The Progress Report

How do you stay composed when your aircraft is struck by a surface-to-air missile over enemy territory, your hydraulics fail, and you're staring down at the city of Baghdad? For Colonel (Ret'd) Kim Campbell, the answer wasn't luck – it was 24 years of rigorous training, a "lead with courage" mindset, and the redundant, rugged engineering of the A-10 Warthog. In this gripping episode, Tash Taylor s...

How do you explain to a six-year-old that her father isn't just "away" but serving the nation? For Hayley Boswell, the answer started with a handmade book and a story about saving sea turtles. A former lawyer and youth worker turned CEO and founder of Defence Kidz, Hayley is on a mission to ensure that one in 20 Australian children with a veteran parent are no longer the "invisible" part of the de...

From commercial pilot to maritime leader, Georgia Davey's "roller-coaster" career is a masterclass in adaptability. In this episode, the NORSTA Maritime program manager joins Tash Taylor to discuss her journey from the skies of northern Australia to managing maintenance for naval vessels. Georgia shares the unique challenges of defence construction and maritime logistics, offering a candid look at...

How does a law student's "gap year" in recruitment turn into a 17-year career leading operations in the defence sector? In this episode, Amelia De Angelis, chief operating officer of Kinexus, shares her journey from industry outsider to co-founding The Future Through Collaboration, a program that has mentored over 600 women. Amelia discusses the importance of "embracing your awkward self" and why...

In this episode of The Progress Report, Tash Taylor sits down with Gabby Costigan, a powerhouse leader in the global defence sector and a pioneer for women in STEM. From her early days in the Australian Defence Force to becoming the first female CEO of BAE Systems Australia, Gabby's journey is a masterclass in resilience, career pivoting and leading with purpose. Beyond the boardroom, Gabby discus...

Imagine being told at the start of your aviation career that women simply don't fly jets. Decades later, Sue-anne Munckton is the CEO of the Civil Aviation Academy Australasia and director/founder of Sky Careers and a powerhouse advocate for Australia's aviation future. In this episode, Tash Taylor sits down with the recent Australian Aviation Awards Excellence Award winner to discuss her 35-year...

A chance meeting with an astronaut changed Riley Havela's life, diverting her path from medicine straight into the world of aerospace engineering. In this episode of Defence Connect's The Progress Report, host Tash Taylor sits down with Riley Havela, founder of Riley the Aero Girl. She reveals how simply "shooting your shot" opens doors to valuable connections and emphasises that networking and pa...

How do you go from growing up in Ukraine to winning Academic of the Year in Australia? Dr Oleksandra Molloy, senior lecturer in aviation at UNSW Canberra, shares her extraordinary journey. Tash Taylor dives into Oleksandra's courageous move to Australia and her experience pioneering research in emerging technologies, particularly her vital work on drones in modern warfare and the Defence Trailblaz...

What does it mean to lead with honesty, show vulnerability, and embrace your authentic self – even when life feels chaotic? In this episode of The Progress Report, host Tash Taylor sits down with Rebecca Woolnough, area manager - Oceania for SMART Technologies, to unpack what true resilience and self-leadership look like beyond the polished titles and structured systems. From navigating self-doubt...

Ever wondered what it takes to lead with resilience while balancing life, career and wellbeing? In this episode of The Progress Report, Tash Taylor sits down with Marisa Branscombe, head of marketing communication at Atturra, to talk about leadership, resilience, and the human side of managing teams in high-pressure environments. Marisa shares how her career evolved from rural media to leading peo...

Imagine being part of a group that no one ever wants to join – a community born from loss, but one that becomes a lifeline. On this episode of The Progress Report, running in time for War Widows Day on 19th October, Tash Taylor sits down with war widows Jenny Ware, Lynne Boyd and Wendy McKean, who have turned grief into friendship, laughter, and resilience. Through candid stories, they reveal how...

A truly hard-hitting discussion of challenges and triumphs in the Defence community. In this episode of The Progress Report, Defence Connect's Tash Taylor sits down with Families of Veterans Guild CEO Renee Wilson, board chair Tricia Hobson as well as board director and interim deputy chair Jennifer Collins. The group takes a look back at the roots of the establishment of War Widows Guild in NSW i...

What happens when a woman with the "how hard can it be" gene takes on the male-dominated world of cyber and national security? In this episode of The Progress Report, Defence Connect's Tash Taylor sits down with Niru Verma, partner at Excelium, to unpack the twists and turns of her career – from 11 years in the APS to launching her own business, to leading teams in one of Canberra's fastest-growin...

How do you forge a trailblazing path and rise to leadership in the Australian Defence Force? In this episode of The Progress Report, Defence Connect's Tash Taylor sits down with Rear Admiral Letitia Van Stralen, head of Military Personnel for the Australian Defence Force. ADML Van Stralen shares how her 30-year journey began with a law degree, which led her to being one of the first women on a Nav...

What does it really take to find your place in one of Australia's most niche industries – and how do you turn curiosity into a meaningful career? In this episode of The Progress Report, Defence Connect's Tash Taylor sits down with Mary Pillay, a space and robotics engineer and ambassador of the Australian Space Diversity Alliance. Mary shares how her journey began with a chance industry night at u...

What does it really take to build strength and community when your family is moving at a moment's notice – and how do you turn that experience into creating meaningful support for veterans and their spouses? In this episode of The Progress Report, Defence Connect's Tash Taylor sits down with Julie Hall who comes from a proud family with deep roots in the Australian Defence Force. As a passionate a...

What do a high school teacher, a psychologist, and a mother of two have in common with a space tech founder? In this episode of The Progress Report, Defence Connect's Tash Taylor sits down with Sheila Maria Gough Kenyon – co-founder of Starbound Space Solutions and national committee member of the Australian Space Diversity Alliance – to explore what it really looks like to carve out a career in t...

In this episode of The Progress Report, Defence Connect's Natasha Taylor sits down with Rachel Falzon, founder and national president of the Women in Defence Association, to explore the power of mentorship in shaping meaningful careers. From informal guidance over coffee to a groundbreaking, free national mentoring program, Rachel shares stories of women who have found confidence, navigated transi...

What do you do when you walk into your first defence event in your early 20s, wearing a bright pink suit … and realise you're the only woman in the room? In the premiere of The Progress Report, Defence Connect's Natasha Taylor sits down with Olivia Agate – president of Women's Defence Connection and HR partner at Navantia – to unpack what it really takes to show up, speak up, and stand tall in a s...