OnBoard | A grower director program

Emily is a fifth-generation farmer and Chartered Accountant from Inglestone, Queensland. Alongside her family, she operates Coggan Farms, a vertically integrated enterprise consisting of irrigated and dryland cropping, grazing, a multispecies feedlot, and a Meatmaster Stud.

Before returning home, Emily worked at global professional services firm Deloitte, assisting Chief Financial Officers and finance teams to enhance their decision-making capabilities and delivering planning, budgeting, and forecasting (PBF) solutions. In her final role, she led the internal consulting PBF and workforce planning processes, reporting directly to the national Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

Emily holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) and a Bachelor of Economics (Public Policy) from The University of Queensland and has previously completed the AICD Foundations of Directorship Program.

She is actively involved in her community and serves as a Board Director and Vice Chair of Equestrian Queensland. Equally comfortable in the boardroom and paddock, she is committed to ensuring the longevity of Australian agriculture.

Hannah co-owns Longtrail Farms, an aggregation of 10,000 hectares of dryland and irrigated properties in Parilla, South Australia. Employing a team of 25, Hannah is passionate about career development in agriculture and advocating for women in farming.

After completing a Bachelor of Business at Flinders University, she spent 15 years in corporate HR, specialising in employee relations across corporate agriculture, horticulture, oil and gas and aged care.

At Longtrail, Hannah holds a strategic role overseeing finance, governance, and people management. Her farming business is committed to best practice, with a strong focus on sustainable growth.

James is a dynamic leader and solicitor who has degrees in Economics and Law from the University of New England and was admitted to the Supreme Court in 2016. He is a fifth-generation farmer who was raised on his family property near Nyngan, NSW.

James played a pivotal role with the Department of Primary Industries during the 2018-2020 drought and the Black Summer Bushfires, assisting rural families during challenging times. His dedication to rural advocacy led to his recognition as the RAS NSW Rural Ambassador, UNE Alumni Rising Star Award, an NSW Parliament Private Members Statement, NSW Disaster Resilience Award and National Emergency Management Medal, acknowledging his significant contributions to regional communities.

James's commitment to community has seen him address the Governor General, open the Dubbo and Yeoval Shows, and be a guest speaker at numerous events, podcasts, and panels. He has served as a director on the boards of Macquarie Home Stay (2021-2024) and the Robb College Foundation (2021-present).

Monica brings over 20 years of experience in communications, agriculture, and strategic planning, offering a diverse skill set to the Australian grains industry. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Sydney and postgraduate management qualifications from Macquarie University. Together with her husband, Monica manages a mixed grain and cattle farm in the Riverina. Monica serves as the Economic Development Manager at the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. Based in the Griffith office, she is a key member of the Riverina Murray team driving economic growth across the region.

As Engagement Manager at the Irrigation and Research Extension Committee (IREC), Monica has been involved in national research projects such as carbon farming, cool soil initiative, risk management and grain optimisation. She has regularly engaged with farmers on projects and research needs throughout her career. Monica is excited to be part of the Onboard program, eager to further her skills and networks, and contribute her knowledge to the growth of the grains industry through board-level involvement. Additionally, Monica is passionate about encouraging younger generations to pursue careers in farming.

Renée is a grain and cotton producer in the Central Highlands, Central Queensland. Her expertise encompasses farming systems research, agronomy, and industry education and advocacy.

Renée is committed to sustainable farming practices and is a Nuffield Scholar whose research focused on social licence, evidence-based best management practices, environmental stewardship, and science communication.

Renée is passionate about upskilling and training the agricultural workforce and previously served as Project Manager for the Rural Jobs and Skills Alliance, Regional Manager for Cotton Australia, and a committee member UQ Agrifoods Innovation Alliance.

Renée also serves on the GrainGrowers National Policy Group as Northern representative, the Nuffield Australia QLD committee, and the Australian Cotton Industry sustainability reference panel.

Additionally, she actively volunteers in her community with the Central Highlands Health board and with a role on the community health education and engagement committee and promotes agriculture in schools and universities with a position on the Central QLD Regional School Industry Partnership program to ensure a sustainable future for the industry.

Ruth is an Agro-Ecologist based in Burra, South Australia, where she runs her consulting business Rufous and Co. Ruth has a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Masters of Applied Science in Wildlife Management from the University of Sydney and has worked in sustainable agriculture RD&E and property management since 2002.

Prior to moving to South Australia in 2006, she worked across the country in cotton, beef cattle, viticulture, broad acre cropping and rangeland management. Having grown up on a sheep and cropping property in NSW and now farming predominantly wheat, barley and canola with her husband and his family, she is passionate about the agriculture industry and ensuring that it is productive and profitable into the future, whilst working to support a healthy landscape and vibrant communities

She is passionate about supporting farmers and farming systems groups and has been the Upper North Farming Systems Group Executive Officer and Project Manager since 2013. Ruth was the 2018 Agricultural Bureau of SA Sustainable Agriculture Scholarship recipient and the 2018 Ag Excellence Alliance Outstanding Service to Agriculture award winner.