Charting New Waters - Susan Harris (TC 1993)

The Beginning of a Naval Career

In 1993, a Navy Seahawk helicopter landed on the lower sports ground and presented me with a scholarship to the Australian Defence Force Academy. I joined the Navy as a Maritime Warfare Officer shortly after finishing school and remained there until June 2024 when I retired. Throughout my career, the skills and values I learnt at Toorak served me at every turn. I carried them into every submarine, leadership challenge, and tough decision. The school's core values align with those in the Navy and the ANZACs, values I hold dear: resilience, adaptability, courage, integrity, and loyalty.

Breaking Barriers and Making History

My career in the Navy has been marked by many groundbreaking achievements. In 2000, I was among the first women to join submarines, and in 2004, I became the first female Submarine Warfare Officer. I became the first female Executive Officer on an Australian submarine in 2018 and the first woman to attempt the Submarine Command Course in the Netherlands in 2019. These milestones were built on the foundation laid at Toorak College.

Two Careers, One Purpose

But I have had two parallel careers, and my biggest successes were not at sea, but in effecting change in the workforce. Throughout my career, I alternated sea time with my husband, a submarine engineer. In my periods ashore, I looked after our three children and became a Strategic Human Resources Specialist, achievingFellowship of the Australian HR Institute in 2020. In this role, I effected significant change in the submarine workforce, focusing on future growth. In 2017, I was a finalist in the Telstra Business Women’s Awards, and in 2018, I received a Conspicuous Service Medal for my work in Strategic Submarine Workforce Management. I was then in the right place at the right time to plan for the new workforce we needed for the acquisition of Australia’s future nuclear submarine force.

Courage in the Face of Challenge

Joining the Navy in the early 1990s, when women were limited in the roles they could pursue, required courage. I faced scepticism and doubt but believed in the possibility of change. Courage also meant standing up for what was right, calling out bad behaviour, and speaking the truth, even when it was unpopular. It meant saying yes to opportunities and roles that pushed my limits, from becoming a fighter controller to navigating a Dutch submarine through a Scottish river.

Learning Through Failure and Innovation

Bravery often meant trying and failing, but each experience contributed to my growth. The ANZACs were known for their ingenuity, and I carried that spirit throughout my career. Whether facing high-pressure situations or designing a new model for managing the submarine workforce, thinking differently made a significant impact (a dogged determination to get things just how I wanted them also helped).

Resilience and Reinvention

Resilience and flexibility were also vital in overcoming setbacks. The Submarine Command Course in the Netherlands was one of the toughest challenges you can imagine. Despite giving it my all, I failed on the last day. However, I picked myself up, made a new plan, and found a new path that allowed me to serve in different ways.

Leadership, Loyalty and Legacy

Loyalty to my values and friends was paramount, as was building myself into the kind of leader I wanted to be. In the Navy, loyalty meant standing up for my people and creating inclusive teams. This lesson was taught at Toorak, where inclusion and encouragement were key. It also meant creating workforce systems that were fair and just, even if I didn’t actually benefit from them personally.

Continuing the Toorak Legacy

Every time you show up with integrity, try something new, ask for help, or simply be kind, you continue the legacy of Toorak College. You embody the ANZAC spirit and become a changemaker. Dream big, be bold, embrace challenges, and most importantly, be yourself. The world is waiting for someone like you to lead and make a difference.