Leonie Boothby has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer by the Board of Regional Development Australia Barossa Gawler Light Adelaide Plains from 2023.
Boothby has 25 years of senior management experience. Her consultancy firm provides strategic planning, economic development, community engagement and project delivery services. Her former roles include Manager of Strategic Projects at The Barossa Council and former Economic Development Manager at RDA BGLAP.
“The Board welcomes Leonie to the role and looks forward to putting her significant strategic and economic development experience to good use for the region” says RDA BGLAP Chair Rolf Binder.
Current CEO Anne Moroney said Boothby’s expertise gives her a head start in the role.
“Leonie will be a terrific RDA CEO. Her financial skills, private sector and government experience, and her recent consultancy work dealing with a range of regional economic issues means her background feeds beautifully into the role,” said Moroney.
Boothby says her relationship with Regional Development Australia started a decade ago.
“When I moved here over a decade ago, my first job here was working with RDA – a start in the region that I am eternally grateful for. Working with Anne allowed me to create strong relationships in the region and provided a great foundation for the work I’ve done since. I’ve worked with both Regional Development SA and individual RDAs across the state and am really looking forward to continuing those relationships with key focus on the BGLAP region.” said Boothby.
“I’m passionate about regional SA. I want to reduce the city/country divide and maximise the economic output and social health of regional communities. There is significant opportunity for the growth of existing businesses in the region and economic investment that creates new jobs,” said Boothby. “The biggest challenge is filling existing jobs and creating a pipeline of workers moving forward. We need more housing options for workers, families, people with a disability and for those who are ageing. Land use planning that supports sustainable growth and access to sustainable water supply, are also key priorities. I’m looking forward to working with the RDA Board and staff, regional businesses, government, the broader RDA network and other key organisations to tackle these challenges moving forward,” said Boothby.
Boothby says that Moroney’s 15 year tenure as CEO will be a tough act to follow.
“I can’t imagine how hard it is for Anne to hand the baton of RDA BGLAP over to someone else – Anne’s energy, regional knowledge, networks, experience and insight is hard to rival. Anne’s legacy in the region is everywhere and her stylish shoes will be very hard to fill,” said Boothby.
About Regional Development Australia Barossa Gawler Light Adelaide Plains
RDA BGLAP is a non-government organisation led by a regional industry board to address local challenges & identify economic opportunities. It works with local, state and federal government, business, industry and local communities to offer local knowledge, transformative projects, assistance and referrals. It’s a part of a network of RDA organisations across Australia.
Media Contact: Nathan Little
RDA BGLAP Communications & Digital Assets Manager
Email nathan@barossa.org.au or phone 0481 266 499
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