North East Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is proud to announce that its Chief Executive Officer, Katie Warner, has been recognised as one of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) Victoria’s Top 50 Women for 2026.
IPAA Victoria is Victoria’s peak public purpose sector professional association. Each year the IPAA Victoria’s Top 50 Women Awards recognise outstanding women whose leadership, dedication and impact are strengthening Victoria’s public purpose sector. The awards are made in two categories – Established Leader and Emerging Leader.
A recipient in the Established Leader category, Ms Warner has extensive experience in business development, policy development, and strategic planning. She has worked across government and regional organisations, leading strategy and major initiatives.
She described the IPAA Victoria recognition as very much about place and said it was humbling to be included among the calibre of women across the public purpose sector who were doing incredible work every day.
“North East Victoria is where I live, work and raise my family—and it’s a region full of passionate people who care deeply about their communities, landscapes and each other,” Ms Warner said.
“From our farmers to Traditional Owners, local volunteers, partner agencies and community groups, the work we do is shared. I’m lucky to be part of it.
“I get to see every day the impact of people coming together to tackle complex challenges—whether that’s managing water, responding to climate pressures or supporting resilient communities. It’s not always easy, but it is always meaningful.”
Ms Warner paid tribute to staff at the North East Catchment Management Authority for their dedication and commitment to the region; and to her family “who keep me grounded, busy and constantly reminding me what really matters”.
Before joining the North East CMA, Ms Warner previously held the role of Business Development Manager at the Goulburn Broken CMA, where she also acted as their Deputy CEO.
Between 2003 and 2008, Ms Warner also held various roles with the Department of Primary Industries – Strategic Policy Division, her later role being their Senior Policy Officer.
Ms Warner is committed to her community, having served nine years on the Beechworth Health Service Board, including four as Chair, and as a board member of Alpine Valleys Community Leadership.
She also sits on the La Trobe University Regional Advisory Board (Albury-Wodonga) and the Ovens Murray Regional Partnership.
Ms Warner is strongly connected to family, farming and community sport in north east Victoria.
The IPAA Victoria Top 50 Women for 2026 Awards will be presented at a function at Melbourne’s Southbank on Thursday 6 August 2026.
All the award winners can be found at Top 50 Women Awards 2026 - IPAA Victoria