A Moment with Leon Braun: First Secretary (Political and Economic) with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
By anyone’s standards, Leon Braun has enjoyed a varied and interesting career. After completing his undergraduate studies at UNE, Leon freelanced for local newspapers and wrote for the UNE student publication, Neucleus, before joining UNE’s media and communications team.
Leon also found time to open a restaurant with his wife, Am, who moved from Thailand to study at UNE under an AusAID scholarship. Their restaurant was named The Green Papaya, and both Phil and Rebecca had fabulous memories of dining at the award-winning restaurant, so were excited to meet Leon in another context.
After selling their business in 2011, Leon and Am moved their family to Canberra, where Leon undertook further studies at ANU and applied for a role with DFAT. Leon notes, ‘I’d always been interested in foreign affairs and tried to get into DFAT’s graduate program when I finished my BA, but didn’t get a look in. Ten years later, with a master’s degree and a decade of work experience behind me, I tried again. This time I got in, and I haven’t looked back.’
Leon’s work with DFAT has taken him all over the world: Iraq, Turkey, Thailand, Nepal, Bangladesh, and a two-year posting in Tonga. He has worked on human rights, Australia-Thailand relations and Australia’s relationship with the UN. In his current role as First Secretary (Political and Economic) at the Australian Embassy in Laos, he reports on issues that shape Australian foreign policy and assists with several development programs, which is what brought him to an event with Phil and Rebecca.
Leon at the Baghdad Embassy
One of DFAT’s flagship programs in Laos focuses on human resource development, helping the government of Laos build its human resource capacity by addressing skills gaps to sustain social development and economic growth and support new enterprise. Training organisations, such as UNE’s International Capacity Building (ICB) program, play a vital role by delivering short courses to government officials and members of civil society.
Leon and Am in Tonga
Leon said, ‘When I met Phil and Rebecca, I was handing out certificates to participants in a course on gender mainstreaming they had run for Lao and Vietnamese officials. These short courses are greatly appreciated by local development partners, because they often give them access to training and expertise they wouldn’t otherwise get.’
‘UNE holds a special place in my heart, so it’s great to see UNE contributing to Australia’s development programs in Laos.’