Sandalwood’s Megan Krause awarded TRAIL: Emerging Leaders Program Industry Scholarship

Each year, ALFA, in conjunction with MLA, sponsor two feedlot industry professionals to attend the Training Rural Australians In Leadership (TRAIL) Program, valued at over $10,450 per person.

Held in March of 2024, the TRAIL Program is a cross-sector, challenge-based leadership program set in the mountains outside Canberra designed for Australia’s future emerging rural leaders.

This week Megan Krause, Sandalwood's Assistant Livestock Manager, has been awarded one of the two scholarships on offer through ALFA & MLA.

The second scholarship is offered to the winner of the ALFA Young Lot Feeder of the Year Award, proudly sponsored by Performance Feeds. The winner is due to be announced at ALFA's SmartBeef23 event in Tamworth on October 11, 2023.

Megan's deserving award is a testament to her unwavering commitment to leadership and her exceptional contributions to her workplace and the industry.

Megan's journey towards this achievement began with her determination to seek new challenges and her work towards continual improvement of her leadership.

Her active investment in her growth as a leader has seen Megan participate in leadership training programs such as ALFA’s Managing People and Margins Program (MPM) and the Ignite Leadership program delivered by Women of Lot Feeding.

In participating in the TRAIL program, Megan said it would give her “the opportunity to identify and work on my own strengths and weaknesses to help to shape a healthy, rewarding and efficient team”.

Megan's vision for her leadership journey extends beyond the workplace. “This program will also be of significant benefit outside of work, in challenging me to try new things and become more involved in the wider community,” she said.

“As a generally introverted person with a leadership style based around compassion and respect, TRAIL will help me adjust and add to my skillset and learn new things about myself as a leader”.

Megan completed ALFA's MPM Program in 2020.

For Megan, leadership isn't just about personal growth; it's about empowering her team members and equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to excel at work. She hopes to use the TRAIL program to gain knowledge and skills that she can pass on to those she works with, while also bettering and challenging herself.

Clearly demonstrating her dedication, leadership knowledge, and vision for the future of lot feeding, ALFA and MLA are proud to sponsor Megan to participate in the TRAIL: Emerging Leaders Program.

Stay tuned to hear about her experience on the program when we provide an update in March 2024.

Trail Emerging Leaders Program - March 2024

Training Rural Australians In Leadership (TRAIL) scholarship recipient Megan Krause is still reminiscing about her time in the program which wrapped up in March this year.

A livestock manager at Sandalwood Feedlot near Irvingdale, Queensland, Megan said TRAIL would give her "the opportunity to identify and work on my own strengths and weaknesses to help to shape a healthy, rewarding and efficient team".

"As a generally introverted person with a leadership style based around compassion and respect, TRAIL will help me adjust and add to my skill set and learn new things about myself as a leader," Megan said.

Megan's active investment in her growth as a leader has seen her participate in leadership training programs such as ALFA's Managing People and Margins Program (MPM) and the Ignite Leadership program delivered by Women of Lot Feeding.

Megan said her journey toward achieving the scholarship began with her determination to seek new challenges and her work towards continual improvement of her leadership.

"Initially, I was shocked but also felt so honoured," Megan said of receiving the scholarship. "I was so excited for the opportunity and a little apprehensive of the unknown/types of challenges we would face on the program.

Megan said her biggest takeaway from the course was learning to push through her comfort zone.

"Getting honest feedback and support from my peers has helped me appreciate myself more as a leader. It's helped me to find the grit to back myself and how I choose to lead, teach, support and inspire others."

Megan said she plans to keep applying this throughout her day-to-day life, while also learning to prioritise her health and wellbeing.

"By continuing to lead by example from within my team I hope to pass on the courage and awareness to understand your place and potential, no matter where you are."

Having completed ALFA's Managing People and Margins Program (MPM) and the Ignite Leadership program delivered by Women of Lot Feeding, Megan encouraged others in the industry to "take the leap" and apply for future courses.

"To stretch yourself to the edge of a comfort zone and return with new experiences, skills and awareness is such an amazing opportunity. The growth you get becomes transferable to any area in life and the connections you will make with people is something that I don't think could be replicated in many other programs.

Thanking ALFA and MLA for the continued opportunity to grow her career within the beef industry, Megan also expressed a sincere gratitude to her family, friends, colleagues and TRAIL cohort for their unwavering support.

"And thank you to the amazing group of people from my cohort that I now call family, they are one of the greatest resources and support systems to have."

ALFA, in conjunction with MLA, sponsors feedlot industry professionals to attend the Training Rural Australians In Leadership (TRAIL) Program each year. Apply for the 2025 TRAIL Scholarship - find out more below. Applications close August 31.

TRAIL Scholarship