Team Spotlight: Fiona Boyle CEO

Tell us about your role at Kooyoora?

My role is Chief Executive Officer, which in a small organisation means being someone that needs to be across a lot of areas. My role operates on a number of levels - thinking and planning strategically about where the organisation needs to go, supporting our team and into operational details of service delivery. Not a boring role :-)

What inspired you to work at Kooyoora?

I loved the concept of Kooyoora. In my previous role as CEO of Gippsland Centre against Sexual Assault, I had been involved in supporting survivors with submissions to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Sexual Assault, assisting with research and making submissions about systematic responses. I see Kooyoora as a tangible outcome of that work and a chance to influence significant social change.

What do you like most about working at Kooyoora?

The importance of the work and the need for careful, thoughtful ethical considerations drive me. I am acutely aware of the implications of this work on people’s lives. Complaints processes are vital but never easy. As a psychologist my lens is always on people’s wellbeing and balancing that with the challenge of maintaining a process with integrity.

What does a typical day in the office look like?

It is always interesting, and every day is unique. My priorities are always ensuring the team are well and have what they need to do the work to the best of their ability. I love to challenge, support and develop people within the workplace. I am very aware of the impact and the difficult contexts of our work.  The importance of the work means I continually look for ways to improve and consider the bigger picture of prevention, and in particular culture change. I also spend time problem solving! There is a never-ending supply of them.

What is a hobby/interest you have outside of work?

Is a grandson a hobby? :-)  I love to relax and read. I am more likely to want to curl up with a book (especially when it is raining). I love creating - drawing and party planning.

What’s your favourite way to spend a weekend?

With my family! Travelling with my husband, chatting with my adult children and doing anything with my 4-year-old grandson…..painting, playing dinosaurs, building zoos and reading are our favourites at the moment. I do also like time on my own to contemplate, draw and read.

Coffee or tea?

Neither- hot chocolate

If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Driven, open and I really place high value on kindness, so kindness as well.

What’s the best place you’ve ever travelled to? Why?

Oh just one? It would have to be Switzerland - it was magical. The beauty of nature was jaw dropping.

Do you have any hidden talents?

No.

What is a fun fact about you?

I was a premature baby - 3 months prem, not supposed to survive (especial back then) but here I am!

Cat or dogs?

Probably more cat.

Would you rather Karaoke (solo) or part of a choir?

 What about karaoke duo? If I must choose it would be karaoke.

Do you have a favourite quote of motto?

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader” - John Quincy Adams (6th President of US).

“This is the work” [relationships and how we inspire and care for people] - Marie Feeley

So many, in fact anything Brene Brown says..

“Vulnerability sounds like the truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness”

“Courage over comfort”

When I read Brene’s comments about this speech I was hooked:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” ~ President Theodore Roosevelt……Brene goes on the say “If you are not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback”