Lou Conway
Lou Conway is CEO of the Country Universities Centre, a not-for-profit network of 28 community-owned study centres that back thousands of regional students who chose to build their futures close to home. She came to the role after 35 years in health, education and business development across regional New South Wales, including founding the UNE SMART Region Incubator, where she raised over $10 million to support regional founders.
Her recent work leading the New England Regional Energy Accord with the Energy Charter positioned regional communities as active partners in the energy transition rather than places to be acted upon. Lou holds a PhD in Regional Development Governance and an MBA, and began her career as an occupational therapist.
She works from a simple conviction: regional Australia needs investment, trust, and the infrastructure to back the talent already there.
