The Australian Women's Mentoring Network (AWMN) was the first web-based women's mentoring network established in Australia (and one of the first of its kind in the world) when it was founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Catherine Seton. Since then it has grown to include almost 1500 amazing women from diverse and varied backgrounds, industries and professions, who are committed to the process of mentoring and the development of personal and career goals.

Our Vision

To inspire Australian women to reach their individual potential - for members to connect with mentors and other women, share tools, information and experiences; engage in discussions and activities; and realise career and personal goals. 

Membership of the AWMN is available to and can benefit all Australian women, but particularly those in the following categories:

• Goal-oriented business, career and entrepreneurial women
• Women looking for career or life change
• Women who don't have access to a mentoring program through their place of employment
• Executive and high level women whose choice of mentors within their own company is limited
• Women in male-dominated professions/industries
• Women who own small, micro or home-based businesses
• Unemployed women and students
• Women returning to the workforce
• Women in minority groups (e.g. culturally diverse, indigenous Australian, disabled or impaired)
• Young women aged 18-25
• Retired women wanting to share their knowledge and experience
• Rural/remote or isolated women

Our Values

Inspiring, connecting and sharing are the key values of the Australian Women's Mentoring Network.  Each person who joins the Network does so because they are committed to mentoring and to helping themselves and others develop and achieve their goals. 

Inspire - all members within the AWMN have life and career experiences which others find inspiring (even if we ourselves don't). Each of us has something useful and interesting to share with another person, either as a mentor, coach or business owner.  Inspiration is what keeps us motivated and helps us grow as individuals.

Connect - recent research has demonstrated that quality mentoring is a predictor of career satisfaction and networking a predictor of career success.  A combination of powerful mentoring by one or more mentors as well as networking can produce career satisfaction and success which go beyond either of these two activities on their own.  The AWMN values networking as an important part of learning and development for its members, and encourages this through its online community and events.

Share - this is the most important value shared by members of the AWMN, and one that sets the AWMN apart from other networks.  The sharing of knowledge, time, information, experiences and resources between members is what the AWMN is all about, and is what makes it such a valuable resource for Australian women.

Our Founder

The Australian Women's Mentoring Network was founded in 2004 by Catherine Seton, whose vision was to ensure that all Australian women had access to mentoring for career and life balance no matter where they lived, which industry they worked in, their age, cultural background or employment status.

Catherine's background includes a number of years in university management at both The University of Queensland and the University of Western Australia. She has mentored women since 1995 through university career development and leadership programs as well as through the AWMN. Catherine has promoted the importance of mentoring for women through radio interviews, newspaper and magazine articles and has conducted mentoring presentations at conferences, workshops and events across Australia.

In addition to her role with the AWMN, Catherine is an Associate Consultant with Hay Group, and was formerly a Faculty Manager at The University of Western Australia, where she also co-chaired the UWA University Managers Group during 2007 and 2008, and was actively involved in numerous university committees, reviews, steering groups and networks.  She proactively uses coaching and mentoring skills (as well as experience) to help clients implement strategic objectives and develop leadership capability.

In her former life, she has written articles for a national parenting magazine, worked as an archaeologist and museum curator, and taught piano to her son's friends! She has studied at two of Australia's top universities, and has lived in Sydney, Launceston, Brisbane and rural Queensland. She is currently residing in beautiful Perth with her husband and three children.