Cultivating a Global Mindset: Leading the Future of International Affairs

Join the Australia Latam Emerging Leaders Dialogue (ALELD) for our 2026 flagship event, Cultivating a Global Mindset: Leading the Future of International Affairs, bringing together emerging leaders, diplomats, policymakers and industry partners to explore what it takes to lead in an increasingly connected world. International affairs is no longer the domain of diplomats alone. Trade, technology, security, sustainability and culture now shape relations between nations, and the leaders of tomorrow need the perspective to work across all of them. This evening explores how a global mindset is built, why it matters, and how emerging leaders can put it into practice. Designed for students, young professionals and anyone with an interest in international relations, diplomacy and public policy, the event offers practical insight, candid conversation and connections that last well beyond the night. We will also launch the third edition of the ALELD Mentorship Program, connecting emerging leaders with experienced mentors across the Australia–Latin America corridor.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EVENING

Pre-Panel Networking Session: Connect with speakers, partners and peers within Canberra’s international affairs community. This session will commence at 5:30 PM.

Panel Discussion and Q&A: Hear directly from Australian and Latin American leaders across diplomacy, government and civil society, and put your own questions to the panel. Session will commence at 6:00 PM.

Mentorship Program Launch: Building on the success of our 2025 cohort, where 95% of participants reported high satisfaction and 90% reported stronger leadership skills and clearer career goals, the 2026 program returns with expanded opportunities to learn from leaders shaping the Australia–Latin America relationship. Leadership is not something that begins with a senior title. Even at the start of your career, you will be expected to lead. This evening is your opportunity to start building the mindset that leadership demands.

Registration is FREE. RSVP now to secure your place.

Meet Our Panellists

Her Excellency Ms. Carolina Molina Barrantes - Ambassador of the Republic of Costa Rica to the Commonwealth of Australia Ambassador Molina joined the Foreign Service in 2004. Has represented Costa Rica as Consul at the Consulates of Costa Rica in Miami (Florida) and Houston (Texas), United States of America. She has been chargé d’affairs at the Embassy of Costa Rica in Belize and Minister Counselor and Consul General at the Embassy of Costa Rica in Guatemala. In the Directorate General for Foreign Policy, she has been Environment and Climate Change Officer, Human Rights, Human Security, and International Humanitarian Law Area Officer, Multilateral Organizations Unit Officer, as well as Head of the Department of Environment and Sustainable Development. She served as Director of international Cooperation, where previously held positions as Desk Officer for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean Area, as well as of the Mesoamerica Project - formerly the Puebla Panama Plan. Ambassador Molina graduated from the Autonomous University of Central America (UACA) in Costa Rica and holds a master’s degree in human Rights from the State University of Distance Education (in Costa Rica).

Olivia Williams - Senior Policy Officer for the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Olivia is a senior policy officer in the Office of Southeast Asia at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She was posted to the Australian Embassy in Peru from 2021 to 2024, where she led political, economic and public affairs engagement in Peru and Bolivia, and supported Australia’s engagement in Peru’s 2024 APEC host year. Olivia holds a Bachelor of Philosophy (Arts) with First Class Honours from the Australian National University, with a major in political science and a minor in Spanish. She has lived and studied in Peru, Spain, Germany and Taiwan.

Fernando Mendoza - Assistant Director for Europe and the Americas Section at the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Fernando is an accomplished agricultural trade and international policy professional with more than 20 years of experience across government, industry, and international market access. He currently serves as Assistant Director, Europe and the Americas Section, at the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, where he leads strategic policy development and international engagement across Latin America and The Caribbean. Fernando has successfully negotiated market access outcomes for Australian agricultural exports, developed industry and government policy, and managed complex stakeholder relationships. He holds a Master of Project Management from UNSW and brings expertise in trade negotiations, agricultural policy, program management, and international relations.

Getting There By Car & Parking (Free Evening Parking): Liversidge Street Carpark: Located directly off Liversidge Street between the Coombs and Hedley Bull buildings. Because standard PayStay parking enforcement on the ANU campus finishes at 5:00 pm on weekdays, parking in this surface lot, and all other outdoor surface spaces across campus, is completely free. Alternative Undercover Option: If surface spaces are full, the multi-storey Kambri Car Park off Kingsley Street is a short walk away. Please note that undercover parking stations do not follow the free surface parking rules and charge a flat $6.20 night rate after 5:00 pm. By Public Transport: Attendees can take any bus routing through the City West / Alinga Street Interchange. The free ANU-Civic Loop Shuttle Bus runs until 7:30 pm on weekdays, picking up from the city and dropping off directly at major campus hubs within walking distance of the venue. Accessibility & Mobility: Lecture Theatre 1 features step-free ramp access on the ground floor. Designated accessible parking bays are available in the surface lot directly off Liversidge Street and surrounding parking lots.