What’s making news in the Alumni Network: July 2024

ARLF Program News

Applications Open for the Australian Rural Leadership Program

Applications for Australian Rural Leadership Program Course 32 opened this week.

The ARLP is the Foundation’s flagship program, and we are currently recruiting for our 32nd Cohort. The program runs for four sessions, including one session overseas.  

If you are keen to take a further step in your leadership journey, then get busy and apply! We have nine participants in C31 who have previously completed a program with us. We love to see the progression our alumni make from our shorter programs to our flagship program. 

Interested in Becoming an ARLP donor?

As regional Australia grows, so does the ARLP. We want to make more places available in our programs to help build leadership capacity in rural, regional and remote industries and communities.  

To achieve this goal, we need help supporting our future cohorts through scholarships- just as you were supported in your program.  

If you, your organisation or someone you know are interested in investing in a future ARLP cohort please get in touch with our Manager of Business Development, Tristan Richmond.  

By funding a scholarship, you provide opportunities for leaders to gain essential skills and knowledge, amplifying their impact across industries and regions. 

Four women on a boat smiling
AgriFutures' Abbey O'Callaghan and Sheridan Ingold alongside scholarship ARLP C31 scholarship recipients Selena Sylvester and Cressida Cains earlier in June.


Alumni Network News

Congratulations to Brianna Casey OAM 

We are absolutely thrilled to see ARLF Fellow Brianna Casey appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division for significant service to social welfare, environmental conservation, and the community as part of the recent King’s Birthday Honours. Brianna completed ARLP with us as part of Cohort 10. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Foodbank Australia and is Australia’s representative for the Global Foodbanking Network. 

When interviewed on ABC Breakfast about being recognised in this way, Brianna said, “The work I do at Foodbank and in my community isn’t done for the accolades. I do it because I genuinely and passionately believe in the work we do.” 

Brianna joined Foodbank Australia in 2016, following her successful three-year term as CEO of the Australian Childcare Alliance New South Wales. Prior to that, she spent 14 years serving as CEO of Queensland Farmers’ Federation and as Policy Director at NSW Farmers. 

Congratulations to you, Brianna! We love seeing someone so dedicated to making the world better recognised in this way! 

Headshot of Brianna Casey
ARLF Fellow and Kings Birthday Honour recipient, Brianna Casey OAM

 

Might Network Upgrade

With the help of an IT consultant, we have been conducting a deep dive into Mighty Networks as an effective online tool to support broader alumni connection. We use Mighty Networks as a communications tool for participants but have not fully transitioned it into an effective place for all alumni to connect with each other and with us. 

There have also been several technical improvements and new features now offered by Mighty Networks that we feel will enhance the user experience from an alumni perspective. We are working with a group of alumni to help us transition into a cleaner mainframe on Mighty Networks and to provide feedback on how it now works. Once that testing is complete, we will begin inviting all alumni into the space. Stay tuned for that! 

Alumni Events

Alumni Breakfast in Darwin – Tuesday, July 16th 

ARLF Chief Executive Matt Linnegar and Partnerships Director Philippa Woodhill will be in Darwin for three days in mid-July. They’ll meet with government departments and regional organisations to discuss leadership development needs specific to the Territory.  

Matt and Philippa would love to catch up with any alumni based in Darwin, so they’re hosting an Alumni Breakfast roundtable on Tuesday 16 July from 7.30 am – 9.30am.

This roundtable is a great chance to get an ARLF update and discuss your thoughts about the leadership needs of the NT. If you’re in Darwin or planning to visit, we’d love you to join us and connect with other NT-based ARLF alumni.

Group of people sitting at a cafe
Some familiar alumni faces at our most recent ARLF breakfast in Alice Springs last month.


Lunchtime Learnings

We held two webinars last month under the Leading Australian Resilient Communities (LARC) program, and both were recorded so that we could share the content and learnings more broadly with you.  

Penny Elsley, founder of the Welcome Dinner Project, talked about how to reach Beyond the Usual Suspects: Engaging Community and Volunteers’. 

The second  webinar on Trauma Informed Leadership was hosted by Dr Polly McGee.

Dr McGee (they/them) is a trauma-trained neuroleadership designer and facilitator, psychotherapist, author, and speaker. 

Both webinars are just over an hour long. You can find them both at the links above. An easy and accessible way to continue fostering your leadership development. 

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