Karen Walsh, while currently acting CEO, her day-to-day job is leading Landcare Australia’s stakeholder engagement activity with government relations, engagement with the landcare community, and support for the First Nations Landcare Working Group.
Previously, Karen worked as a consultant for a boutique consultancy firm, as a Senior Engagement Lead, where she provided advice on commercial and procurement business activities to the Australian Government.
Karen graduated with a double degree at the University of Canberra with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a Bachelor of Commerce, leading to her working for over 15 years with the Australian Government. Karen worked more than 10 years with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry where she spent almost four years as the Director of the Sustainable Agriculture Programs Team, managing the Australian Government’s $250M Agriculture commitment under the Natural Heritage Trust Account.
Throughout her career, Karen has held a variety of roles within the agriculture portfolio. She served as the Director of the Farm Household Allowance and a Director establishing the Regional Investment Corporation. Karen also led the establishment of the first Concessional Loans scheme for Australian Primary Producers, supported taxation concessions and the assistance package for Australian farmers, resulting from the suspension of the live cattle trade to Indonesia.
Karen’s love of the land and sustainability comes from having grown up on the land on the family farm in Taralga, NSW.
