Alumni Profile “WHERE ARE THEY NOW?”
What advice would you give to someone considering undertaking this study path? There are many ways you can achieve your goals and chosen career path in life if you remain focused and believe in yourself. What influenced your choice of career? I have always been someone who enjoyed being healthy, active and would consider myself a ‘people person’ so working in health care was a really good fit for me. I also became a carer for my Grandmother in 2015 after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer which inspired me to start my own business.
NICOLE DUNN What Year did you graduate? 2000 What study did you undertake after Year 12? I completed the first year of Health Sciences then transferred and completed a Bachelor of Physiotherapy both at La Trobe University. I have spent the last 15 years working as a physiotherapist and an Emergency Department Care Coordinator in public hospitals and the last 3 years running my own business connecting seniors to home based aged care services.
12 Always Aloysius – Winter Edition, 2020
Study/career/travel highlights • Working for 18 months as a physio in London • Working in emergency to respond to COVID19 • Starting my own business ‘Empower Aged Care Consulting’ • Invited to be a speaker at the Aged Care Royal Commission to advocate for families and carers. What skills have you learnt? • To be calm in a crisis! • Clinical aged care, health care and physiotherapy skills. • Business skills – which I never thought I would do in high school.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve overcome? Working in health care whilst concurrently being a carer for my Grandmother was a huge challenge to overcome, however it taught myself so much personally and professionally. What do you recall of your time at St Aloysius? What is your fondest memory? I loved physical education (PE) and had wonderful teachers with great memories of interschool sports, being on the school swimming team and having fun playing sport. I also developed wonderful friendships in high school that have continued to this day. If you could give your high school self some words of advice, what would it be? Never underestimate the impact you have on your students. Who or what has inspired you? My Grandmother certainly inspired me to be humble and care for others and was always enormously proud of my educational pursuits. What are your career aspirations/goals in the coming years? I am passionate about the current work I am doing to support older people to remain at home by linking them with home based aged care supports. I hope to use this platform to pursue more work in the public arena to advocate for seniors and their carers.
