Jenny West

Wagin branch

President

Jenny grew up in Perth then attended agricultural college where she fell in love with the country. She moved to a broad acre farm between Wagin and Dumbleyung, after meeting partner Sam. Here they farm sheep and crop with Sam’s parents. Jenny loves helping out around the farm while also doing the bookwork.

Sam and Jenny have three young children and Jenny is very involved with the local playgroup and toy library committees. Her current passion, apart from Women in Farming Enterprises and taking on the Wagin branch president role, is being involved with the Dumbleyung netball club - both playing and being a coach.

Naomi Hall

Gairdner branch

Vice President

Naomi lives and works with her husband and 2 children at Gairdner in the Great Southern region of WA running 3000 head of sheep and cropping canola, wheat and barley.

With a passion for all things agriculture and promoting positive ag to as many people who will listen, Naomi came back onto the Women in Farming board to not only help our members but to continue learning as much as she can to better herself and her business.

When not working on the farm, you’ll find Naomi volunteering on many different local committees and driving children to various sports.

To relax Naomi enjoys being in the garden, sitting with a cup of tea or a glass of wine and tripping off in the caravan to new destination- as much as the farm allows the family to be away!

Laura Butler

Kulin-Kondinin branch

Secretary

Laura lives in Narembeen with her partner Clint and puppy Charlie on a mixed farming enterprise of sheep and cropping.

A highly experienced professional, Laura has a strong business background across a range of sectors in WA including education, not for profits and financial services. She has completed a Master of Business Management at Swinburne University of Technology and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) at Curtin University of Technology.

Laura is a professional member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an Associate Fellow Member (AFAIM) of the Australian Institute of Management WA.

Jane Kowald

Kojonup branch

Treasurer

Along with her husband Anthony, Jane runs a mixed cropping and sheep enterprise north-east of Kojonup. They have three children, one away at boarding school and two attending local government schools in Katanning. Jane studied Applied Geology at Curtin University and has worked in various roles in state and local government agencies with duties ranging from hydrologist to local landcare officer before recently returning to the farm full time.

Jane volunteers for many community groups including landcare, sporting and scout groups. Jane’s responsibilities on the farm include book keeping, HR management, sheep work and general farm duties. Off-farm interests include playing tennis, fishing, reading, sewing and crochet. Jane looks to Women in Farming as the platform to share information to keep up to date with advances in farming, networking opportunities and professional development.

Peta Hubbard

Cranbrook branch

General Board Member

Peta lives and work with her husband, Jarrad, running a livestock agency for 10 years in the Wheatbelt and Great Southern. They have two sons.

Peta is a seasonal professional with significant experience in corporate agricultural. When Peta isn’t helping her husband, she is volunteering on many different local committees and driving children to various sports.

Peta is committed to advancing the role of women in agriculture, leveraging her extensive experience to empower and inspire others in this vital industry.

Carolyn Reid

Boyup Brook branch

General Board Member

Growing up on a developing farm with the most hard-working of parents was the best education ever according to Carolyn but she continued it in Perth, graduating from UWA in industrial relations and politics majors and some journalism units at Curtin. Moving to Boyup Brook in 1990 with her husband, they built up a sheep and cropping enterprise together but found it important to maintain involvement in organisations including the Kondinin Group and Australian Open Gardens, as well as a myriad of local community groups as their family grew.

Approaching 30 years farming in the same area and with children going through university and working in agricultural careers, Carolyn has a heightened interest in the future of our rural communities and ensuring they prosper.

Millie Milligan-Leeson

Kulin-Kondinin

General Board Member

Millie is an Agribusiness Executive with the Commonwealth Bank, based in Kulin. She brings extensive experience in regional banking and agriculture.

She grew up in the Wheatbelt and holds a Bachelor of Business from Curtin University (Muresk Institute). Millie is passionate about supporting regional communities and is an active volunteer, serving on several committees including the Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network of WA and the Cultivating Kulin Committee.  in addition, she  volunteers through mentoring at Wheatbelt Beyond Youth.

Outside of work, Millie enjoys arts and crafts, trying new creative hobbies, (currently crocheting her first handbag) and spending time with her family. She is a wife, mother to five-year-old Gracie and stepmother to four and has a strong interest in agriculture and regional living.