My favourite article to curate for The Koala News each year is our International Women’s Day feature, when we take the opportunity to celebrate the wonderful women who work across Australia’s international education sector.
Each year I invite women to participate by answering three questions. Some of these women I have known for many years, while others I have only met recently. Through their stories and experiences, you will learn more about their journeys and what motivates them. I know you’ll be inspired, and like me, you may also notice some common threads that weave through our careers.
Aastha Shrestha, Manager, International, Faculty Services: Arts and Education, Deakin University
- What do you enjoy most about the work you do now and why does it matter to you?
In my current role, I work day-to-day across TNE models, enrolment pipelines, partnership strategy and compliance frameworks. The commercial significance of the work I do in international education is not lost on me and I take that responsibility seriously. However, what truly gets me out of bed each morning is what the enrolment data represents. Every number is someone who has looked at what an Australian education can offer and decided to back themselves, or their children, believing it’s potential to build real opportunities and create a better future. This gives my work purpose and I enjoy fulfilling that purpose. I grew up in Nepal and came to Australia a decade ago through this very system, so I’ve lived this arc from both ends now. This duality in perspective also helps me pair commercial instinct with empathy and when I get to build TNE pathways that make that journey more accessible for future international students, it matters to me deeply.
- What’s something your colleagues might be surprised to learn about your career path?
A few years ago, I found myself at one of those career crossroads that don’t feel significant until much later. I had two roles in front of me. Both step-ups. One was exactly where I’d wanted to be in international partnerships. Something I’d prepared and planned towards. The other came to me differently. A senior colleague I genuinely looked up to, pulled me aside and said the role was a great fit in ways I perhaps couldn’t see yet. I applied for both. Luckily, I interviewed for both. I didn’t get the one I wanted. It was a door that didn’t open. At least not yet, I thought to myself. So I walked through the door that did open, took the other role and showed up fully.
What I didn’t expect was that within a short time, I’d be shoulder-tapped for the international role. Except this time, I walked in with something I didn’t have before. That unexpected career detour gave me exposure, knowledge, and perspective that was a strength in the international role. So, I did eventually land the role I’d wanted, but I needed the one I wasn’t sure about to accumulate range in my skills. This changed how I see my career altogether. In summary, the most honest (and hopefully surprising) reflection I can share about my career path is that the best moves I made haven’t come by design. They’ve come from saying yes to few detours before I understood where they may take me, trusting what others saw in me before I saw it myself, and showing up fully, sometimes well before I felt ready.
- What’s one habit, practice or mindset that helps you navigate the ups and downs of your work?
I don’t really have one single silver bullet to this. It is more a mix of things I have picked up over time. A key deliberate practice that I have is that I do not catastrophise the lows. I read this concept of ‘Riding your Highs to Fund your Lows’ on a LinkedIn article and it has stayed with me ever since. When things are going well, I acknowledge and celebrate it, so the energy gets banked for when I need it later. Building a network and talking to people inside and outside my immediate work circle helps immensely with this. Because, I have realised when I stay in my own work bubble, problems can feel bigger than they are, and a good conversation usually puts things back in proportion.
I also deliberately attempt to manage my energy across work and life. There is no clean switch off between the two (in my own experience), so I am intentional about what I bring into each space, and try not to compensate one with the other. A low at work does not need a high in personal life to balance it out, and vice versa. I also am learning to readjust some self-imposed, rigid ideas of achievement and that has made me more adaptive, consistent and resilient at work and I have come to see this as a real winning mindset.
Dr Kirrilee Hughes, Founder and Principal, Bestari Consulting
- What do you enjoy most about the work you do now and why does it matter to you?
Hands down… the people. I enjoy working in international education because I really feel that I’ve found my ‘tribe’. I love working with other people who think and act globally, who are genuinely curious about the world and who care deeply about other people. I also love working directly with students, whether they’re prospective students making decisions about their futures, enrolled in one of my classes or graduating and taking their first career step. International education matters to me because our work is truly transformational. We really do offer life-changing opportunities to the students and families we work with and to our peers and colleagues.
- What’s something your colleagues might be surprised to learn about your career path?
I’m known as an Indonesia and Southeast Asia specialist… but really this is an area I dip into as well as out of. I’ve held numerous roles which have been more global in scope or have focused on other regions. This has provided me with opportunities to learn about international student behaviours and education ecosystems in a diverse range of markets including South Asia, the Middle East and South America. It’s also meant I’ve gained other skills including in managerial and leadership positions. Ultimately this has been really rewarding and also helped me to understand the Southeast Asian region even more.
- What’s one habit, practice or mindset that helps you navigate the ups and downs of your work?
My career path in international education hasn’t been linear. I’ve stepped out of roles to study, to move countries and to raise a child. I’ve worked in higher education, schools, peak associations and consultancies. I’ve taught international students, trained international education professionals and researched international education. A mentor once told me to ‘run my own race’ and that’s a mindset I’ve come to embrace. Prioritise pursuing your interests and passions… and that’s a pathway to rewarding work in itself (and it’s what helps me navigate the inevitable ups and downs).
Anita van Rooyen, Founder & Chief of Awesomeness, Student Confidence
- What do you enjoy most about the work you do now and why does it matter to you?
I LOVE that I get to create confidence transmutation (the one-way transformation) in students – often from shy and anxious to confident. Helping students who are fearful (like I was) to blossom into their best selves and their potential is everything.
- What’s something your colleagues might be surprised to learn about your career path?
Before running my Student Confidence business, I’ve worked in government, private enterprise, charities and non-profits, started a failed homemade biscuit business and I also have a fun and creative side hustle upcycling mid-century lighting. That mix has taught me a lot about being flexible and innovative.
I trained in human behaviour off the back of a throw-away comment from a friend that resonated, after quitting a job that didn’t match my values.
- What’s one habit, practice or mindset that helps you navigate the ups and downs of your work?
I remember actor Michael Cain talking about ‘using the difficulty’. In other words, how can you take advantage and make the best of any challenges in your life.
I can’t finish without mentioning my favourite life formula of Be + Do = Have. Who do I need to BE, and what do I need to DO to have the outcomes I want to HAVE. It reminds me that we’re human beings, not human doings.
Linda Rust, Manager, Global Learning, The University of Melbourne
- What do you enjoy most about the work you do now and why does it matter to you?
Obviously a key enjoyment for the work I do is the impact it has on the students who undertake a global experience – it’s something I did myself twice in my studies (cultural difference is definitely spending a year in a high school in the Bible Belt of Kentucky).
But I would really have to say that what I enjoy most is the network of people I get to work with on a daily basis – from my own team, to the vast network of current and past partners I have had the pleasure of meeting with, to the fantastic circle of learning abroad practitioners we have created here in Australia. The thing all these people have in common is their incredible passion for the value and impact of global experiences, and their willingness to always help each other and to share their knowledge. Because ultimately that’s what really matters to me.
- What’s something your colleagues might be surprised to learn about your career path?
I think colleagues who haven’t heard me talk about it would be surprised to learn exactly how many different roles I have had throughout my career. I did start as a HEW 1 re-shelver in the university library (honestly one of my favourite jobs) and have had a myriad of roles and duties across 25 years, from web development to writing speeches for DVCs and PVCs, processing purchase orders, and everything in between. None of these experiences have ever been wasted, and everything has really led me to my true passion (global education) – and some the experiences I have had in past roles have come in handy over the years!
- What’s one habit, practice or mindset that helps you navigate the ups and downs of your work?
One thing that I find important is trying not to focus too much on seeing the gaps in what we do as something negative – no-one has achieved perfection, and there is always room for improvement. If a process, a program, or a service is imperfect, then keep working at it with every iteration, and best practice could be just around the corner.
And a practice I always have is to ask my networks for help – in this sector we all have the same goal in mind, and I have always found that my colleagues at other institutions are willing to share their knowledge (or at the very least bond over a shared problem).
Elissa Newall, Senior Partner, Edified
- What do you enjoy most about the work you do now and why does it matter to you?
Having worked for many years within universities, I now really enjoy the diversity of consulting. My work is different every week – one day I can be working on a student journey project with an Australian client, the next I can be working on financial benchmarking for a group of UK universities and then later be researching a piece on future student trends for a college in Canada. There’s a lot of room for creativity and I enjoy being able to apply my mind to a breadth of challenges. Working in this way is incredibly fulfilling because consulting projects are often a catalyst for change and have meaningful impacts within institutions. I feel a sense of pride knowing I’ve played a role in my clients’ success.
- What’s something your colleagues might be surprised to learn about your career path?
I started full-time work when I was 19 years old and it took me five years to finish my degree in public relations, which I studied by distance. After my first break in a PR agency, I realised it was not the career for me! Luckily, I landed a marketing role at Australian Catholic University, and everything clicked. My boss at the time – Louise Howie – taught me almost everything about international education and gave me so many opportunities to grow. I wouldn’t have made a career in this industry without her mentorship and belief in my potential.
- What’s one habit, practice or mindset that helps you navigate the ups and downs of your work?
For me, I go to a yoga class on Friday mornings. Years ago, before flexible work and work from home were normalised, I would never have considered this as part of my routine. Now, I feel more empowered to structure my week with some longer days/evenings followed by a more relaxed Friday. I value that pocket of ‘me time’ and find it helps me to reset and finish off the work week with a clear head.
Heidi Reid, Chief Executive Officer, iDAT
- What do you enjoy most about the work you do now and why does it matter to you?
I moved away from running in-school English preparation programs and “working for others” to create the International Diagnostic & Admissions Test because I saw a genuine global need — an admissions test that wasn’t only about benchmarking or academics, but about helping students transition successfully into a new learning environment. Students in the K-12 space are about far more than just grades. I see the IDAT making a real difference to students and schools. I love speaking with schools around the world and hearing how students are supported from their very first day after taking the test.
I also enjoy watching the IDAT become more than I ever imagined. By listening carefully to feedback from schools and families, the test keeps evolving. Whether through AI, secure online proctoring, or school-managed systems, we simply keep asking, “What can we do better?” That continuous improvement matters to me — the test is genuinely improving student experiences, not just measuring them.
- What’s something your colleagues might be surprised to learn about your career path?
I’m actually a qualified and registered primary school teacher in NSW. Most people know me as an ESL teacher with a business background, but fewer know I taught primary school overseas for nine years before moving into the ELICOS sector in Australia.
Being open to opportunities meant I never followed a traditional path. Instead, I’ve been able to work as a classroom teacher, English teacher, business manager, and now an entrepreneur and speaker — each step naturally building into the next.
- What’s one habit, practice or mindset that helps you navigate the ups and downs of your work?
My mantra is: “I will do what I can, and what I cannot, I cannot.”
Running your own business means the work is never truly finished — there is always more to build, improve, or refine. I have incredible support from my husband and my team, but boundaries matter. I go for a walk at lunchtime, turn my phone to “Do Not Disturb” at night, and accept the limits of what one person can realistically do. That mindset keeps me consistent and prevents the work from becoming overwhelming.
Ha Anh (Haley) Le, Program and Marketing Officer, Study Tasmania
- What do you enjoy most about the work you do now and why does it matter to you?
Making impacts at where it all started, I would say.
Working in the international education sector for Study Tasmania has truly been a full-circle moment for me. Reflecting on five years ago, I was an international student, and a student ambassador at Study Tasmania. I was always fascinated and impressed by the work that the team at Study Tasmania did. Thus, I am so honoured to be a part of our amazing team sharing my experience and coordinating programs to enrich the learning experiences of international students in Tasmania.
Looking back at my starting point made me treasure the work that I do even more. I was once a newcomer to Tasmania pursuing my studies, to then receiving an immense support from the community here. Fast forward to now, I could see clearly every day that the work that I get to do with the team are bridging many gaps that not only I but also my cohort once struggled with. It is truly rewarding when I could be a part of making meaningful contribution to the journey of fellow international students in Tasmania.
- What’s something your colleagues might be surprised to learn about your career path?
Interestingly, my journey with the international education sector dated back to when I was a high school student in my home country, Vietnam. The first encounter occurred when I was volunteering as an Event Coordinator at an International Study Fair. I was intrigued by the idea of seeing the world and challenge myself from the experience, and it motivated me to reach beyond the seas.
Since then, my career path navigated its way towards the sector even more when I began my employment at the University of Tasmania. I have spent a total of over three years working with international students across various roles, from student support, admissions to international education marketing. The journey with the sector continues as I am now writing the next chapter of my career with Study Tasmania.
- What’s one habit, practice or mindset that helps you navigate the ups and downs of your work?
I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. The seeds you sow today will become the harvest of your tomorrow. It is hard to control the external environment happening to you, but it is always possible to internally reflect on your work to not only nurture the effort putting in for your achievements but also learn how to “prune” the missteps for your personal development.
Take a pitstop to reflect on your work regularly. Give credit to your hard work and remember that every detour is a lesson and every delay is a preparation for better things ahead!
Tracy Harris, Principal, Tracy Harris Solutions and interim CEO, Australian Guild of Education
I hope you’ll forgive the indulgence of including myself, after feedback last year when I left myself out.
- What do you enjoy most about the work you do now and why does it matter to you?
Two things drive me most in the work that I do. Firstly, I need to know that the work I am doing is making a contribution. Whether it’s a Koala article that is going to lead to someone in the sector understanding something that they didn’t know before or working with a client to solve a problem that they have, I want to know that I’m making an impact. In my CEO role, I’m driven by laying groundwork for the Institute to be able to grow, with strong governance, processes and practices.
Secondly, I want to learn. Despite being in the latter part of my career, it’s still really important to me to do work where I can learn and evolve. I think if you aren’t learning, then you’re not being stretched and then you start to stagnate.
- What’s something your colleagues might be surprised to learn about your career path?
I fell into international education when I was studying my undergraduate degree (also in PR like Elissa). In addition to a job as a shelver in the library (like Linda, just several years earlier), I got a job in the English language centre at the University of Canberra, running the independent learning centre for ELICOS students. That led to a job when I graduated with a not-for-profit overseas students coordinating committee – the Canberra Council for International Students. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Some people already know this story, but what they may not know is that I’ve had a couple of career opportunities in my life to move out of international education. But I’m always drawn back in the sector that I’m passionate about. I also strongly believe that careers are not linear or on an upward trajectory and I’ve never been one to make five-year plans.
- What’s one habit, practice or mindset that helps you navigate the ups and downs of your work?
For me it’s the importance of having a creative outlet away from work. Two of my favourite creative pursuits are knitting and crochet, and I try to do a little every day. There’s something very mindful about working with yarn. The practice of knitting or crocheting is also quite meditative, and it gives me a way to switch off from whatever has happened during the workday. I also find that the concentration required allows my subconscious time to work on whatever problem I might be having, and the small reset helps me come back to work with a solution or at least more clarity.
This year’s United Nation’s International Women’s Day theme is Balance the Scales. You can find out more here.
