When the MFO's Women’s Mentorship Program hosted its first meeting on December 13th, 2021, six members attended. Eight months on, participation has grown to an average of 25 MFO members per meeting.

Captain Noella Rogers, a military police officer and member of the U.S. contingent, founded the program with a clear vision, “women’s mentorship provides a place for women to develop as leaders, enables community problem-solving, and fosters fellowship throughout the MFO,” she says.

MFO military members from Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Fiji, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, the United States, and Uruguay, and MFO civilian employees regularly attend the biweekly meetings.

“Our group’s diversity brings unique insights and reminds us we are a community,” explains Captain Rogers, “we acknowledge the shared challenges we may have experienced in our careers, focus on overcoming them, and make the most of the opportunities that present themselves at the MFO.”

She adds that inclusion is one of the founding principles, “every contingent - women and men, military and civilian alike – all are welcome. Many of us experienced not having a seat at the table, so we ensure everyone has a seat at ours.”

A typical meeting involves discussions on a specific skill or challenge combined with a practical exercise and ends with a historical vignette highlighting the contributions of women in the military, or other fields.

Additionally, guest speakers are regularly invited to present. Recently, the program held a mindfulness workshop as well as a presentation on all-female Special Forces units in Norway. Currently, members are examining lessons from the book How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith, with discussions focused on communication and organizational leadership.