Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Johnston, the first female Commanding Officer of a full-time Engineer Regiment in the ADF, has been announced as a Finalist in the Government and Academia Award category of the Telstra Queensland Business Women’s Awards.
LTCOL Johnston, as Commanding Officer of the 6th Engineer Support Regiment, is responsible for 450 personnel that deliver construction and bomb disposal support for Army operations. In a 22-year career, Amanda has served in East Timor, Israel, Syria, Lebanon and Afghanistan.
She has led her current team in building vital infrastructure for remote Northern Territory Aboriginal communities, assisting with post-cyclone recovery in the Philippines, Queensland and Vanuatu, and ensuring public safety during the G20 conference in Brisbane. Last year she led an operation that disposed of WWII mines and bombs around villages in Bougainville.
With a reputation for authentic leadership, LTCOL Johnston said she is very supportive of the Army’s initiatives to drive greater inclusion and diversity.
“I love being in the military because I get a deep sense of satisfaction from my work. This comes from serving a greater good, but also because it satisfies my adventurous spirit,” LTCOL Johnston said.
Winners of the 2015 Telstra Queensland Business Women’s Awards will be announced on 29 September in Brisbane. The Queensland winners proceed to the national finals in Melbourne on Wednesday 18 November.