Our Board

Stephanie Trethewey is the 2024 Australian of the Year for Tasmania. She’s a visionary leader who has transformed personal challenges into a nationwide movement to support rural mothers across Australia. Stephanie is a seasoned television journalist who has reported and produced for some of the country’s biggest news and current affairs programs. In 2019, soon after having her first child, she swapped the city for the country and moved to rural Tasmania. The transition was both a brutal and beautiful journey, and Steph’s struggles with postnatal depression and isolation inspired the creation of Motherland.

In 2022, Stephanie was named the national winner of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award and in 2023, she celebrated the release of her debut book, Motherland. Stephanie also sits on the Australian Advisory Council of Thankful4Farmers.

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Bronnie was a member of the NSW Parliament for close to a decade, serving as the Minister for Regional Health, Mental Health, Women, and Regional Youth. In 2021, she became the first woman elected Deputy Leader of the NSW Nationals in the 100 years since the party’s establishment. In 2022, Bronnie was named one of the Daily Telegraph’s 31 Most Influential Women in NSW.

For 20 years prior to her election, Bronnie was a registered nurse specialising in cancer care and palliative care. Her work in these fields saw her become one of the first McGrath Foundation Breast Care nurses and then Director of Cancer Services in the Southern NSW LHD.

Bronnie’s commitment to her work is unwavering. She remains dedicated to improving healthcare in regional and rural communities, recognising the unique challenges they face. Her advocacy for women extends across NSW, making her a powerful force for change.

Julia Spicer (OAM) founded her business, Engage & Create Consulting in 2012, from Goondiwindi, Queensland. The focus of Engage & Create Consulting is to support the viability and vibrancy of businesses and community organisations across regional Australia. 

With 20 years’ experience in agricultural extension, Landcare and catchment management – she now works with regional communities and industry across the country on a range of projects, with the focus on identifying needs in business and implementing creative solutions to address them. 

Julia also founded The Goondiwindi Business Hub, which is home to eight businesses who have long-term tenancy. In 2021, Julia and her husband opened The House4390, Goondiwindi’s newest retail hub which is home to five female-led homewares and service businesses.

In 2022 Julie received an OAM for service to regional business and organisations. She has also completed the AICD Company Directors Course and is also a board member on the Queensland Government Innovation Advisory Council and Global Entrepreneur Network Australia.

Arabella Gibson is the CEO of Gidget Foundation Australia, a national not for profit mental health organisation supporting the emotional wellbeing of expectant and new parents and their families. Arabella joined Gidget after a lengthy career in the media industry, working in executive management for small business as well as publicly listed entities in both Australia and the UK.

Arabella was formerly General Manager for iSUBSCRiBE, an online magazine subscription business, based in London.  Prior to this, Arabella was the Director of Communications for Australian media entity PBL Media (Nine Entertainment Co) as well as its subsidiary businesses the Nine Network Australia and Bauer Media (formerly ACP Magazines). 

Arabella participated in the advisory group to devise the Australian Government’s Women’s Health Strategy for 2020 to 2030 in Canberra and contributed to the COVID-19 National Mental Health Strategy for Children, Young People and Parents.

In 2022, she was named The CEO Magazines’ Not For Profit Executive of the Year. 

Alison is a Behavioural Scientist who has lived and worked in Victoria’s rural farming community for almost two decades. She is currently the Director of the National Centre for Farmer Health. Her expertise in rural/farmer mental health and suicide prevention has drawn on a range of innovative techniques including digital interventions, digital storytelling, community education programs and peer support models. 

Alison has led numerous farmer mental health projects and continues to build the Centre’s capacity and reach by working collaboratively with researchers, farmers and industry stakeholders across Australia and internationally. Her expertise has been recognised through research awards, numerous advisory roles, peer review publication, international research consultation, invited presentations and expert witness testimony before the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. 

Alison is passionate about co-designing the Centre’s research, education and services in collaboration with community and industry—to ensure the Centre’s work continues to be effective, relevant and tailored to the needs of rural farming communities. 

Terrie grew up in a farming family and studied Agricultural Science and Law at the University of New England. She has since built a 20-year career across corporate agriculture, M&A, law, and Board roles.

She is currently a Non-Executive Director of Motherland, Non-Executive Director of Altora Ag, and Group Company Secretary of Qualitas Ltd – an ASX listed global investment funds manager. Terrie is also a former Non-Executive Director of the Victorian Farmers Federation, and a graduate of the Australian Agribusiness Leadership Program.

Terrie is passionate about the strength and sustainability of rural communities. She lives on a farm in the Macedon Ranges with her husband and two sons, and enjoys working on their family business, Carlsruhe Pastoral, and contributing to local community initiatives.

For over 20 years Helen Barker has applied her experience, education and enthusiasm to the not for profit sector through fundraising, marketing and operations management roles. Her previous work includes roles as General Manager at JDRF, Head of Marketing at Many Rivers and consulting for the Royal Flying Doctors Service WA, TEDx Sydney and Cancer Council NSW.

Currently, Helen runs a family business in Industrial Manufacturing, and volunteers as an Executive team member for We Care Connect, a Hunter/Central Coast children’s charity providing material aid to over 10,000 disadvantaged children each year. Helen is the Deputy Chair of the Australian Men’s Shed Association and Treasurer for Kincumber Neighbourhood Centre.