Anita

Anita’s career has never followed a conventional path.

The daughter of Swiss migrants and raised in Gawler, South Australia, she discovered her sense of purpose early.

Anita first felt drawn to military service at just 16 while completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award through the Gawler Blue Light program. As part of the program, she trekked the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea – a challenging 96 km trail where Australian soldiers fought during World War II.

The experience left a lasting impression on her.

“It hit me how close their sacrifice was – and how much they gave,” Anita says.

This realisation guided her toward a life of service. At 17, she joined the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra, later completing officer training at the Royal Military College.

During her time in the Army, Anita served in a range of roles across Australia and overseas. She commanded amphibious transport teams supporting humanitarian and disaster relief operations, worked on border protection activities in northern Australia, and deployed to the Middle East as a military observer with the United Nations.

She also embraced life in the Northern Territory including briefly owning a pet crocodile named Schnapps.

“When in Darwin, do as the Darwinians do – why not buy a crocodile?” she laughs.

After leaving the Army, Anita took time out in Indonesia to reset, launching two small businesses and carving out a new path in civilian life. But like many veterans, she found the transition confronting, as leaving the Army wasn’t easy.

“You lose community, purpose and identity all at once,” she says. “It’s all I had known for my entire adult life.”

Eventually, she found herself drawn back home to South Australia, where she joined ASC.

As Capability Growth Manager, Anita works closely with programs to understand workforce demand and proactively build capability by planning, sourcing and deploying talent into meaningful work that supports both delivery and long‑term enterprise needs.

She also quickly became an advocate for veteran inclusion, and says veterans bring unique experience and perspective to organisations contributing to Australia’s defence capability.

“You can’t teach what service gives you – leadership, time management, judgement under pressure, and the ability to work with anyone from anywhere.”

In March, ASC launched a new Veterans Advisory Committee – Anita is one of the founding members. She supports veteran inclusion by advocating for clear transition pathways, striving to reduce barriers to integration, and promoting recognition of the skills, experience and leadership veterans bring to the organisation.

“Veterans bring so much to ASC. I’m proud to be part of an organisation that recognises that – and to show others what’s possible after service.”

Story developed in partnership with ASC