>About+Leoni

=Dr Leoni Warne =

 Dr Leoni Warne, of the Joint Operations Division, Defence Science and Technical Organisation (DSTO), Canberra, passed away on Monday, 14th June 2010. Leoni’s early career spanned librarianship, Information Management and Information Systems and, more recently, the human and organisational aspects of learning, knowledge mobilisation and network-centricity.  Up to 1998 Leoni was a lecturer at the University of Canberra in Information Systems, whilst pursuing her doctoral studies on // Power and Politics in Information Systems Development: a new model of conflict and a challenge for project managers // (1997). She joined DSTO in August 1998, working as a Senior Research Scientist and as a Science Team Leader.  Leoni was a founding member of Australasian Association for Information Systems, a regular participant at ACIS and contributor to AJIS. She was also a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society where she represented the ACT on the Women’s Board and worked passionately for the cause of Women in IT.  Drawing on her academic experience, Leoni also mentored a growing group of science researchers with social and organisational learning skills. She was respected in the academic world and worked to forge relationships between academic institutions and DSTO. She held an Honorary Principal Research Fellow appointment at the University of Wollongong and was Adjunct Professor of Information Systems at the University of Canberra. She also contributed to a number of boards/committees of educational institutions and professional associations. Leoni’s dedication to the human and social issues in IS never waned and she worked relentlessly to highlight their importance in the Department of Defence where she often found herself at odds with adherents of the mainstream technical focus.  Those who worked closely with Leoni have described her as having a big heart, a wicked humour, strength of character, and courage in facing the challenges of life. She was empathic, and never seemed to mind being asked a favour. Leoni was also known as inspirational, as someone who would get things done, and as someone who had a unique ability to seize opportunities.  Leoni will be sadly missed by family,.her many friends and colleagues