Rural leaders ready for learning journey opportunity

Graingrowers Sam Messina, Mullewa and Gemma Walker, Munglinup, are the recipients of 2024 CBH Group and Grower Group Alliance (GGA) Growing Leaders Scholarships.

The pair will undertake the Leadership WA program, which costs more than $16,000 and runs for 10 months, fully-funded by the scholarship.

Dominique Mecoy, chief executive officer of Leadership WA congratulated the two participants for securing a place in the highly-competitive program.

"The Signature Leadership Program takes established leaders on a journey of growth, reflection, experiential learning, diversity of perspective and deep connection, one that our graduates constantly tell us is transformational," Ms Mecoy said.

"We can offer the Growing Leaders Scholarship thanks to the enduring support of CBH and GGA.

"Their generosity ensures that we can extend the impact of the program into the regions to develop the capacity of our regional leaders, while ensuring the wider cohort gains a greater awareness of the often-challenging environment in which our rural and grower communities operate."

CBH Group chief stakeholder relations, sustainability and strategy officer, Brianna Peake said the grower-owned co-operative was proud to support the women on their leadership journeys.

"The scholarships provide a valuable opportunity for individuals in the grain industry to elevate their leadership development while simultaneously representing the broader industry," Ms Peake said.

"Funding these scholarships is part of CBH's continued commitment to support and amplify the exceptional leadership capacity that resides in our WA graingrowing communities, and provides opportunities for recipients to create leadership networks."

GGA chief executive officer Rikki Foss said their organisation was committed to enhancing human capital in WA's agriculture sector.

"GGA is proud to endorse the Growing Leaders Scholarship Program for its eighth iteration," Ms Foss said.

"This program is significant in fostering leadership skills among individuals engaged in the grains industry."

Almost 1000 kilometres separates the two women, geographically, but they both share a passion for their regional communities and are excited to get started with the program when it begins in early February, and culminates in a graduation in November.

Spring Park Farms grower Sam Messina applied for the scholarship after meaningful discussions with members of the leadership program's alumni and is very grateful the funding is allowing her to participate.

"Applying for the scholarship is something I have been tinkering around the edges of thinking about doing for a while," Ms Messina said.

"I have some close friends in rural communities who have participated in the program previously, they encouraged me to apply and when they told me of the outcomes and the opportunities that it opened up for them, I went for it.

"I am at the right point in my life right now and am very very grateful that CBH and GGA have backed me to do it."

Ms Messina is well-known in the Mullewa community, being on five boards ranging from secretary, treasurer and member roles, and she is looking to further diversify her networks.

"I was formerly a teacher, then I began working in local governments, it was a big learning curve for me," Ms Messina said.

"I learned so much about issues in rural WA and now I get to step outside those established contacts and into more diverse networks outside of local government and ag."

"A major highlight program alumni highlighted to me was about the people you meet, from all walks of life.

"I look forward to meeting people I would never even imagine I would rub shoulders with, chat to or learn from.

"I am really looking forward to the diversity of those interactions."

All participants in the program are committed to participate in an experience every month plus attend retreats and field trips.

"I acknowledge that it is a big commitment, 10 months," Ms Messina said.

"There will be a lot of reflection, learning and journaling around the experiences we are put through.

"Plus living in a rural community, and not knowing where all the other participants are from, there will be a lot of travel.

"But I am ready for it, I have the time and resources to commit and I am very fortunate that CBH and GGA have helped."

Ms Messina said her learning journey was inspired by another regional trailblazer - Emma Foulkes-Taylor from Yuin station.

"Emma is very inspirational to me," she said.

"She has thrown herself into board roles, volunteer roles, just always helping out rural communities."

Ms Messina said their connection started when they were both involved with the Isolated Children's Parents' Association (ICPA).

"This is how I met Emma and that's how I got involved with the broader community outside the Mullewa community," she said.

"Emma went all the way to national level with ICPA and she's now a councillor in the Murchison and on the Mid West Development Commission board.

"She's highly educated and well networked - and I kind of look at her and I think I'd like to have an impact and help people out as much as what she has with her knowledge, skills and experience, regardless of how remote she lives."

Ms Walker is also an active volunteer in her local community, being on eight committees and a non-executive director for three.

Her property, Hamilton Downs, is now an entirely broadacre cropping enterprise.

"We sold all our sheep a few years ago to concentrate on broadacre cropping, mainly canola, wheat and vetch as a break," Ms Walker said.

The opportunity to participate in the leadership program via the scholarship is an exciting prospect for Ms Walker who is looking to build on her skill set and 'open more doors'.

"I was tapped on the shoulder a few years ago by a member of the WA Leaders alumni as they believed I would benefit immensely from participating in the program," Ms Walker said.

She is eager to learn from business leaders building on what she learned when previously undertaking the Co-operatives and Mutuals Strategic Development Program (CMSDP).

"During the CMSDP I was able to closely observe and learn from senior staff at CBH and this 10 month opportunity is a great chance to further improve my knowledge," Ms Walker said.

She admires the leadership styles of both Grains Research Development Centre (GRDC) chairman John Woods and CBH Group chairman Simon Stead.

"Simon is an incredible leader, I speak with him often and appreciate his insights into how businesses, not just CBH, are run," Ms Walker said.

"John has leadership skills that I admire.

"Being able to sit at the boardroom table with him when I was on the GRDC western panel board and observe his work, in addition to the content of this program, will lead to stronger linkages between myself, my business, my rural community as well as CBH and GGA."

The mother of two acknowledged she will be even busier than usual throughout the course.

"I will have to be super organised," she said.

"I have a fantastic team and the support of my husband and children, plus I like a challenge and this program will be exactly that.

"I look forward to the chance to intensely reflect on my leadership style and open more doors for my business, regional community and the wider ag industry."