Georgie Somerset - well credentialled rural director

Georgie Somerset is a beef producer with a wide range of experiences and skills including communication, marketing and strategic planning. Actively involved in a family owned beef property in southern Queensland and the mother of three pre-teenage children, Georgie currently sits on the National Rural Advisory Council (NRAC), and the Queensland State Planning Group for the State and Australian Government funded FarmBis program.

Previous board experience includes the second Queensland Women’s Consultative Council in 1995-96, the Queensland Rural Women’s Network executive committee for over 10 years from 1994, in roles including vice president and state media coordinator, and advisory positions with the National Council of Women of Australia in Queensland and Australian Women in Agriculture.

Georgie’s background includes establishing and operating her family’s outback farm stay in the late 1980s, establishing a marketing and PR company, Rural Tourism Australia, in 1988, the management of a branded beef alliance, Durong Country Beef for over six years to 2004 and various roles in rural and regional economic development.

Georgie has completed the AICD Company Director Course and believes in lifelong learning and education, and staying in touch through media and the internet. For her, Women on Boards is a network that keeps her in touch with a largely invisible group of fellow directors, and keeps her informed of opportunities.

Living in a remote rural community, Georgie balances board commitments with work on the proprieties, and volunteer work in the community, including commitments to the local small school with grant writing and mentoring a student council, and the Burrandowan Picnic Race Club – an iconic picnic race day in southern Queensland.

The current drought increases her commitments both at home and at work, as she is heavily involved in assessing regions across Australia as to their eligibility for Government support. She recently balanced this workload with a three week trip to Europe including 10 days cycling Provence with a girlfriend – and Georgie highly recommends not being in touch with business and home to give you a renewed passion for your work.

Her particular focus is on strategic planning, developing relationships within organisations and encouraging individuals to reach their full potential.

Georgie can contacted at: myyon@bigpond.com