Earlier this month, St Margaret’s hosted the final reimagined Professional Women’s Network breakfast for the year with lawyer, grazier, volunteer, director and St Margaret’s Old Girl Caitlin McConnell (’07) as guest speaker.
Alongside her work as a lawyer, Caitlin is also a sixth-generation grazier and historical spokesperson for her family who live at Cressbrook Station near Toogoolawah. She is also an inaugural director of the RNA Foundation, the Chairperson of the RNA Future Directions Committee and a non-executive director of the Future Farmers Network.
Caitlin, who was this year named a Notable Old Girl as part of St Margaret’s 125th anniversary celebrations, shared how she successfully juggles her career and divides her time equally between her obligations in Brisbane and at Cressbrook.
Acknowledging she “wears many hats” Caitlin said: “It has been the extended St Margaret’s community that has been so intertwined with my achievements and experiences to date.”
Caitlin said she is inspired by her great, great, great grandmother Mary McConnel who was a pioneer of education and health care for children in Queensland.
“We are all shaped in large part by our family, our friends, our communities and our workplaces and it is those conscious and unconscious bonds that influence our goal setting, decision making and our mindset,” Cailtin said.
Caitlin spoke about her work as an advocate for mental health and wellness in the bush.
Fiercely passionate about agriculture, Caitlin touched on the developments and opportunities happening in the agriculture sector demonstrating that agriculture is far more than what we see on our plate.
Thank you to our 2020 Professional Women’s Network corporate sponsors Pitcher Partners, Programmed Property Services and supporting partners Downer, NAB and Clear Insurance.