Alana Johnson

Alana's life-long commitment to gender equality is reflected in her extensive personal, business and organisational commitments.

A pioneer of the Rural Women’s Movement in Australia, she was instrumental in establishing the Victorian Rural Women’s Network in the 1980s and its current iteration. She was also a founding member of the peak national advocacy body, Australian Women in Agriculture in 1993.

Alana is the former President of the Foundation for Australian Agricultural Women, and has long served on Government Advisory Councils and Boards, maintaining a focus on gender representation, sustainable agriculture and rural development. She is also the founder and past President of the acclaimed democracy project, Voices for Indi.

Alana’s advocacy for women in agriculture and rural life saw her named in the inaugural 100 Women of Influence in Australia in 2012 and the inaugural 100 Women in Australian Agribusiness in 2014. In 2010, Alana received the Victorian Rural Women’s Award and was national runner-up.

In 2016, her sustained advocacy for gender equality saw Alana appointed as the Chair of the Victorian Women’s Trust, an independent advocate for women and girls and one of the oldest women’s funds in the world. In 2017, she was appointed to the newly established Victorian Ministerial Council for Women’s Equality.

A renowned public speaker and facilitator, Alana has represented rural Australia on ABC’s Q&A, presented at forums across the globe, and has lectured on rural development and agricultural issues.

Alana has Social Work qualifications, is a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is completing a PhD at Monash University on the future of Australian agriculture. She is currently collaborating with Museum Victoria and the University of Melbourne on the Invisible Farmer Project, the largest ever study of women on the land.