Donna Rygate is an experienced independent chair/director, business leader and skilled problem solver. In addition to holding various board, panel and committee chair and/or member roles, and doing some consultancy, she loves working on the farming and grazing property she co-owns in Central Western NSW. Donna worked in executive, policy, communications, governance, corporate and operational roles in and around the public sector for more than 35 years. From 2014 to 2018 Donna was Chief Executive of Local Government NSW, the peak industry association that represented the interests all NSW general purpose councils and other related organisations. Before that she was Chief Executive of the NSW Office of Communities, leading a cluster of agencies and functions including Sport & Recreation, Venues NSW, Sydney Olympic Park Authority, Penrith Lakes, Youth, Veterans’ Affairs, Volunteering, the Commission for Children & Young People, the Children’s Guardian and Aboriginal Affairs. Donna also headed Corporate Governance and Policy in the then NSW Department of Planning & Infrastructure; and was the Deputy Director General Strategy, Communication and Governance with the then NSW Department of Community Services. Her broad experience also included roles in central agencies, transport, conservation and environment protection. Donna has an Economics degree with Honours in Government and Public Administration, a Masters degree in Planning, a Diploma of Governance, a Juris Doctor (law masters) degree, and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice. She is also an Australian Institute of Company Directors course graduate, and has been admitted as a lawyer of the Supreme Court of NSW. Donna is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration and a Fellow of the Institute of Community Directors Australia.