{"id":10285,"date":"2025-12-15T04:10:56","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T04:10:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/?p=10285"},"modified":"2025-12-18T05:31:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T05:31:55","slug":"emerging-leader-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/emerging-leader-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Our 2025-26 \u2018Emerging Leader\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"[mk_page_section bg_image=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/treetops-homepage.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” enable_3d=”true” min_height=”500″ js_vertical_centered=”true” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” section_id=”donate” el_class=”donate-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”70px”][mk_fancy_title font_family=”none” align=”center”]EMERGING LEADER 2026[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”67″][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789112768{padding-right: 36px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_left”][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”15″ visibility=”visible-sm”][mk_padding_divider visibility=”visible-tl”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” el_class=”terrain-title-2″]SUPPORTING FUTURE LEADERS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”60″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″ visibility=”visible-nb”][vc_column_text el_class=”sub-head” css=”.vc_custom_1765772057819{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]December 2025[\/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699845516005{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1765772765005{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Introducing our 2025-26 Emerging Leader…<\/strong><\/p>\n

A love for the Wet Tropics region and its sustainable future has led Thomas Herridge into a wide variety of roles – from a tradie to a tutor and Federal politician\u2019s office manager. The latest is the 2025-26 \u2018Emerging Leader\u2019 on the Terrain NRM Board.<\/p>\n

Thomas says the chance to step into a boardroom role is exciting.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe average age of board directors in Australia is 61. It\u2019s not common to be given an early career opportunity like this, to help lead an organisation.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s the seventh Far Northerner to take advantage of Terrain NRM\u2019s annual Emerging Leader mentoring program, designed to help future leaders on their career paths and to bring fresh perspectives to natural resource management leadership.<\/p>\n

Thomas is currently working as an advisor for the National Indigenous Australians Agency, collaborating with Indigenous organisations and stakeholders across the region to support community-led initiatives.\u00a0 He grew up in Machan\u2019s Beach on Cairns\u2019s northern beaches.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got a deep love for that community, and for the whole Wet Tropics community. The Emerald Creek, Davies Creek and Freshwater Creek areas are favourite spots and working across a range of industries has given me a broad perspective on a sustainable Wet Tropics region with industries being profitable alongside healthy waterways and improved land for future generations.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789122720{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 34px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_right”][mk_padding_divider size=”206″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”50″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1765772483674{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\"\"[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1700534677201{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1766035912000{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]The Reef Champion awards, run by Queensland Farmers\u2019 Federation with support from Prince\u2019s Trust Australia, Australian and Queensland governments, recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations working to improve the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef.<\/p>\n

Terrain NRM Board Chair Barry Hunter says diversity is the key to strong leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen how encouraging diversity leads to better decision-making and to innovation and growth. This program is one example of this. We have a skills-based board and in the last six years we\u2019ve welcomed emerging leaders from environment, agriculture, tourism, economic and sustainability sectors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Emerging Leader program has now been adopted by several other organisations and the concept is currently being explored by others. It\u2019s a win-win \u2013 we learn from our emerging leaders as they learn from us.\u201d<\/p>\n

More about our Emerging Leader program<\/strong><\/span><\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section el_class=”grean-btn-sec” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”47″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_button dimension=”outline” url=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/indigenous-students-grants-2025\/” align=”right” el_class=”green-btn” outline_skin=”custom” outline_active_color=”#175137″ outline_active_text_color=”#ffffff” outline_hover_bg_color=”#175137″ outline_hover_color=”#ffffff”]Read More[\/mk_button][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1-blog” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”105″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” align=”right” el_class=”terrain-title”]RELATED NEWS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row fullwidth=”true” fullwidth_content=”false” id=”post_grid_filter_1″][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”grid_greate_3″ css=”.vc_custom_1651022120669{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\n

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We welcome Thomas Herridge as our new Emerging Leader.<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead More<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>
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