Ms Birdsey is the Chief Executive Officer of Investing in Women (IW), an initiative of the Australian Government.
As IW’s CEO, she will lead the initiative’s efforts to promote women’s economic empowerment in Southeast Asia. Ms Birdsey brings over 20 years of experience working in international development, as well as skills in diplomacy, leadership, international relations and public policy.
Prior to her appointment as CEO of Investing in Women, Ms Birdsey served as Australia’s Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian High Commission Kuala Lumpur, where she was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Australian Government’s bilateral relationship with Malaysia.
As Assistant Secretary at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ms Birdsey led teams responsible for development policy and programming in governance, sustainable development, and humanitarian response, as well as DFAT’s response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. She served overseas in Jakarta, Indonesia and in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Ms Birdsey holds a Masters in International Relations from the University of Sydney, and a Graduate Diploma in Economics from the University of New England.