Engagement for disaster response and recovery with Anne Leadbeater OAM

Anne Leadbeater OAM, Director and Principal of the Leadbeater Group joined Elisabeth Ellis, Professional Development Manager, IAP2 Australasia to discuss engagement tips for disaster response and recovery.

Anne has 25 years' experience in community and economic development through her roles in local and state Government, emergency management and adult education. Anne worked on behalf of the Murrindindi Shire Council to coordinate recover efforts for the Kinglake Ranges following the 2009 Victorian Bushfires and has also worked with disaster-impacted communities in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and New Zealand.

Anne’s extensive experience includes facilitation of state-wide consultation sessions with staff and stakeholders for the development of the Victorian Department of Land, Water and Planning Customer Charter, and design and delivery of a national tour of masterclasses on disaster recovery for the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Australasia. 

From these workshops, the Guide to Engaging in Disaster Recovery was developed by an IAP2 Australasia working group, led by Anne.

Anne has worked in economic development as the Strategic Project Manager for Murrindindi Shire Council’s Advancing Country Towns project. In 2018, she was lead writer on the development of Handbook 12 – Communities Responding to Disasters (Planning for Spontaneous Volunteers) and a review of Handbook 2 – Community Recovery for the Australian Institute of Disaster Resilience.

Anne specialises in working with large and small groups on strategic planning, policy development, disaster recovery and managing outrage. Anne holds a masters’ degree in Social Science and has authored published papers on drought policy, communicating in emergencies, and the role of community leadership in disaster recovery. She is a specialist facilitator with the National Centre for Emergency Management Studies, and was a Core Values Awards judge for IAP2 Australasia in 2017 and 2019.