South Australia’s 2020 Rural Women’s Award State Finalists

Marie Ellul

Marie is a part-time MBA student and Manager for a start-up company specialising in improving the quality of livestock breeding. Her personal interests and academic background is reproductive biology, specifically cattle embryos.

Marie will use the Westpac bursary to provide training to embryo providers in rural Australia and give them an opportunity to have a head start in adapting to this IVF technology. This will be through developing a sterile system (and lab), training of techniques and ongoing consultancy and assistance.

Rebecca Sullivan

Rebecca works to protect culture, people and the planet through food and empowers rural communities by championing the work of farmers through Granny Skills and Warndu. She is passionate about the native food industry. Living on a 90-acre property in Clare, Rebecca is building a food and farming school, eco accommodation and a seed library.

Rebecca is creating climate resilient community by working with local farmers to grow native Australian foods.

Rebecca will use the Westpac bursary to create a demonstration garden for local farmers to see value add propositions for their own land.

Stephanie Schmidt

As a clinical psychologist and farmer, Stephanie is passionate about developing a resilient rural Australia, supporting individuals and communities to not only grow, but to thrive. She has been significantly impacted by the drought and would like to see psychological flexibility grow throughout the rural sector.

Stephanie plans to use the Westpac bursary to develop a program specifically for farming couples, families and individuals, combining psychological knowledge including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and neuroscience, together with her lived experience of the challenges of farming and rural life. The program will develop and harness skills around value-driven action, building connection and relationships and increasing vitality even in adversity.

Kellie Taylor

With a background in nanotechnology, Kellie is driven by challenges and the prospect of learning and sharing knowledge. Based in Eyre Peninsula, she would like to see the roll out of programs across regional EP where industry and schools are linked.

Kellie will use the Westpac bursary to pilot a program that connects industry and schools to collaborate locally on research opportunities that business have identified as relevant to the community. She wants rural youth to grow up as innovative thinkers with a sense of belonging and ownership on regional issues.