Award-Winning Strategist | Governance Specialist | Social Enterprise Leader

Co Founding Director | Chair

CJ Baldry Adams is the founding Chair and Executive Officer of Strategic Futures Inc., a not-for-profit driving advocacy and investment across regional New South Wales through the vital pillars of food, fibre, and water. With a career built across some of the most remote and operationally challenging environments in Australia and abroad, CJ brings unmatched lived experience, strategic foresight, and unwavering commitment to strengthening the regions she serves.

A recognised governance specialist and award-winning social enterprise leader, CJ’s work unites industry, community, and government to advance sustainable development, capability building, and regional self-determination. Her leadership ensures Strategic Futures doesn’t just consult it convenes, it campaigns, and it delivers.

CJ’s early career was forged in frontline critical care, working with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and CareFlight, performing complex aeromedical retrievals across vast remote communities. These high-stakes operations sharpened her expertise in operational discipline, trauma-informed leadership, and inter-agency coordination — all qualities she now channels into boardrooms, community forums, and national advisory panels.

As the Founder of Allied Partnerships Australia, CJ leads transformation work across compliance, risk, strategic planning, and workforce development. She advises governments, policy reform groups, chambers of commerce, and purpose-driven businesses throughout regional and remote Australia.

CJ’s formal qualifications include:

• Governance | Strategic Leadership | Risk Management

• Business Operations | Work Health and Safety

• Registered Nursing | Remote & Aeromedical Retrieval

• Public Health | Sexology

She also holds certifications in trauma-informed leadership, mental health first aid, inclusive practices, and policy development, with advanced expertise in competency-based training design and regulatory frameworks.

Her work is deeply informed by her lived experience:

• As a partner of a veteran who served in the Middle East, CJ brings powerful insight into veteran transition, purpose realignment, and the urgent need for meaningful, post-service pathways into leadership and business ownership.

• As a mother of a deaf son, she champions accessibility, inclusive design, and equity in education, employment, and community engagement. These experiences have shaped her unrelenting advocacy for systems reform that includes all voices especially those so often left behind in regional development.

Company Secretary | Treasurer

Veteran | Licensed Electrician | Regional Advocate

Founding Director | Deputy Chair

Anthony Adams is a decorated Australian Army veteran, accomplished tradesman, and regional leader with over 23 years of combined experience spanning defence operations, electrical trade services, business ownership, and community advocacy.

Anthony’s career began in the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), where he served with distinction, including a deployment to Afghanistan under Operation Slipper (MTF-1) in 2010. He held specialist roles as an Assault Pioneer, Combat Communications Specialist, and Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV) Operator regularly performing in a commander’s role. These positions demanded precision, tactical awareness, rapid decision-making, and strong team leadership under pressure all of which continue to inform his approach to governance and strategy.

Following his military service, Anthony founded and ran Anthony Adams Electrical for a decade, delivering domestic, commercial, industrial, and rural solutions including Level 2 ASP, solar installations, and compliance in high-risk environments. He later transitioned into the mining sector as an Underground High Voltage Electrician, where he developed a reputation for safety-first operations, team mentoring, and electrical reliability in complex conditions.

Anthony holds formal qualifications and certifications in:

• Cert III & IV in Electrotechnology (including Data, Communications, Solar, AC, and Refrigeration)

• Level 2 ASP Accreditation (Essential Energy)

• High Voltage Switching & Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas (EEHA)

• Certificate II in Infantry Operations (ADF)

• WHS – Working at Heights, White Card, and Machinery Licences

With deep experience in WHS compliance, task delegation, and workforce training, Anthony brings operational leadership and hands-on insight into the needs and risks of regional trades and industries. His governance role at Strategic Futures supports key pillars such as Skills & Training, Energy, and Construction, with a strong focus on workforce transition and community resilience.

Anthony is also a nationally recognised veteran leader and advocate, serving as:

• President, Gunnedah RSL Sub-Branch

• Member, President’s Council – RSL NSW

• Primary Delegate, RSL NSW State Congress (Gunnedah Sub-Branch)

• Alternate Delegate, RSL NSW State Congress (North West District Council)

• Member, Business NSW

As a Board Member of Strategic Futures, Anthony champions the value of lived experience in policy development and regional progress. His work helps ensure that veterans, tradespeople, and rural communities are not only heard but empowered, employed, and engaged in shaping the future.