We caught up with Lissy Oxford, Coordinator - Ageing Well, City of Charles Sturt, about what led her to participate in the Emerging Leaders Program, how she found the most recent module, and what she's most looking forward to as part of the development opportunity. 

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?

Leadership is a lifelong journey, and I’m passionate about continuous growth. In my current role leading a team with a heavy focus on Aged Care services, I balance technical expertise with the human side of leadership daily. The Emerging Leaders Program felt like the perfect opportunity to give myself the time (and permission) to focus on my leadership skills further and challenge my thinking outside of the day-to-day operations. I’m grateful my Council values staff development and recommended me for the program; it’s a privilege to be recognised and supported to grow. It’s also a great stepping stone towards the Strategic Management Program, which I hope to complete one day as I continue evolving as a leader.

A recent module focused on ‘A Rural Perspective’ – what were some of your takeaways from this module?

The session on 'Recovery in Rural Communities' really stuck with me. It showed the incredible resilience rural communities have and how recovery is often driven by connection, creativity, and trust, sometimes even through arts and storytelling. My biggest takeaway was the power of true partnership: doing with, not for. When you invest time to engage and build trust, communities step up in ways that create lasting impact. It reframed how I see collaboration in local government and reminded me that authentic relationships are at the heart of sustainable recovery and growth.

What are you most looking forward to as the program progresses?

Working with other leaders in local government and building connections. I’m really looking forward to continuing to expand my knowledge of local government as a whole and my own leadership styles. I feel like I’ve already utilised some of the tools learnt and been able to see my leadership in a different lens throughout this process, so I am really looking forward to leaning in to the vulnerability and understanding what makes me tick, and growing from this both personally and professionally.