Tasmania, March 2025

A month, 3000km, and a van - an excellent combo! I've just returned from a road trip around Tasmania and I have to say, completely disconnecting from work was exactly what I needed. 😊

For the first time in literally decades, I properly switched off. No meetings, no deadlines, no LinkedIn scrolling - just winding roads, delicious food & drinks, stunning views, friendly locals, numerous wildlife sightings and even a night under the Aurora Australis! 

Somewhere along the way, I finally felt like myself again (and realised how much I'd missed her). It struck me that I haven’t had this kind of clear mental space in years. Between family, work, studying, pandemic and life in general, I’d been running on empty for far too long without noticing. Now I feel recharged, full of ideas, and ready to think about the next chapter. 🥳 

I don’t have a clear view on what that looks like just yet, and that's 100% fine. My career has spanned business, IT and digital, consulting, leadership, strategy, delivery and operations. It's quite a diverse mix, and it's fair to say the last couple of years haven’t quite gone to plan, but I’m lucky now to have the time to find a next step that really fits.

In the meantime, I'm playing around with some ideas I had on the road, doing a bit of consulting and a bit of volunteer work, and spending some quality time with my puppy (who was not impressed by my absence but was very pleased by my return). I'd love to hear how others have navigated life moments like this, or talk about hashtag#VanLife if you're interested in a trip like this, or chat about any interesting opportunities. Feel free to get in touch - I’m always up for coffee and a chat! 🚐🌏☕

Trip photos on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genxnomad.au 

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Accessibility Milestone: Ivanhoe Train Station

After years of advocacy and a concerted community campaign, we’re pleased to share that Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI) will be installed at Ivanhoe Station next month, May 2025. This announcement follows a meeting this morning with Hon. Gabrielle Williams MP, Minister for Transport Infrastructure, and Hon. Anthony Carbines MP, Ivanhoe’s local member of Parliament. 

This upgrade is long overdue. Out of 222 train stations in Melbourne’s Metro network, 196 have TGSI implemented (although some only have it installed on one side). Despite years of polite phone calls and emails from Lilly’s family and her orientation & mobility aide, Ivanhoe Station remained overlooked. It was only through this campaign, supported by over 10,000 petition signatures, that the issue gained the attention it deserved.

The works will involve significant upgrades to the platform, integrated into an existing scheduled weekend line shutdown at the end of May.

Thank you to everyone who signed, shared, and supported this campaign. Your voices combined with Lilly and her family & supporter's advocacy made this happen. ❤️ 

📋 Petition:  https://www.change.org/IvanhoeStationAccessibility 

🌟 More about Lilly: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vision-australia_the-message-i-want-to-spread-to-other-young-activity-7272791746793619457-Dm__ 

🥳 Hon. Gabrielle Williams announcement this morning: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18nQmc3S4m/

💡 Case Study outlining behind-the-scenes: https://enveedigital.au/case-studies/grassroots-advocacy

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Challenging Assumptions

Yesterday I read an article on Australia's ABC News website titled "New data shows Australians hold intense dislike for Elon Musk" which really got me thinking (although not about that actual topic!).

What really piqued my interest was the poll data, which shows that a surprising 16% of respondents have never heard of Bill Gates - the founder of Microsoft! Even more surprising is that 20% have never heard of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.

Read the full article 

This article was first published on LinkedIn and is also on my business consulting blog. 

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Accessibility: Ivanhoe Train Station

Hi there, 

My friend's daughter Lilly, who is totally blind and achieved an outstanding 98.6 ATAR in 2024, is starting at the University of Melbourne in 2025 and her local train station is inaccessible and dangerous for blind and low-vision users. 

My friends have been trying to raise this as a safety issue with Public Transport Victoria and politicians at local, state and federal level SINCE 2022, to no avail. 

Ivanhoe Station and Heidelberg Station are both designated Premium stations on the Hurstbridge line, and also the only two stations on the Hurstbridge line without Tactile Ground Surface Indicators. (Those little raised dots you find throughout public spaces.) Heidelberg Station is outside a major hospital precinct! 

These tactile markers let those that are blind or have low vision use the public transport system safely. Without them it’s practically too dangerous for them to use these two train stations. 

We've set up a petition and we're hoping "people power" will assist in drawing attention to and ultimately resolving this unsafe and frankly discriminatory situation. Everyone has the right to travel safely and independently. Please help us by signing and sharing this petition! TIA ☺️ 

📋 Petition:  https://www.change.org/IvanhoeStationAccessibility 

🌟 More about Lilly: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vision-australia_the-message-i-want-to-spread-to-other-young-activity-7272791746793619457-Dm__ 

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Innovating with Artificial Intelligence

AI - everyone's talking about it. From transforming industries to making coffee, it's the latest buzzword that’s supposed to revolutionise everything. But here’s the thing - while AI can be undeniably powerful, it’s also surrounded by a LOT of hype (check out the obviously-AI-generated image on this article!). Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are understandably wondering how AI applies to them or where to even begin.

Read the full article

This article was first published on LinkedIn and is also on my business consulting blog. 

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Masters of Business Administration (MBA) completed

Very happy to have formally completed my MBA with distinction this afternoon at the RMIT University Graduation Ceremony! 🎓❤️ 

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Bridging the Gap: Strategic IT Focus in NFPs

Navigating the complexities of the not-for-profit (NFP) sector requires a strategic approach, particularly when it comes to technology. I've worked with a number of NFPs and community-based organisations over the years, and it's relatively common to find a disconnect between technology initiatives and overarching organisational goals, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities.

Recently, we worked with an NFP to deliver a comprehensive IT Current State Assessment, which revealed key areas for improvement and set the stage for strategic realignment and growth.

Read the full article

This article was first published on LinkedIn and is also on my business consulting blog. 

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Memories of Lonely Planet

From 2002 to 2005, I worked at Lonely Planet in Melbourne, in a couple of different IT leadership roles. In 2004, I was the IT Operations Manager, a role I loved. 

One of my fondest memories from that time is the "Helpdesk Blitz Day", an event I created with the intent of tackling our backlog of support tickets, improving the understanding of service delivery processes across the business, and building team morale. 

The entire IT team and many non-IT staff, including most of LP's C-suite executives, were encouraged to "donate" an hour to man the Service Desk, and they all participated enthusiastically, including our CEO. We'd ordered these caps and badges for every participant, and focused on closing as many tickets as possible while enjoying music and snacks. The event achieved every one of the stated goals, and was considered a resounding success. 🎉 

Recently, a former colleague shared a photo of his badge from that day, bringing back great memories and prompting me to dig out some photos I'd forgotten I had. I can't believe it was 20 years ago! 2004 was a pre-smartphone, pre-social media and only-just-digital camera time so there aren't thousands of photos like there would be today. The fact he shared the badge photo now tells me so much about the type of place Lonely Planet was back then, and I'm pleased I'm not the only one who remembers that day. 😊 

My time at Lonely Planet was filled with professional growth, a supportive culture and some lasting friendships. LinkedIn started around then, so my first 100 or so connections are all former LP-ers. I always remember it as a place where we worked hard but had a lot of fun. As I explore new opportunities, I reflect on the importance of culture, teamwork, and good leadership, all qualities I hope to embrace in my next role. ❤️ 

    

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