Our Board Members
Judy Hargrave | Chair
B.Ec (Accounting); LLB
Judy retired back to Melbourne in 2018 after practising law as a corporate counsel for multinationals for over 30 years in Australia, Hong Kong, and Latin America.
Since returning to Australia Judy has worked with a few Not For Profit Organisations in different capacities from hands-on operational activities, to mentoring, to Board membership. She is also on the Board of another social enterprise, For Change Co Ltd, which provides pathways out of homelessness for youth.
Judy lives in Victoria, is married with two twenty-something sons and an eight-year-old GAP greyhound. She is passionate about helping everyone to live a healthy and rewarding life. Judy also runs a bookclub, enjoys cooking, and keeping physically and mentally fit through tennis, walking, pilates, and swimming.
Ginny Stevens
BAgSci
Cert III & IV Fitness
Founder, Active Farmers
Ginny grew up on a farm in Tasmania and has always been passionate about agriculture and keeping active. She combined these two loves when she founded Active Farmers in 2015.
Ginny jillarooed on a NT cattle station for a year before starting university.
After 7 years in agribusiness banking in southern NSW, Ginny decided to devote her energies full-time to expanding the Active Farmers network and services. She and husband Andy operate a mixed farming business at Mangoplah and spend every spare minute with twins born in July 2017.
Neil Brown
Bachelor of Economics, Diploma of Accounting, Certified Practising Accountant, Diploma of Financial Planning, Diploma of Finance Broking
Neil is a CPA and Director of Gardner Brown Accountants for the past 8 years, specialising in business accounting services. Neil grew up on a mixed farm between Tarcua and Borambola and has more than 20 years of experience in Banking and Financial Services.
Neil began his career with Macquarie Bank in the Funds Management Group, before moving to the Royal Bank Of Canada on Securities Lending and FX trading desk in Sydney. Neil and his wife spent 18 months working in Toronto on the stock lending desk with RBC. Neil, together with his wife and two boys live at Wagga Wagga. In his spare time he enjoys participating in sports, skiing and travelling with his family.
Joe Briggs
Joe is a mixed irrigation farmer from Coleambally, NSW. He is a member of the Southern Valley Cotton Association, President of the Coleambally Community Gym, member of Apex, and committee member for the Coleambally Demonstration Farm.
He is a prominent supporter of Active Farmers who has participated in the inaugural 'Ride For Resilience' as well as instigated the Coleambally Active Farmers community and the successful running of the Coleambally Active Games held annually in March.
When not farming, Joe enjoys flying and travelling.
David Heffernan
President, NSW Branch- Pharmacy Guild of Australia
David M. Heffernan is a proprietor with Culburra Pharmacy and has dedicated the last fifteen years to the Pharmaceutical field. At the Culburra Pharmacy, David tends to all pharmaceutical needs and takes on governance roles within the New South Wales community. He obtained his Bachelors of Pharmacy, majoring in Community Health.
David is currently President, NSW Branch- Pharmacy Guild of Australia. He has previously been Chair of the Charles Sturt University Pharmacy Foundation, New South Wales Branch Committee member of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Rural Pharmacy and Small Business Advocate. He is passionate about community and public policy, and has a genuine desire to uphold social services. He believes in creating relations within the community to improve the rural area of Australia and generate positive outcomes overall. His plans for the future include increasing political engagements within Australian pharmaceuticals, and playing a larger role advocating for public education.
Anna Hawkins
Anna grew up on a farm on the South Australian-Victorian border and now lives on a property at Willaura, in the Western District of Victoria with her husband.
Anna has dedicated her career to Events, Advertising, Media & Communications and Marketing working with a diverse range of brands including AWB, BASF, Dulux, Cabot’s, Ansell, Australian Consolidated Milk & Ego Pharmaceuticals. With a passion for regional communities Anna worked within the Federal Parliament as Media & Communications Adviser for Tony Pasin MP gaining a strong understanding around the processes and inner workings of how the levels of Government work.
Since moving to Willaura, Anna is now the Tourism Marketing Manager for Northern Grampians Shire Council, developing a place brand to promote the region.
Anna is an advocate for services that bring people together and give them the opportunity to connect with their community. This is why Anna is a strong support of Active Farmers.
Outside of the office, Anna loves keeping fit, cooking delicious nutritious meals, spending time with loved ones and volunteering in her local community.
Jeremy Hutchings
With a life long passion for the agriculture industry, Jeremy has extensive experience as a leading company strategist and business coach to the role of Farm Owners Academy Managing Director.
Jeremy grew up on a highly productive mixed farming enterprise at Yerong Creek, NSW; studied Agricultural Science, Economics and Trade, and has a professional career in farm and agribusiness consulting. He now lives with his wife Jane and four children on a farm near Cootamundra, NSW. Jeremy has well-established business acumen and an extensive background in strategy, growth, team-operational and financial-performance structures.
Active Farmers Team!
Mark Slater
CEO
Mark joins Active Farmers with an impressive track record in the not-for-profit industry. With a strong background in marketing and fundraising, he has held senior roles at esteemed organizations such as the Australian Red Cross, St John Ambulance, YWCA NSW, Anytime Fitness Foundation, Legacy, and the Invictus Games. Over the past six years, Mark has excelled in executive leadership positions at the Animal Welfare League NSW and the Odonata Foundation, where he focused on building cohesive teams, adhering to budgets, and implementing effective strategies.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Mark maintains an active lifestyle. He competes in XC mountain biking, trains in Jui-jitsu, and actively coaches football. Mark's passion for health and fitness aligns perfectly with Active Farmers' mission of promoting the healthy body, healthy mind approach to life.
With Mark's visionary leadership, expertise, and commitment to rural communities, Active Farmers is poised to enter an exciting chapter of growth and expanded impact. The organisation looks forward to working closely with Mark as they continue to empower individuals, strengthen communities, and promote well-being in the rural areas they serve.
Ali Lane
Office and Partnerships Manager
Ali has recently joined the Active Farmers team and is based east of Young NSW. Originally hailing from Hay in western NSW, Ali has a degree in Sports Management with more than 10 years experience specialising in communications and management in the horse racing industries.
She has a passion for people and rural Australia.
Marliese Heffernan
Joining the Active Farmers Network initially as an Active Farmers trainer @Euongilly & Illabo in 2018 combined two of Marliese’s greatest passions - fitness and providing a positive avenue for people to manage and improve their mental health. With a degree in Social Science, Marliese has worked in the Human Services/Welfare field for the past 15 years, concluding mid-2019.
Marliese lives on her her husband's family property just outside Junee and has three boys Arthur, Leo and Reuben and has taken on the role as Trainer Manager from 2021 onwards.
Marliese has taken maternity leave until September 2022 to enjoy time with her young family, and Heffernan #4.
Boyd Rae
Active Farmers Trainer Manager Western Australia
Boyd joined Active Farmers as trainer @ Borden in 2019, and has since grown his training territory to include 5 other communities in the Greater Southern region of WA. Boyd is instrumental in growing Active Farmers in WA, and is a wonderful mentor for any trainer considering joining Active Farmers in WA.
Claire Harrison
Active Farmers Trainer Manager - Eastern Australia
Claire joined Active Farmers as a trainer @ Bridgewater on Loddon in Victoria in 2018. Claire loves how Active Farmers sessions bring people from all walks of life together and the sense of community that comes from a bit of sweat! She is passionate about expanding Active Farmers to the Eastern states, and is a wonderful addition to the team.
Haylee Redfern
Active Farmers Trainer Mentor NSW
Haylee originally joined Active Farmers in 2018 as the trainer to the small Cabonne Community of Eugowra - & still remains so today! She is passionate about advocating Active Farmers further to remote communities in Western NSW. Everyone deserves access to Health, Fitness & Wellbeing resources and she looks forward to reaching a broader community to provide these opportunities.
Kim Broomby
Active Farmers Trainer Mentor NSW
Kim has been a Fitness Instructor for over 25 years in her local community of Quandialla. Her childhood was spent being constantly active, whether it be playing or training in a team sport or buzzing around the farm with my siblings and friends. Having 5 children of her own she understands the importance of keeping fit and healthy and leading by example. Being able to offer Group Fitness Classes in our remote, rural area was extremely important to Kim. Staying physically active and being part of a group was incredibly valuable to her community’s well-being.
Joining Active Farmers in 2016 gave Kim the opportunity to join a wider community of like-minded people. Sharing our commitment to rural Australians physical, emotional and mental health has been truly amazing.
Connections to trainers and clients from all over Australia has been so satisfying. As she steps into the role as a Mentor for Active Farmers Trainers, Kim is excited to assist others be part of Active Farmers, and to spread the amazing work our not for profit health promotion charity does throughout these rural communities.
Sardie Edgar
Active Farmers Trainer Mentor VIC
Sardie is excited to be able to bring some fitness sessions to the Waldo Vale and Pigeon Ponds communities under the Active Farmers network! She is passionate about health and fitness, and exercise has always been a big part of her life. She especially loves triathlons, running and yoga.
Sardie is also passionate about helping others to be healthy and happy, and has been involved in many community projects over the years, with the majority being focused on health and well being.
She grew up on a farm in Tasmania, and married a farmer from Nareen over ten years ago, and has two children George and Poppy.
She understands how important exercise is, and the many benefits it has on not only the body, but also the mind.