Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Geelong and went to Sacred Heart College Geelong. I loved the school so much that I was lucky enough to be College Captain.
Why did you decide to study at Deakin/La Trobe? What interested you about studying a Health Science degree?
In VCE my two main interests were Legal studies and Health. I was very close to pursuing further studies in law, however, my real passion was health. A bachelor of health sciences was a great degree to further my interests in health and Latrobe University in Bundoora offered an amazing course. I majored in Public Health and ran many health programs whilst at Uni. I then completed further studies at Deakin University in Health Promotion and Nutrition. Both Universities provided wonderful courses, with incredible staff that encouraged me to continue in the health industry.
Why did you apply for your first role at GMHBA? What was it that interested you about working here?
Whilst completing my studies I worked in many different health practices, including Physiotherapy and General Practice and became a group exercise instructor teaching Body attack classes at local gyms. I also completed work experience at Women’s Health magazine and loved every minute of it! After a few years of working in small health practices, I was ready to see what working in a larger organisation was like. A role was advertised for a Customer Service role at GMHBA and despite the role not being directly related to my degrees, I was keen to try something new and understand the organisation. After my initial interview, I received a call saying a different role was available and more suited to my qualifications, an administration role within the Diversification team. The role was part of a newly formed team at GMHBA, with the aim of diversifying the business to become a health services provider. The team lead GMHBA to successfully provide Dental, Eye Care, General Practice and Physiotherapy. It was an exciting time for GMHBA and I loved being part of such an innovative and diverse team. My experience and degree were frequently used in this role and I loved learning about the acquisition of health practices.
What were your next roles….
After being in the diversification team, I spent time in the facilities team further understanding the project management side of the business. I then moved into the Strategy and Risk department as a Business Analyst where I was able to learn an incredible amount through working with so many departments in the business. I loved understanding how an organisation builds their strategy and the many different ways an organisation can operate to deliver an outcome. It was in this position that I was able to start exploring Value Based Health Care for GMHBA. I loved looking at all the different ways GMHBA provides Health value and created an ongoing paper for the Health Services Committee, highlighting the health value GMHBA delivers to its members and the community. I then moved into the role of Project Manager, leading a team of subject matter experts to deliver specific pieces of work.
How were your early roles here helpful in terms of your career progression?
Each role I have been in at GMHBA has allowed me to understand different parts of the business, build relationships, learn from incredible mentors and to be able to develop different skills needed for my current role as Project Manager.
What do you do in your current role as Project Manager (day-to-day and in plain English, no titles/acronyms etc) Why is this important to GMHBA?
In order for GMHBA to deliver on its strategy, certain pieces of work need to be delivered. When the work requires specific subject matter experts and will take a certain amount of time, a project manager is needed to ensure the project runs smoothly and delivers the expected outcome(s). As a project manager, I ensure project documentation is completed, including a project timeline and tracking of resources. I lead project meetings to ensure each project resource is clear on the work that needs to be done, understands if there are any risks or issues that could impact the project and track how the project is progressing. Project management is incredibly important at GMHBA. There are many subject matter experts that are amazing at what they do, the project manager ensures the work being done is in line with the intended aim of the project and helps minimise any blockers or hurdles.
What do you enjoy about your current role?
I love working with different people from around the organisation and learning each and every day.
What is interesting about Private Health Insurance? What keeps you coming in to work each day?
We are so lucky to have an incredible private health system in Australia and to have options when navigating our health journeys. When a member or customer calls GMHBA, sometimes they need to navigate the health system that they may not be familiar with. When I hear that GMHBA has been able to guide that person to manage or improve their health, I know I am working in the right company. GMHBA cares for its staff and its customers and that makes me a loyal staff member.
How has your degree been useful in the various roles that you’ve undertaken at GMHBA?
The role of business analyst has always allowed me to use my health sciences degrees. Articulating the different populations that require health services based on their demographics was very useful when looking at potential locations for health practices. Measuring health value and documenting the health outcomes from the many programs and services GMHBA offer was possible due to my University learnings.
3 pieces of advice you’d give to Graduates wanting to join our organisation?