Leonie Barnes

Daughter of a crocodile shooter, child of the Northern Territory, martial artist and musician and one of the first ever female graduates of Australia’s Royal Military College, Duntroon. Leonie Barnes is a leading specialist  in the field of Humanitarian Mine Action across many continents. Back in Australia after 20 years with the United Nations including service with Peacekeeping Missions in Sudan, Kosovo, Eritrea and Ethiopia, and Sri Lanka; Leonie presents her life stories; her systems, her values and her philosophy – “focused on International Training, Development, Evaluation and Monitoring (in-TanDEM) across Australia and internationally across several continents. She is a specialist advisor in the World Health Organisation in the WHO Health Emergency section, a specialist advisor in integrated risk management and lectures extensively in monitoring and evaluation within the not for profit sector, however, none of this meant anything, when she got that news – you have breast cancer!

Leonie has been dragon boating since 2020 following her diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer, and is currently serving as President of the Sunshine Coast Dragons Abreast Dragon Boat club, based in Maroochydore, on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Leonie looks forward to providing her specialist guidance and support to the DAA Board and to supporting breast cancer survivors and their families through their cancer journey, through the fun and camaraderie of the dragon boat community.