Following the success of our Speed Mentoring events in Canberra and Sydney last year, ASPI’s Women in Defence and Security Network and the ANU Gender Institute are delighted to invite you to attend this year’s Speed Mentoring event in Canberra. 

ASPI proudly supports and promotes furthering the careers of women in the defence and security community. We do this partly through our Women in Defence and Security Network (WDSN) which aims to enhance the professional skills and abilities of women and increase their professional networks.

Participants will have access to women mentors working across several different fields, including intelligence and national security, cyber security and STEM, academia, international aid and foreign policy, politics, media and journalism, international trade policy, NGO’s and civil society organisations, industry and defence.

We have a number of prominent women confirmed as mentors, including:

• Amy Hawkins, Assistant Secretary Communications, Ministerial and Executive Coordination and Communication Division, Communication Branch, Department of Defence
• Anne Lyons, Program Development Manager, Australian Strategic Policy Institute
• Angie Castner, Group Captain, Director Logistics & Materiel Logistics Domain Functional Lead, Air Domain, Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, Department of Defence
• Candice Meszes, Chief of Staff to the Associate Secretary, Office of the Associate Secretary, Department of Defence
• CMDR Cassandra Ryan, Mechanical Engineer, Royal Australian Navy 
• Commander Christina Ween, Director Maritime Allowance Review, Navy Personnel and Trustee RAN Relief Trust Fund, Royal Australian Navy
• Danielle Cave, Deputy Head, International Cyber Policy Centre, Australian Strategic Policy Institute
• LTCOL Deborah Warren-Smith, SO1 Workforce Plans, Army People Capability Branch, Department of Defence 
• Elizabeth McGregor, Assistant Secretary, Strategic Critical Infrastructure and Foreign Investment, Strategic Policy Division, Department of Defence
• Fiona Torline, Human Resources Manager, Australian Strategic Policy Institute
• Gai Brodtmann MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence, Australian Labor Party
• Ingrid Southworth, Deputy Head of Mission, British High Commission Canberra
• Julianne Cocks, Chief Petty Officer, Royal Australian Navy 
• Katherine Ziesing, Managing Editor, Australian Defence Magazine
• Kristine Johnston, Deputy Director Ground Operations and Plans, Cadets, Air Force
• Lesley Seebeck, Chief Executive Officer, Cyber Institute, Australian National University 
• Lisa Sharland, Head of International Program, Australian Strategic Policy Institute
• Lucienne Manton, Assistant Secretary, EU Political and Strategy Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• AVM (Ret'd) Margaret Staib AM CSC, GAICD, ASPI Council member     
• Natasha Whitelaw, Former Special Assistant, United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia
• Primrose Riordan, Political Reporter, The Australian
• Rachael Quirk, Squadron Leader, Staff Officer 2 Diversity and Inclusion, Directorate of Organisational Behaviour & Culture, Personnel Branch, Air Force
• Rachael Falk, Chief Executive Officer, Cyber Security Research Centre
• Wing Commander Samantha Freebairn, Deputy Director Cadet Air Operations, Air Force
• Dr Sheridan Kearnan, First Assistant Secretary Defence Industry Policy, Defence Industry Policy Division, Department of Defence
• Dr Sue Thompson, Senior Lecturer, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University
• Tina Mathewson, Assistant Secretary Defence Export Control, Strategic Policy and Intelligence Group, Defence Industry Policy Division, Defence Export Controls, Department of Defence

Mentoring sessions will be structured, and we will provide sufficient guidelines to all participants prior to the event.

Spread the word amongst your networks! We sincerely hope that you are available to participate in this exciting event, which aims to showcase the work of prominent women in the broad field of defence and national security and learn from their diverse experiences.

This event is kindly supported by the ANU Gender Institute