Tracy was working as an Anaesthetist Assistant for the Department of Health when the simple act of helping a patient changed the course of her career. A young woman with Downs Syndrome was experiencing severe anxiety ahead of her injection and grabbed on to Tracy’s hair. Tracy’s calm and relaxed response prompted others present to offer her a job in Disability Services.
Tracy loved the work and the hands-on nature of it. She decided to do a degree at the University of New England and study Psychology and Sociology.
“My son was a toddler at the time, so I was a mum, working part-time and studying full-time.”
“Some nights I’d stand up doing assignments just so I didn’t fall asleep, but I loved it and learned so much – especially from others in my course.”
Tracy worked across disability services, community services, child and family, out of home care and even homelessness. She has always been a fierce advocate for the vulnerable people she works with – even putting her own job on the line at times.
“If I didn’t agree with a decision that was being made and felt very strongly that it wasn’t right, I’d hand in my resignation. Thankfully they’d hand it back to me and reverse the decision,” she said.
Tracy became increasingly frustrated with the decision-making side of things in her industry and while she never sought to be a manager and get ‘off the tools’, she knew she’d have to get involved at a higher level if she was to keep making a difference on the ground.
So, she started putting her hand up for small opportunities like overseeing small programs and taking on acting positions. Tracy worked under the leadership of Deb Tozer at Anglicare and later at CareSouth – who she learned a great deal from.
“I sat in with Deb when she was having a particularly tough conversation and I observed how she handled it. She taught me how to approach even the most unapproachable of people and to remember that everyone has things going on that we can’t see.”
“I think keeping this in mind, letting things go and looking at people holistically helps us treat others with empathy.”
Today Tracy is the Joint CEO at CareSouth with Renee Knight and loves having the flexibility of being truly child and family focussed in a community-based organisation.
“Just the other day I was playing handball in the kitchen with a 10-year-old from our Aunties & Uncles Program, which just goes to show our clients are part of everything we do,” added Tracy.
