Laura Buchanan

Laura has over 15 years professional experience in a variety of roles including emergency management, food relief, project and volunteer management, humanitarian entry, reconciliation and social inclusion. She has facilitated high impact community resilience building and emergency planning at the local government level and led change management in response to legislative amendments. She played a key role in the Pandemic Planning Committee at Pyrenees Shire Council in her role as Emergency Management Coordinator and Deputy Municipal Emergency Management Officer.  

Laura is passionate about a holistic approach to community resilience that incorporates sound emergency management planning underpinned by strong social and economic participation and environmental sustainability. In her most recent role as Coordinator Reconciliation and Social Inclusion at City of Ballarat, she worked across a variety of business units across the organisation to build resilience amongst priority groups identified in the Council’s Health and Wellbeing Plan and Inclusion Framework.  

With a Master of Science from the University of Melbourne and postgraduate qualifications in migration law, Laura is keenly interested in the role of plants in the urban environment in climate change adaptation and enhancing the resilience of the agri-food system. She works from the premise that equity, inclusion and a healthy environment are key to building sustained community resilience.