Dan Lloyd

Dan is the CEO of the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA), leading advocacy and international relations for Australia’s rapidly growing space industry. Dan’s extensive global and Australian executive, board and government experience spans communications, technology, infrastructure, AI and digital transformation in the private sector and government. Dan recently served Senior Adviser to the Minister for Communications, working closely with the NFF to deliver innovative programs with a focus on extending coverage and integration of future-proof technologies.

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Rachel Palumbo

Rachel Palumbo is an experienced agribusiness executive with over 20 years of global leadership across multi-country operations and large teams in Australia, North and South America, and Europe. Currently the Global General Manager for Seeds at Nufarm, Rachel joined the business in 2021 and brings strong expertise in strategy execution, commercial leadership, and business transformation.

Rachel has a proven record of accelerating performance, scaling innovation platforms, and delivering new technologies through operational excellence and purpose-led leadership. Her career includes senior roles at Monsanto, Bayer, and Nufarm, where she has consistently delivered value for growers and the broader value chain.

Rachel is known for her ability to align strategy with execution, lead cross-functional teams, and build high-value partnerships. She is effective at influencing a wide range of stakeholders, from farmers to investors. She holds a degree in business (majoring in business law and marketing), a graduate diploma in public relations, and a master’s in communication. She also completed an Executive MBA at Melbourne Business School, where she received the Egon Zehnder Leadership Prize.

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Joanna Treasure

28 year old, fifth generation Prime Lamb and Black Angus Farmer. Advocacy work is centred around the abundant opportunities in agriculture for school leavers, with or without a tertiary education, and regardless of gender. Currently developing a Lamb Trial Initiative with High Schools called Connect to Agriculture which gives students a realistic insight into the ethical, physical and monetary reality of producing lamb.

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Andrew Powne

Andrew Powne is the General Manager of Cameron Pastoral Company (CPC), a mixed farming and grazing enterprise based at Lundavra in Queensland’s Goondiwindi region. Originally from Bollon in southwest Queensland, Andrew has over 15 years’ experience in agriculture and currently leads CPC’s dryland cropping and cattle operations. His role focuses on strategic planning, risk management, and building a skilled team committed to sustainable, resilient farming systems. Andrew began his career as a farmhand and machinery operator on the Jimbour flood plain before completing a Diploma of Agribusiness at Marcus Oldham College. He then held farm management roles across Victoria, Western Australia and New South Wales, gaining a deep understanding of large-scale, diverse farming systems across Australia. Andrew is excited to join the 2025 AgriEmpower Scholarship cohort and attend the AgXchange conference, where he looks forward to connecting with like-minded leaders and gaining insights to support his vision of building a regenerative, carbon-positive supply chain at CPC, driven by innovation and collaboration

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Hamish McIntyre

Hamish McIntyre has been Managing Director of McIntyre Agriculture since 1996, a family owned farming and livestock business he runs with his wife, Mary and three sons, Stirling, Finlay and Campbell. The business comprises 143,800ha of grazing, dryland farming and irrigation country situated in the St George, Dirranbandi and Quilpie districts.

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Adrian Capogreco

Adrian is the Managing Director for Nutrien Ag Solutions - Australia. Prior to this appointment, Adrian held the position of Chief Financial Officer. Adrian is an experienced executive with significant industry and professional services leadership experience. He has worked with Australian and North American multinational listed companies in sectors including agriculture, industrial chemicals, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, financial services and professional services. Adrian has an Executive MBA from Melbourne Business School (Melbourne University), a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) from RMIT University, and is a graduate member of both the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand. Outside of work, Adrian enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, including involvement in community and school activities. Adrian also volunteers his time on a not-for-profit board focused on skills development in Australia.

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Richard Shannon

Richard is a passionate advocate for agriculture, now the Executive Officer to the National Farmers’ Federation Horticulture Council. He grew up on the family farm on the northern Darling Downs collecting lived experience, among other things, with drought, succession planning and industry deregulation. Richard identifies, still, as a recovering public servant, with over a decade as a policy professional, working across agriculture, trade, biosecurity, renewable energy, healthcare innovation and Indigenous education with Australian, Queensland and UK governments.

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Annabelle Homer

Annabelle Homer is a voice coach, podcaster, storyteller, mother, and wife. She is a former award-winning ABC broadcast journalist who has reported on rural affairs for 12 years across Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia. Annabelle grew up on a cattle station in Central Queensland, who now lives in South Australia’s Clare Valley with her young family. After a brief stint at Channel Seven, she cemented her journalism career at the ABC, firstly at ABC TV Landline then branching off to Rural Radio. She spent many years presenting the South Australian Country Hour as well as brief stints on ABC Landline, Behind the News and Local Radio. In 2020, using her journalistic skills and 12 years’ experience of AMEB Speech and Drama, Annabelle launched Voice it, a communications business specialising in public speaking and media training, podcasting, and personal audio memoir production. Voice it is all about providing regional people the tools to be confident communicators by delivering localised, face-to-face fun and engaging training programs. Annabelle also assists rural businesses and organisations to promote their stories and research projects through podcasts. She was also was a South Australian finalist for the 2025 Rural Women’s Award.

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Kelly Skewes

Kelly Skewes is the Industry Liaison Officer at Boonah SHS, where she works closely with leading businesses to create valuable opportunities for students to engage with industry and foster future employment pathways. A key contributor to the development of Boonah SHS’s Paddock to Plate concept, which has integrated Agriculture, Hospitality, Business, IT, Industrial Technology & Design, and Art with local industry leaders. Through these partnerships, students gain hands-on learning experiences, develop critical skills, and connect with potential employers in the region. Kelly’s dedication ensures that Boonah SHS students are well-prepared for future careers across a range of industries.

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Louise Hegarty

Originally from rural Co Limerick in Ireland Louise joined the NFF in March of 2024. Having worked in Ireland, the UK and Australia she brings a range of experience from other industries and has particular interest in stakeholder engagement and skills development. Louise has a focus on bringing the proposed Ag Trade Apprenticeship to fruition.

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Jerome Leray

InFarm pioneers AI and big data in agriculture, focusing on precision farming, weed detection, livestock monitoring, and landscape rehydration. Trusted by global industry leaders like Bayer, Dell and Microsoft, InFarm enhances farming efficiency, profitability, and sustainability, offering transformative insights to growers, often with no internet. InFarm is reshaping the future of farming—one field at a time.

Jerome Leray is the founder and Managing Director of InFarm — a company built on the belief that technology should work where farmers do. With a background in commerce, mineral exploration, and geoscience and hands-on agriculture, Jerome leads the development of AI tools that solve real problems on-farm, especially where internet access is limited or non-existent.

Recognised globally for his practical approach, Jerome has worked alongside producers, agronomists, and major industry partners to ensure that innovation stays grounded in the paddock. His strength lies in turning complex data and cutting-edge AI into tools that are easy to use and deliver results where it counts—on the land. Whether it’s drones spotting weeds or remote livestock monitoring, Jerome’s work is helping producers boost productivity, profitability, and sustainability—without needing a tech background to benefit.

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Jim Gall

Jim believes that Australia’s rural and regional ‘heartland’ drives our national identity and economy. From leading some of the worlds most celebrated creative companies both here and abroad with Clemenger BBDO, to growing fine wool and producing prime lambs through his family grazing enterprise, his career has been shaped by rural values and authentic principles. Jim champions the idea that the real craft of manufacturing lies in the hands of our farmers, and has spearheaded RB Sellars “Australian Grown” program, supporting Aussie cotton farmers and locally grown fibres to produce their legendary workshirts and workwear.

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Dr Kate Andrews

Dr Kate Andrews has decades of experience in integrated NRM across diverse areas of Australia. Kate established the original Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group - Australia's only community-designed and managed cross-border NRM organisation, and became its first CEO. She was Land & Water Australia’s first Knowledge and Adoption Manager, and established the Knowledge for Regional NRM program. Kate also chaired and reformed Territory NRM, and has participated in various national committees and Boards including the Australian Landcare Council, CSIRO Sustainable Agriculture Flagship Advisory Committee, Agrifutures Australia Board and the inaugural Future Drought Fund Advisory Committee. Kate is currently CEO of NRM Regions Australia, the peak body for Australia's 54 regional NRM organisations. She is also currently Chair of the Lake Eyre Basin Community Advisory Committee and also collaborates with ANU's Fenner School for Environment and Society.

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Jason Newton

Jason leads Nutrien's global teams responsible for generating and disseminating agricultural and crop input market analysis, forecasts and intelligence. He has regularly presented these views to Nutrien’s senior management, customers, investors and other stakeholders since joining the Company in 2007. Jason holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan. He has been involved in agriculture throughout his life, having grown up on a farm in Western Canada and spent his career working throughout the crop input and grain marketing supply chain.

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Kellie Blinco

Kellie Blinco is passionate about helping young people discover agriculture and the wide range of career pathways it offers. She is equally committed to empowering educators through hands‑on, confidence‑building professional development. In her role as Manager - Community Engagement at AgForce Queensland, Kellie leads the AgForce SIPP (School‑Industry Partnerships Program) — a dynamic initiative that connects classroom learning with real‑world agricultural experiences.

AgForce SIPP brings vital industry knowledge into schools, equips teachers not just with information, but with enthusiasm, practical tools, and immersive activities that bring agri‑science and ag‑technology to life. Kellie firmly believes that the future strength of agriculture hinges on confident teachers and inspired students. Through AgForce SIPP, she partners with educators and industry stakeholders to curate enriching experiences such as on-farm visits, expert guest lectures, and sector-specific activities—all tailored to today’s learners. A key strength of the program lies in its award-winning events, which are designed to deeply engage both students and teachers, leaving lasting impressions and fostering real-world connections to agriculture.

At AgXchange Australia, Kellie and the AgForce SIPP team will be part of the panel on The Importance of Ag Education in Schools, sharing insights and real-world experiences of the School to Industry Partnership Program and the lasting impact of innovative, experience-led education initiatives.

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Professor Felicity Deane

Felicity Deane is a Professor at Queensland University of Technology with a strong record of collaboration with industry, government and other scholars. Her research in the field of trade and climate change has been recognised internationally and nationally.

Felicity has been researching and teaching the law of the World Trade Organization for over a decade. Over the past 10 years she has collaborated with industry and government on projects that focus on land use practices in Australia, different regulatory responses and the impacts on natural resources and global trade concerns. She has also taught Taxation Law to undergraduate students for the past decade. Through both her teaching and research Felicity aims to demonstrate how taxation, trade and other economic measures can impact on societal goals and achieve better outcomes for both present and future generations.

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Mark Grasso

Mark Grasso is a Financial Adviser at Oxlade Financial. Mark is particularly passionate about the farming sector, having grown up in North Queensland. His family, originally farmers, went on to own a financial planning firm, so Mark learnt the ropes from a young age. Mark is passionate about helping people with their money and making sure they can enjoy the future they’ve worked so hard for. He understands the unique financial challenges and opportunities that farming professionals face, and is a true advocate for his clients. Mark holds a Masters of Financial Planning. He operates with sincerity and integrity, and has a grounded and approachable manner.