Meet our team:

Matty Harris

Black and white photo of man in a blazer

Matty Harris

I provide project and administrative for our TRAIL and Milparanga programs and am a central point of contact for ARLF staff, program facilitators and participants as a to ensure everything runs smoothly!

Where does your passion for rural, regional and remote Australia come from?

My passion for the regions comes from my time living in rural Australia and the long lasting connections I made. The sense of community and the ability to pop over to your neighbours for a cup of flour to make gravy for dinner. My passion for leadership developments comes from my mentors that motivated and inspired me during my university studies. I love that I am able to bring this back to my community and show others what is possible!  

What’s your favourite memory or most memorable moment in rural, regional and remote Australia?

Some of my favourite memories growing up in rural Australia was spending the warmer months skiing along the fresh water creeks, lakes and rivers of the Central West. The best part of this the time spent connecting with loved ones and the delicious damper that Aunty would cook in the camp oven!  

What’s your professional background?

I have spent the majority of my working career between the health and higher education sectors. I started in the VET sector and began working in primary health care for a number of years before taking up roles in a university. I really enjoyed supporting people better themselves whether that is through their health, education, or now through leadership development!

What do you get up to when you’re not at work? What’s your favourite past time? 

I am an avid explorer and you’ll rarely find me at home during my down time. This generally involves jumping on the Country Link XPT to some of the beautiful cit out west like Broken Hill, Bourke or Lighting Ridge on the weekends. During my annual leave, you’ll find me on a plane to somewhere far away experiencing new countries, cultures and languages!

Three things you love about working at the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation?

I love seeing the passion our participants bring to our programs on the things that matter most to them and their communities! It’s really motivating engaging with participants who are just as passionate about the regions as I am!

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