What a complete honour it was to represent New Zealand at the 2022 Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar in Oahu from 24 July – 6 August this year. I applied for this seminar thinking, ‘I could potentially get accepted’ but I wasn’t holding my breath as I knew a few pacific women in business had applied. I recall receiving the email of acceptance while I was out shopping at Dressmart and squirming to myself while my children looked at me confused. It was an even bigger win when I realised I was escaping NZ’s dreadful winter and going into Hawaii’s summer.

On the Changing Faces Women In Leadership Seminar our schedules were intense, some early starts and late finishes, working on our action plans, #GalswithLEI presentations, homework as well as keeping up with our own work back in our own countries. But everyone handled it like ‘boss ladies’ because that’s just how we do it and we wouldn’t be here if we couldn’t handle it! 

If there was one thing I really loved about these ladies it is that they empowered me to be more of me, own my space and create more space (especially as tall poppy syndrome likes to show its face too often). I left Changing Faces inspired, supported, encouraged and loved by a group of high achieving, intelligent, extremely hard-working ladies who get it and get shi# done. I now have new sisters across Asia-Pacific who I adore. Plus, we had some pretty bad ass “fierce” facilitators Liz A Dorn and Sara Lam along with the support of Kellie and Mari. 

The fastest way to make friends for life is to travel with strangers. 

Mahalo all for filling up my kete. 

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