitting brand of humour to any occasion.

Emma Germano is a farmer, strategist and experienced governance leader who has spent much of her career at the intersection of agriculture, business and public policy.

A Nuffield Scholar and former President of the Victorian Farmers Federation, Emma is known for challenging conventional thinking, navigating complex policy environments and advocating for agriculture with clarity, courage and a healthy disregard for “the way we’ve always done things”.

She brings extensive board and executive experience across agriculture, markets, infrastructure and community services, and currently serves as a director of the Melbourne Market Authority and Queen Victoria Market.

Whether in the paddock, the boardroom or the halls of Parliament, Emma is interested in how power really works — who has it, how influence is built, and why being right is rarely enough. She is a compelling communicator who believes agriculture’s future depends not on asking for sympathy, but on earning influence.

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Shannon Barwick is a third-generation dairy farmer with a strong interest in the future of agriculture and the role technology can play in shaping it. After returning home following a professional career, she became part of the next chapter of the family farm, helping to build a new dairy and introduce four Lely Astronauts.

Combining hands-on farming experience with insight gained outside the industry, Shannon brings a practical and personal perspective to automated dairy farming. 

She is passionate about innovation, sustainability, and creating a future-focused dairy business that honours tradition while embracing change.

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John Hill is the Co-Founder and Chief Storyteller of Land Watch Australia, the leading on-farm security monitoring product. Based on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, John and his brothers lead the Land Watch team in delivering purpose-built camera systems to rural Australia. 

John is deeply passionate about all aspects of agriculture and the innovative use of technology on farms. He is particularly focused on how these advancements can enhance safety and efficiency for producers. Motivated by a desire to share his insights on crime prevention, John provides a unique perspective from his position at the forefront of on-farm security. 

As head of the sales and marketing team at Land Watch, John has one clear objective: to educate rural Australia on how to protect what matters most. His leadership and vision have led Land Watch to become the market leader in the category and the trusted name in rural security solutions.

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Journalist Kristy O’Brien has been involved in the production of factual television for more than 15 years travelling across remote parts of Australia, India, Africa, China and South East Asia with a content focus on trade, international relations and agriculture.

Her main focus now is as the West Australian/Northern Territory Reporter and stand in Presenter for flagship ABC program ‘Landline’, ‘Backroads’ and ‘Movin to the Country’. Previously she worked in the fast-paced world of news as a Reporter, Chief of Staff and Producer at the Seven Network and ABC. At the ABC she's also produced stories for Australian Story, 7:30 and ‘Old People’s Home for Teenagers’.  Recently she also provided journalistic insight and narration on the hit Netflix series ‘Last Stop Larrimah’. 

She's a mother to two rather wild tiny Territory boys who make the juggle all the more fun and is passionate about bringing regional stories to life. 

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Andrew Johanson is an experienced agronomist, agricultural manager, and farm operator with a strong track record in regenerative agriculture, integrated pest management, ag-tech adoption, and sustainable cropping systems. He has held senior leadership roles while also driving innovation through R&D in sweetcorn, green beans, and bioactive crops in collaboration with leading researchers.

Andrew combines circular economy principles with on-farm practical outcomes. He is helping farming businesses adopt regenerative practices backed by data-driven performance tracking.

Passionate about youth development and industry leadership, Andrew has contributed to initiatives such as Boys’ Brigade Queensland and serves on the AUSVEG Strategic Investment Advisory Panel (SIAP). His work is focused on growing food as medicine, building resilient farming systems that balance productivity, profitability, and sustainability.
 

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Mark Cotter is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Farmers Door and principal of Prospect Downs Farming and Black River Beef in north-west Tasmania. 
He brings more than 30 years of hands-on experience across farming, livestock operations, commodity markets and agribusiness development. 

Through Farmers Door, Mark is focused on helping producers retain control of their farm data and use it to create stronger market opportunities, better buyer confidence and greater commercial reward. His practical farming experience underpins Farmers Door’s producer-first approach: turning verified provenance, sustainability and production evidence into trusted market proof that can support premium positioning, audit readiness, consumer trust and long-term value for farming businesses.

Michael Coote was appointed AUSVEG Chief Executive Officer in 2021 after having joined the organisation in 2014.  

He is a management professional with experience in the delivery of large-scale transformation, reform and government efficiency initiatives. Michael has a strong focus on grower capability building and market engagement to grow the industry’s trade and viability, and he has consulted across a range of industries and sectors, including state and federal government, not-for-profit organisations and industry associations.

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Lucy has an extensive career in the primary industry and export sector. 
Lucy is responsible for building strong relationships with government and industry, as well as building evidence-based cases that AUSVEG can use to advocate for growers on the issues that are impeding their growth and prosperity.  

Lucy has worked across a range of organisations including State premiers, industry associations and commercial horticultural businesses.  
 

Lucy’s background provides a diverse skill set across a range of issues such as export, sales and marketing, biosecurity, quality assurance, freight and logistics, value adding, health and nutrition, advocacy and policy.
 

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Prior to joining AUSVEG, David spent 13 years at Citrus Australia as the General Manager – Market Development, leading Citrus Australia’s Market Development and Market Access program.

During his time at Citrus Australia, he also had responsibility for agrichemical MRL management, prioritising grower needs in engagements with regulators, agrichemical companies and industry stakeholders, while advocating on market access, and representing the interests of citrus growers in various domestic and international forums. Prior to working for the citrus industry David worked for NSW DPI.

Sally Grew up in a farming family of horticulturists, and after completing an environmental science degree, began her radio experience reading share prices every lunch time at the Melbourne Stock Exchange. It was a means of securing a job with the extensive ABC Rural Network. 

Then began a 3 decade journey reporting for The Country Hour, Rural Report and Landline across NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. For the past 20 years Sally and her husband Chris have been farming cherries and cut flowers in the Coal River Valley, on the South East Irrigation Scheme.

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Georgie is a lamb producer from the Northern Midlands of Tasmania. After studying Agricultural Science at the University of Tasmania, Georgie spent five years working in beef and lamb feedlots in eastern Australia. Georgie then returned to Tasmania and spent several years on her family’s property ‘Eastfield’ where she set up and managed a lamb feedlot. 

She now farms with her husband Richard across several properties based around Campbell Town. The livestock element of the business includes a self replacing composite ewe flock, lamb finishing and trade cattle. 

The cropping and fodder production enterprise includes peas, potatoes, poppies, grass seed, canola seed, carrot seed, beetroot seed and barley. Fodder crops include lucerne, clover, chicory, and several brassicas. 

Georgie was the first producer chair of the Red Meat Updates Working Group and has also previously chaired the SALRC South East Victoria and Tasmania regional committee and is a member of the Tas Farmers Red Meat and Wool Committee.   

Dr Tomas Remenyi is a climate services professional expert at translating complex climate science into useful, accessible products, tools or advice. Tom focuses on meaningful engagement with stakeholders so as to rapidly determine the nexus of where their needs intersect with what known science can actually deliver. 

After delivering more than 80 projects spanning natural hazards, emergency services, tourism, energy, and agriculture, Tom know what works and adds value. Tom has a dynamic mix of science and commerce training that allows him to view both the research and commercial sectors from a perspective that differs from others. 

As a ‘systems thinker’ Tom identifies blockers to positive change and creates practical solutions. After 20 years working in academia, Tom has transitioned into the commercial realm to help be a bridge over the research-commerce divide. 

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Alex Holt grew up in Perth and has spent his career in the cattle and sheep industry, starting out with five years as a head stockman on stations across northern WA and central Queensland. That hands-on background gave him a deep, practical understanding of what it takes to run cattle in tough country and where the real pain points sit for producers on the ground.  

For the past two years, Alex has been with Optiweigh in Armidale, NSW, working as a support technician and sales representative for southern Australia, covering Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. 

In this role he helps producers get the most out of in-paddock weighing, drawing on both his station experience and his technical knowledge of the system to bridge the gap between livestock management and on-farm data.

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Sam Goss has been involved in the Australian agricultural industry since 2000 and brings extensive experience in agricultural training, compliance, and on-farm best practice.

Since joining TasTAFE in 2019, Samantha has managed farm apprentices and delivered training across a range of agricultural topics, including ChemCert, farm biosecurity, environmental sustainability, farm food safety systems, emergency response, animal welfare, livestock treatments and workplace health and safety.

In addition to her teaching role, Samantha works as a subcontractor supporting farmers to implement practical on-farm food safety and environmental sustainability systems. She is passionate about equipping producers and the next generation of agricultural professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to build productive, resilient, and sustainable farming businesses.

Stuart Whatling is the Area Manager for Rabobank Tasmania, leading the agribusiness bank's agricultural lending and banking operations across the state, including offices in Hobart, Launceston, and Devonport.

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Nathan Saunders is a Senior Livestock Production Advisor with Elders Tasmania, working with livestock producers and agribusinesses across the state, including King Island and Flinders Island.

Nathan specialises in practical livestock production systems, with experience across:

• Cattle and sheep health and productivity
• Young-stock growth and dairy heifer development
• Animal nutrition, feed budgeting and mineral management
• Electronic identification, weighing and livestock data
• Reproductive and vaccination programs
• Livestock handling systems, stockyard design and safety
• Product selection and implementation on farm

His work focuses on turning technical information into practical, commercially sound decisions. Nathan regularly works alongside farmers, veterinarians, nutritionists, suppliers and farm teams to identify production risks, improve animal performance and select solutions that suit the individual property.

He is particularly experienced in helping producers make better use of livestock data, including weight gain, treatment history, EID systems and performance monitoring, rather than relying solely on visual assessment.

Nathan also delivers producer training and workshops on animal health, livestock technology, EID and NLIS compliance, and practical farm management.

 

Katie McRobert is an agricultural policy leader specialising in translating research into strategy, partnerships and policy influence. As Executive Director of the AFI, she leads the Institute's strategy, research and engagement, working with governments, industry and researchers to address the long-term opportunities and challenges shaping agriculture and food systems.

Katie is recognised for her skills in connecting evidence with practical decision-making, communicating complex policy issues clearly, and bringing diverse stakeholders together around shared challenges. She is a member of the CSIRO Agriculture & Food Advisory Group and contributes regularly to national and international policy discussions on the future of agriculture. Katie holds an MBA specialising in Sustainable Business from Griffith University.

Kaitlin brings deep experience in public policy and stakeholder engagement, both within and outside of government, across roles spanning economic development, innovation and entrepreneurship, and digital technology. Kaitlin has worked with a broad range of organisations to develop, execute, and communicate programs of work and advocacy positions, including co-designing the first iteration of Tasmania’s only industry-agnostic incubator program at Enterprize, along with a number of federally recognised policy positions during her time with the Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance. 

Professional interests aside, Kaitlin is an avid cyclist and outdoor enthusiast, and enjoys exploring Tasmania's trails, back roads and national parks by bike or on foot. 

Nick Probert is a community-focused leader with broad experience across employment services, youth development, sport, government, not-for-profit organisations, and environmental management. Nick has recently commenced as State Manager for Mas National after spending the past four years as Job Coordinator for the Workforce Australia Local Jobs program across Hobart and Southern Tasmania, supporting stronger pathways into employment. 

Earlier in his career, Nick worked as an aquatic ecologist, led Tasmania’s AFL talent programs, and managed teams tackling youth disadvantage through organisations such as the Beacon Foundation and Home Base. Raised in Yolla, he is committed to helping young people reach their potential and make successful transitions into employment. Outside work, Nick stays closely involved in football as a volunteer coach and scout and enjoys fishing and diving.

Dr Lachlan Johnson is a senior research fellow at the Tasmanian Policy Exchange, specialising in regional economic development, labour demography, and policy analysis. Since completing a PhD at UTAS in 2021, he has contributed to the TPE's applied policy research on climate and energy policy, sustainable development, and local governance. Lachlan leads much of the TPE's forestry and forest-products research program, which includes recent reports on Tasmanian participation in plantation-forestry ACCU projects.

Growing up on a livestock enterprise on Flinders Island, Felicity was immersed in farming from an early age. After completing a law degree at the Australian National University, she spent ten years in policy development and regulatory frameworks before returning to farming in 2013. Together with her husband, she now manages an expanding beef enterprise across properties in Wynyard, the Tamar Valley, and Flinders Island.

Felicity holds key responsibilities in her family business, spanning Human Resources, Workplace Health and Safety, Biosecurity, Compliance, and Risk, while also enjoying hands-on work with livestock. Her governance experience includes former leadership roles with Harvest Launceston Community Farmers’ Market, Primary Employers Tasmania, the Tasmanian Livestock Processing Taskforce and the Tasmanian Biosecurity Advisory Committee. Currently, Felicity chairs Farmsafe Australia and is the Vice President of TasFarmers. She is a director of the Jobs and Skills Council Skills Insight and of Skills Impact.

Felicity thrives on collaboration; advocating for the agricultural sector with enthusiasm, determination, and a commitment to sharing farmers’ experiences with governments, consumers, and the wider community.

Originally from Melbourne, Jack has more than 30 years of experience in the Australian agriculture industry. 
Beginning with Hereford cattle and work on a large sheep station, Jack later established a livestock contracting business servicing Victoria, South Australia and southern New South Wales. 

For over 20 years, Jack has delivered working dog and stock handling demonstrations while also breeding and exporting Kelpie and Border Collie working dogs internationally. 

Today, Jack farms alongside wife Karen and their two daughters, continuing a lifelong passion for livestock, working dogs and Australian agriculture.

Elizabeth has 20-years' experience in the tertiary (research/academic) forestry, agriculture, agroforestry, landscape restoration, mining, oil and gas sectors and is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Private Forests Tasmania. 

Formerly Commercial and Business Manager at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) (UTAS) and Greening Australia State Operations Lead, Elizabeth is skilled in all facets of business management including stakeholder engagement, policy advice, strategic planning and project management. 

As a Forest Health Scientist, Elizabeth has provided speciality forestry solutions to the private and public forestry sector including private landowner estate management, forest practices planning, forest health diagnosis, biodiversity assessment, and regeneration and restoration plans for forest carbon accounting. 

A self-motivated leader with a passion for the environment, the agricultural and agroforestry sectors, Elizabeth is devoted to a sustainable future forest resource for all Tasmanians.

Jenna is the Engagement and Innovation Specialist at Private Forests Tasmania where she creates and leads stakeholder engagement opportunities and supports strategic projects primarily aimed at Tasmanian farmers and landowners with or with the potential to pursue forestry opportunities on private land.

Prior to this role, Jenna worked at Sustainable Timber Tasmania for over six years, working with regional operations teams to engage stakeholders and develop communications approaches that support sustainable forest management outcomes. Jenna also led the organisation's ministerial engagement and development of government briefing materials and administered its Right to Information request process.

Jenna completed a Bachelor of Media at the University of Tasmania in 2018, majoring in Strategic Communications. Jenna is a trained forest firefighter and Public Information Officer and has worked in Incident Management Teams on campaign bushfires in both Tasmania and New South Wales.

Jenna is an active member of Forestry Australia and has been part of the Future Foresters Initiative (FFI) since 2020, and Chair of the Committee since late 2024. In 2023, Jenna was the recipient of the Forestry Australia Prince of Wales Award, recognising outstanding achievement as a young professional in forestry.

John leads Telstra’s sustainability function, including environment, social programs & reporting. Prior to that, he managed Telstra’s sustainability governance functions and led Telstra’s response to the Black Summer bushfires. 

He has worked across operations, product development, technology and transformation in telecommunications and publishing. He is passionate about programs at the intersection of business, community and the planet.

Lydia Thompson has 25 years of experience in education and currently supports agricultural education initiatives across Tasmania. She works closely with school farms statewide and coordinates agricultural VET qualifications for the DECYP RTO, strengthening student pathways into the agricultural sector.

Dr Baker has a long history of leadership in public vocational education and training organisations in Western Australia and South Australia, most recently as an Executive Dean of TAFE SA.

He has led large scale organisational change with an emphasis on aligning training delivery to priority industry sectors and brings extensive experience in both the public and private sectors, including four years abroad in the United Arab Emirates and CEO of the Goldfields Esperance Development Commission (GEDC) and the Peel Development Commission (PDC) in WA.

He is passionate about vocational education and the transformative work and impact it has on individuals; empowering learners with skills, confidence, and opportunity, and transforming the lives of individuals, their families, communities and the State.

Dr Baker is a member of the TAFE Directors Australia Board and holds a number of VET qualifications, two master’s degrees and a Doctorate from UWA.

Nick joined Telstra in 2019 as Manager of Regional and Remote Partnerships. Growing up in Launceston, Nick has a keen understanding of the challenges that communities in rural and remote areas face and is passionate about the role he can play in helping Telstra to bridge the divide and drive digital adoption in the agriculture.

Dr Karen Christie-Whitehead is a Research Fellow at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, a joint-venture between the Tasmanian state government and the University of Tasmania. Her research career, spanning 30+ years, is centred around whole farm systems modelling of ruminant greenhouse gas emissions (beef, sheep and dairy) including exploring pathways to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and climate change adaptation options.

Recent publications include exploring the impacts of extreme climates on soil carbon, advancing the quantification of Australia’s beef cattle and sheep emissions, and exploring a range of mitigation options to reduce beef cattle and sheep greenhouse gas emissions in a productive and profitable manner while also considering the biodiversity implications of such options.