Sarimah Hellyer is the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Regional Development at Regional Development Australia (RDA) Murray, where she leads place-based economic development across a diverse cross-border region spanning southern NSW and north-east Victoria.

In her role, Sarimah works at the intersection of workforce, investment, infrastructure and policy — supporting governments, industry and communities to translate national priorities into regional outcomes. Workforce availability, skills pathways and talent attraction are central considerations in every major investment decision across the Murray region, and Sarimah has been closely involved in initiatives addressing acute labour shortages across health, care, agriculture, manufacturing and emerging industries.

With more than 25 years’ experience across strategy, leadership, consumer experience and organisational transformation, Sarimah has held senior roles in health, disability services, banking and consulting. She brings a strong understanding of how universities, industry and government can collaborate to build regional capability — from research translation and skills alignment through to population attraction and long-term economic resilience.

Sarimah holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Communication and is an experienced facilitator and advisor to boards and executive teams. As CEO of RDA Murray, Sarimah is a strong advocate for regional universities as anchor institutions — critical to powering local futures through education, research, workforce development and deep community connection.