Director and Senior Consultant

Current role

Amabel is a co-founder and senior partner in Rural Development Services (RDS).

Amabel is responsible for the following areas within RDS:

• NRM, social research and agri-food project leadership
• Company governance
• Business development

Amabel's interest is in understanding the people and organisational aspects of the rural sector, and in working with those people and organisations to foster sustainable industry development throughout regional Australia.

Amabel's commitment to sustainable agriculture is supported by her participation in a range of rural organisations including a member of the National Regional Women's Advisory Council. In 2007 she was Tasmanian Runner-Up in the RIRDC Rural Women’s award.

Experience

Amabel has been involved with sustainable land management since 1983 when she enrolled in an agricultural science degree at the University of Tasmania, graduating in 1987 with a major in animal production and receiving First Class Honours for her thesis on the genetics of footrot in sheep. Over the last 20 years, she had held a diverse range of positions all focused on sustainable agriculture including rural reporter, horticulturalist, Lecturer in Agricultural Extension and rural sociologist. In 1999, Amabel established Rural Development Services with her husband David with a vision of "enhancing the capacity of people and organisations in rural Australia".

Key Skills

Amabel’s key skills lie in the areas of:

• Rural project management
• Facilitation and capacity building
• Industry development
• Applied rural social research