Two of Australia’s female business leaders began an intensive executive education course at Harvard Monday, as recipients of a scholarship offered by Chief Executive Women and the Women’s Leadership Institute of Australia (WLIA).
Jill Charker, the CEO of ComSuper, and Katie Cooper, the general manager of Alice Springs and Tennant Creek Airports, are attending the Women’s Leadership Forum at the Harvard Business School in Boston this month as the 2013 winners of the scholarships, valued at $20,000 each.
As recipients of the intensive scholarship program, Charker and Cooper will have the opportunity to polish their leadership skills and performance as well as the chance to meet with other female business leaders from around the world.
“Exposure to international leadership styles and case studies through this Harvard program is an exceptional opportunity to further extend the knowledge and skills of Australia’s female leaders,” said the founder of WLIA Carol Schwartz AM.
Prior to taking up the role of ComSuper CEO in November 2012, Charker was First Assistant Statistician at the Australian Bureau of Statistics where she led the $440 million 2011 Australian Population Census. Her education at Harvard Business School will add to her PhD from Griffith University, first class honours degree in psychology (majoring in statistics) and her Executive Master of Public Administration obtained through the Australia and New Zealand School of Government.
Before becoming general manager of Alice Springs and Tennant Creek Airports, Cooper was the Australian regional airport manager for Air New Zealand, managing three airports, having been involved in aviation and tourism for over 15 years. A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Cooper also has an MBA from Deakin University and was named Telstra Business Woman of the Year for the Northern Territory last year.