Overview
The environment has never been better for women in defence and the defence industry. Recent years have seen cultures, attitudes, language and accessibility change for the better in many areas, but that’s not to say that it can’t be better.
We still hear stories of women being the only one in the room, of areas where boys’ clubs linger, and a career in most areas of defence does not align easily with flexible work and extended leave for those looking to start a family. That’s why it’s more important than ever for women at all stages of leadership to come together and share their insights on how they made it work, how they changed attitudes and created their own leadership style to effectively lead male dominated teams.
The Hatchery’s Women in Defence & Defence Industry Leadership Summit exists as a means for women in senior leadership to share their learnings and advice for the next crop of women leaders in the space, some of whom may be struggling to find role models in what is typically a heavily male dominated field. From showing up as your authentic self, to leading high performing teams and lessons learned and challenges overcome, this is a platform for leaders to show you how to thrive as a woman in defence leadership, and that they are the proof.
What should you expect from this summit?
Who will attend?
• Current & emerging female leaders in Defence & Defence Industry• Manager through to C-Suite, Assistant Commissioner & Secretary
• HR, Diversity & Capability Professionals & Leaders
• Learning & Development Leaders
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Benefits of attending
- Boost your confidence & understand the most common mistakes & learnings of senior leaders
- Gain advice on important topics faced by women in defence, including male dominated environments, work-life balance, leading high performing teams, planning extended leave & resilience in the face of adversity
- Hear from exciting VIP & international keynotes, valuable case studies & in-depth panel discussions
- Learn from new role models who established their careers often without any of their own
Agenda Highlights
Day 1
- OPENING KEYNOTE: Authentic Leadership: The importance of bringing your whole self to your role
- INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE: Leading as a woman in a male dominated environment
- VIP FIRESIDE CHAT: How the right mindset will build your resilience in the face of adversity
- CASE STUDY: Leading high performing teams
Key Speakers
Australian swimming hero & breakfast radio host
VIP Fireside Chat: Achieving and sustaining your peak performance
Enthralled by swimming from an early age, Susie O’Neill excelled in the hardest stroke of all, butterfly. Dubbed ‘Madame Butterfly’ for her peerless quality in the discipline, Susie held a record for 35 Australian titles, 16 Commonwealth Games medals (11 gold), 18 long and short course World Championships medals and 8 Olympic medals in total. Susie was unrivalled in her success, never coming home without a medal from any international competition, a stretch that lasted from 1990 to 2000. Join her in this interactive fireside chat to discover her secret to achieving and sustaining your best performance.
Motivational Speaker & Author
VIP Fireside Chat: How the right mindset will build your resilience in the face of adversity
While competing in a 100km ultra-marathon, Turia was caught in a grassfire and was choppered out of the remote desert barely alive, with full-thickness burns to 65% of her body. She lost 7 fingers, had over 200 medical procedures and spent 2 gruelling years in recovery. Surviving against overwhelming odds, she has rebuilt her life and defied every expectation placed on her. Engaging and refreshingly candid with a story that will astonish, inspire and leave you in stitches. Turia’s enthralling message of overcoming adversity and the need to never EVER give up will motivate you out of your chair, and into life!
Joint Capabilities Group
People Capability Branch, Australian Army
Proud Quandamooka woman, first Aboriginal woman Warrant Officer in the Australian Army, Second Indigenous Elder of the Army
People Capability Branch, Australian Army
Aunty Lorraine is a Quandamooka Elder of the Noonuccal and Ngughi tribes in South-East Queensland. Enlisting into the Royal Australian Signals Corps, Aunty Lorraine maintained a distinguished and successful career serving 20 years in the Australian Army.
Aunty Lorraine joined the Australian Army on 14th January 1986 and was posted to the 7th Signals Regiment as an Operations Signaller before transferring to a Joint Service position at HMAS Coonawarra, Darwin. In 1992, Lorraine was promoted to Corporal and posted to 72 Electronic Warfare Squadron. Throughout this period, she was a competitive sports woman, representing the Army in both Squash and Athletics.
Changing roles within the Signals Corps to a Radio Operator, Aunty Lorraine was posted to the 6th Signals Regiment before posting as a Detachment Commander with the 1st Signals Regiment, Enoggera.
In 1997, Aunty Lorraine was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and subsequently posted to Headquarters Northern Command. During this period, she was the first female Signals Sergeant to deploy as the Communications Manager in Irian Jaya, for humanitarian and famine relief operations and then on to the Multinational Force and Observers, Sinai.
In 2003, Aunty Lorraine was the first Indigenous female to be promoted to Warrant Officer Class Two and posted to the Battlefield Command Support System Project Team in Townsville. The following year, she was posted to the 5th Aviation Regiment and deployed to Afghanistan as the first female Communications Manager with the Special Forces Task Group to establish the communications network in Kandahar.
Aunty Lorraine retired from the Australian Army in 2007, however, continues to provide service to the wider community as a mentor to the Preston Campbell Foundation and the Gold Coast Titans Deadly Futures and Community Programs. In addition, Lorraine is the Board President of the Queensland State Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Dedicated Memorial Committee that is currently coordinating the construction of this memorial in ANZAC Square Brisbane. Moreover, Lorraine is the Patron of the Indigenous Youth Mobility Pathways project, advocating education for Indigenous youth from remote locations of Australia.
Aunty Lorraine is the Indigenous Ambassador for the Corporate Protection Australia Group, a signatory with Prime Ministers Veterans Employment Program. She is a highly regarded and respected role model for the community.
In 2019, Lorraine was awarded the prestigious Order of Australia Medal for her service to the Indigenous Community.