Speakers

NBRUC 2026 assembles leading beef industry experts, researchers and innovators from northern Australia and beyond to share their cutting-edge research findings and practical insights.

Through keynote presentations and dynamic panel discussions, you will learn from experienced beef producers, leading researchers, and industry leaders, gaining practical knowledge to enhance your operations and advance the northern Australian beef industry.

More speaker announcements coming soon.

David Foote

Keynote Speaker
Wednesday 11 March

David Foote

David has held operational, senior and executive management roles across all mainland southern states before beginning his northern beef industry journey with Stanbroke Pastoral Company 30 years ago.

More recently and until stepping back in December 2020 to chair the Advisory board at Australian Country Choice, David had been in the leadership role at the Lee Families, Queensland headquartered ACC Group of Companies since 1999. Over that time with 42 properties covering over 1.75 million hectares and a carrying capacity of 280,000 cattle to supports its three feedlots and processing plant in Brisbane, ACC grew to be the world’s largest privately owned vertically integrated beef operation.

In 2010 David was awarded Rural Press Pty Ltd “Beef achiever of the year” in recognition of his contribution to the industry.

In his retirement from full time duties, David continues to represent Agricultural industry interests through roles such as; Director-Cattle Australia, Deputy Chair-Laguna Bay investment committee, non -executive Director & Board Chair - Angel Seafoods, non -executive Director 40 South Dairies, non -executive Director Fortuna Group Ltd (NZ), Shareholder & non -executive Director Inventia Genetic Technologies (IGT), non-executive director Craig Mostyn Group, Chair Killarney & Birrimba Proprietors, non -executive Director Scales Corporation Ltd (NZ), and a committed member Qld Governments Rural Industry Sector Standing Committee for Workplace Health & Safety.

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Derek Bailey

Keynote Speaker
Wednesday 11 March

Derek Bailey

Derek Bailey is the Director of Research and Outreach at Deep Well Ranch in Prescott, Arizona (USA). Deep Well Ranch is a working cattle operation as well as a research site for precision livestock management and grazing management. Bailey worked at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico (USA) for 19 years, and he is now Professor Emeritus in the Animal and Range Sciences Department. After growing up on a cattle ranch and farm in southern Colorado, Derek received his PhD in Range Science and his MS and BS degrees in Animal Science at Colorado State University. Derek previously worked as a researcher for Montana State University and USDA-ARS in Oklahoma. His research interests include precision livestock management, rangeland cattle and sheep production, grazing management and animal welfare.

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Sarah Strachan

Invited Speaker
Wednesday 11 March

Sarah Strachan

Sarah is the General Manager of Research, Development & Adoption (RDA) at Meat & Livestock Australia.

MLA invests overs $100m annually with research organization and commercial partners in RD&A initiatives that support the ambitions of increasing the profitability and productivity of the livestock sector such as animal wellbeing, land and livestock productivity, environmental sustainability, value based marketing and product development.

Sarah is motivated to ensure good research can be converted into adoption-ready services and resources for businesses along the entire supply chain. Examples of Sarah’s involvement in this approach is genetics research commercialised through BREEDPLAN and Sheep Genetics and eating quality research delivered through the Meat Standards Australia grading system where over half of all cattle processed annually are being MSA graded and exciting opportunities are emerging for the sheep industry. Sarah has a Bachelor of Rural Science qualification from the University of New England and has worked with MLA for over 24 years.

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Richard Heath

Invited Speaker
Wednesday 11 March

Richard Heath

Richard Heath is the Chief Executive Officer of Australia’s largest Cooperative Research Centre, Zero Net Emissions Agriculture CRC. His extensive experience in the Australian agriculture sector extends across multiple high-profile roles including as Executive Director with the Australian Farm Institute, Associate Professor of Agronomy and Farm Management at the University of Sydney and Director at Nuffield Australia Farming Scholars. Richard is a non-executive director of the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

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Jayne Cuddihy

Invited Speaker and Panel Moderator
Wednesday 11 & Thursday 12 March

Jayne Cuddihy

For over 23 years, Jayne Cuddihy has been communicating the stories of rural and regional Australia on political, social and environmental issues, ensuring her complex knowledge of production systems is not limited to the beef industry, but spans across a wide range of commodities.

With a knack for having a chat, Jayne currently hosts a plethora of podcasts, contributes regularly to national publications, and is an event MC and facilitator.

Jayne relishes being on local and industry committees, but delights in nothing more than working with her husband in her family’s Central Queensland beef business and working with others to achieve their leadership and career goals.

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Jean Kittson

Invited Speaker and Panel Facilitator
Wednesday 11 & Thursday 12 March

Jean Kittson

Jean is an author, public speaker, actor and comedian.

Jean came to national attention on ABC TV’s, 'The Big Gig', followed by Let the Blood Run Free, Kittson Fahey, Good News Week, the Glasshouse, Flat Chat, The Einstein Factor, and many more.

She recently appeared with Denise Scott and Matt Okine in both series of the remake of Mother and Son.

She was a long-lasting participant in Celebrity Apprentice

She appeared alongside Krew Boylan, Rose Byrne and Celeste Barber in the recent Australian film Seriously Red. Now on Netflix.

She was made a guest appearance on Wellmania with Celeste Barber

She was a long-time regular panellist on ABC 702 drive program, Thank God It’s Friday (TGIF)

She has conversed twice with Richard Fidler on Conversations, Radio National.

She was invited to speak about menopause at the National Press Club.

She has been a regular columnist with the New Weekly, the Sunday Telegraph, the Sydney Morning Herald, and many more.

She is currently a columnist with the Australian Carers Magazine.

She is the author of three books, including the best sellers:

‘You’re still hot to me, the joys of menopause’ and

‘We need to talk about mum and dad, a practical guide to parenting our ageing parents.’

She was the founding chair of the Australian Gynaecological Cancer Foundation (AGCF)

She is currently the Patron of Palliative Care Nurses Australia, and an Ambassador for the Raise Foundation (youth mentoring), the Macular Disease Foundation, the Australian Gynaecological Cancer Foundation and Taldumande Youth Services.

In 2023 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia. (AM)

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Sally Leigo

Invited Speaker
Thursday 12 March

Sally Leigo

Sally is a nationally recognised leader in research adoption with more than 16 years’ experience delivering beef research and extension across Northern Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, a Master of Rangeland Management, and is a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program (Course 26). Her work has been acknowledged through multiple awards, including the National Landcare Award for Innovation in Agricultural Land Management and the NT Chief Minister’s Medal.

As Program Manager for Adoption at Meat & Livestock Australia, Sally leads the strategy, investment and delivery of MLA’s national adoption program, overseeing the program, a team of project managers, and more than 120 service providers. Her leadership ensures research is designed with adoption in mind and is utilised by producers to increase profitability and sustainability.

MLA’s adoption investments continue to deliver strong, measurable outcomes, generating $81.6 million in net annual benefits in 2024–25 and engaging over 11,000 producers. These gains reflect the accelerated practice change and improved business performance achieved through the adoption pathways Sally has championed.

Sally remains committed to strengthening Australia’s extension ecosystem and expanding producer engagement to meet the ambitions of the Red Meat 2030 plan.

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Bron Christensen

Invited Speaker
Thursday 12 March

Bron Christensen

Bron brings more than 25 years’ experience across a wide range of industries including beef, cotton, irrigation and rural health to her role as the Chief Executive Officer of the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association. Raised on a mixed farming and grazing property in Theodore, Central Queensland, Bron and her husband own and operate their own grazing property in her hometown. Bron has also served in key leadership roles including Executive Officer with The Leucaena Network, Secretariat for the North Australia Beef Research Council (NABRC), Company Secretary for Theodore Water Pty Ltd and Regional Manager and myBMP Auditor for Cotton Australia. She has also served on various boards and advisory groups including Chair of the National Farmers Federation (NFF) Farm Business and Economics committee and previously as a member of AgForce’s Ag Business committee and a Director on the Central Queensland Health and Hospital Service (CQHHS). Bron applies her extensive experience in leadership and management for the betterment of the Australian agricultural industry, with a focus on the long-term viability of northern Australian beef production and the rural communities that surround them.

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