Pioneering IT, Remote Work, and Life-Work Harmony
We’re all about professionals who refuse to be boxed in by outdated career paths and rigid corporate structures. Colleen is one of them—a trailblazer in IT, a career remoter before the term even existed, and a leader who has shaped the tech world for decades.
From Papua New Guinea to Global Tech Leadership
Colleen’s journey into technology wasn’t planned—it was a spark of curiosity that turned into a lifelong passion. Born in Papua New Guinea, she started as a tracer, manually drawing land plots and maps. When an opportunity arose to digitise those processes, she volunteered. Armed with nothing but a programming book, she taught herself to code, writing her first program—a simple text-based animation called “Hop Bunny Hop.” That was it—she was hooked.
From there, she pursued IT at the University of Papua New Guinea, becoming the only woman in her graduating class. It was the era of IBM mainframes, and she played a key role in developing software for land lease revenue, ecology tracking, and even early weather monitoring systems. In a time when tech was a male-dominated field, Colleen wasn’t just participating—she was leading.
Breaking Barriers in a Male-Dominated Industry
Colleen’s career took her across the globe—from Papua New Guinea to Australia, New Zealand, and eventually the United States. She worked on cutting-edge projects, integrating ticker tape machines into early computing systems, writing custom software for government agencies, and modernising business operations long before “digital transformation” was a buzzword.
In every country she worked in, the industry remained overwhelmingly male. But Colleen didn’t just survive—she thrived. She was often the only woman in the room, whether she was coding, leading teams, or speaking at tech conferences for giants like IBM, VMark, and TIBCO. In the U.S., she had to work even harder to prove herself in an industry where women were still seen as anomalies. But she didn’t just prove herself—she outperformed, designing software solutions for global companies, implementing EDI integrations, and driving innovation at every turn.
One of the First Career Remoters
Long before career remoters became mainstream, Colleen was already doing it. In 1994, she started working remotely in the U.S., balancing high-level tech projects with family life. While many companies resisted remote work, she proved that professionals could be just as—if not more—productive outside the office.
For Colleen, being a career remoter was never about convenience; it was about focus, efficiency, and life-work harmony. She loved being able to dedicate herself fully to complex projects without the distractions of office politics. But it wasn’t always easy—being out of sight sometimes meant being out of mind, requiring her to be proactive in promoting her work and ensuring leadership recognised her contributions.
Returning to Australia and the Remote Work Revolution
When Colleen moved back to Australia, she faced an entirely different work culture. Remote work was almost unheard of, and she had to reintegrate into on-site roles at organisations like Transport and Main Roads, BHP, and major health networks. But when COVID-19 forced companies to rethink work structures, she was ahead of the curve. While others struggled to adapt, she had already mastered the art of working remotely while delivering exceptional results.
A Legacy of Innovation and Independence
Colleen has spent decades at the forefront of IT, from writing early software for mapping and land management to designing complex business systems and leading major technology initiatives. Even now, she continues to push boundaries, leveraging her expertise to help organisations modernise and mentoring the next generation of tech professionals.
She embodies what it means to be a Career Remoter—not just someone who works remotely, but someone who designs their career on their own terms. She’s built a life where work and passion coexist, where she isn’t confined by outdated corporate structures, and where she continues to thrive doing what she loves.
Career Remoter is here to make these connections happen, to help more people find that perfect blend of work and life where both fuel each other.
What’s your harmony?
