Natalia Muszkat
Deputy Mayor and social enterprise co-founder
Born and raised in Argentina, Natalia migrated to Australia in 1999 and settled in the Gladstone region to raise a family. Seeking formal qualifications to strengthen her career without leaving her local community, she chose CQUniversity for its accessible regional education. Balancing work, family, and a joint CQU-Gladstone Regional Council scholarship, she completed her Bachelor of Workplace Health and Safety with Distinction—an achievement that built her expertise in risk assessment, legislative compliance, and evidence-based decision-making.
Since graduating, Natalia has built a distinguished career bridging workplace health and safety, local government, and community governance. Her critical-thinking and analytical skills seamlessly transferred into public service, leading to her election to Gladstone Regional Council in 2018. Following successful re-elections in 2020 and 2024, she earned the highest vote count among candidates and was appointed Deputy Mayor, guiding infrastructure, strategic planning, economic development, and multi-million-dollar regional budgets.
Beyond municipal leadership, Natalia co-founded Strong Communities Ltd in 2019, growing it into an award-winning social enterprise that delivers vital programs to regional families. She also serves on various regional boards spanning water, health, and development sectors. Passionate about multiculturalism, social inclusion, and travel, Natalia remains dedicated to leveraging her governance skills and life experience to advocate for regional Queensland communities.
