Women in Defence Association

The #WiDA Team made the rounds at Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition yesterday and are off for another busy couple days! Thank you to all the people reaching out to join and partner with WiDA across the country. Reach out to our ACT team Simonette Cox, Penelope Twemlow and Megan O'Neill to connect during the conference. Shout out to our WA Team Judith Irvine and SA Team Christine MacDonald who have joined the Land Forces team for reinforcements! #Womenindefence #WiDA #Defence #Network #LandForces Maisie Farmer Kimberley Healy Rachel Falzon Reena Strehle Women in Defence - South Australia

#WiDA is heading to Land Forces | This week, our Board members Simonette Cox, Megan O'Neill and Penelope Twemlow will be at the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition. This is a prime opportunity to connect with our team, learn about our upcoming events and programs, and engage with our mission to accelerate equity in the defence sector. Connect with us at the exposition to stay ahead of the curve and explore how you can be involved. Curious about activities in your state? Join our FREE membership for priority access to all events and updates: https://lnkd.in/gbQbHHqf #WomenInDefence #LandForces #WiDAACT #DefenceExposition #NetworkingOpportunity Maisie Farmer Kimberley Healy Rachel Falzon

WiDA’s Sarah Blake joined South Metropolitan TAFE and Rockingham Jobs and Skills Centre, as they hosted their September Mini Career Expo this week. In supporting equity and inclusion for women in Defence and Defence Industries, it was wonderful to have the chance to start conversations with these women about the different roles and opportunities that might exists for them. Some of the comments from these women included: • “I didn’t realise that working in Defence can look like so many different things (not just joining the Defence Force).” • “As a female looking for an engineering traineeship, are there opportunities in this industry?” • “It sounds amazing to be able to connect with women already working in this space – I just didn’t know there were opportunities.” • “There is so much going on in our area, and I just don’t know how to step into this space.” With more than 150 people attending, it was exciting to see women of all ages exploring careers in Engineering, Construction, Information Technology and Education. Shout out to South Metro Tafe, Eptec Group, ASC Pty Ltd, ADF Careers and Franmarine who all shared the space alongside #WiDA. Sarah Thomas Colleen Yates MBA Reena Strehle Abbie Lee Judith Irvine Shannon Hennessy Rachel Falzon Savannah Ogborne #defencecareers #changingthegame #defence #womenindefence

Mentor Program Launch 🚀| This week Judith Irvine - #WiDA Mentoring Program Lead proudly launched our customised Defence Mentoring Program in partnership with Vistage Australia and New Zealand - the most prominent global executive coaching organisation, led by Heather Warner 💫 Congratulations to our WiDA Mentors and Mentees on your placements; Cheryl Millar, Amy P., Lan Tran, Anisha A., Toral Maru, Jasmine Krampe, Sophee Clark, Connie C., Katelyn Etelaaho, Evyenia Kontakos and Emma Green 🌟 we look forward to watching these relationships grow. Kindly hosted by TBH in Perth, we were privileged to have the Hon Hannah Beazley MLA, Minister for Local Government; Youth; Minister Assisting the Minister for Training and Workforce Development join the Launch to endorse the Program and speak with our participants about her own journey in a personal setting, alongside our Platinum Partners Babcock Australia & New Zealand and Peta Chaytor, HR Business Partner ✍🏼 we were all taking notes! Each of our participants had the opportunity to sit for a corporate headshot with Ruth Flores helping our members build their professional profiles and close the gap! 📸 Another step towards building the future into the now 🙌🏼 #mentoring #defence #defenceindustry #defencenetworks #networking Sarah Thomas Colleen Yates MBA Abbie Lee Savannah Ogborne Sarah Blake Reena Strehle Shannon Hennessy Rachel Falzon Kate Chalk Crystal Kennedy Kerry-Anne Palzewski Rowena Le Quesne Tiffany Sharp Christine MacDonald Maisie Farmer Megan O'Neill Simonette Cox Kimberley Healy Penelope Twemlow Emily Bailey Thales Defense & Security, Inc.

13th Brigade recently embedded a journalist on a 2,500km road move from Perth to Derby on Exercise Austral Shield 2024. Embedded journalism – when a journalist is attached to a military unit on operations or training - is nothing new. While this venture provides a unique perspective on the complexities of service life, it also comes with challenges and risks. As a new Commander, my internal risk assessment kept oscillating between the risk of over-exposure Vs my desire to make service life less opaque. Will the coverage be overly selective after seeing a ‘warts and all’ view of the Brigade? Or will it provide an accurate account of the complexities our soldiers face as members of the profession of arms? Deliberately embedding a journalist in our exercise design resulted in a profoundly positive experience for the 13th Brigade with the coverage providing a realistic account of the environment while humanising the unique (and sometimes very normal) aspects of service life. What could be more human than the story of two sisters who joined the Army Reserve and the 13th Brigade, utterly unbeknownst to each other? Kicking a football at the overnight RV shows that there is time for fun when the workday is finished. Footage of soldiers grabbing an early morning breakfast ‘banjo' (egg and bacon roll) also provides a nostalgic link to our ex-serving community. Maintaining a solid partnership with my local media will be critical to assist us to 'Tell our Story' at every opportunity in 2024.

In partnership with Carmen Braidwood, broadcaster, media trainer and speaker, #WiDA is launching our Future Thought Leaders workshop. Future Thought Leaders is an in-person workshop designed specifically for Women in Defence Association. Led by media and communications expert Carmen Braidwood, the session will equip members with practical speaking and communication skills to promote the industry, advance the standing of defence professionals in the wider community and stand out. By the end of this workshop, participants will be prepared to take on speaking engagements, contribute to panels and leverage digital platforms like podcasts to enhance their visibility. An invaluable opportunity to develop genuine leadership qualities for any defence or related career. #WiDA is on a pathway to diversify defence conferences by promoting and advocating for diverse thought leaders to ensure global security decisions are influenced and reflective of our entire nation. If you are interested in participating in future defence events, panels and providing key note speeches as an industry thought leader, submit an EOI now to participate in this workshop. https://lnkd.in/geHZSKr3 Rachel Falzon Sarah Thomas Colleen Yates MBA Reena Strehle Abbie Lee Shannon Hennessy Savannah Ogborne Sarah Blake Judith Irvine #publicspeaking #WomeninDefence #Defence #Bethechange

Today is International Women in Cyber Day! As a woman in cyber, this day holds a special significance for me. It celebrates the diverse talents and invaluable contributions of women shaping the future of our sector. Let's continue to work together to create a more diverse workforce and inspire women to pursue exciting careers in cyber.

Announcement - ACT Launch Event | Hear from Warrant Officer Joint Operations - Cheryl Collins, #WiDA ACT President Maisie Farmer, and a welcome from WiDA Founder Rachel Falzon. Women in Defence Association is a FREE association, supporting all across the defence sector and those looking to join. This is a gender inclusive event and we look forward to welcoming everyone for our kick off. Secure your FREE tickets via the EventBrite before they sell out: https://lnkd.in/gqqStHJB Simonette Cox, Megan O'Neill, Kimberley Healy, Penelope Twemlow Reena Strehle Colleen Yates MBA Abbie Lee Judith Irvine Sarah Blake Sarah Thomas Savannah Ogborne Crystal Kennedy Kerry-Anne Palzewski Christine MacDonald Rowena Le Quesne Shannon Hennessy Richard Marles Pat Conroy Anthony Albanese Matt Keogh Hannah Beazley MLA #WiDA #WiDAACT #WomeninDefence #Networking #Women #GenderEquity

Event Recap | This week our South Australian Chapter got together to hear from Leah Grantham, Chief of Staff, at Babcock Australia & New Zealand, welcome Tiffany Sharp to the #WiDA SA Advisory Board, and hear from Crystal Kennedy, WiDA SA President on our annual objectives. The Team proudly welcome Tiffany, co-founder of a veteran-owned defence and space consultancy, Cambrian Defence & Space. She brings 24 years of experience in the defence and veteran community, 10 years clinical experience as a practicing clinical nutritionist in counselling centres, is a published researcher, co-author of peer-reviewed papers on military veteran and family mental health, co-author of white papers on space law and stratospheric balloon research, and was a finalist in The King’s Trust Australia Beyond Service Awards. Her breadth of experience and passion for supporting the defence sector are greatly valued by our community. Our networking events are providing value to our members and supporters to build relationships, inspire each other and provide ongoing support. Thank you to everyone who came along to network, support and share experiences. Looking forward to the next one ☝️ Women in Defence Association Christine MacDonald Celina Sicari Crystal Kennedy Kerry-Anne Palzewski Rowena Le Quesne Leah Grantham Rachel Falzon Reena Strehle Shannon Hennessy Abbie Lee Savannah Ogborne Sarah Blake Judith Irvine Colleen Yates MBA Maisie Farmer Simonette Cox Megan O'Neill Penelope Twemlow Kimberley Healy Danielle Hoban Sarah Thomas #newcommitteemember #networking #comingtogether #support #togetherstronger

Sponsor Announcement ✨ | We proudly welcome Thales Defense & Security, Inc. as a Bronze Corporate Sponsor for the Women in Defence Association (WiDA). Thales's ongoing commitment to gender diversity is evident through their WORK180 endorsed employer status, and ongoing sponsorship of our signature International Women’s Day event. Featured here is Thales' very own Taylor Odishoo, Senior Systems Engineer, who was a keynote speaker at our inaugural International Women's Day in 2023, supported by the team at Thales. #WiDA's Sarah Taylor - Individual Gender Equity Award - is aptly named after Taylor, who is an inspiration to many across defence. As a Bronze Corporate Sponsor, Thales's support is instrumental in helping WiDA drive meaningful progress towards gender diversity and inclusion. Thales in Australia play a critical role in supporting the Australian Defence Force with its advanced munitions, weapons, protected vehicles and cutting-edge C4 systems. Their extensive capabilities extend from the delivery of comprehensive naval solutions to the maintenance and enhancement of sonar systems for the Collins Class Submarines and the ANZAC class FFH. We look forward to a collaborative partnership that accelerates the contributions of women in defence. Join us in celebrating this exciting collaboration! To express interest in becoming a sponsor, email: [email protected] #WomenInDefence #ThalesAustralia #GenderDiversity #DefenceIndustry #WiDA #Collaboration #Innovation #Inclusion Rachel Falzon Sarah Thomas Colleen Yates MBA Reena Strehle Abbie Lee Sarah Blake Savannah Ogborne Judith Irvine Shannon Hennessy Crystal Kennedy Kerry-Anne Palzewski Christine MacDonald Rowena Le Quesne Maisie Farmer Simonette Cox Penelope Twemlow Megan O'Neill Kimberley Healy