2024 Winner: Young Alumnus Award (Griffith Business School)
Bachelor of Public Relations and Communications, Class of 2017
Master of Global Development, Class of 2023
Hayley is a Humanitarian and Climate Adaptation professional consulting on youth climate policy through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia Pacific Youth Advisory Group on Climate and Environmental Justice.
Congratulations, how did you feel when you found out you won an Outstanding Alumni Award?
I feel so honoured to be selected for an Outstanding Alumni Award. Griffith University has provided me with so many opportunities and guidance to get me to where I am today, and it is a great privilege to be recognised among an outstanding cohort of people.
What does a typical day/week at work look like for you?
My week at work always varies! I have spent a lot of time working for Red Cross and Red Crescent’s across Asia and Africa to collaborate on the planning and implementation of humanitarian programs. This includes lots of meetings, reports, and strategy development to ensure we are delivering work with the most humanitarian impact.
How do you see your industry evolving in the next decade, and how do you plan to adapt?
The climate and humanitarian space will evolve rapidly over the next decade as we continue to feel the impacts of anthropogenic climate change. People in the sector should adapt by listening to those living with the issues and facing the brunt of increasing humanitarian crises and the climate crisis. I see my role as not only adapting to the changing world but also advocating for change in an industry that needs to reposition itself to better deliver equitable and sustainable outcomes for people and the planet. It is also essential to continue learning and honing in on skills surrounding focus areas to ensure you’re positioned to best respond to challenges.
How do you maintain a work-life balance, especially considering your level of achievement?
To be honest, the last year or so has been the first time in my life that I have understood the importance of having proper balance in your life. As someone who is passionate about the work I do, I spent years pushing myself to do more and more –not realising my mind and body needed a break because I loved what I was doing. After a big year of juggling conferences, full-time work, a big family loss, and additional roles, I finally hit a wall of burnout and realised that things needed to change.
You can’t show up to the world the way you want to when you are running past capacity. Now, I understand the importance of taking breaks, nourishing your mind and body with love, friends, good food, and nature, and knowing that you don’t have to say yes to everything. As you get older, you increasingly realise who you are and what you want to spend your valuable energy on, and this is what I have found to be the best way to maintain balance.
Why did you choose Griffith University?
When I was finishing high school, I wanted to find a university that offered an excellent education in a relaxed and supportive environment. I spent a lot of time looking into universities and loved the idea of Griffith due to its standing, reputation as a place of innovation, and of course, the location! I moved from a smaller coastal town in New South Wales to the Gold Coast to study, and Griffith turned into a second home for me – with volunteering, friends, and always absorbing so much great knowledge from staff.
Why are you proud to be a Griffith alumnus?
I am proud to be a Griffith alumnus because studying a Griffith opened my eyes to the world. On top of developing critical thinking skills essential to navigating our world today, I have had the chance to engage with people from across so many walks of life and to build knowledge from collective experiences that have helped me to shape my journey since graduating.
What role has networking played in your professional journey?
I have never been someone who feels comfortable going to events that are specifically developed with the role of networking in mind. This isn’t to say that networking hasn’t played a huge role in my professional journey. I have made the most incredible authentic connections with people from across the world through my volunteering, work, and attending various conferences (many of which I was luckily sponsored to attend through Griffith!).
I love meeting new people who are passionate about things similar to and adjacent to me. When you make those genuine connections, you make a connection for life. Then you have a network of incredibly talented people who are ready to tackle the world’s biggest problems, collaborate, and work with you to achieve your goals.
Can you share a piece of advice you wish you had received earlier in your career?
I have often wished that someone had told me to focus on finding a passion or area I want to work in and uncover the ‘how’ I want to work. There is a big focus on preparing youth for jobs that fit into the traditional world of 9-5, but my generation and those after me want something more – many want to live their lives making a positive impact and have the autonomy to choose their directions. I wish someone had told me that it was ok for me to want something different, that there are endless possibilities out there to seek, and that you don’t have to fit into the box of what society has deemed success to look like.
Best life book recommendation, and why?
There are far too many; however, recently, I finished reading Humankind by Rutger Bregman. With the current state of the world, it is easy to take a pessimistic view of humanity. Bregman instead dives into our vast collective history to uncover the mistruths we have been told about our core in a spectacular fusion of science and an exploration of humans as social beings. The book made me feel positive about our future for the first time in a long time, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Want more?
Meet the rest of our 2024 winners and discover how they are making it matter.