PIEFA Board Selection 2024
Applications are now CLOSED for non-executive directors.
In March-April 2024, applications were sought for up to seven part-time, non-executive directors to the PIEFA Board who are passionate about primary industries education. To be considered for these positions, qualified applicants should be able to demonstrate knowledge and experience in one or more of the following fields:
- Agribusiness, primary industry production, industry operations and marketing;
- Finance, audit and risk and governance
- Education sector policy processes, teacher professional development and international trends in education; and
- Business and corporate affairs, and corporate leadership.
This is a skills-based Board and requires a balance of the above skills as well as professional integrity, objectivity and accountability. The Committee will be looking for the best possible mix of the Required and Highly Desirable skills, as detailed in the ‘Information for Applicants’. A deep understanding of the school systems and curriculum development, plus sound understanding and ability to use technology/computer programs, is also key.
Terms of appointment are up to 3 years. Directors receive a sitting fee and expenses. The majority of PIEFA’s directors must be Qualified Persons’ as defined in the Constitution.
Applicants must read the information pack prior to submitting their application. On page 1, applicants must identify how they meet the Required (and Highly Desirable) Selection Criteria and include a brief CV. Applications should not be more than 4 pages in total, including name and contact for two referees. Note that only pages 1-4 will be read by the Selection Committee.
At this stage, interviews will be held between 23 and 28 May 2024 using MS Teams.
CONTACT: The Board Selection Committee Chair, Ms Kathryn Adams by email to: boardselection@piefa.edu.au
Applications closed at 5pm (AEST) on 20 April 2024.
APPLICANT INFORMATION PACK
BOARD SELECTION COMMITTEE
INDEPENDENT CHAIR
Kathryn Adams FAICD, CAg
Kathryn is an agricultural microbiologist and a lawyer. She has had extensive experience in industry focussed R&D investment for agribusiness in Australia and in effective business management. She has held senior executive positions in government agencies and business enterprises including CEO of 2 R&D Corporations, a practising lawyer and Director of the Queensland Horticulture Institute. Kathryn started her career as a dairy bacteriologist. She was also the first Registrar of Plant Breeder’s Rights in Australia, Deputy Executive Director of the National Standards Commission, the General Manager of the Commonwealth Court Reporting Service and an Executive Director with the Queensland EPA .
After retiring from full-time employment she became a Senior Research Fellow with the Australian Centre for Intellectual Property in Agriculture (ACIPA) at Griffith University. Kathryn has extensive experience as a non-executive Director on a agribusiness Boards, including Plant Health Australia, a number of CRCs and R&D Corporations/companies, Agriculture Victoria Services Pty Ltd, Food Science Australia, Forestry South Australia and Safe Food Production Queensland. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Her major skills relate to industry focussed research investment and intellectual property management, effective and sustainable business management, change management and corporate governance.
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AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES
Belinda Emms
Director of STEM, Teaching and Learning Division | Australian Department of Education
Belinda Emms is the Director of STEM in the Teaching and Learning Division, Schools Group, Australian Government Department of Education. She has over 18 years of leadership experience in roles spanning policy and program management, business/strategic planning, performance management, IT, stakeholder engagement, HR management and change management. Belinda has worked in the public and private sectors, in Australia and overseas, federal and local government, and across multiple policy areas, including all levels of education, disability policy, youth policy, STEM and digital, social services and health.
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Kaz Graham
Domestic Workforce and Programs | Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Kaz (Karen) Graham is Director of the Domestic Workforce Policy and Programs Team at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. This team works across government to understand and influence policy development to ensure the skills and education needs of Australian Agriculture are understood and considered. Kaz has extensive experience across government policy, program, regulation and corporate roles working on a diverse range of issues including Soil Carbon and Savanna Fire Management carbon projects and the development of the National Soil Action Plan.
EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVES
Darren Bayley
Principal and Centre Director | Tocal College
Darren is a senior executive with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and leads their education program and Registered Training Organisation, Tocal College. As Principal of Tocal College, Darren oversees a state-wide program in agriculture and conservation and land management for rural industries. He also provides policy advice in education, agriculture and workforce development. Darren is the Director of the Tocal Agricultural Centre and is responsible for the 2,200 hectare property, its numerous commercial farming enterprises, and heritage precinct. He is also Chair of the Tocal Field Days Association. Darren is passionate about the future of agriculture, education and training, and natural resource management. He has qualifications in agriculture, public sector management, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
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Prof. Sarita Bennett
Agriculture and Food Discipline Lead | Curtin University
Sarita has worked in the Higher Education sector for the last 30 years and has been at Curtin University for 14 years in a teaching and research position in Farming Systems Agronomy. She is currently the Discipline Lead for Agriculture and Food and is a member of the Faculty Teaching and Learning Executive Committee.
Sarita has worked in farming systems and agronomic research since 1995 in both the UK and Australia. She has been involved in and led successful projects in pasture ecology, saltland management and flax and hemp agronomy, funded by GRDC, European Union and DAFF. For the last seven years, she has led projects focused on the ‘Agronomy and management of sclerotinia stem rot in canola and pulses’ through the Centre for Crop and Disease Management at Curtin University.
She is currently President of the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture, and Treasurer of the Agronomy Society of Australia.
INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES
Kathy Rankin
Policy Director – Rural Affairs & Economics | NSW Farmers
Kathy Rankin is Head of Policy and Advocacy at NSW Farmers. She has significant experience in policy and advocacy having held senior roles in Government, not-for profit organisations and in private enterprise. Starting her career as a school teacher she worked in the University and TAFE sectors, before moving to policy and advocacy focusing on workforce skills and regional economic development.
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Beth Welden
Program Manager | ForestLearning (FWPA)
Beth Welden is Program Manager of the ForestLearning Education Program, an initiative of Forest and Wood Products Australia. Beth is a qualified secondary science teacher as well as having a professional work history in entomology at CSIRO, QDPI, and QNRM.
She has over 19 years professional experience leading state and national school to industry partnership programs across all F-12 learning areas. She has worked as Sustainability Officer at Payne Rd SS, AgForce Queensland’s State School to Industry Partnership Program manager, Queensland Gateway Schools to Agribusiness manager, CSIRO Education officer, communications coordinator for Qld Agriculture Teachers Association, and coordinated the National Sheep CRC Education Program. She has also served as Non-Executive Director on the Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia (PIEFA) board.
In her current role as Program Manager, ForestLearning Beth is passionate about sharing the many rich applications of the science behind sustainable forestry and renewable wood products, including the incorporation and utilisation of EdTech such as ForestVR to meet curriculum outcomes and learning needs.