Andrea Koch

Soil Policy Specialist and Event Director

Andrea Koch is the soil policy specialist at the United States Studies Centre. She leads the Soil Carbon Initiative, a project of the Dow Sustainability Program. From a fifth generation Australian farming family, she brings together her knowledge of agriculture with 20 years of corporate marketing and product development experience in the telecommunications and media industries. Her corporate sector experience includes management and senior executive positions with IBM Australia, Optus Communications, Optus Vision and News Limited.

Andrea holds a unique position as an expert in international, US and Australian soil policy. Over the past five years she has contributed to thought leadership in soil policy through policy briefings, speeches, general media articles, peer reviewed journal papers, and a series of meetings and public events in Australia, the US and Europe.

Andrea has completed a master in sustainable development and combines deep experience in building businesses with the contemporary agenda for a sustainable approach. She works as a key advisor to business and government to engage in the big issues of sustainable development that face society, through the lens of soil science and policy.

Given the “soil in her DNA,” and her deep understanding of the transformations required for a sustainable future, Andrea is passionate about bridging the gap between farmers, consumers, business, and policy makers and bringing soil into a renewed place of understanding and recognition.