Fifteen Years with ACS: A Journey of Purpose, Progress, and Professional Growth
By Jenalle Bushby, Canberra Branch Manager | 13 June 2025
Highlights
A little belated thank you note: Fifteen years ago, on my very first day, I met with a Part-time Branch Manager in Canberra and immediately took the lead to ensure the successful delivery of a significant event in welcoming the newly appointed ACS CEO in 2010.
That early success set the tone for what would become a remarkable 15-year career, which I didn't expect would mark the beginning of a 15-year journey with the ACS.
Today, I look back with pride and deep appreciation for the opportunities, experiences, achievements, and extraordinary people I work with and have had the pleasure of shaping this journey. I like to express my heartfelt "Thank you!".
Through this journey, I found my purpose and sense of belonging, and I've built lasting relationships with members, industry partners, and institutions that are built on trust, collaboration, and shared purpose.
Reflecting on the Journey
When I first joined ACS in 2010, I could not have predicted the transformative path ahead. Over the years, I’ve evolved alongside the organisation from supporting administrative operations, member sevices and events management to leading strategic initiatives as the Canberra Branch Manager.
What stands out most in reflection is the incredible growth: not just in my own career, but in the reach, relevance, and reputation of ACS in the Canberra region and beyond. This journey has been one of building bridges, championing innovation, and continually seeking to make a positive impact for the tech professionals and community.
Key Achievements I’m Proud Of
1. Building a Stronger Canberra Tech Community
One of my proudest achievements is helping to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive tech professional community in Canberra. From annual conferences, leadership roundtables and panel sessions, special interest groups, and networking events to career development workshops, we’ve brought professionals together to share, learn, and grow.
2. Launching and growing the ACS Canberra Mentoring Program
The Canberra Mentoring Program has become a flagship initiative, designed to connect early-career professionals with experienced mentors. Watching mentees develop confidence and clarity in their career paths has been incredibly rewarding and a testament to the power of connection and guidance. Thanks to Canberra Branch Committee members for their continued support.
3. Championing Student Engagement and Pathways to Industry
The collaboration with the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) and the University of Canberra as part of the ACS Professional Partnership Program (PPP), which leads to our student membership, has grown significantly. By supporting students through ACS PPP memberships and participating in the Student Capstone Projects Expo and industry engagement events, we’ve helped bridge the gap between education and the professional world, supporting hundreds of emerging tech professionals as they take their first steps into the industry and workforce.
4. Driving Innovation and Thought Leadership
From supporting national ACS initiative events to launching local symposia such as Digital Pulse Launch TechUplift25, focused on the top ten most popular tech topics and trends, including cybersecurity and AI, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside many subject matter experts in tech, elected members and help bring key leaders from multiple government, industry and business partners together to empower the forward-thinking conversations. These events have positioned our community at the cutting edge of Australia’s digital future.
5. Fostering Member-Centric Service and Operational Excellence
Behind the scenes, I’ve worked to improve internal processes, streamline operations, and ensure that ACS services meet member’s needs. It has been fulfilling to combine strategic thinking with a service mindset and to see tangible outcomes that benefit our members daily.
Gratitude and Looking Forward
This milestone is not mine alone. It belongs to every colleague who collaborated with me, every manager and BEC member I have worked with, every member who attended an event, every mentor who gave their time, and every student who was eager to learn and improve their skills.
The past 15 years have taught me the power of purpose and the importance of people.
To the ACS team and my former managers, branch chairs and BECs, thank you for trusting me, challenging me, and encouraging me to grow. To the Canberra community, thank you for your support and commitment to making this region an inclusive community for tech professionals.
I’m excited about what’s ahead and more determined than ever to continue this work: nurturing talent, building partnerships, and empowering the next generation of technology professionals.
Here’s to what we’ve accomplished and what’s still to come.
About the ACS Canberra Hub
The Hub is a custom-built collaborative space for members to drop by and use as a hotspot for meetings and events. Meeting room hire is also available to members and non-members.
Click here to find out more about the room hire rate or click here to book a room for your next meeting/event.