DLG Success Stories
This panel discussion was facilitated by Dr Langdon, an award-winning corporate trainer, certified executive coach and Adjunct Professor at Curtin University. She specialises in transformative leadership, communication and culture. Dr Langdon has held management roles in State and Federal government and is an experienced Senior Lecturer in Communications. She works with national and international clients, including executive and emerging leaders from business, education, government and not-for-profit sectors.
- Robert Cossart has been CEO of the Wheatbelt Development Commission since 2020 and, before his appointment, spent more than a decade in the Kimberley where he was respected for his ability to form relationships with community, government and business leaders and bring stakeholders together. In January 2023, Rob was appointed as the State Recovery Coordinator to lead the State Government’s recovery and reconstruction taskforce in response to widespread destruction caused by flooding from ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie in the Kimberley region. In April 2024, Rob was appointed as Chair of the Dry Season Ministerial Taskforce to ensure a coordinated approach across government and industry to support farm businesses and rural communities manage through record dry conditions across large parts of the southern half of Western Australia. Rob was also the District Recovery Coordinator for the Shackleton Complex and Narrogin East Bushfires, which burned through the Wheatbelt in February 2022.
- Paul Bridge, Director of Education Kimberley, is a Kija man from Halls Creek in Western Australia’s Kimberley region who has dedicated his career to Indigenous education. Paul has held leadership and principal positions across the Kimberley Education Region. As an Aboriginal educator of immense experience, he is aware of the critical challenges facing Indigenous students in public schools and in rural and remote community schools. Paul has been involved in projects liaising with Aboriginal communities, government agencies, universities and community bodies. Paul is also a ministerially appointed member of the Rural and Remote Education Advisory Council and a previous Senior Vice President of the State School Teacher’s Union of WA and has held the role of Advisor, Cultural Responsiveness and Aboriginal Perspectives. Paul is currently the Director of Education in the Kimberley.
- Brett Hill, a Noongar man from Pingelly with connections to the Whadjuk, Ballardong, Wilman, Bindjareb, and Wardandi nations, retired after a 43-year career in the Australian Public Service, working in various departments across multiple States. He is on the board of Nidjalla Waangan Mia Health Services Aboriginal Corporation, Wardandi Miya-k Kaadadjiny Aboriginal Corporation and Winjan Aboriginal Corporation. Brett also serves on the board of Mandurah Community Financial Services Limited and Halls Head branch of Bendigo Bank. Brett conducts cultural awareness workshops in schools within the Bindjareb and Wardandi region. Additionally, he has completed the Company Directors Course with the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Brett became Chair of the Bindjareb District Leadership Group in October 2024.
