Kellie has been a journalist for almost 25 years, beginning her career as a radio reporter and presenter in her home town, Bendigo at 3BO.

After 25 years at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Kellie is currently working as a digital editor, based in Gippsland. She held a national role as acting emergency broadcast lead during the 19/20 Black Summer bushfires and led the Victorian Country Hour team as executive producer in 2021.

Kellie is the recipient of two Rural Press Club, Victoria awards and a highly commended Quill.

She is a long ago graduate of the Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) degree at RMIT University

Alex has two decades of experience in journalism and the communications sector.

With a degree in journalism from Deakin University, he started his career at The Standard in Warrnambool.

Over the course of his career, has worked at the Geelong Advertiser, The Weekly Times and Win Television and his reporting has appeared in publications such as The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and The Times of London.

Alex has previously served as RPCV president.

Bryce is a journalist who specialises in agricultural and rural affairs reporting with ACM’s Stock & Land based in regional Victoria.

He joined the RPCV’s committee in 2017 where he held a number of roles, before he was elected deputy-president in 2019 and president in 2021.

He is also a community radio presenter, Rotarian, volunteer firefighter and an ambulance community officer, and sits on RMIT’s Bachelor of Journalism industry advisory panel.

Bryce has previously served as RPCV president.

Ben is the group editor at Wimmera Mallee News, where he oversees a network of five regional newspapers.

He brings more than a decade of journalism experience, beginning his career at The Portland Observer in 2014 before moving to The Wimmera Mail-Times in 2020.

With a strong interest in technology and mathematics, Ben is known for weaving spreadsheets, data visualisations and new software tools into his newsroom workflows.

Madeleine is a reporter with the ABC, based in South Gippsland. She previously worked in print journalism for more than a decade, including with The Weekly Times.

She was the recipient of a Rural Press Club of Victoria award for her reporting on gender inequality in agriculture, and a News Awards winner in 2023.

Madeleine holds a Master of Arts Writing and Literature from Deakin University, specialising in Professional Writing.

Séamus has 40 years of experience in media, communications, stakeholder, and community relations, and has received awards for both news reporting and copywriting.

He has worked at the ABC as a general and specialist reporter (specialising in industrial relations), presenter of Overnights, corporate affairs and marketing adviser, and content manager for ABC Radio Melbourne.

He serves as a director on Bendigo Tourism Board and Eaglehawk United Friendly Societies.

Alannah has a professional background in communications, marketing and philanthropy. She has worked with an extensive range of organisations within the agricultural and equine sectors, most notably through her 15 year tenure as both the Marketing and Foundation Manager with Marcus Oldham College.

Alannah has recently joined the Agribusiness team with CBRE and in her spare time runs a very competitive equestrian stable with her daughter just outside of Geelong.

Nicole has more than decades of photography experience, having started in a country newspaper darkroom in the early 1990s.

Her work spans across food, stage productions, and newspapers including The Herald Sun, The Age, The Guardian and The Weekly Times.

Her clients include The Australian Ballet, Olivia Newton-John Foundation, Avalon and Essendon Airports, Chobani, Sovereign Hill, many government departments as well as musicians and artists from all over the world.

Kirsten is a podcaster and communications specialist based on a mixed farm in south-west Victoria.

She founded the Rural Podcasting Co and co-hosts two shows: Ducks on the Pond and Town Criers, while also appearing regularly as a presenter on ABC Radio Melbourne and Victoria.

A former ABC radio and TV journalist, she is now a PhD candidate at Deakin University researching journalism, podcasting and local news sustainability.

Petra is a journalist with the Stock & Land newspaper.

She began her career at the Weekly Times following completing her university degree in Agricultural Science at Melbourne University.

Petra has been working in the industry as an agricultural journalist in regional Victoria for close to 10 years and is passionate about a range of regional issues.

Meghan has more than 15 years’ experience working in communications.

She began her career at La Trobe University, supporting its regional campuses, and brings strong skills in regional engagement, storytelling and strategic communication. She has since worked across the tech, government and not-for-profit sectors, and now leads communications for the Gardiner Foundation, a philanthropic investment fund supporting Victoria’s dairy communities.

Meghan holds a Master of Global Communications, is an active CFA member and co-owns a small deli on the Prom Coast.

Ryan has extensive experience in journalism, corporate communications and stakeholder engagement.

He was previously an ABC journalist in Horsham, Ballarat, Bendigo and Melbourne, and worked as a Field Producer at the national current affairs program, The Project. He is a former President of the Victorian Parliamentary Press Gallery.

Ryan is now a senior consultant at the communications and political engagement firm The Agenda Group.