Following our announcement of the Women in Defence Awards 2025 finalist, ADM will be introducing each of our amazing finalists across the categories in more detail. Today we are focusing on the finalists in our People and Culture category.
In this category, judges were looking for entries that developed and /or administered outstanding initiatives to support women that have had a significant impact within the defence community, with additional evidence of having overcome personal challenges to do so.
The winners and Hall of Fame inductee will be announced at a gala dinner at The National Arboretum, Canberra, on 15 October 2025. Book your tickets here – we hope to see you there!
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Olivia Agate Olivia is a full-time Human Resources Business Partner at Navantia Australia and runs For the WIN, a women focused group within Navantia Australia. In 2024, Olivia organised four official Women’s Defence Connection events, established a partnership with The Future Through Collaboration (TFTC) to deliver a female specific workshop around networking and also hosted a breakfast at the Land Forces with Victorian Government. The Women’s Defence Connection initiative, along with Olivia’s additional collaborations has meant that women across Victoria have a bigger voice than ever within Defence Industry and there is a visual change in the attendance of women to networking events. |
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Jen Dainer In 2024, after applying to join the Army Reserve, Jen publicly challenged an Australian Defence Force (ADF) recruitment practice of asking invasive medical screening questions. These questions included asking the date of her last menstrual period. As a result of Jen speaking out, Defence committed to a formal review of its medical questionnaire. Jen’s actions inspired other women across the defence community and beyond to question outdated norms and expect better. Apart from her career in photography, Jen serves on the board of Green Fox Studios, a creative education initiative teaching digital skills to marginalised groups. Her work continues to inspire others to push for fairness, respect, and equity across Defence and adjacent industries. |
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Dani Eveleigh Dani is the Northern Territory Coordinator of Walking Off the War Within, and a Board Member of multiple not-for-profits supporting women, veterans, and Indigenous communities. In 2024, Dani led a series of impactful people and culture projects supporting veterans, Aboriginal-led organisations, and service providers operating in defence-adjacent fields. Through her consultancy, she delivered tailored HR frameworks, trauma-informed workforce support systems, and governance mentoring to community organisations supporting the veteran community and First Nations youth. She also served on the boards of Top End Women’s Legal Service, Amber NT, and Autism NT, contributing strategic HR and governance expertise. Dani has created ripple effects across the organisations she supports by embedding structural and cultural changes that elevate women. |
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Tracey Hoffman Tracey supports 51 Far North Queensland Regiment (FNQR) soldiers. She has conducted remote placement in Cape Communities and the Torres Strait to ensure 51 FNQR soldiers are medically fit for duty. Tracey’s tenure working in Far North Queensland has seen a dramatic rise in vaccination rates in FNQR soldiers and she has created a better quality medical reporting system between community health providers and Defence. She provides mentoring to female soldiers and officers who have health issues or if they require support on how to best manage the welfare of their soldiers. Tracey adds a personal touch to her duties by going above and beyond with multiple external agencies to see a soldier receive the upmost medical support. |
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Lorraine Kennedy Lorraine has implemented a Gender Equality Strategy at NGA. She personally consulted with employees across all NGA sites, ensured leadership endorsement and brought the strategy to life, embedding it throughout the employee lifecycle and inspiring the team to increase opportunities for women in defence. As a result, NGA is a Veteran accredited employer by Department of Veteran’s Affairs thanks to Lorraine’s work. Lorraine’s a key decision-maker and driver of NGA’s Corporate Social Responsibility activities, including funding Legacy, STEM programs targeted at girls and access for all employees to the Diversity Council of Australia resources site. Lorraine has supported Australian HR Institute (AHRI) in their mentoring program, and privately mentors women in the industry. |
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