The Founding Director of Country Needs People, Patrick O’Leary has worked at the intersection of Indigenous land and sea management, policy and conservation for 25 years, with 12 years in the Northern Territory. With an Honours degree in Ecology from Monash University Patrick has worked with the Northern Land Council, developed policy for government, and worked on advocacy and communications for non-profit environment organisations. At Pew Charitable Trusts he developed a national approach to supporting community-based Indigenous land and sea management which led him to establish Country Needs People.