The Orana Board of Regional Development Australia (RDA) welcomed a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) earlier this month and it is a name that will be familiar to many people across the western plains.

Justine Campbell took up the role on 6 November and says she feels the role “feels like a great fit.”

“I’m really excited to be here and investing into this role and especially back in this region,” she said.

“There’s so much going on at the moment, including $20 billion in project output and $400million in building approvals, 13,500 businesses across the twelve local government areas,” she said. “It’s very impressive.”

RDA Orana is one of fifty three federal government funded agencies tasked with supporting economic development and growth in the regions.

“We are funded by the federal government but we are not a government agency, we are a not for profit entity,” said Justine.

“There is a great team in place. It’s a small team of skilled people and they’re happy to support where needed. I’m also looking to build on the contract team to broaden our regional services”.

A board of six, chaired by Brad Cam of Mudgee, oversees the direction of the organisation.

Justine grew up on the Campbell family property west of Baradine but has lived and worked in at least six of the shires she will now support in her new role.

While in Bourke in the 1980’s she kicked off a thriving a café, 'The Gum Blossom Tea Rooms'. At the same time she continued her original trade as a seamstress, making wedding dresses and special order clothing, a business she carried with her to Brewarrina and Gilgandra.

It wasn’t until she moved to Coonamble and took up a position to establish the Coonamble Internet Centre in 1997, that she began to work for government and community organisations.

“ I also started a bookkeeping business, and started doing the books for Outback Arts,” said Justine.“Then I went over to work for TAFE where I taught business administration and IT.”

“I had a set of laptops and I’d travel out to places like Pilliga, Baradine, Gulargambone and Quambone to deliver training.”

Justine co-founded Moorambilla Voices with former local Michelle Leonard in 2006 and has been Chairperson of the Moorambilla Voices Board for the past five years.

In 2008 Justine moved to Western Australia, where she amassed experience in metro and remote areas with government and Indigenous communities.

Her roles there saw her engaging with professionals and communities to design and develop major precincts and cultural, training and tourism infrastructure and services.

She emerged as a place-making enthusiast who likes to build projects from the ‘ground-up’ by bringing key people and groups together.

Even when she returned to Baradine in 2017 she continued doing contract work with the WA Museum and in 2019 again went west.

In she moved to Dubbo and helped a friend establish a real estate business, before returning to her consulting work.

Now, with her full-time appointment as RDA Orana CEO back in her home region, she says one of her first tasks will be undertaking a regional tour so she can hear first-hand from locals about what is important to each area, and where RDA Orana can assist.

“I want to get out into the communities and see where we can be of greatest value,” she said “ I need to talk to communities so I can fully understand the opportunities in each area. I’m really looking forward to the regional visits.”

Mr Cam said the RDA Orana Board was delighted to welcome Ms Campbell as the new CEO. 

“Ms Campbell’s leadership skills, strategic insights, and deep industry knowledge made her the ideal choice to lead RDA Orana. We have great confidence in her ability to steer the organisation towards even greater achievements in the future,” he said.

“She is recognised for being a strategic, creative thinker and problem solver, who specialises in creating opportunities and delivering projects with a place-based, people-centred approach, for sustainable community and economic development.”