Michelle Hogan is a Royal Australian Navy veteran and senior Defence professional with more than 25 years of combined military, Australian Public Service and Defence industry experience.
Michelle served for over eight years in the Royal Australian Navy as a Stores Naval Sailor, developing a strong foundation in logistics, teamwork, accountability and operational support.
Following her Navy service, Michelle completed approximately 15 years in the Australian Public Service (APS) within the Department of Defence. Her career included roles across infrastructure, Integrated Logistics Support, project delivery, commercial and contract management, workforce planning and organisational reform across the Air, Joint and Sea domains.
After leaving the APS, Michelle joined Core Defence Australia as a Strategic Business Advisor and later served as Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility across company operations, commercial management, governance, workforce and Defence client delivery.
Michelle currently serves as Head – People, Security and Women in Defence at Core Defence Australia, leading key workforce, security and sector engagement functions. Michelle has delivered significant outcomes for Core Defence Australia by combining commercial growth with practical improvements to the company’s governance, workforce arrangements and employee experience.
Michelle has applied the discipline, accountability, resilience and service mindset developed during more than eight years as a Stores Naval Sailor in the Royal Australian Navy to strengthen Core Defence Australia’s operations and leadership.
Her Navy service developed a practical understanding of logistics, resource stewardship, teamwork and the need to remain reliable in demanding environments. At CDA, she applies these attributes through structured planning, clear accountability, sound judgement and a strong focus on delivering outcomes for both the organisation and its clients.
By combining military discipline with empathy and practical leadership, Michelle has strengthened Core Defence Australia’s decision-making, veteran awareness and ability to support the Defence community. Michelle positively impacts Core Defence Australia’s culture through visible, authentic and accountable leadership.
What sets Michelle apart is the breadth of experience she brings across the entire Defence environment. Her career spans logistics, project delivery, commercial management, capability acquisition, sustainment, workforce planning, governance and organisational reform. This combination gives her an uncommon understanding of Defence from military, Commonwealth and industry perspectives. Michelle continues to combine veteran experience, senior APS leadership, commercial credibility and people-focused executive leadership.
