Announcing the 2025 GenAngus Future Leaders Program Participants
Angus Australia and specialist agricultural insurer Achmea Farm Insurance are excited to announce the successful applicants for the 2025 GenAngus Future Leaders Program.
This year’s cohort reflects the next generation of exceptional leaders, each demonstrating outstanding potential and a strong commitment to advancing Australia’s beef industry.
The seventh GenAngus program will take place in Launceston, Tasmania, from 26 to 30 May 2025. It offers participants a unique opportunity to gain invaluable business skills and insights.
The immersive program focuses on empowering young Angus breeders and beef enthusiasts with the tools needed to establish or elevate their beef cattle enterprises.
Since its inception, GenAngus has become a pillar of youth leadership development in the agricultural sector, supporting the development of more than 60 future leaders.
Through hands-on workshops, participants will learn key skills in areas like business management, risk and liability, beef supply chain operations, financial benchmarking, and succession planning.
The 2025 GenAngus Future Leaders are:
- Alicia Trovatello, VIC
- Amelia Durham, VIC
- Charlie Wrigley, NSW
- Clemens Kiessig, WA
- Emily Hurst, VIC
- Harriet Laing, NZ
- Jake Stokman, NZ
- Josh Robinson, NSW
- Lee-Emma Norman, QLD
- Logan Sykes, VIC
- Sam Reid, VIC
- Shaun Darmody, NSW
- Thomas Febey, TAS
This year, Angus Australia and the selection panel implemented a de-identified application process to promote fairness and eliminate bias. By removing identifying information, each application was evaluated solely on its merit, ensuring an equitable and impartial selection process for all candidates.
Shaping the Future of the Beef Industry
During the three-day program, participants will connect with a wide range of industry professionals while exploring current and emerging themes shaping the industry’s future.
Topics include:
- Business benchmarking
- Breeding and genetics
- Finance and risk mitigation
- Marketing and the beef outlook
- Succession planning and mindset development
Angus Australia’s Acting Extension Manager, Nancy Crawshaw, highlighted the program’s growing strategic importance in the agricultural industry:
“It’s inspiring to see such a strong group of applicants, each bringing unique perspectives to the GenAngus program. With industry insights from the 2024 New Zealand program incorporated into this year’s program, there’s no doubt these young leaders will take their careers and enterprises to the next level,” Nancy said.
Emma Thomas, CEO of Achmea Farm Insurance, shared her pride in the ongoing partnership with Angus Australia.
“We are thrilled to sponsor the GenAngus Future Leaders Program again in 2025,” she shared.
“What began as a shared vision between two like-minded organisations has evolved into one of the most important and immersive leadership programs in Australia’s beef industry,” Emma said.
Emma also emphasised the significance of the program, highlighting its alignment with Achmea’s vision. “Our ongoing support for the GenAngus Future Leaders Program reflects our dedication to protecting and enhancing a sustainable future for agricultural communities that help feed the world,” she stated.
For more details about the GenAngus Future Leaders Program and the 2025 participant bios, visit Angus Australia’s website here.
For more information about Achmea Farm Insurance, visit www.achmea.com.au
Insurance issued by Achmea Schadeverzekeringen N.V. (Achmea) ABN 86 158 237 702 AFSL 433984.
www.achmea.com.au
info@achmea.com.au
1800 724 214
About the GenAngus Future Leaders Program Cohort
Alicia Trovatello
Alicia Trovatello grew up in Melbourne while her family operated a beef enterprise in Kyneton, Victoria. Passionate about the beef industry, she has participated in numerous youth programs, including representing Australia at a beef world conference in New Zealand, and has held leadership positions on beef youth committees. After completing a Bachelor of Agriculture, she worked in the meat processing sector for two years before returning to her family’s seedstock business, where she now focuses on marketing, genetics, and on-farm projects. She has a strong interest in breeding and genetics, carcass quality, marketing, and extension activities and is a proud MLA Red Meat Ambassador.
Amelia Durham
Amelia Durham began her agricultural journey after high school, spending a year as a Jillaroo at Carlton Hill Station, owned by Consolidated Pastoral Company. In 2014, she moved to Geelong to study a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Agriculture at Marcus Oldham College. During her studies, she completed a placement year on a sheep and cattle property in Western Victoria. After graduating in 2017, she took the opportunity to become involved in her family’s farming business. Over the past seven years, she has taken on increasing responsibility, now managing the livestock operations. Passionate about the beef industry, she has focused on implementing new genetics into the family’s Angus herd, exploring both Australian and international bloodlines.
Charlie Wrigley
Charlie Wrigley is based in Condobolin, Central NSW, where he is actively involved in his family’s Angus seedstock, commercial cattle, and cropping business. His agricultural journey has been shaped by a range of experiences, including attending boarding school, working on a 2.4-million-hectare cattle station for two years, and completing a Bachelor of Business (Agriculture) at Marcus Oldham in Geelong. He is deeply passionate about agriculture and values the opportunities and connections he has gained within the industry. With a strong network of like-minded individuals, he looks forward to making the most of future opportunities in the sector.
Clemens Kiessig
Clemens Kiessig has always had a passion for farming, which led him to complete a Higher Ag Certificate after high school. He initially pursued a career in the dairy industry, working for 12 years on large-scale irrigated pasture farms. An opportunity later arose at Blackrock Angus, where he now serves as Stud Manager, working alongside Ken Macleay. He and his family live on the farm and are exploring options to purchase their own property and establish their own herd. An avid runner and swimmer, he is preparing to compete in his third Busselton Jetty Swim, which coincides with the farm’s Annual Bull Sale.
Emily Hurst
Emily is an agricultural entrepreneur, with a passion for storytelling, Australian beef, the rural community, and building a business that works around your life. These principals were sparked seeing the challenges and opportunities faced living and working on the family farm, Tickalara Angus: an 80-hear purebred herd in Southern NSW. These are also the standards that Emily’s company, Branded Ag Marketing was founded on, and that helped grow it into a successful business. With a focus on sustainability and adaptability, Emily is committed to building Tickalara Angus into a high value seedstock operation, aligning with both industry demands and personal values.
Harriet Laing
Harriet Laing is a third-year university student with a strong passion for genetics and recorded livestock. Growing up immersed in her family’s Sudeley Angus and sheep studs, she developed an early appreciation for pedigrees, conformation, and performance. Her experience on the farm has given her a deep respect for the dedication required in agriculture and the sacrifices made by farmers to preserve the land for future generations. She is eager to explore opportunities in the industry and values the insights gained through conversations with like-minded individuals.
Jake Stokman
Jake Stokman is from Rotorua, New Zealand, where he grew up surrounded by livestock, fostering a deep connection to farming. He attended Lincoln University, gaining valuable skills and knowledge in agriculture. Passionate about Angus cattle and the rural industry, he enjoys working with livestock and continues to expand his expertise. Outside of work, he enjoys fishing, boating, and hunting. He sees the GenAngus program as an opportunity to develop his communication and leadership skills, supporting his personal and professional growth in the agricultural sector.
Josh Robinson
Josh Robinson is a veterinarian based in Coolah, NSW, servicing both production and companion animals across a large geographic area. He enjoys the variety his role provides, particularly working with producer clients to achieve shared goals. Outside of work, he is actively involved in his rural community and enjoys participating in local sports, including the Coolah Roos rugby team.
Lee-Emma Norman
Lee-Emma Norman is a dedicated professional with a Bachelor of Animal Science, majoring in Livestock Science, and a strong passion for the red meat industry. Her academic and practical experiences have fostered a commitment to advancing animal welfare, sustainability, and product quality within the supply chain. She operates a paddock-to-plate Angus beef business, focusing on breeding, raising, and processing cattle with a strong commitment to quality and sustainability. Her research background includes a published paper on stocking density in intensive housing and its implications for beef cattle behavior, stress physiology, and liveweight, reflecting her ongoing interest in improving animal welfare and enhancing supply chain efficiencies.
Logan Sykes
Logan Sykes is the assistant manager at Mawarra Genetics, his family’s Angus and Hereford stud. With a Certificate IV in Agriculture, he has gained extensive hands-on experience through work in stud operations in Queensland and New Zealand. Passionate about animal husbandry and genetics, he has traveled to the UK and Ireland to inspect progeny of Mawarra sires and source new bloodlines. In 2024, he participated in a Scandinavian study tour, attended the Atria Beef Seminar, co-judged Herefords at Agromek, and visited farms across Finland, Denmark, and Norway. These experiences have broadened his understanding of European farming practices and cultivated new export opportunities.
Sam Reid
Sam Reid is the Farm Manager of Brolga, overseeing all aspects of the property, including livestock, infrastructure, genetics, and financial operations. Passionate about the beef industry, he brings broad experience in corporate asset management, equipment finance, logistics, and grain marketing. Having worked across WA, NSW, and Victoria in large agricultural operations, he has gained extensive knowledge in various agricultural sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Business (Agriculture) from Marcus Oldham and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance, alongside various industry qualifications.
Shaun Darmody
Shaun Darmody is a passionate advocate for the agriculture industry, currently working at Ardrossan Angus. He studied Agricultural Business Management at CSU Wagga Wagga, where he built valuable industry connections. He recently started a small commercial Angus herd in Holbrook, NSW, sharing his enthusiasm for cattle breeding with his family. He is also a proud husband to Holly and father to their young daughter, Adeline.
Thomas Febey
Thomas Febey has lived in Sheffield, Tasmania, his entire life and purchased his own farm five years ago. Along with his fiancée, Sheree, and their children, Wyatt and Lila, he runs Kanangra Cattle Co, a small seedstock operation specializing in Angus, Red Angus, and Limousin cattle. The family participates in the state’s show circuit to showcase their breeding program while expanding their business to sell high-end bulls and females. In addition to managing their farm, he has worked as a livestock agent for Elders for the past four years, helping clients market both stud and commercial cattle and sheep.
