Meet Our Team
The Ag Excellence Committee
Leet Wilksch
Chair
Leet is a researcher and Ag Technologist with a focus on integrating new data technology into farming businesses. After spending 14 years at Landmark as a research agronomist managing multiple trial sites, he started his business AGBYTE.
Leet has also enjoyed over 15 years of experience within the South Australian grower group network and he is an ardent advocate for Ag Ex and the broader industry. He has a passion for food and energy self-sufficiency on the small farm he resides at with his family.
Natalie Sommerville
Vice Chair
Natalie has been working in the agricultural industry for all her life and more recently a professional career spanning 20 years in the broadacre cropping and livestock industry. She now manages a farming business Windjara Ag near Spalding, SA with her husband Dane and 2 children on Ngadjuri country. Her passions are helping others learn, develop their leadership potential, protecting what’s left of our precious country and farming sustainably in a way that minimises the impact on land and waters we have borrowed.
Mark Stanley
Executive Officer
Mark operates Regional Connections, which was established in 2012 and provides professional services across regional Australia in the development, management and delivery of projects with a focus on natural resource management, climate change planning and adaptation and sustainable agriculture. Mark has had a long history in working with established networks in government, R&D organisations, universities, farmer groups and NRM organisations, and has provided strategic executive support to the Ag Excellence Alliance for the past 10 years.
Tony Randall
Knowledge Broker
Tony Randall has more than 20 years of experience working within agricultural and natural resources management industries in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Tony has worked extensively in the not-for-profit sector as both a project officer and in leadership and management roles.
Tony works closely with the SA Drought Hub, a dynamic network of primary producers, industry groups, researchers, government agencies, universities, agribusiness, traditional owners, and others to work towards a common vision to strengthen the drought resilience and preparedness of our farms and regional communities in South Australia.
Rachel May
Farming Systems Specialist - Adoption Officer
Rachel has worked closely with many community, farming systems and landcare groups on Eyre Peninsula, Adelaide Hill’s and the Murray Darling Basin regions, both in technical roles as well as project development, management and extension. In addition, she has also operated her grain and fodder business in the Adelaide Hills.
With over 25 years of experience, Rachel brings an enormous amount of skill and knowledge to the Farming Systems Specialist role. A newly created position within the SA Drought Hub, Rachel plays an integral role in faciitating and developing relationships and networks to provide linkages and collaborative opportunities within the agricultural industry.
Emma McInerney
Regional Agricultural Landcare Facilitator
As the Northern and Yorke Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator, Emma is constantly engaged with landholders and groups interested in ideas, projects and funding to improve understanding and adoption of sustainable agriculture. Emma has 20 years experience in the ag sector both in Australia and overseas and is passionate about addressing the impact and opportunities of food production systems in a globalised world. Emma is based in Clare and works with organisations, including farming systems and landcare groups.
Kerry Stockman
Administration Manager
Kerry has been a part of the Ag Ex team for 7+ years. Integral to the operations of Ag Ex, Kerry brings a wealth of experience working in the wine, tourism, and agricultural industries.
Her knowledge in regional marketing, communications, and event planning assists with the seamless delivery of relevant information to the grower group network and broader Ag community. Kerry is also responsible for coordinating the highly valued Ag Excellence Forum and Awards.
Brett Bartel
Committee Member
Brett is a Director in the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) and represents the agency on the Ag Excellence committee.
In his role at PIRSA Brett leads PIRSA's bushfire, drought, and other adverse event/disaster recovery programs. He also has responsibilities in the areas of climate change, natural resources management and agriculture extension.
Brett has been working agriculture extension field for over 20 years and has an in-depth understanding of regional Australia and strives to create sustainable regions by bridging the interface between industries and stakeholders.
Meg Bell
Committee Member
Meg grew up on a beef and cropping property near Millicent in South Australia. After graduating from the University of New England with a Bachelor of Livestock Science (Hons) in 2011, Meg worked as a dairy sales nutritionist and as a Livestock Consultant with Productive Nutrition as well as her family cattle enterprise at Millicent. Meg is now Principal Consultant at Coleraine Livestock Consulting, a livestock and vet business based in the Western District of Victoria. Meg also works as the Chief Executive Officer of MacKillop Farm Management Group, a farming systems group based in the Limestone Coast.
In her spare time, Meg is the Treasurer of the Grassland Society of Southern Australia, a member of the South Australian Livestock Consultants, sits on the SA Cattle Industry Fund Board, the SA Blueprint Carbon Focus Group and is a member of the Lambex 2024 organising committee.
David Evans
Committee Member
Farmers Business Network SA Account Executive, David Evans, lives and breathes agriculture and agribusiness. With just shy of 40 years of experience in the industry he has a thorough understanding of farm management as a grazier himself. His experience in grain marketing, broad acre practices, livestock and farm business management coupled with his advocacy in the South Australian grain industry holds him in great stead as a trusted Account Executive.
Naomi Scholz
Committee Member
Naomi brings a wealth of experience in RD&E project management having spent more than a decade with SARDI at the Minnipa Agricultural Centre. Leading projects during this time included the Dryland Legume Pasture Systems project and the Stubble initiative.
Most recently she was appointed as Executive Officer of newly formed Ag Innovation & Research Eyre Peninsula (AIR EP). An amalgamation of Eyre Peninsula Agricultural Research Foundation (EPARF) and Lower Eyre Agriculture Development Association (LEADA), AIR EP represents the entire region playing an integral role in the planning and delivery of independent RD&E.
Would you like to join the Ag Excellence Alliance Committee?
Nominations, space permitting, can be submitted leading up to the Annual General Meeting by completing the below online form.
Ag Ex Committee Nomination
Ag Ex is not currently taking any new nominations.