The Speakers 2026 ~ Setting the Scene

Stephanie Unwin was appointed Chief Executive Officer at Arc Infrastructure in August 2025. With more than 30 years’ experience across the energy, biotech, commodities and legal industries, Stephanie has a strong track record of working in infrastructure and also in supporting regional development and communities. Prior to joining Arc Infrastructure, Stephanie was the CEO of Horizon Power. Stephanie has held senior leadership roles at CBH Group and Synergy. 

  Tracy Lefroy is a Western Australian grain grower, company director and experienced regional leader. She brings a practical, on-the-ground perspective to conversations about the future of the Wheatbelt, shaped by her work across agriculture, local government and industry advocacy. Tracy is known for her thoughtful leadership, strong communication skills and commitment to ensuring regional communities are active participants in shaping change.

Mia Davies is the Corporate Affairs and Business Development Director at Procon Developments Australia, a construction and development company delivering innovative industrial and residential projects across Australia; and Spokesperson for the Domestic Gas Alliance. She brings more than 17 years of experience in public service, including as a Member of the Western Australian Parliament, Leader of the Opposition, Leader of The Nationals WA, and a Cabinet Minister with portfolios spanning water, forestry, and sport and recreation. Maintaining her links to agriculture, she is a Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia Councillor and continues to work across industry and government to support sustainable growth and economic development in regional communities.

Born & raised in the Wheatbelt, CEO of CRISP Wireless, Leigh Ballard understands the frustrations of poor connectivity.

Being in business for over 30 years Leigh has lived the limitations of dialup and ADSL connections. His lived experience inspired him to find a solution for all regional businesses.

From this drive to find a solution, CRISP Wireless was born.

Since 2016 CRISP has redefined what’s possible for connectivity in WA. Servicing over 80,000 km2 CRISP has proven that connectivity is possible in the Wheatbelt.  

Based in Albany, Bethany Findlay is the Regional Development and Engagement Manager for nbn Local, working across regional Western Australia. nbn co. is responsible for designing, building and operating Australia’s wholesale broadband access network, with a focus on connecting people and powering progress through fast, reliable and affordable broadband services.

Bethany partners with regional communities, businesses, and stakeholders to support, inform, and educate residents and businesses about the benefits of connectivity while identifying opportunities for growth and innovation. Passionate about bridging the digital divide, she is committed to enabling regional Western Australia to thrive in an increasingly connected world.

 Mohammad Siddiqui is Director, Wheatbelt Region at Main Roads Western Australia. He joined Main Roads in Northam, in August 1995, as a Job Engineer/Project Manager and has since worked across several regions and the Agency’s Head Office in East Perth. Mohammad’s roles have included Project Manager, Contract Manager, Construction and Maintenance Practice Manager, Manager Contracts, Regional Manager (Wheatbelt South), and Project Director in Infrastructure Delivery. In 2020, he was awarded the IPAA WA Achievement Award for Leader of the Year.

Steven Rowley, Bsc (Hons), PhD, is a John Curtin Distinguished Professor in the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance at Curtin University and Director of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute’s Curtin Research Centre.

He has spent the last 25 years researching and writing on housing affordability, housing supply and the development industry. He has received significant funding from organisations such as the Australian Research Council, UK government, European Union, WA state government and many others.

CEO Royal Agricultural Society of WA, Robyn Sermon is an experienced Executive Leader and Board Director with nearly three decades of experience across the mining, agriculture, community and research sectors. She specialises in strategy development, organisational transformation and stakeholder engagement, with a strong record of building cross-sector partnerships and leading high-performing teams. Robyn is committed to regional engagement and collaboration, with a particular interest in using digital technologies to drive positive social and economic outcomes.

Peter is the CEO at the Shire of Williams and is a former CEO at the Shires of Moora, and Wyndham East Kimberley. Peter has a lead role in the establishment and delivery of the Ord East Kimberley Development Package ($517m State/Australian Government Infrastructure investment 2010-2018), while living and working at Kununurra.

Peter worked for 15 years in the Agriculture Protection Board (Biosecurity)/Department of Agriculture, and recently for 5 years in Seafarms Group Limited, a listed company producing Australian prawns.

Kate FitzGerald is Director of Perth architecture practice Whispering Smith and sustainable development company New Resident. Raised on a farm in regional Victoria, Kate brings firsthand understanding of regional living to her work designing and delivering housing. As a developer, she navigates the same constraints her clients face. She has been instrumental in WA's medium density planning reforms and, as Vice President of the Association of Consulting Architects (WA), advocates for the profession's role in solving the housing crisis.

Shayne Lucy is a Senior Sales and Design Consultant at Evoke Living Homes, specialising in modular homes across regional WA. Known for his practical approach and strong client relationships, Shayne works closely with homeowners, developers, and local stakeholders to deliver well-designed, fit-for-purpose housing solutions. His experience across the Wheatbelt and beyond gives him valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities within regional housing.

In his role as Deputy Director General, Tim leads PoweringWA to drive the State’s renewable energy transition and coordinate the delivery of critical infrastructure across the State. Tim has extensive experience in the energy sector across both the public and private sectors, with expertise in economic regulation, market design, network service delivery, and the rapidly evolving distributed energy space.

Mia Davies is the Corporate Affairs and Business Development Director at Procon Developments Australia, a construction and development company delivering innovative industrial and residential projects across Australia; and Spokesperson for the Domestic Gas Alliance. She brings more than 17 years of experience in public service, including as a Member of the Western Australian Parliament, Leader of the Opposition, Leader of The Nationals WA, and a Cabinet Minister with portfolios spanning water, forestry, and sport and recreation. Maintaining her links to agriculture, she is a Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia Councillor and continues to work across industry and government to support sustainable growth and economic development in regional communities.

 Dr Maureen Boyle is a Senior Research Fellow at the Curtin Institute for Energy Transition (CIET). She has over 15 years interdisciplinary experience in the energy and development sectors nationally and internationally, with extensive experience collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders across Australia’s energy sector. Her career includes roles with government policy (state and federal), the renewable energy industry, and the not-for-profit sector. Maureen’s current research at CIET looks at the social dimensions of energy developments and projects, through qualitative research with communities and households across Western Australia and nationally.

Rewi Lyall was appointed CEO at Yued Aboriginal Corporation a year ago amid a continuing flurry of activity in the renewable energy sector in the Yued Agreement Area. Having worked across the community, private and public - State and Commonwealth - sectors over the past 25 years, he has sought to bring what knowledge and experience he has of working with and for Aboriginal Western Australians to engaging with the sector to build meaningful relationships.

 Tom is an experienced public policy and economic development professional with extensive expertise in stakeholder engagement, policy research, and economic strategy. Having grown up in Avon Valley, Tom brings a strong understanding of regional communities and the realities facing regional businesses. He is currently Associate Director, Stakeholder Engagement at Australia’s National Clean Energy Skills Centre of Excellence, where his focus is on aligning government, industry, and training sectors to harness new opportunities arising from the emerging clean energy sector. Tom’s career spans senior roles in government, international talent attraction, agriculture, and business advocacy, with a strong emphasis on translating evidence into practical outcomes.

 Adam Muldoon is Head of Project Development at Collgar Renewables, bringing hands‑on experience delivering major energy projects across Australia and internationally. He previously worked with bp on large‑scale renewable projects combining wind, solar and hydrogen. Adam has led wind developments in some of the world’s most remote environments and is passionate about working with local communities, landholders and councils to deliver projects that are practical, respectful and deliver long‑term benefits for the regions where they operate .

Danny Rogers is the Executive Director for the Wheatbelt at WA Country Health Service (WACHS), bringing extensive leadership experience across both metropolitan and regional health services in Western Australia. Throughout his career, he has held senior roles overseeing complex service delivery, major reform initiatives, and system‑wide performance across diverse settings. Danny is committed to strengthening equitable access to high‑quality care for regional communities and plays a key role in driving strategic improvements that enhance resilience, sustainability, and health outcomes across the Wheatbelt.

Caroline is an enthusiastic advocate for rural communities and the leaders and organisations within them. With her 150Square team of Darren and Bek, the business supports not-for-profits and local government through governance and strategy, with a focus on people-centred solutions.

Caroline is currently the Chair of the Ravensthorpe Hopetoun Future Fund, resides on the WA Country Health Service Board, is the Company Secretary of the SEGRA Foundation and President of the Narembeen Hockey Club.

Terry originates from Rockhampton in Central Queensland. He has worked in youth services and provided personal care and support within both a hospital and disability service setting before completing a BA of Social Work. Terry travelled to Western Australia as part of his life adventure to pursue a Social Work role with the Department of Human Services which led to his involvement with the WA Pilot of Drought Reform.

Men’s holistic health and wellbeing and working in a regional setting has always been an area of interest for Terry. Since 2012, this has now become a reality, working in his role as Senior Community Educator with The Regional Men’s Health Initiative.

CEO of Juniper, Owen is married with three adult children. He completed a Bachelor of Business in Agriculture and farmed in partnership with his father for 18 years in Morawa while also operating a farm consultancy business. After selling the family farm in 2005 Owen and his family travelled across Australia for a year whilst home schooling the children.

Owen’s interest is in empowering men to move forward and embrace changes in their family relationships, wellbeing and health. Since 2007 Owen has worked specifically in men’s holistic wellbeing and health, presenting a range of educational programs and strategies for men, their families and communities.

Beth McEwan is Manager of the Rural Health West Workforce Solutions Team, with over 20 years’ experience in the primary health sector, including a decade in rural and remote Western Australia. She has led initiatives such as the Wheatbelt Medical Student Immersion Program and the Strengthening Solo GP Project, and works closely with local governments, healthcare providers and education sectors to strengthen workforce outcomes across regional communities.