We are delighted to follow the careers of our alumni and are excited when they share insights and advice for other graduates and members of our community.
Our 2022 Young Alumni Award Winner, Sarah Leary, who studied a Bachelor of Arts with a focus on international relations at the University of Tasmania, has recently gone on to graduate from The London School of Economics and Political Science with Distinction in a Master of Science (Diplomacy and International Strategy).
An experienced Australian diplomat, development worker and trade representative, she is currently the Assistant Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research and reporting at the Australian Productivity Commission.
Sarah was named a 2024 Young Woman to Watch in International Affairs, sits on the Tasmanian Council for Women as well as the University of Tasmania Alumni Committee. She has recently been accepted into a Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations at the University of Oxford.
While Sarah’s career has had many highlights, she says her proudest achievement was being a primary carer for her father Glenn, who passed away from brain cancer in her final year of study at UTAS.
At the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Sarah achieved a number of high-profile trade and investment outcomes across the Indo-Pacific. On diplomatic postings to Vietnam, Cambodia, the Solomon Islands and the United States, she led the delivery of major initiatives focused on gender equality, cultural diplomacy, economic growth, sports diplomacy, private sector development, access to finance and trade diversification.
Sarah says one of her proudest professional achievements was establishing the successful $52m Pacific Step-up initiative – PacificAus Sports – to deepen Australia’s ties to the Pacific, culminating in the stronger inclusion of Pacific athletes in Australia’s Super Rugby Pacific franchise, and the Tokyo Olympics.
As advisor to Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, Sarah supported Australia’s UN Human Rights Council campaign. A Palawa woman, she also represented Australia at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in 2012.
Sarah served as Director for First Nations Justice Reinvestment at the Attorney-General's Department, and First Secretary Economics at the Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City responsible for Australia's economic and trade relations with southern Vietnam.
As the inaugural First Nations Foreign Policy Fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre in 2024, Sarah pitched a historic First Nations Trade Mission to India, recently announced by Australia’s Foreign Minister, Senator the Hon Penny Wong.
“This will be the first time an Indigenous business mission visits the Indian market to promote the excellence Indigenous businesses have to offer the world’s fastest growing major economy,” Sarah said.
“It’s rewarding bringing new ideas to life that create trade and employment opportunities for groups that are often overlooked by traditional systems,” she said.
Originally from Devonport in North-West of Tasmania, where she worked as journalist, Sarah says her regional background has allowed her to connect authentically with communities in the Pacific and Southeast Asia seeking to develop in similar sectors such as tourism, fisheries and agriculture.
“I often hear from undergraduates who feel they need to undertake unpaid internships in Washington DC, Geneva or New York to get ahead in graduate program applications,” Sarah said.
“But having sat on diplomatic recruitment panels, I can say with confidence that there are rich opportunities to gain transferable experience in international relations, whether in the community development sector, health, finance or environmental research, right here in Tasmania.
“Diplomacy values diverse backgrounds, and regional experiences stand out in job applications.”
Sarah recently gave insights in the video below providing information on the skills needed for a career in international relations, highlighting the significance of soft skills and diverse experiences to a thriving diplomacy career.
You can unlock more alumni insights through the UTAS Career & Life video library.
Image top of page: Sarah Leary