Our Board
Murray Local Land Services is governed by a board of local people.
Board members work closely with landholders and local communities to identify and deliver services that are relevant to local needs.
Local boards are comprised of a mix of Ministerially-appointed and elected board members who bring a wealth of skills, experience and commitment to the organisation.
The Chair and three board members are appointed by the Minister for Agriculture and Western New South Wales while the remaining three board members are elected by Local Land Services ratepayers.
Together they focus on the strategic direction of the organisation, promoting the services offered, encouraging partnerships and building strong relationships with investors while also communicating the priorities and concerns of customers to local boards.
Section 29 of the Local Land Services Act 2013 sets out the functions of local boards. They are legally binding and should be interpreted as the definitive reference regarding the role of local boards.
Chair
Derek Schoen, Corowa
Derek operates a mixed farming operation at Corowa in the Southern Riverina. He has extensive board experience and is a former president and Chair of the NSW Farmers Association. He was recently appointed to the board of mental health initiative, Beyond Blue. This is Derek’s first term on the Murray Local Land Services Board.
Appointed Board members
Catherine Marriott, Tumbarumba
Catherine is from Tumbarumba and has worked for the past 20 years in the areas of leadership, community development, communication, research management and organisational strategy. She has run leadership workshops across Australia, including for Local Land Services, and was the founding CEO of the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen's Association. This is Catherine’s first term on the Murray Local Land Services Board.
Edwina Hayes, Thurgoona
Edwina is a social worker with experience in Landcare, mental health, executive health management and developing economic, environmental and social outcomes in southern NSW. She is committed to building community capacity to participating actively in land management, natural resource management, biosecurity and emergency management. Edwina is the CEO of Regional Development Australia, Murray. She was appointed to the Murray Local Land Services Board in 2019.
Airlie Landale, Holbrook
Airlie Landale has extensive experience across the areas of finance, strategy, innovation, technology and digital, risk management, business development, and marketing.
Airlie is a farm owner in the Murray region, holds a board position with Rural Aid, and previously held positions with Paraway Pastoral Company and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Airlie has been acknowledged as a young rural leader, scholar and innovator on several occasions due to the work she has done on a national stage after founding Farm Table, an agricultural knowledge-exchange platform.
Airlie has formal qualifications in Commerce, Agricultural and Resource Economics. She has been named a “Tomorrow Maker” by the AMP Foundation, a RAS NSW Rural Young Achiever and Woolworths Agribusiness Scholar.
Elected Board members
Colin Bull, Conargo
Colin is involved in a diverse family-owned mixed farming operation in the Deniliquin/Conargo district. Colin’s family enterprise consists of a self-replacing merino flock and summer and winter cereal and fibre cropping. He actively involved in his community including being part of the North Conargo Land Management Group, Billabong Yanco Steering Committee and Murray Local Community Advisory Group. This is Colin’s second term on the Murray Local Land Services Board.
Amanda Barlow, Mathoura
Amanda lives at Mathoura and farms a mixed grazing/cropping operation near Deniliquin where she runs a self-replacing Shorthorn herd along with lucerne and cereals cropping. Amanda has previous board experience having chaired the Deniliquin branch of the NSW Farmers Association for the past four years. She is an active member of the Deniliquin community. This is her first term on the Murray Local Land Services Board.
James Andrew Johnstone, Deniliquin
James’ background is as a private veterinarian. He now operates a small farm running Angus cattle with some cropping near Deniliquin. James is registered under the Australian Program for Accredited Vets with his particular interest in biosecurity of farms and notifiable diseases. James is an active community member and also promotes and enables opportunities for under-privileged groups in regional communities. This is his first term on the Murray Local Land Services Board.