Captain Mona Shindy is one of the most remarkable modern day Australian leaders — an engineer, trailblazer, and one of the first Muslim women to serve on an Australian warship. 

Arriving in Australia as a young migrant, Mona’s journey is defined by resilience, from the loss of her father at 14, to navigating male-dominated environments, to serving in high-pressure military operations. 

In this episode, Mona shares the realities of life inside the Navy, including the challenges of being one of the first women onboard warships, the complexity of serving during the Iraq War, and the personal cost of leadership in environments where trust, identity and performance are constantly tested. 

She also reflects on her role as an Islamic cultural advisor, the misconceptions around faith and service, and what it truly means to lead with integrity in institutions undergoing change. 

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Episode Running Order 

• Migration to Australia and early life between cultures (00:00:45) 

• Family background and her parents’ journey (00:02:11) 

• Growing up in Sydney and early influences (00:06:37) 

• Losing her father and stepping into responsibility early (00:10:18) 

• School, ambition and choosing engineering (00:17:44) 

• Being one of the few women in a male-dominated field (00:20:22) 

• Joining the Navy and early military training (00:23:14) 

• Life as one of the first women on a warship (00:29:20) 

• Proving herself in a high-pressure environment (00:32:10) 

• Iraq War deployment and ethical complexity (00:49:24) 

• Navigating identity as a Muslim in the Defence Force (00:53:29) 

• Marriage, family and balancing service (00:57:52) 

• Appointed Islamic Cultural Advisor to the Navy (01:02:04) 

• Internal resistance and public scrutiny (01:06:30) 

• The decision to wear the hijab and its impact (01:12:26) 

• Leadership, resilience and carrying the cultural burden (01:16:23) 

• Reflections on service, leadership and legacy (01:20:30+)