The Leith Boully Award
The Leith Boully Award recognises a Fellow who has graduated from the Leadership Program in the past year, and who, throughout their Leadership Program and in the time since their graduation, has upheld the Peter Cullen Trust’s principles, stepped up to the challenge of driving change, and exemplified the practical and fierce leadership example set by Leith Boully.
About the Award
Leith needs little introduction to the Trust community, having designed and delivered the Trust’s renowned leadership programs between 2010 and 2022, and fulfilling numerous leadership roles across water, agriculture and natural resource management.
Key criteria we look for are:
- Commitment to purpose – the ‘stand for something’ criteria
- Willingness to challenge – the ‘raise the bar’ criteria
- Courage and grit – the ‘outside the comfort zone’ criteria
- Bridging science and policy – the ‘clear communicator’ criteria
- Speaking truth to power – the ‘fierce advocate’ criteria
- Work in service of our sector and the Australian community– the ‘for the greater good’ criteria
While the Award acknowledges the work and impact of the recipient so far, it is – importantly – a vote of confidence in what lies ahead for them.
The 2025 Leith Boully Award
The recipient of the 2025 Leith Boully Award is Brooke Kennedy.
As her program cohort has said “Brooke is truly a trailblazer, and not one to step away from a challenge. She is humble and unassuming, but when you scrape a little further below the surface, you realise she has incredible strength and commitment to purpose.”
In presenting the Award, Dr Bek Christensen read the following citation:
Brooke is a proud Gomeroi yinarr (Kamilaroi Woman). She is the first person in her family to attend university and is now a lecturer in Anthrozoology and Indigenous Knowledge at the University of New England (UNE).
She carries on the legacy and tradition of the female leaders in her family, including her Nan who she acknowledges as a key role model, and who was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for her decades of community service.
Brooke acts as a mentor and support to Aboriginal students at the university, and those who are pre-entry, and is an advisor on Aboriginal issues to UNE’s senior leaders. Her impact extends across the University, where Brooke developed an Australian Aboriginal Sustainability Systems unit that integrates Indigenous Knowledge and Western science and has been adopted as a core subject in the Environmental Science degree. This is just one thing that shows her willingness to challenge and raise the bar.
Brooke has also shown her courage and grit, standing up for what is right, speaking truth to power and amplifying the voices of others who might not be heard. At all times she is someone who holds the bar high for herself and others and takes action accordingly – a truly Leith trait if ever there was one.
Brooke carries the quiet power of someone who has faced storms and yet still chooses to show kindness and do good. She embodies quiet strength and works in service of those around her with open eyes and an open heart. With good humour and deep compassion, Brooke has shown what it is to be a leader for the benefit of all. We hope the Leith Boully Award gives her fuel in the tank to continue on this journey.
We congratulate Brooke on this Award which recognises her courage, authenticity and tenacity. It is a vote of confidence in her continuing capacity to drive change and stay the course.
