Organised by the Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) and sponsored by Fonterra, the prize is the $25,000 year-long Women in Leadership course run by Global Women. The six finalists are Synlait Farms chief executive Juliet MacLean of Rakaia, BEL Group business manager Justine Kidd of Waipukurau, VetSouth vet Kath Taylor of Winton, AgITO key account manager and farmer Kathryn Van den Beuken of Rakaia, famer Leonie Guiney of Fairlie and MyFarm farm supervisor Canterbury Sarah Watson of West Melton.
The finalists will be interviewed in February by a panel of five judges; DWN trust board chair Michelle Wilson, Yvonne McLean of Global Women, Fonterra Nutrition managing director Sarah Kennedy, Mark Paine of DairyNZ and last year’s award winner Barbara Kuriger.
Wilson said the calibre of the entries was “exceptionally high”.
“The judging panel will again have a difficult job deciding the winner.”
The winner will be announced at the DWN conference in Nelson on March 20 and 21 which has the theme ‘Taking down the boundary fences’. A panel discussion on the first day is on leadership – how to find inspiration and overcome obstacles. The panellists are Kuriger, self-employed consultant Hinerangi Edwards, Westland Milk Products deputy chair Raelyn Lourie (Dairy Exporter, February, page 28) and DWN past chair Robyn Clements.
Participants will have eight workshops to choose from including interpreting cow behaviour, cow nutrition and how to promote the dairy industry.
Registrations can still be made at www.dwn.co.nz or at the conference.
