General manager of the Bega Valley Shire Council Leanne Barnes has been nominated for The TransGrid Leadership Award for her leadership during the Tathra bushfire disaster.
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Ms Barnes took on a prominent leadership role throughout the initial disaster and the recovery phase of the Tathra bushfires earlier this year.
“She coordinated all the emergency services and agencies, supporting them in any way the council was able.
“She was always visible and kept a calm countenance through very trying and emotionally concerning times and was empathic to all effected by the disaster but was able to meet with politicians and advocate for better outcomes for our community,” a council spokeswoman said.
Her nomination also exemplified the community’s long term benefit from her leadership.
The purpose of the NSW and ACT Regional Achievement and Community Awards is to encourage, acknowledge and reward the valuable contributions individuals, communities and businesses are making throughout regional and rural NSW and the ACT.
Tenacity, dedication, selflessness and leadership are the key qualities of those amazing individuals who are the driving force in their community.
“I am very honoured that I have been nominated, but really it is an organisational response and it has been all of our council working with the community to reach a new normal of the recovery,” Ms Barnes said.
Ms Barnes has experience working with emergency services, her can-do attitude and calm approach was an asset to the recovery team.
“I couldn’t have done what I had done without the support from such an amazing group of people as well,” she said.
The awards will take place in November this year and nominations remain open until August, 16.