Heidi Venamore

Heidi Venamore is an Australian diplomat and a painter of botanical art. She was Australia's Ambassador to Jordan from 2012 to 2016 and Australian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates from 2020 to 2024. Venamore also painted Australia's official gift to Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of the latter's platinum jubilee. In 2023, Venamore was awarded the Defence Overseas Service Medal. In 2024, she became the chair of the council of England's Marlborough College.

Early life and education Venamore obtained a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of laws from the University of Queensland. She also obtained a master of laws (LLM) in international law from the University of Cambridge and a graduate diploma in foreign affairs and trade from the Australian National University. Her overseas postings included Deputy Head of Mission in Baghdad, Head of Political and Trade branch in London, The same year, she was featured in a DFAT exhibition about women in the foreign service, contrasting the treatment of some of the earlier and later female public servants.

In 2012, she was appointed Australian Ambassador to Jordan, serving in the role until 2016. a role in which she served until 2024.

In 2024, she became the chair of the council for the prominent English public school, Marlborough College.

Artist Venamore is also a painter specialising in botanical art. She also painted two paintings that Jordan gave to Prince Charles on his 70th birthday. Her painting was Australia's gift to the Queen for the Queen's platinum jubilee.

In 2023, she was awarded the Defence Overseas Service Medal for the part she played in the evacuation of 4,000 people from Afghanistan in 2021.