Careers Without Borders: Speed Dating With Professionals in International Affairs

UPDATE: This event is now fully booked. Please email ypnwa@internationalaffairs.org.au to add your name to the waitlist.

The Young Professionals Network of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (YPN) in partnership with Young Australians in International Affairs invites you to the second event in the 2017 Careers Without Borders series, ‘Speed Dating with Professionals in International Affairs’.

Are you interested in pursuing a career in international affairs? At this event you will have the opportunity to speak to professionals with experience in a variety of internationally focused industries including defence, policy, research, law, business and development. You will have the chance to find out how you can get started forging your own career in international affairs.

You will have the opportunity to network with six professionals in an intimate setting. Our speakers will share their experiences in developing successful careers across varied functions within the field of international affairs and the challenges they have encountered along the way.

Doors open 5:30pm for a 6:00pm start.

Light catering to be provided.

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Sergeant Tara Beckett (Federal Agent, Australian Federal Police)

Dr Sandy Chong (Vice-President elect, United Nations Association of Australia)

Mr Joe James (Political-Economic Officer, US Consulate-General)

Ms Nicole Matrai (Principal Policy Adviser, Minister for Housing, Veterans Issues and Youth)

Mr Mervyn Piesse (Manager of the Global Food and Water Research, Future Directions International)

Mr Alisdair Putt (Migration Agent and Lawyer, Putt Legal)

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Sergeant Tara Beckett

Tara Beckett completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in International Relations and Political Science from the Australian National University. After deciding to discontinue post graduate studies, Tara joined the AFP in 2007 in Forensics.

As an unsworn member Tara held roles in Quality Assurance and Legislative Compliance. In 2009, Tara completed recruitment training and was posted to the Sydney office. During her time in Sydney, Tara worked on child protection matters, and drugs, proceeds of crime and fraud investigations. Additionally, Tara was out-posted to the Department of Human Services for two years to assist and upskill staff in Centrelink and Medicare in respect of investigations defrauding the Commonwealth.

Between 2015 and 2017, Tara worked in the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team. Tara was involved in major national security investigations of domestic and international significance. In late 2016, Tara was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and in February 2017, joined the AFP Perth office.

Tara runs one of the two Crime Operations Teams in Perth which investigate crimes against the Commonwealth including drug importations, and fraud and victim based crimes such as human trafficking, sexual servitude and slave and indentured labour.

Dr Sandy Chong

A Harvard Alumnus, Dr Sandy Chong is the winner of the State Government's Western Australia Multicultural Recognition Awards for Outstanding Individual Achievement (2016), Outstanding Volunteer Award (2016), Curtin Alumni Achievement Award for Community Service (2015), and Singapore Management Consultant of the Year Award (2015).

Other than leading a consultancy practice in Singapore that helps trade agencies and businesses in international expansion, Dr Chong also serves on the Advisory Board at Curtin University looking at international student engagement and promotion of women in higher education.

A strong advocate for youth education and economic empowerment, Dr Chong dedicates her time to mentoring female entrepreneurs and youth start-ups internationally. Her passion in connecting businesses with philanthropic activities has seen her serving on the United Nations Women IWD Organising Committee for three years and is currently the Vice-President elect of the United Nations Association of Australia (UNAAWA).

Mr Joe James

Joe James is the first Political-Economic Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Perth. He covers political and economic issues in WA. Previously, he served as an Environment, Science, Technology and Health (ESTH) Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Prior to this position, he served as a Vice Consul in the consular section of the embassy.

Joe’s first assignment in the Foreign Service was at the U.S. Mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France where he served as the Trade and Agriculture Advisor for the Mission. Before joining the Foreign Service, Joe spent six years working in the credit union industry performing market research and economic analysis. Joe is an economic-coned officer in the Foreign Service.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Cornell University and pursued graduate study at Georgetown University. He is originally from Saint Marys, Pennsylvania and currently lives in Perth with his wife Caroline and daughters, Elisabeth and Lauren.

Ms Nicole Matrai

Nicole Matrai is a career public servant, having spent the last 17 years in both Commonwealth and state governments. Starting from a graduate position in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Nicole represented Australia at the World Trade Organisation. At state level, Nicole has worked on water, and trade and investment policies. Nicole currently works for the WA Minister for Housing, Veterans Issues and Youth.

Mr Mervyn Piesse

Mervyn Piesse is the Research Manager for the Global Food and Water Crises Research Programme at Future Directions International (FDI), a not-for-profit research institute based in Perth. He previously worked as a Research Analyst covering Indonesia for FDI’s Indian Ocean Research Programme. He has a Bachelor’s Degree with honours in International Relations from Curtin University and a Masters of International Relations from The University of Western Australia.

Mr Alisdair Putt

Alisdair Putt was first admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 1995. After 14 years of working in the Federal Attorney General’s Department, Alisdair gained international experience working in the Office of Prosecutor for International Criminal Court for the former Yugoslavia. Alisdair has also held positions in the Office of the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court; Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and the Office of State Director of Public Prosecutions (WA).

Alisdair has undertaken a number of short term international law training assignments for the United Nations and European Union in Iraq, Pakistan and recently served in Afghanistan for 9 months with AusAID.

Alisdair received a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from The University of Western Australia, a Bachelor of Laws from University of Technology, Sydney, a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Masters of Law at the Australian National University, and a Graduate Diploma in Migration Law and Practice from Murdoch University. Currently Alisdair is completing a Masters of Military Law at Australian National University.