Sarah Harrison, Partner, Dispute Resolution and Colonel Georgeina Whelan

Perth hosted Colonel Georgeina Whelan as the keynote speaker on 11 June 2008. Over 37 clients and 17 staff members heard Georgeina speak on her experiences of leading large medical teams in hugely difficult circumstances in the South Asia region. As part of the Whole of Government support to the Asian Tsunami relief effort Georgeina was deployed to Banda Aceh in December 2004. During the deployment, she commanded the Anzac Field Hospital, comprising over 150 doctors, nurses, medics and ancillary support staff who treated 3600 victims of the tsunami. Georgeina was awarded an AM in the 2006 Queens Birthday Honours list for her contribution and performance as the Commanding Officer of the ANZAC Field Hospital in Aceh.

Her military career has continued to flourish and in January 2008 Colonel Whelan took up her new appointment as the Command Health Officer at Land Headquarters. She has four children and currently studying for her MBA.