Gisele Karame-Kemp has served as Executive Assistant to Lachlan Murdoch (News Corp) and Scott Farquhar (Atlassian), later leading a global team of EAs/AAs at Atlassian. Most recently, she’s stepped into Workplace Experience - highlighting how EA skills translate into diverse leadership pathways.

In this episode, Gisele talks through her incredible career, the importance of mentoring, and why she left admin to work in her new Workplace Experience role at one of the largest tech companies in the world.

We explore what truly changes when you move from supporting Chairman and CEOs to taking a step back in the business. We talk through how to earn trust at the highest levels, and why a non-linear career can be your biggest advantage.

In this episode, you’ll learn

• Career arc: How Gisele moved from early admin roles to C-Suite support, team leadership, and Workplace Experience.
• Trust at the top: Practical ways to build credibility, protect time, and influence outcomes without authority.
• Beyond the traditional EA remit: Examples of strategic contribution and stepping into business operations.
• Navigating tough moments: Tactics for handling shifting priorities, ambiguity, and high-stakes change.
• Strategic Impact: Moving beyond tasks to commercial thinking, systems, and measurable outcomes.
• Mentorship & Community: Why mentoring lifts the whole profession and how to get started.

Easy Links:

To connect with Gisele - hit her up on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisele-karame-kemp

The book Gisele recommended was: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/meditationsformortals

The app Gisele recommended was: https://www.wakingup.com/

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Got questions or a topic you want us to cover? Drop us a DM or comment.

From early admin roles to senior strategic support and entrepreneurship, Kiara Filardi has built a career defined by initiative, influence, and impact. In this conversation, Kiara shares how adopting a business partner mindset elevates the EA role, why mentorship is a career multiplier, and the habits that keep you steady when priorities move at pace. We also explore her vision for AIOP NSW and how community accelerates professional growth.

In this episode, you’ll learn

• How Kiara navigated her career from EA to founder, and what truly prepared her to build Urge.Concierge
• Practical ways EAs operate as strategic business partners (beyond the traditional remit)
• The skills that matter at senior level: influence, commercial thinking, systems, and calm under pressure
• Why mentorship changes careers, and how to find (and work with) the right mentor
• Staying effective in high-pressure environments: resets, rituals, and run-of-show systems
• Kiara’s plans as AIOP NSW Division President to support and connect the community
• Where the EA profession is heading next, and the mindset shifts to get ahead

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Easy Links:

• Connect with Kiara Filardi on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiara-filardi-b4bb147b/
• Join the Australian Institute of Office Professionals (AIOP) community and learn more about the institute here: https://aiop.com.au
• Join us at the Admin Avenues Conference: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/adminavenuesconference
• Then join us for a night of celebrating at the 2025 AIOP Awards after the conference: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/the-2025-aiop-awards-gala-dinner

Tamara (TJ) shares how she turned recognition into real-world impact as AIOP’s Hunter Region Division President. From earning influence without authority to designing a career that works for family life, TJ unpacks the systems, boundaries and mindset that keep momentum going - especially when work gets busy. We also chat about the new AIOP Mentor Program (launching 2026), practical professional development strategies, and the future-ready skills every admin should practise now.

In this episode, you’ll learn

• Influence without authority: Why rapport is step one in any pipeline, and how to protect yourself when politics show up.
• Career compounding: The early decision to build genuine relationships and how it paid off years later.
• Making impact visible: Showing trust, respect and honesty to decision-makers
• Career design for parents: Boundaries, honest comms, and choosing roles that fit life.
• Peak-period playbook: Daily priorities, focus blocks, team check-ins, pre-built templates and fast wins.
• Negotiating flexibility: Come with a solution, a coverage plan and agreed guardrails.
• Future skills (2026): Adaptive problem-solving and weekly practice to build continuous improvement muscle.
• AIOP Mentor Program (2026): Closing the gap between capability and progression with structured support.
• After the award: Handling imposter thoughts, using recognition as permission to step up, and leading through the “messy middle.”

Love this conversation?

Join AIOP for community, PD and mentoring, and bring it into your professional development budget.

If this episode helped you, follow/subscribe, leave a quick rating, and share it with an admin who’d benefit.

Easy Links:

• Connect with Tamar (TJ) Barge on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-james-chpea-aa402953/
• Join the Australian Institute of Office Professionals (AIOP) community and learn more about the institute here: https://aiop.com.au
• Join us at the Admin Avenues Conference: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/adminavenuesconference
• Then join us for a night of celebrating at the 2025 AIOP Awards after the conference: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/the-2025-aiop-awards-gala-dinner