THANKS... (from left) PTE Ainsley Watson, CPL Janita Wright, president of the Townsville Business Women’s Circle Joanna
Murray, COMD 3Bde BRIG Chris Field and SGT Rhiannon Busch holding the gift presented to her as a speaker at the forum.
Rhiannon was particularly thrilled with the momento because it was a picture of her good friend, PTE Kertisha Thompson
NQ Defence Women’s Leadership Forum
T
HE very successful NQ Defence Women’s
Leadership Forum conducted at RAAF Base
Townsville last month may become a regular event.
Already the Townsville Business Women’s Circle
(TBWC) and senior staff at the Australian Army’s 3rd
Brigade plan a second forum, this time to coincide
with International Women’s Day on March 8 next year.
The idea was born when vice president of
the TBWC Heidi Avolio approached COMD
3Bde BRIG Chris Field after hearing him
speak at a NQ Emerging Leaders function.
She wanted him to address a TBWC
meeting, but BRIG Field had a bigger
idea - a womens’ leadership forum.
President of the TWBC Joanna Murray said
every single participant had been delighted
by what they got out of the event.
10 | SEPTEMBER 2017
“It was a fantastic day,” she said.
“It was really an opportunity for us in business to be able
to make connections with Defence people in person.”
She said the venue - the Harry Cobby Theatre at RAAF
Base Townsville - was particularly interesting for
civilians who would rarely get to be on a military base.
She said, based on the feedback they had
already received, next year’s event would include
opportunity for more interaction with the presenters,
possibly through small group workshops.
BRIG Field said 3Bde and the TBWC
co-chaired the forum.
The stated aim of the forum was to allow
participants to share knowledge and experiences,
to develop networks and to grow personally.
BRIG Field said it was also an opportunity to enhance
professional relationships between people in the Defence