SPAN News - October 2022

Hola! Bonjour! Marhaba! Welcome to the “international” issue of SPAN News . Like many Australians, whether your career has taken you abroad or your work involves regular interactions with overseas counterparts, we are connecting with the international workforce like never before Six members from the SCEGGS community reveal what it is like to navigate cultures and customs that are different to theirs and how their international experiences have contributed to their personal and professional growth .

It is with great excitement that our live program of events has resumed with A Musical Evening with Anna

DOWSLEY (2005) and the Career Foundations and Ethics in the Media panels . The response from our community has been encouraging! In this issue we also take a look back at our inaugural SPAN dinner held 25 years ago Guest speaker Merle Cockerill shares some of her memories from the night that started the treasured and enduring tradition of WeSPANlove hearing from the SCEGGS community who are keen to share their career story, learn more about SPAN News or the SPAN Program . Please contact Tina Mavritsakis at span@sceggs.nsw.edu.au or on 02 9332 1133

Catching(2001)COLEMANStefaniethetravel bug

during her university years was more than a transient phase for Old Girl Stefanie COLEMAN (2001) – she knew that living and working abroad was her future. Here, Stefanie tells us why getting “comfortable being uncomfortable” is key to a successful career away from home.

Tell us what you have been up to since graduating from SCEGGS.

Since leaving SCEGGS, I graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Economics (Social Sciences)

following a brief stint studying law at the Australian National University. In those years, I would work during my summer holidays as a ski instructor in the US which is probably where I caught the travel bug to not just visit, but live and work abroad. I went to France in 2006 as an English language assistant for almost a year and then made my way to London where I started my management consulting career – not knowing back then that it would lead me to where I am today. My consulting career has taken me to several roles across the globe, including Dubai and the Middle Eastern region, back home to Sydney and finally to New York where my husband, Philip, was raised and where I am currently raising my two little girls (six and three years). It has been a fabulous 21 years since leaving SCEGGS, dotted with a lot of international adventure. I am lucky that we can make regular trips back to Australia and spend time with my family and oldest friends. Like so many others, I still call Australia home.

Was banking and finance something you always had an interest in?

I specialise in the banking and capital markets sector, giving advice to mostly large banks on workforce and human capital issues. Given the criticality of the banking system to our global economy and to the economic prosperity of countries and communities, I find it rewarding to help banks deliver on their strategies and social commitments. I am also motivated by the role of banks in advancing the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) agenda through capabilities and programs such as sustainable finance, climate risk management and financial inclusion. There is also a lot of innovation taking place across the sector via digital banking, crypto-currency and emerging fin-tech, which makes the sector an exciting place to be.

You have worked in various cities including London, Dubai and now New York. How has the experience of working in different countries impacted your career?

Being able to live and work abroad is such a gift and my global experiences have definitely

contributed to my professional life. In particular, my global career has helped me become very adaptable and culturally dexterous. For example, I’ve learned over the years that getting “comfortable” being “uncomfortable” is productive and that change, no matter how big or small, is beneficial. I’ve also found that operating in new cultures, which adhere to different practices and norms, is very helpful in being an inclusive and empathetic leader.

What are some of the key trends emerging within the finance industry as it adapts to the changing nature of the workforce?

One trend in the financial services sector is focused on digital transformation – there is a lot of work underway to digitise the client experience and streamline operations. I’m also seeing momentum around ESG, like I mentioned before, where firms are focused on building capabilities that

support environmental and social outcomes. From a workforce perspective, several banks are projecting long term skill needs as well as modelling long term workforce requirements so that targeted talent strategies can be put in place. Finally, an emphasis on employee flexibility and wellness in the workforce (be it physical, financial or mental) has emerged – particularly given the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What advice would you give to your younger self about achieving your career goals?

As I say to my teams:

1) Don’t focus on what you don’t know, focus on what you do know.

2) You can drop the rubber balls, but don’t drop the crystal ball.

3) It takes a village – balancing life as a mum, wife and businesswoman is not a solo act!

4) Aim high!

Stefanie Delivering a Digital on

Dr PrimaryGilliesRowanSchoolparent

Tell us about your career journey so far.

After graduating from UNSW Medical School and working for two years in the hospital system, I worked for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), a medical-humanitarian organisation, as a general doctor in a program in the east of Afghanistan for six months. Following that and interspersed with general surgical training back in Australia, I worked in countries that were enduring chronic civil wars such as Sierra Leone, Southern Sudan and Liberia, again as a doctor and also as a medical coordinator.During that time, I joined the board of MSF Australia and became its president. I was then elected to be President of the MSF International Council, based in Geneva for a 3-year period. That role involved working as a field doctor in multiple countries, developing cohesion within MSF as well as representing the organisation externally to Governments and multilateral organisations.

When I finished this, I returned to Australia to train as a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, culminating in a fellowship in global surgery at Harvard University, based in both Boston and Haiti. I am now a plastic and burns surgeon based in Sydney.

“That role involved working as a field doctorin multiple multilateralorganisationwithindevelopingcountries,cohesionMSFaswellasrepresentingtheexternallytoGovernmentsandorganisations.”

What role does technology play in plastic and reconstructive surgery?

Technology has changed a lot! For example, when someone has their jaw resected for cancer treatment, we take the fibula bone with its blood supply, shape it, hook up its blood supply to the vessels in the neck using a microscope and plate the “new” jaw into the patient’s mouth. Five years ago, the shaping of the bone and bending of the plate was all done by hand. Now we have the plate and cutting jigs made by 3D printing and virtual surgical planning based on the scans of the patient. This provides better results in a shorter amount of time.

What is the most rewarding aspect of a career in medicine?

There is a real happiness we all achieve when helping someone else. Most of the results in medicine don’t come from individual efforts but from a huge team that contribute to a positive outcome. Being an integral part of that team and helping a fellow human through a challenging part of their life is incredibly rewarding.

Having been involved in a lot of humanitarian work, how has this influenced your practice today?

What I have learnt is that humans and especially human suffering and happiness, are both universal and intensely personal and individual. Being allowed to be part of that is a real privilege; it doesn’t change much whether someone is in extremis in Darfur or in the North Shore of Sydney.

What advice can you share with aspiring doctors who want to practise medicine abroad?

It is important that you don’t assume that you know better or more than those around you in resource limited settings. When you arrive at a new place, listen and learn; work out what is important to those people you are trying to help and deliver it if you can; be very honest about what you can’t. If you are interested in gaining experience in cross-cultural work either here or overseas, try to align yourself with Indigenous or refugee programs.

“Being allowed to be part of that isa real privilege; it doesn’t changemuch whether someone is in extremis in Darfur or in the North Shore of Sydney.”

Dr Rowan at work in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo

This year marks the 25th anniversary of SPAN, the SCEGGS Professional Alumni withmentorsdiscussions,insettingsofparents,togethercommunityfornetworkingcareer-focusedInauguratedNetwork.toprovideopportunitiesOldGirls,theSPANnowbringscurrentstudents,staffandfriendsSCEGGSinprofessionaltoparticipatecareer-focusedaccessandconnectlike-mindedpeers.

During its history, SPAN has hosted over 50 events ranging from topics such as “What does success look like?” to “Media matters show and tell” as well as networking evenings in industries such as law, finance, STEM and others. SPAN’s accompanying publication, SPAN News, was launched in 2004.

SPAN’s first dinner was held on 12 March, 25 years ago in 1998 with former SCEGGS Economics teacher turned corporate leader Merle Cockerill as the keynote speaker. At the time, Merle was working for UBS in the Asset Management division in Sydney and shortly after transferred to Tokyo. At the dinner, Merle spoke of the importance of possessing both professional intelligence

(qualifications and technical expertise) and emotional intelligence to build relationships, work in teams, negotiate and problem-solve. She also advised the audience, many of whom were her former students, to promote themselves with confidence, but not to oversell what they have achieved.Inkeeping with this issue’s international focus, Merle, now retired, reflects on the exciting opportunities working abroad afforded her: Working and living in Japan, where I didn’t speak the language and in an environment which operates differently both professionally and culturally, was both challenging and intriguing. I was Vice President of UBS Asset Management, Japan, the most senior non-Japanese executive and a woman, something that was unprecedented in Japan at that time. This experience taught me to work outside my comfort zone, be flexible, embrace change and to work closely with people, particularly under stressful situations. These were qualities that helped as I progressed in my career. After two years, I transferred to the London headquarters of UBS Asset Management where I was

“This situations.embraceoutsidetaughtexperiencemetoworkmycomfortzone,beflexible,changeandtoworkcloselywithpeople,particularlyunderstressfulThesewerequalitiesthathelpedasIprogressedinmycareer.”

appointed the Global Head of Communications and Consultant Relations. This role had a number of facets including being responsible for all communications including external messaging, media and investor relations, employee communications, branding, advertising and sponsorship. In addition, I managed a global team that was responsible for the relationship with investment consultants who select the appointment of investment managers like UBS to manage their institutional clients’ superannuation/pension funds. While in London, I was appointed to the Global Executive Committee of UBS Asset Management. This Committee made all the key management, financial and strategic decisions. It was an honour and at that time, I was the first and only female appointed to the Executive Committee. After 20 odd years at

UBS, I returned to Australia to manage an acquisition and merger for UBS. This was my last job. I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to work overseas to take it and be open to new ideas and challenges.

Merle believes that SPAN has withstood the test of time due to the hard work, skill and motivation provided by many dedicated people. “What sets SCEGGS apart as a school is its positive and open environment that encourages independent thinking and respect for the view and opinion of others and these qualities are reflected in the ethos of SPAN,” said Merle and we couldn’t agreeLookingmore!to the future, it is hoped that SPAN will continue to facilitate conversations, connections and reinforce that Once a SCEGGS Girl, Always a SCEGGS Girl!

The Inaugural SPAN Dinner, 12 March 1998

L-R: Kerrie Holmes, Anne Titterton, Suellen Cornell, Janet Lean and Merle Cockerill

Class of 2008’s Jayne LONGSTAFF is the Vice President in Macquarie Capital’s Infrastructure and Energy Capital team. Recently moving to the UK to take up this amazing opportunity, Jayne credits her years at SCEGGS for instilling the courage and knowledge to pursue her professional aspirations.

What have you been up to since graduating from SCEGGS?

The Mathematics and Science nerd in me (thanks Mr Hanson and Ms Shaw) drove me to study a Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Sydney. Combining the two meant I had a wide range of career paths to try out. I started my career in construction, working on city-shaping projects like Barangaroo with a hard hat and steel cap boots and moved into consulting for developing large-scale infrastructure projects like WestConnex. Now, I am involved in projects requiring investment in infrastructure and energy assets like grid-scale batteries, renewable energy zones and fibre for all things Internet!

Infrastructure is very tangible; we see and use road tunnels, metro trains, solar panels every day. What we don’t see is all the behind-the-scenes infrastructure and the people bringing these things to life, from investment bankers, superannuation funds, engineers, lawyers, software developers and project managers to name a few. If you ever have a chance to “get behind the scenes” of one of our tunnels across Sydney or wind turbines or big batteries in regional NSW it’s well worth it!

In 2020, you were awarded the Infrastructure Partnerships Australia National Award for Emerging Leader of the year. How did that impact your career?

I was super chuffed to receive this award. Out of anything it’s been a great opportunity to grow my network. It was especially helpful when I decided to move to London without a job during COVID, because there’s no time like the present! I was able to leverage my Sydney network to start building an international network.

Real ProblemWorldSolving

Tell us a little about your current role in the UK and the benefits of gaining international experience for your career. Working in infrastructure and energy investment is all about developing the next infrastructure project, solving its design with engineers and how it can be paid for and used by as many people as possible. It’s a lot of problem solving, thinking commercially and partnering with governments and often superannuation funds to make it real! Then, we project manage it while it’s being built. Recently, we launched an 11 metre diameter tunnel boring machine in London and we were damn well hoping it didn’t hit any unexploded bombs lying at the bottom of the River Thames from World War II!

A great thing about working overseas is that it gives you access to global markets – and they are huge! It also worth it to see how other countries are tackling climate change – creating 100% renewable energy supply is pretty darn cool!

Your passion for engineering is evident through the volunteer work you do on the steering committee for the Future Infrastructure Leaders Program and UNSW’s Engineering Mentoring program. Why do you think it’s important as a woman in the industry to be involved in this capacity?

SCEGGS taught me very early on that women can pursue careers in anything. It also taught me that I have several advantages that other women don’t –going to SCEGGS was one of these. Engineering has for too long been under-represented by women and we know that means we’re missing out on having 50% of the world contributing smart and different ideas.

I have no doubt in my mind that if we continue to increase the number of women studying engineering that we’ll solve global warming sooner, that we’ll have flying cars sooner and that we’ll reduce the wealth divide.

UNSW through its programs like Women in Engineering has shown it’s possible – sometimes you just don’t think that something is possible without seeing someone go before you – so mentoring university undergraduates and graduates is a great way to show what’s possible and at the same time learn about all the whacky, new technology and new ideas coming through.

What advice would you give current students working towards a similar career path?

Give it a go, back yourself and as early as possible, look for industry work experience opportunities. Engineering is all about solving real world problems so there’s no better way to try it out than real world experience, whether it’s on a construction site, with a fund or asset manager going behind the scenes or with a design house, trying different things will always be valuable and valued. My first work experience was sitting in a piling machine for the construction of what is now SCEGGS’ Joan Freeman Science, Art and Technology Centre and what was previously a car park!

“A great thing aboutworking overseas isthat it gives youaccess to globalmarkets – and theyare huge!”

Jodi Matterson

You may not recognise her face but you may be familiar with the work of producer and current parent Jodi Matterson whose credits include movies such as “The Dry” and TV shows like “Nine Perfect Strangers” and “Wolf Like Me”. Committed to creating opportunities for women in the industry both here and overseas, Jodi takes SPAN News behind the scenes of a career in film making.

Tell us a little bit about your career journey so far.

After I finished school, I started putting on kids’ pantomimes, events and birthday parties to support myself through studying Journalism. I was staging a major event for the Starlight Foundation with fairies, pirates and tall ships on Sydney Harbour when I met

a film producer who offered me a job as her assistant. I immediately jumped at the opportunity, didn’t hesitate to quit my degree and it completely changed my life. Working as a producer’s assistant became my film school and I was absolutely hooked from day one. Learning the industry, I worked for various producers here in Australia and in the UK and then at 25 years old, I was lucky enough to develop and produce my first feature film. For the next 14 years I worked as an independent producer making feature films, television shows and commercials. In 2017, I joined forces with LA-based producers, Bruna Papandrea and Steve Hutensky, to form the production company Made Up Stories.

As a producing partner of Made Up Stories, your company prioritises featuring women’s stories and creating opportunities for women in the industry behind the scenes. Why does this matter to you?

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is that I get to identify potential talent and I can create a space for people. It really is wonderful when I can give to women, who are in all stages of their careers, the right opportunities and support to show what they are capable of.

On set filming The Dry

From to

Even though we are known for creating female driven content, I am a firm believer that women filmmakers should be able to tell any story that they are passionate about and that shouldn’t be confined to being female driven narratives.

What has been the most interesting film you have worked on?

I have been so lucky that I have been able to work on so many varied film and television projects in all different places around the world with incredibly talented people – no two projects and no two days are ever the same. I swing from working on things like my current show, “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart”, starring Sigourney Weaver, that deals with breaking cyclical abuse to real life inspiring stories like “Penguin Bloom” with Naomi Watts to a crazy zombie film called “Little Monsters” with Lupita Nyong’o.

Being based in Australia, what challenges do you encounter working with people and organisations from all over the world?

The time zones! I work VERY long hours because being partially on LA time, our days start around 5.30 – 6am and then we get the UK at the end of the Australian working day.

What are your top three tips to those wishing to pursue a career as a film producer?

1. Be willing to start at the bottom, take every opportunity to learn and never be afraid to ask questions.

2. Find a mentor. I have been very lucky in my career to have a number of amazing people who have been incredibly generous with their time and expertise to help me on my path.

3. This piece of advice is not popular with parents – but I often tell people who want to break into producing not to have a backup career because it really is very difficult, particularly when you are starting out. If you have a safety net to fall back on, chances are you won’t stick it out!

L-R: Steve Hutensky, Jodi Matterson and Robert Connolly

SPAN Events

SPAN has hosted three fantastic events this year. The first was A Musical Evening with Anna DOWSLEY (2005) on 9 June. Guests enjoyed a mesmerising evening with the Old Girl and Mezzo Soprano who resides in Germany and had returned to Australia as part of her performing commitments.

Along with solo performances, Anna was joined by the SCEGGS Choir, Cantare and Madrigal Ensemble. A highlight of the evening was an engaging interview, conducted by Head of Music, Pauline Chow, with Anna sharing her insights about her exciting career as an international performer and offering the aspiring musicians in the crowd advice about navigating a career in the industry both here and abroad. Following the interview, Anna and the students closed the evening with a touching rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone from the musical Carousel by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.

This event was shortly followed by the Careers Foundation panel event on

27 July. Moderated by Deputy Head of School, Ms Gyton, the panel included Ian Narev (CEO, SEEK), Angus Dawson (Managing Partner, McKinsey, Australia and New Zealand), Heather Gyton Carroll (Head of Marketing, Janus Henderson Investors) and Jenny Allum. The panel shared their insights about how to build a rewarding career with tips on how to effectively search for a job, compose a cover letter and resume, refine your interview etiquette and the appropriate use of social media for networking.

On 8 September, a lively and engaging discussion about Ethics in the Media saw the stellar panel of current parent and journalist Hugh Riminton and Old Girls and journalists Celina EDMONDS (1988)

The Careers Foundation Panel (L-R) Holly Gyton, Ian Narev, Heather Gyton Carroll, Angus Dawson, Jenny Allum

and Anne DAVIES (1977) unravel the complexities of the contemporary media landscape. The panel was expertly guided by Ms Allum who moderated the conversation as each member of the panel shared their experiences about the cultural shifts in the industry, the challenges of the “instant news” era and

news filter bubbles, as well as offering advice on pursuing a career in Journalism. The audience walked away with a more discerning view of the ethical implications of creating, delivering and consuming news, media and communication products.

A Musical Evening with Anna Dowsley

A captive audience at the Career Foundations Events

L-R Hugh Riminton, Anne Davies, Celina Edmonds

SPAN Events

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Girl Sophia MCINTYRE (1990) is currently ceremonies.partakinggovernmentmeetingoscillatingroleexcitingfortopandemic,thisAlthoughAmbassadorAustralia’stoSpain.appointedtoroleamidsttheithasprovenbetherightdecisionSophiawhoenjoysanandinterestingthatseesherbetweenseniorofficialstoinroyal

What have you been up to since graduating from SCEGGS in 1990?

I studied arts/law at Sydney University and also took a gap year to travel and take a break from study. I was always interested in a public service policy role, rather than a career in law and straight after university I worked at the NSW Attorney General’s Department. While there, I applied for the graduate program at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and things have really flowed on from there. I was accepted into the class of 1999, moved from Sydney to Canberra and have worked with DFAT ever since.

The beauty of a career with DFAT is that you can experience such a diversity of roles and responsibilities within the same job. It really is a process of lifelong learning. In my career, I’ve worked on many different themes, ranging from traditional foreign policy issues, like arms control and our relationships within the Indo-Pacific, to graduate recruitment, development of the New Colombo Plan and breaking down barriers to the promotion of women within the department. I’ve worked for a foreign minister in Parliament House and had postings in Brazil and Sri Lanka, as well as undertaken extended assignments based in Germany and Greece.

My husband is also with DFAT and prior to moving to Spain, we spent several years living in Warsaw for his role as Ambassador to Poland.

I was able to take leave without pay during this time (which was great as our daughter was just two years old when we arrived) but also pick up interesting jobs in the region whenever DFAT needed extra hands on board.

We had a brief stint back in Canberra before I was offered the role in Spain. It was a big step to uproot the family again so quickly and by the time we moved, the pandemic had hit but we were determined to take up the opportunity. We arrived in Madrid in mid-2020, shortly after the devastating first wave of the pandemic in Spain.

The Art of Diplomacy

What does your role as Ambassador to Spain entail?

As Ambassador to Spain, I represent Australia in Spain, Andorra and Equatorial Guinea and head up our Embassy in Madrid. It’s a fabulous job which is shaped by a range of factors, including drivers in the bilateral relationship (advocating for Australian interests in Spain, like trade and investment, managing high level visits, etc.), global developments (eg co-operating on responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and multilateral issues), building Australia’s profile and influence and responding to consular needs, including in the event of a crisis.

Within the Embassy in Madrid, we also have Defence and Austrade offices and we work closely together to ensure our approaches and priorities are well aligned to support Australian interests.

It’s an enormously varied and exciting job. One day I might be presenting to businesses in Barcelona and the next, meeting with senior Spanish government officials or hosting a reception for a high profile Australian visitor. I have scope to really shape the work I do and influence growth in the bilateral relationship, which is both interesting and rewarding. We’ve seen very good growth in the two-way investment relationship in recent years and I work closely with Australian and Spanish businesses to encourage and foster this as well as identify any challenges or potential obstacles.

How has learning a language other than English added value to your career?

I have to confess that I didn’t star at languages in high school and I didn’t end up taking any languages in my final years. DFAT has a great system of language training though, so before I started my first posting in Brazil, I was

able to study Portuguese full time for about nine or ten months, including a couple of months study based in Brazil.

Having Portuguese gave me a head start with Spanish. I wasn’t able to undertake full language training for my posting to Spain and my Spanish skills are still a work in progress, but it is really essential to speak and understand Spanish to live and work here. Plus it’s a beautiful language! I find that speaking the language of a country gives you additional insights and familiarity which can be indispensable in diplomacy.

No doubt living and working overseas brings about wonderful opportunities. What has been your “wow” moment?

That’s a hard one to answer as there have been a few. Most recently, in conjunction with his attendance at the NATO Summit in Madrid, it was receiving Prime Minister Albanese in Madrid for the first bilateral visit to Spain by an Australian Prime Minister.

The presentation of credentials –which is where you are formally received as Australia’s representative by the

On the tarmac with Prime Minister Albanese during his June 2022 visit to Spain

country of accreditation – is also always a thrill. For Spain, I presented credentials to King Filipe VI at the royal palace. They put on a truly beautiful ceremony with full royal pomp. Andorra is the only country in the world where you present credentials twice, to the President of France and the Bishop of Lleida in northern Spain, so I travelled to Paris to meet President Macron before journeying to the Pyrenees to present to the Bishop.

But other moments are really connected to the insights and opportunities which accompany living and working in another country. I was invited to see an incredible private art collection in São Paulo when I was posted in Brazil, which has always stayed with me as an unforgettable experience. While in Sri Lanka I was present for the final period of the civil conflict, which was a violent and difficult time, but also historic and deeply affecting. I also had the privilege of attending the release of rehabilitated orphaned baby elephants into the wild in southern Sri Lanka, which was truly joyous!

said, I’ve met DFAT graduates who are qualified in archaeology, medicine and engineering, so there’s no strict formula. It definitely helps to have more than a single undergraduate degree to be competitive in recruitment processes.

There are also various avenues into the profession. The graduate program is a great way to join as it provides an intensive cycle of training and placements to prepare young diplomats, but many successful diplomats join the department through other recruitment processes at a later stage of their career, often from other federal government departments or international organisations. Others might consult to the department as development specialists or academics. There are many different options.

I’d encourage students to be curious about international developments, to listen to all the great podcasts on international relations that are available today, travel independently and build a depth of knowledge about the world and the challenges Australia faces today and into the future.

There are many different qualifications which can lead you into a career in international affairs. I would say the main requirement is to develop strong policy and communication skills – writing well and expressing complex ideas clearly and succinctly is essential. Language skills help too.

Many graduates starting at DFAT have degrees in international relations, law or public policy, but the department is also always interested in economic skills and can offer a very interesting career path in trade and international economics. That

What advice would you give to current students hoping to work in politics/ international affairs?

Sharing a joke with King Felipe VI and Spanish Agriculture Minister Luis Planas at the Australia stand at the Alimentaria trade exhibition in Barcelona, April 2022

Current parent April Palmerlee is the CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia, a role she has held since 2017 following an international career in government, education and the corporate sector. Previously recognised as one of Fortune Magazine’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” and having been the Senior Co-ordinator of International Women’s Issues at the US Department of State, April’s rich career highlights the importance of international relations in our world today.

April Palmerlee

As CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce, what does your role entail?

The United States is Australia’s most important economic partner. For more than a decade, America has been the biggest investor into Australia: nearly $1 Trillion. And it is a two-way street: Australia invests more in the United States than anywhere else (about $600 Billion). As CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce, my role is to lead a team that continues to increase trade and investment between Australia and the United States. We have 500 member companies representing over one million Australian workers. Every day, across the country, the AmCham team helps find new projects, attract new investment and make connections that will create jobs and grow the economy.

Your career has predominately had an international element. Is this something you were always interested in pursuing?

I have always been interested in international relations. When I was in high

school near Washington DC (at a school very much like SCEGGS), my favourite subjects were English, History and Spanish. I loved travelling and meeting new people. Washington is a very cosmopolitan city, with diplomats from around the world working in embassies, at the World Bank and with other organisations, so I always thought I would pursue something in the international sphere; I just didn’t know what that would look like. I never put pressure on myself to figure out the perfect job – I always just took things as they came. It has worked out pretty well!

In addition to your role, you also sit on a number of Boards and Committees. How important are these pursuits to your day-to-day practice for your career?

My “day job” is to run the Chamber of Commerce, but I also have a number of other roles. Obviously, I’m a mum and wife – my husband and I have four children across four schools. That keeps

me busy, but I also make time to give back to the community through several voluntary board roles, including a think tank called the Centre for Independent Studies, the Fulbright Commission which awards scholarships, the Georgetown University Centre for Australia and New Zealand Studies and the United Way – a charity that focuses on early literacy in under-served Australian communities. Next month I will be giving a talk at St. James King Street entitled “Christian Women in Leadership”. I will explain that I feel a life well lived is a life in the service of others. We can all find ways to do that, no matter what kind of life we lead.

Women in leadership roles are often in the minority. How can women in leadership support other women to achieve their career goals?

When I worked for the President of the United States before moving to Australia, my job was to lead International Women’s Issues at the State Department. Because I started my job just after the September 11 terrorist attacks, I wound up spending time in countries like Afghanistan, Yemen and Jordan. I saw societies where girls were not allowed to go to school and women had limited opportunities outside the home. I worked with my team to educate girls as well as to support women to find work that could contribute to their families’ wellbeing. In the United States and Australia, women have many more leadership opportunities than in some other societies, but the top jobs still skew male. Only 6% of the top 300 Australian public companies are led by women, for example, and it’s similar in the United States (6% of S&P 500). Organisations like Chief Executive Women, which I am a member of, are trying to change this, but it’s a long process.

What tips can you share about pursuing an international career?

There are two pieces of advice I would give young women who are interested in

an international career, or indeed in any meaningful job:

1. Choose your boss, not your title. When considering potential roles, don’t focus too much on what the title of your position will be. Titles are less and less meaningful in today’s world. Think about the person you will be working for. Would she or he be a good mentor? Will she/he help you succeed? That’s where you are going to find reward and improvement, not from having a title that sounds impressive to a few people.

2. Volunteer for everything. I am very proud that at AmCham I have never heard anyone say, “That’s not my job”. I respect people who are willing to help across the board and that’s one of the benefits of working for a smaller organisation –resources are always scarce, so people are always looking for new and better ways to do things. If you have the capacity, my advice would be to raise your hand when someone needs help with something. Jump in when another team is short-staffed. Put in the extra effort (and sometimes extra hours) to make yourself indispensable. You will learn a lot along the way and will build a great deal of goodwill. It will all come back to you over the course of a lifetime. Always be the person who says, “I can do that”.

(L-R) Hillary Clinton, former USA Secretary of State and April