This is Allens

I grew up in the suburbs of sunny Melbourne. As one of four kids and a huge extended family of Jehovah's Witnesses, there was always something to keep us busy – volleyball days, soccer tournaments, church social events, supper nights – my house was a hive of activity for our community.

Growing up with a strong sense of community taught me that connection is crucial to happiness and, for me, connection means being curious and understanding the world from others' perspectives. Being 'chronically curious' I really struggle with being idle, and am always looking for (or inventing) ways to stimulate my mind, stay busy and learn new things.

Lockdown has been an interesting challenge for me. My friends and family have been subjected to my live exercise classes, Eurovision parties, escape rooms and trivia nights. I'm 99% sure they appreciate my enthusiasm for keeping us all entertained.
Before COVID, travel was my favourite way to make new connections and satisfy my curiosity. But it's hard work sometimes – one time, in Riga, Latvia, I realised we'd arrived in town just in time for their White Night but I could only find the program in Latvian. So I had to translate it line by line into English to experience a jam-packed evening of Latvian art, food, live music and a few indie horror short films. It was a memorable night and definitely worth the effort!

Career-wise, my curiosity and thirst for learning means that I'm a change junkie. During my time at Allens I've been lucky enough to work in many different roles spanning IT, Pricing, General Management and Innovation. I've been here for a large chunk of my professional life and I've stayed because, in my opinion, Allens is the perfect place to be challenged, change, grow and connect with smart and passionate people who are focussed on creating a better future.