Where were you raised and what influenced your career?

Born and bred in Newcastle, I grew up in Lambton and went to Merewether High School, where career expectations were high. I can't say I had any inkling I would be an accountant, but definitely the combination of school and participating competitively in sport contributed to my drive to be the very best I can be.

Why did you study a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) at UON?

Newcastle is home and I had no aspirations to move (at the time), especially with a uni with such a good reputation on the doorstep. I shifted into Commerce after realising that I hated doing law (my first choice)!

You began at Newcastle's Maxim Accounting and Business Advisory and worked your way up over seven years. What was your most valuable lesson there?

I had an amazing manager for pretty much my whole time at Maxim. Apart from your basic debits and credits, he taught me about perspective, to focus on the bigger picture and to not sweat the small stuff - you could call it commerciality. This was crucial as all my learning up to that point had focused on being the best and getting everything perfect which just does not happen in the "real world".

You were then briefly a taxation accountant at NIB. How did it influence you?

Moving from private practice into a commercial accounting role was an eye-opener, especially with an organisation as well-known and respected as nib. In hindsight, it taught me a lot about how big business works at a young age, which I have been able to apply in practice. Ultimately, it also made me realise that I thrive in public practice where no day is the same and I'm helping people to improve their business and achieve their goals.

What led you to PKF?

The reputation of bigger accounting firms, especially relating to work/life balance, made me wary of going to a big firm, like PKF. I was pleasantly surprised that this was addressed head on in my interview and that one of the partners in the meeting left early to take his kids to sport lessons. That answered everything I needed to know and spoke far louder than any words. Returning to the firm was an easy decision. I'd been through the firm's Thrive & Lead program and had clear aspirations of my goals. PKF encourages opportunity and I'll be pushed out of my comfort-zone in the most positive of ways. Transitioning into the Tax team has given me the opportunity to work closely with one of the best, Darren Shone, and I am determined to tap into his knowledge and soak it up.

What led you to South Australia, and why did you return to the PKF fold?

My husband and I are career-focused, his work led us to Adelaide in March 2020. In my heart, I never left PKF (I was on parental leave at the time) and was always looking for the opportunity to come back. Being able to do so remotely sped up that process.

You are now a Principal at PKF. What does that mean?

The Principal role is the next step on the pathway to partnership. I am in a leadership position, with a voice at the table and a team relying on me for my technical ability, mentoring skills and relationship building.

How important was it to you to return to the firm at that level of seniority, particularly after having parental time off?

It wasn't something I even considered. The firm has a strong history of supporting team members in their life choices and even in the Lawler Partners days, they promoted Kylee Dare to Partner whilst on parental leave. Two fellow Thrive and Lead alumni have also had parental leave in the last 18 months, and both have earned promotions to Principal as well. Parental leave is not something that is going to dampen your career at PKF. In terms of returning at a senior level, that was very important to me. I'm competitive and I keep striving towards my next career goal.

What are your core responsibilities?

As a leader within the tax team, my role involves maximising our clients' objectives with the aim to achieve the most favourable tax outcome for them. I work with accountants and lawyers, helping clients to solve their complex tax problems.

And your client mix?

Tax impacts everyone from small family business to large conglomerates. We offer specialist tax advice to anyone that needs it, there is no cookie cutter client or industry and, we often find ourselves engaged by other firms, working with their clients and acting as the firm's ally.

PKF tax partner Darren Shone says you are "truly made for the tax and advisory world". What do you like about your profession?

I get satisfaction from helping businesses achieve their goals. No one day is the same and I enjoy the diversity and the challenge.

What feedback are you getting from clients after a challenging COVID-19 period?

It ranges from clients who have thrived and diversified to our hospitality and retail clients whose businesses stopped for months at a time. Mostly, businesses (and people) just want it to be over and to embrace decreasing restrictions, without the threat of months-long lockdowns.

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