Scholarships for future I-LEADers
Breaking barriers and amplifying impact – TFFPN awards scholarships to women working in forestry
Together, the Tasmanian Forests and Forest Products Network and the Tasmanian Government have awarded eight scholarships to support women in forestry to complete the I-LEAD Women in Industry Program, which commenced this month. This offering was created exclusively by Tasmanian Leaders to support and accelerate the leadership journey of rising and established women leaders in Tasmania.
Women in Industry participants with wukalina guides Carleeta Thomas and Cody Gangell
Scholarships were awarded to Kuluni Millaniyage (Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood, UTAS), Haf Pearce (Sustainable Timber Tasmania), Jenny Retterer (Forico), Tori Cleaves (Wood Based Products), Sarah Vautin (Sustainable Timber Tasmania), Alana Summers (Triple H Contracting), and Michelle Walls and Rachel Yao (both from Sustainable Timber Tasmania).
These eight women join a cohort of forty-four outstanding female leaders across diverse industries including construction, forestry, mining, manufacturing, energy, and agriculture who commenced the Tasmanian Leaders 2023 I-LEAD Women in Industry program earlier this month.
Tasmanian Leaders CEO Angela Driver said this year’s I-LEAD participants showcase the remarkable talent and potential of women in the Tasmanian workforce.
“This transformative initiative, geared towards accelerating the leadership paths of both emerging and established women leaders in Tasmania, specifically addresses gender disparity within traditionally male-dominated sectors,” Ms Driver said.
The program, which is designed to boost leadership and build new networks between the women, aims to enable them to lead more effectively and with greater confidence and purpose.
“We are very grateful to our scholarship partners, including the Tasmanian Government, Tasmanian Women in Agriculture, the Tasmanian Forests and Forest Products Network, and Keystone Tasmania. Delivering these scholarships in partnership with industry has been extremely rewarding and demonstrates our partners’ commitment to advancing gender equality,” Ms Driver said.
The 2023 program builds on the successful program delivered in 2022
Women in Industry session with Dr Robin Banks
and will see seven in-person and online sessions delivered to the participants from October to November. The women will hear from a range of professional facilitators and prominent professionals offering insights drawn from their experiences and successes.
During the opening session in Launceston, participants explored the neurobiology of leadership, understanding self and others, unconscious bias, systems thinking, communication, and personal well-being with facilitators Angela Driver and Dr. Polly McGee. They also had the privilege of hearing from Dr. Niki Vincent, Commissioner for Gender Equality in the Public Sector (Victoria), and Dr. Robin Banks, Disability Rights, Human Rights, Public Policy, and Advocacy.
Ms Driver said one of the highlights from the session was a cultural awareness session with Carleeta Thomas and Cody Gangell, wukalina walk guides, learning about the cultural legacy from our first nations people.
“A notable addition to the 2023 program is the introduction of peer mentoring by connecting the 2022 and 2023 cohorts. This innovative feature creates a collaborative environment, allowing participants to learn from each other and enhance their leadership journeys.”
For more information, visit www.tasmanianleaders.org.au
